Album: Rogha-Best Of 1982-89

Thios Fa'n Chosta

Thíos cois na trá domh, in ndoimhneacht na h-oíche
An saol mhor ina gcodhladh, 's mise liom fà in
Na h-à anacha mara ag scairtigh go là anmhar
Cosúil le h-anamnacha bochta i bpà in.
Iomlán gealaí 's iomlán rabharta
Aoibhneas 's ciúineas, 's áilleacht sa domhain
Crónán na fairrige ag dul siar ar mo chluasa
Bog-cheol an uisce ag sileadh san abhainn.
Istigh ar na h-inseáin tá sean-reilig bheannaithe
An áit inar mhaireadh naoimh san aimsir fadó
Tá daoine istigh ann ag chaith seal go h-aerach
Ní shiúlfaidh siad thar fán chladaigh níos mó.
Bhuail uaigneas m'intínn 's mà ag amharc ar an reilig
'S mà ag meadhradh ar dhaoine istigh ann ina luí
Fir a's mná óga, seandaoine 's páistí
Muintir mo mhuintir 's cairde mo chroí.
Tá na coiligh ag glaoch 's na rà alta ag bánú
Tá an ghealach ina luí 's ní fada go lá
Slán agat anois a shean-reilig bheannaithe
'S na daoine a shiúlfadh liom síos cois na trá.

English Translation From Jason Carns
Down by the beach, in the deep of night
The big world is sleeping and I am alone
The sea-birds are calling sorrowfully
Like poor souls in pain
Total purity and total abundance (?)
Bliss and calmness and beauty in the world
The murmur of the sea going into my ears
The soft song of the water flowing in the river.
Above on the headland* there is a blessed old cemetery
The place in which saints lived in times long ago
There are people within spending a while carefree
The will not walk round on the shore any more.
Loneliness strikes my spirits as I look at the cemetery
And I'm thinking about the people in there sleeping
Men and young women, old people and children
People of my people and friends of my heart.
The cocks are crowing and the stars are fading
The moon is setting and it's not long until day
Goodbye now blessed old cemetery
And to the people who walked with me down by the beach.
(Above...)* A rough translation. Couldn't find the word inseáin , but think
it means something like this.
by: Traditional