"Bruach Na Carraige Baine"
(The Braes of Carrick-Bann)
Or
(The Edge of the White Rock)



Printed in:
Poets and Poetry of Munster, by John O'Daly, 1849, pp. 280-285

John O'Daly writes that the song was composed as an epithalamium or 'welcome home' song for the marriage of William Blacker (1647-1732) and Elizabeth Stewart (1636-1678) in 1666 on the demense of Carrick Blacker, County Armagh.
An Epithalamium is a song or poem to the bride and bridegroom at their wedding. Originating in ancient Greece such songs would make use of invocations to various Greek mythological figures as a traditional way of invoking good fortune on the marriage, as can be seen in this song.

O'Daly writes:
"Bruach and Carrick are the names of two townlands lying contiguous to each other on the river Bann, and forming a part of the demense of Carrick Blacker, an ancient seat of the Blacker family, near Portadown, in the county of Armagh.
As the Family residence was changed to this particular locality from another part of the property, on the marriage of William Blacker, Esq., with Elizabeth, daughter of the Hon. Colonel Robert Stewart, of the Irry, county Tyrone, and granddaughter of the first Lord Castle-stewart, about, or shortly previous to, the year 1666, and as the sub-joined poem coincides in its general structure and style with that period (being at least a century older than the succeeding effusion), there can be little difficulty in affixing very nearly a date to its composition as an Epithalamium, or " welcome home" song, and the party in whose honour it was composed.
To their successor in the fifth generation, Colonel Blacker, the present proprietor of Carrick Blacker, we owe the following very graceful, as well as close translation."


1
Shiar cois abhan gan bhréig, gan dobhat,
Atá'n aingir chiuin-tais, mhánladh;
'Nar gile a com 'ná Aladh air an d-tonn,
O bhathar go bon a bróige!
Is í an stáid-bhean í do chradhaigh mo chroidhe,
'S d'fhág m'inntinn brónach,
Leíghios le fághail ni'l agam go bráth,
Ó dhiúltaidh mo ghrádh geal damhsa!

2
Do b'fearr liom féin 'ná Eire mhór,
'S ná saidhbhrios Rígh na Sbáinne!
Go m-beidhinn-si 's tusa a lúb na finne,
A g-coillte a bhfad ó ar g-cáirde;
Tusa 'gur mise a bhesth pórda, a ghrádh,
Le aon-toil athar 's máthar,
A mhaighdion óg 's mílse póg,
Grian na Cairge Báine!

3
Is léanmhar mo thurus le tréimhse gan suchart,
Is baoghalach go g-cuirfear chum fághain me!
Le géar-shearc do 'n bhruingioll is néata san chruinne,
Do chuir céadta air uireasbadh sláinte!
Do bhí a h-éadan mar luisne na gréine tre chriosdal,
Téid éanlaith chum suchaird le grádh dhi;
Tagan tréin-fhir 's righthe tar tréan-mhuir da h-amharc,
Is í Trian na Cairge Báine!

4
Do bhí Helen an aingir chuir an Trae shoir na lasair,
Ba néata mar labharaid fáighe!
Cuir Ajax 's Achill, 's na tréih-fhir chum catha,
Mo léan, is lé caillead na sáir-fhir!
Do rug an spéirbhean lé an bárr a m-béasa 's a b-pearsa,
'S dob' éigion dóibh casa tar sáile,
A géile do 'n aingir a g-clár na Banba,
Air Bhruach na Cairge Báine!

5
Do rachainn le m' bhuidhean tar fairge a loing,
'S do chuirfinn mo smuainte a d-tácht di;
Dá fásgadh le m' chroidhe air árd-leabadh mhín,
'S ní sgarfainn le m' shaoghal ar stát lé!
Rachad gan mhoill an arm an Righ,
Tá ceannas dá druim le fághail dam,
Fillfead arís fá choimirc na naomh
Go Bruach na Cairge Báine!

