| Manx | English | |
|---|---|---|
| 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] | |
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[1] Headland near Bradda.
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| Heear ec y veaïn, | West at the mine,[2] | |
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[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] | |
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[3] Fishing mark off the Calf.
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| Heear ec yn Chiark, | West at the Hen,[4] | |
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[4] Fishing mark off the Calf.
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| Magh ec yn Chleaït, | Forth from the Clett,[5] | |
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[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] | |
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[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] | |
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[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]. | |
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[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] | |
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[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] | |
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[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. | |
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[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. | |