Arrane y Skeddan

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Manx English
ARRANE Y SKEDDAN THE HERRING SONG
Shiuish ooilley Eeasteyryn neem’s coontey chur diu, All you Fishermen I will give you an account,
Mysh Imbagh y Skeddan ny s’braew cha row rieau ; About the Herring Season, there was never a finer one,
T’ain palchey dy argid cour arroo as feill, We have plenty of money for corn and and meat,
Foast praaseyn as Skeddan she ad nyn ard-reill. Yet potatoes and herring – they are our chief
Tra harrish ta’n imbagh, cha lhissagh shin plaiynt, When the season is over, we ought not to complain,
Agh booise y chur dasyn ta freayll shin ayns slaynt, But give thanks to he who keep us in health,
Slane moylley cur da son e vannaght hooin wass, Give him full praise for his blessing here on earth,
Ta’n Skeddan ersooyl dys y cheayn vooar by-yiass[1]. The Herring has gone to the great sea to the south.
[1] by-yiass—both printed versions; (Mona’s Herald, 1872 and Manx Ballads, 1896) give by-yiass, which is not attested elsewhere. Standard Manx for ‘to the south’ is my-yiass.
Ayns shen goaill e aash va kiarit da rieau, There taking his rest that was always intended for him,
Ny ribbaghyn-vaaish s’beg coontey v’eh jeu ; The trappings of death are so little considered;
Ayns shen ceau e hraa, derrey cheet yn nah vlein, There, spending his time, until coming the next year,
Er Greeb Val-ny-howe yiow mayd eisht eh ’sy lieen. On ‘Greeb Val-ny-Howe we’ll find him then in the net.
Ayns fliughys dy mennick, as mennick neesht feayr, Often in rain, and cold often too,
Foast prowal as cuirr, shynney lhien cur my-ner ; Still proving and setting (nets), we love to behold,
Tra ta caslys vie goll, as yn eeast cheet er-ash, When a good sign is going, and the fish reappear,
Çhelleeragh ta’n dooan soit son y vock-ghlass[2]. The hook is set immediately for the hake.
[2] Dwelly gives 1. ‘Large dogfish’ 2. ‘Shark’. For boc glas. ‘Hake’, is commercial fish, traditionally caught using hooks on ‘baulks’ (long lines).
Te shilley vondeishagh, goaill prowal vie stiagh, It is a positive sight, taking in a good ‘proof’,
As s’eunyssagh y laa, dy chreck yn eeast magh ; And the day is so delightful; to sell the fish on;
Dy chreck eh dy gennal rish kionneyder vie, To sell it happily to a good buyer,
Goaill jough lesh arrane, as craa-laue ben-y-thie. To take a drink with a song, and shake hands with the landlady.
Lesh cappan dy yough as greme veg dy veer, With a cup of drink and little bite of piece of bread,
Nee mayd beaghey cha souyr as eirrinee yn cheer ; We will live as comfortably as country farmers,
Lhig dooin giu dy creeoil gys y cheshaght ain hene Let us drink heartily to our own crew,
Mastey deiney, shin s’gennal fud immanee yn lieen. Amongst men, we are most happy amongst ‘the drivers of the net’.
Nish jerrey dy choyrt er ny ta mee er ghra, Now to put an end on what I have to say,
D’row (dy row) palçhey dy Skeddan ec Mannin dy braa ; May Mann forever have plenty of Herring,
Freill, freill dooin yn vannaght, O Chrootagh y theihll, Keep, keep the blessing for us, O Creator of the world,
As ayns booise lhig da Manninee fosley nyn meeal. And let the Manx open their mouths in thanks.