6
A bhruingioll gan téimhiol do buadhaig taithniomh mo chroidhe,
'Nar bhinne do laoidhe 'ná 'n chláirsioch;
'Nar ghile do ghnaoi ná sneachta ar an g-craoibh,
Le d' mhall-rosg ghrinn do crádhais me!
Fill orm a rís le taithniomh gan mhóill,
'S tabharfad cruinn dhuit sásamh.
Caithfiom ár saoigheal a bh-fochar ár n-gaoidheal,
Air Bhruach na Cairge Báine!

7
Is méinn liom sgaradh ó gach saoghaltacht air talamh,
Le géar-shearc do d' phearsainn a stáid-bhean;
Níor bhaoghal duit mairg le d' shaoghal dá mairfin,
Ní thréigfin air a bh-feacadh de mhnáibh tu!
Triall leam tar caise má 's léir leat mo phearsa,
Tá reim 's ceannar a n-dán dam,
Go h-Eire ní chasam má thréigir do charaid,
Air Bhruach na Cairge Báine!

8
A stuaire an chínn chailce más dual go m-beidhir agam,
Beidh cóir ort do thaithneochadh le d' cháirde;
Idir shíoda 's hata o bhonn go bathas,
'S gach nídh ann sa chathair dá áilleacht;
Beidh do bhó-lacht dá g-casadh gach nóin chum baile,
'S ceol binn ag ad bheachaibh air bánta;
Beidh ór air do ghlacaibh 's cóisde ad tharruint,
Go Bruach na Cairge Báine!



"The Braes of Carrick-Bann"

Poetic translation by Colonel William Blacker (1777-1855)

William Blacker, under the pseudonym Fitz Stewart, authored poems published in periodocals.


1
By yonder stream a maiden dwells,
Who every other maid excels;
Less fair the swan, in snowy pride,
That graceful stems sweet Banna s tide.
The leech in vain would seek to cure
The pangs of soul that I endure,
Since of each joy and hope bereft,
That stately fair my sight has left.

2
Dear is my native isle, but she
That maid is clearer far to me;
To me her favour greater gain
Than all the boasted wealth of Spain.
Fair-hair'd object of my love,
I would that in some happy grove
'Twere mine to hail thee as my bride,
Of Carrick-braes the virgin pride.

3
But, oh ! forbidden for a while
To revel in that sunny smile,
I seek some distant forest gloom,
To mourn in heaviness my doom,
And hear the wild birds warbling sing;
"While o'er the seas come Prince and King,
In hopes to bask beneath the rays
Of her, the Sun of Carrick Braes.

4
The lovely Queen, whose fatal charms
Call'd Greece's bravest sons to arms
(Historic bards record their names
Who wrapp'd the stately Troy in flames),
Less worthy than this maid by far,
To bid those heroes rush to war;
The heart more willing homage pays
To Banna's maid, on Carrick Braes.

5
With her I'd roam o'er ocean's wave,
And ne'er to part each danger brave;
And as I pressed her to my heart,
My soul's most inward thoughts impart.
But now I'll seek to win a name—
A soldier—on the field of fame,
In hopes, returning crowned with praise,
To win the gem of Carrick Braes.

6
Oh, peerless maid, without a stain,
Whose song transcends the harper's strain;
Whose radiant eyes their glances throw
From features like the driven snow; Return, return, without delay,
While I atoning homage pay,
And let us spend our blissful days
'Mid those we love on Carrick Braes.

7
Oh were each earthly treasure mine,
For thee I would it all resign;
Each fond regret my ardent love
Shall place my dear one far above.
Come, maiden, where, beyond the sea, Both health and riches wait on thee; Repress each lingering thought that stays
On home, and friends, and Carrick Braes.

8
Lov'd charmer of the flaxen hair,
I'll deck thee forth with anxious care;
All dress'd in silken sheen so fine,
The costliest in the land to shine;
Unnumber'd herds shall low for thee,
Her honey store prepare, the bee;
While rings of gold adorn thy hands,
And menials wait on thy commands;
And friends behold, in fond amaze,
Thy splendour upon Carrick Braes.


Stanzas 1, 2 and 8 are more usual in current versions of this song.
The poetic translation deviates somewhat from the literal translation.


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