Fear a' Bhàta (translated The boatman) is a Scots Gaelic song from the late 18th century, written by Sìne NicFhionnlaigh (Jean Finlayson) of Tong who was courting a young fisherman from Uig, Dòmhnall MacRath. The song captures the emotions that she endured during their courtship. The part of the story that is rarely told is that they were married not long after she composed the song.[1][2]
There are many versions of the lyrics and of the melody:
Gaelic verses
Séist: Fhir a' bhàta, na hóro eile Fhir a' bhàta, na hóro eile Fhir a' bhàta, na hóro eile Mo shoraidh slàn leat 's gach àit' an téid thu
'S tric mi sealltainn on chnoc as àirde Dh'fheuch am faic mi fear a' bhàta An tig thu 'n-diugh na 'n tig thu màireach 'S mar tig thu idir gur truagh a ta mi
Tha mo chridhe-sa briste brùite 'S tric na deòir a ruith o m' shùilean An tig thu nochd na 'm bi mo dhùil riut Na 'n dùin mi 'n doras le osna thùrsaich?
'S tric mi faighneachd de luchd nam bàta Am fac' iad thu na 'm bheil thu sàbhailt Ach 's ann a tha gach aon dhiubh 'g ràitinn Gur gòrach mise ma thug mi gràdh dhut
Gheall mo leannan dhomh gùn dhen t-sìoda Gheall e siud agus breacan rìomhach Fàinn' òir anns am faicinn ìomhaigh Ach 's eagal leam gun dèan e dìochuimhn'
Ged a thuirt iad gun robh thu aotrom Cha do lughdaich siud mo ghaol ort Bidh tu m' aisling anns an oidhche Is anns a' mhadainn bidh mi 'gad fhaighneachd
Thug mi gaol dhut 's chan fhaod mi àicheadh Cha ghaol bliadhna 's cha ghaol ràithe Ach gaol a thòisich nuair bha mi 'm phàiste 'S nach searg a chaoidh gus an claoidh am bàs mi
Tha mo chàirdean gu tric ag innseadh Gum feum mi d' aogas a leig' air dìochuimhn' Ach tha 'n comhairle dhomh cho dìomhain 'S bi tilleadh mara 's i toirt lìonaidh
Bidh mi tuille tùrsach deurach Mar eala bhàn 's i an dèidh a reubadh Guileag bàis aic' air lochan feurach Is càch gu lèir an dèidh a trèigeadh
English translation
Chorus (after each verse): O Boatman, no one else O Boatman, no one else O Boatman, no one else My farewell to you wherever you go
I often look from the highest hill That I might see my boatman Will you come tonight, or will you come tomorrow Oh sorry will I be if you do not come at all
My heart is broken, bruised Often tears are running down from my eyes Will you come tonight, or will I wait up for you Or close the door with a sad sigh?
I often ask of the boatmen If they have seen you, if you are safe But they all tell me That I was foolish if I gave you love.
My darling promised me a gown of silk That and a fine tartan A golden ring in which I'd see a likeness But I fear that he shall forget.
Although they said you were flighty That did not lessen my love for you You are in my dreams at night And in the morning I ask for you.
I gave you love and cannot deny It's not love that lasts a year or a season But a love that began when I was a child And that will not wither until death do take me.
My friends say often That I must forget your image But their counsel is as unfathomable to me As is the returning tide.
I am all too sad and tearful Like a white swan that has been torn Sounding her death-call on a small grassy loch Having been forsaken by all.
^"BBC ALBA – Bliadhna nan Òran – Òrain : Sgrìobhaichean, Sìne NicFhionnlaigh". Bbc.co.uk. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
^"Beag Air Bheag - Learn a Gaelic Song". BBC. 1 January 1970. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
External linksedit
Lyrics for full traditional version
Lyrics for all versions
Sìneag MacIntyre's rendition on the BBC website for learners of Gaelic
January 19, 2024
fear, bhàta, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, september, 201. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Fear a Bhata news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2013 Learn how and when to remove this template message Fear a Bhata translated The boatman is a Scots Gaelic song from the late 18th century written by Sine NicFhionnlaigh Jean Finlayson of Tong who was courting a young fisherman from Uig Domhnall MacRath The song captures the emotions that she endured during their courtship The part of the story that is rarely told is that they were married not long after she composed the song 1 2 Contents 1 Lyrics 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksLyrics editThere are many versions of the lyrics and of the melody Gaelic verses Seist Fhir a bhata na horo eile Fhir a bhata na horo eile Fhir a bhata na horo eile Mo shoraidh slan leat s gach ait an teid thu S tric mi sealltainn on chnoc as airde Dh fheuch am faic mi fear a bhata An tig thu n diugh na n tig thu maireach S mar tig thu idir gur truagh a ta mi Tha mo chridhe sa briste bruite S tric na deoir a ruith o m shuilean An tig thu nochd na m bi mo dhuil riut Na n duin mi n doras le osna thursaich S tric mi faighneachd de luchd nam bata Am fac iad thu na m bheil thu sabhailt Ach s ann a tha gach aon dhiubh g raitinn Gur gorach mise ma thug mi gradh dhut Gheall mo leannan dhomh gun dhen t sioda Gheall e siud agus breacan riomhach Fainn oir anns am faicinn iomhaigh Ach s eagal leam gun dean e diochuimhn Ged a thuirt iad gun robh thu aotrom Cha do lughdaich siud mo ghaol ort Bidh tu m aisling anns an oidhche Is anns a mhadainn bidh mi gad fhaighneachd Thug mi gaol dhut s chan fhaod mi aicheadh Cha ghaol bliadhna s cha ghaol raithe Ach gaol a thoisich nuair bha mi m phaiste S nach searg a chaoidh gus an claoidh am bas mi Tha mo chairdean gu tric ag innseadh Gum feum mi d aogas a leig air diochuimhn Ach tha n comhairle dhomh cho diomhain S bi tilleadh mara s i toirt lionaidh Bidh mi tuille tursach deurach Mar eala bhan s i an deidh a reubadh Guileag bais aic air lochan feurach Is cach gu leir an deidh a treigeadh English translation Chorus after each verse O Boatman no one else O Boatman no one else O Boatman no one else My farewell to you wherever you go I often look from the highest hill That I might see my boatman Will you come tonight or will you come tomorrow Oh sorry will I be if you do not come at all My heart is broken bruised Often tears are running down from my eyes Will you come tonight or will I wait up for you Or close the door with a sad sigh I often ask of the boatmen If they have seen you if you are safe But they all tell me That I was foolish if I gave you love My darling promised me a gown of silk That and a fine tartan A golden ring in which I d see a likeness But I fear that he shall forget Although they said you were flighty That did not lessen my love for you You are in my dreams at night And in the morning I ask for you I gave you love and cannot deny It s not love that lasts a year or a season But a love that began when I was a child And that will not wither until death do take me My friends say often That I must forget your image But their counsel is as unfathomable to me As is the returning tide I am all too sad and tearful Like a white swan that has been torn Sounding her death call on a small grassy loch Having been forsaken by all See also editAilein duinn Chi mi na morbheanna Gaelic musicReferences edit BBC ALBA Bliadhna nan Oran Orain Sgriobhaichean Sine NicFhionnlaigh Bbc co uk 1 January 1970 Retrieved 2 September 2013 Beag Air Bheag Learn a Gaelic Song BBC 1 January 1970 Retrieved 2 September 2013 External links editLyrics for full traditional version Lyrics for all versions Sineag MacIntyre s rendition on the BBC website for learners of Gaelic Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fear a 27 Bhata amp oldid 1186467908, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
