From Jason Carns

Thíos cois na trá domh, in ndoimhneacht na h-oíche

An saol mhor ina gcodhladh, 's mise liom féin

Na h-éanacha mara ag scairtigh go léanmhar

Cosúil le h-anamnacha bochta i bpéin.



Iomlán gealaí 's iomlán rabharta

Aoibhneas 's ciúineas, 's áilleacht sa domhain

Crónán na fairrige ag dul siar ar mo chluasa

Bog-cheol an uisce ag sileadh san abhainn.



Istigh ar na h-inseáin tá sean-reilig bheannaithe

An áit inar mhaireadh naoimh san aimsir fadó

Tá daoine istigh ann ag chaith seal go h-aerach

Ní shiúlfaidh siad thar fán chladaigh níos mó.



Bhuail uaigneas m'intínn 's mé ag amharc ar an reilig

'S mé ag meadhradh ar dhaoine istigh ann ina luí

Fir a's mná óga, seandaoine 's páistí

Muintir mo mhuintir 's cairde mo chroí.



Tá na coiligh ag glaoch 's na réalta ag bánú

Tá an ghealach ina luí 's ní fada go lá

Slán agat anois a shean-reilig bheannaithe

'S na daoine a shiúlfadh liom síos cois na trá.





Translation

From Jason Carns

Down by the beach, in the deep of night

The big world is sleeping and I am alone

The sea-birds are calling sorrowfully

Like poor souls in pain



Total purity and total abundance (?)

Bliss and calmness and beauty in the world

The murmur of the sea going into my ears

The soft song of the water flowing in the river.



Above on the headland* there is a blessed old cemetery

The place in which saints lived in times long ago

There are people within spending a while carefree

The will not walk round on the shore any more.



Loneliness strikes my spirits as I look at the cemetery

And I'm thinking about the people in there sleeping

Men and young women, old people and children

People of my people and friends of my heart.



The cocks are crowing and the stars are fading

The moon is setting and it's not long until day

Goodbye now blessed old cemetery

And to the people who walked with me down by the beach.



(Above...)* A rough translation. Couldn't find the word "inseáin", but think it means something like this.