Manx | English | |
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O Vannin-veg-veen, | O dear little Mann, | |
T’ayns mean y cheayn, | That’s in the middle of the Sea, | |
Ayn jee ta lane easteyryn. | There are many fishermen. | |
Tra ta’n oayrn cuirt. | When the barley is sown, | |
As ny praasyn soit, | And the potatoes set, | |
Goll roin dy cherragh nyn maatyn. | Going on to fix our boats. | |
Son y Feailoin, | For the St John’s fair, | |
Bee mayd goll roin, | We’ll go on our way, | |
Dy yeeaghyn, son warpyn skeddan ; | To look for warps of herrings, | |
Heear ’y chione rouayr, | West of Contrary Head, | |
Lesh jurnaa liauyr, | Towards a long journey, | |
Goaill neose nyn shiauïll fo’n Charron. | Taking down our sais under the Carron.[1] | |
[1] Headland near Bradda.
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Heear ec y veaïn, | West at the mine,[2] | |
[2] Fishing mark off Bradda Mine.
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Shiaulley dy meen, | Sailing patiently, | |
Yn tidey keayrt va noi ain, | The tide once was against us, | |
Stiagh dys Purt-Chiarn, | Into Port Erin, | |
Dy yeeaghyn ny mraane, | To watch the women, | |
Dy phaagey nyn myrneenyn. | To kiss our girlfriends. | |
Goll veih thie dy hie, | Going from house to house, | |
Jeeaighyn son jough-vie | Looking for good drink, | |
Cha row ny lheid ry-gheddyn, | The like was not to be found, | |
Eisht hrog shin shiaull, | Then we raised our sail, | |
Erskyn nyn gione, | Above our heads, | |
As hie shin son y gheaylin. | And we went for the shoulder.[3] | |
[3] Fishing mark off the Calf.
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Heear ec yn Chiark, | West at the Hen,[4] | |
[4] Fishing mark off the Calf.
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Magh ec yn Chleaït, | Forth from the Clett,[5] | |
[5] Fishing mark ‘Clett yn Vurroo’ off the Calf.
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Yn cheayn va gatt as freayney, | The sea was swelling and choppy, | |
Roish rosh shin tidey, | Before we reached the tide, | |
Yn Chiggin vooar, | Of Great Chicken Rock, | |
Daa ghooinney gollish teaymey. | Two men were teaming sweat. | |
Goll seose y roayrt, | Going up the spring tide, | |
Ta deiney loayrt, | Men are talking, | |
As mennic fliughey nyn lieckan, | And often wetting their cheeks | |
Yn fload va roin, | The fleet that was before us, | |
As foddey voin, | And far from us, | |
Adsyn shegin dooin y gheddin. | We have to find them. | |
Tra ren shin feddyn, | When we found, | |
’S yn fload er gheddyn, | And found the fleet, | |
Nagh row ad shen lesh phrowal, | Weren’t they with proof,[6] | |
[6] When signs suggested the presence of a shoal in an area the sighting was tested, and if a shoal was found then the crew would have to inform any nearby boats that they were lesh prowal – ‘in possession of proof’.
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Tra cheayl shin oc, | When we heard from them, | |
Ny skeayllyn voc, | The reports they had, | |
Nagh cheau shin voïn yn famman. | Didn’t we cast off our net.[7] | |
[7] famman—‘tail’ the ‘net’ that trails behind the boat.
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Tra va’n shibber eït, | When the supper was eaten, | |
As yn ushtey roït, | And the water run out, | |
As ooilley jeant dy baghtal. | And all plainly finished, | |
Hie shin dy ronsagh, | We went to explore, | |
Row yn eeast veg fondagh, | Was the little fish evidently, | |
Dy heet roue hoïn dy aghtal. | To come smartly on its way to us. | |
Roish brishey ’n laa, | Before daybreak, | |
Hug shin magh coraa, | We gave out voice, | |
Cha leahs’ va shin lesh phrowal, | As soon as we had proof | |
Eisht yn chied saagh, | Then the first vessel, | |
Haink hooin dy booiagh, | Came gratefully to us, | |
Dansoor shin ee dy lowal. | We answered her lawfully[8]. | |
[8] ‘lawfully’—Manx fishermen were obliged by law to notify other boats of the fleet of sightings of shoals.
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Ec brishey’n laa, | At daybreak, | |
Ve kiune as rea, | It was calm and flat, | |
Va’n cheayn goll-rish traie gheinnee. | The sea was like a sandy beach. | |
Dy chooilley hiaull, | Every sail | |
V’ou fakin goll, | You were seeing go, | |
Gyllagh jeeagh magh son Wherree. | Calling out “Look out for the Wherree”.[9] | |
[9] wherree—a larger ship or barge that collected fish from the fleet to take to market. (English; 'wherry'.)
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Er y vaïe vooar, | On the Big Bay, | |
Va sterrym dy liooar, | There was storm enough, | |
Lesh earish fluigh as fliaghey, | With wet and rainy weather, | |
Skeddan dy glen, | Herrings cleanly, | |
Yiogh shin ayns shen, | We would have got there, | |
Bey’n[10] ghobbag as y vuic-varrey.3 | Were it not for the dogfish and the porpoises.[11] | |
[10] Almost certainly er-be ‘where it not for’.
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[11] muc-varrey ‘sea hog’ (porpoise).
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Toshiaght yn ouyr, | The start of the Autumn, | |
Bee’n oie gaase liauyr, | The nights will be growing long, | |
Faag mayd nyn mannaght ec y Chiggin | We’ll leave out blessing at the Chicken | |
Hig mayd eisht roin, | We’ll come away then, | |
Dys Doolish ny lhong, | To Douglas of the ships, | |
’S bee giense ain ayns thie Whiggin.[12] | And we’ll have a party at Quiggin’s house. | |
[12] Thie Whiggin—‘Quiggin’s House’. A large printing house and Inn at 52 North Quay in Douglas, later known as ‘The Clarendon’.
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Ayns thie Whiggin Vooar, | In Quiggin’s big house, | |
Ta jough dy liooar, | There’s enough drink, | |
Marish palchey lhune as liggar, | With plenty of ale and liquor | |
As lhiabbee-vie, | And a good bed, | |
Dy gholl dy lhie, | To go to bed, | |
Tra vees mayd lesh nyn shibber. | When will have had our supper, | |
Bee paayrt cheet thie, | Some will be coming home, | |
Fegooish naight vie, | Without good news, | |
T’an snaïe oït ec y ghobbag, | Their line eaten by the dogfish, | |
Ny mraane-oast hene, | The landladies themselves, | |
Goaill chymmey jin, | Taking sympathy for them, | |
S’gra, ta caart ain foast ’sy vullag. | And saying “There’s still a quart in the barrel. |