Caisleán an tSléibhe
The Mountain Castle
Gaeilge
English
Is fada a bhéas trácht ar an gCaisleán atá déanta
Nach bhfacthas a leithéide san oileán seo fós,
Tá fascadh ann ón ngaoithe, ón ngrian, is ón mbáisteach
Cead rince agus spóirt ann ag sean agus óg.
Long will there be talk of the Castle that was built,
The likes of which has never yet been seen on this island,
There is shelter there from the wind, the sun, and the rain,
Freedom to dance and sport there for old and young.
Casadh thart mise ann tráthnóna Dé hAoine
Is le titim na hoíche sea dhúin sé ina cheo,
Cóiríodh mo leaba dhom is b'éigean dhom síneadh,
Níor fhága mé aríst é go maidin Dé Luain.
I happened to come there on a Friday evening
And with the fall of night it closed in mist,
My bed was made up for me and I had to lie down,
I did not leave it again until Monday morning.
Tá na grátaí thrí lasadh ann ó mhaidin go faoithin,
Tá an bord ag cur thar maoil ann le fataí 'gus feoil,
Tá an t-arán go fial fairsing dá ghearradh is dá roinnt ann,
Tá an tae 'gus tá an t-im ann is bainne na bó.
The grates are blazing there from morning to dusk,
The table is overflowing there with potatoes and meat,
The bread is generously and plentifully cut and shared,
There is tea and butter there and milk from the cow.
Tá an bhó agus an lao ar an mbuaile ann ag géimneach,
Tá an gabhar geal ag méileach, tá an chaora is an t-uan,
Tá na broic ann ag tafann le héirí na gréine,
Is na mionnáin ag léimneach is ag imeacht sa drúcht.
The cow and the calf are lowing in the milking yard,
The bright goat is bleating, the sheep and the lamb,
The badgers there are calling at the rising of the sun,
And the kids leaping and away through the dew.
Nach iomaí fear ceirde a chuaigh ariamh thríd an tír,
'Chaith tamall le saoirseacht sna tithe go leor,
Dá mairfeadh an Gobán is an chúirt a fheiceáil déanta,
Ni chreidfeadh ón saol nó is faoi dhraíocht atá Joe.
How many a craftsman who ever travelled the country
Spent some time at carpentry in houses far and wide,
If the Gobán were alive to see the court built,
He would not believe but that Joe is under a spell.
Tá na faoileáin ag triall ann aniar ó na Sceirdí,
Tá nead na gcorréisc ann an eala is an ál,
Tá fuaim na mea-ghabhar ann, an londubh is an chéirseach,
Neart ceol agus pléisiúr ag an té a d'fhanfadh ann.
The seagulls make their way there from the Skerries in the west,
There is the heron's nest there, the swan and her brood,
There is the sound of the snipe there, the blackbird and the thrush,
Plenty of music and pleasure for whoever would stay there.
'S nois teacht don fhómhar caithfidh muid tréimhse ann,
Nuair a sheolfas na ladies ó Mheiriceá anall,
Nuair a shocrós an cogadh agus déanfar an réiteach
Beidh caisleán an tsléibhe againn dhúinn fhéin go lá brách.
And now with autumn coming we must spend a while there,
When the ladies sail over from America,
When the war is settled and peace is made,
The mountain castle will be ours alone forever.