An Buachaillín Bán

An Buachaillín Bán

Tá mo chroí-se go tláth lag

'S i lár mo chuid saothair

Tagann lán tocht im chléibhse

Cé nár mhéin liom é rá

Tá an díbirt i ndán dom

Ó bháin bheannaibh Éireann

Is fánach mo shaolsa

'S is déarach mo chás

Is cuimhin liom an tráth

Úd a ghrá ghil na n-ae istigh

Thugas grá searc is géilleadh

Dod chaomh roisc thar chách

A Rí ghil na n-árann

Dob fhearr liom go n-éagfainn

I láthair mo ghaolta

Is mo bhuachaillín bán

Tá críoch Inis Failbhe

Go lán fad' i ndaor bhroid

Go cráite 's go céasta

I ngéibhinn na namhad

Nó an fíor nach foláir duit

Go brách bheith go déarach

A oileáinín bhig mhaorga

Na naomh is na mbard

Ó guímse go hard

Ar an Ard Athair Naofa

Chun ár agus léir-scrios

Do dhéanamh ar Sheán

Do dhíbir na táinte

Thar sáile 'na gcéandta

'S chuir fán orm féinig

Óm' bhuachaillín bán

The fair-haired boy

My heart beat faintly

And my efforts are weakened

A grief too deep for words

Fills my breast

For I am to be banished

From the fair hills of Erin

Aimless my life then

And tragic my fate

I recall, my soul’s delight

In days gone by

My love surrendered

To your bewitching gaze

Merciful God

I would far rather perish

Here with my own folk

And my fair-haired boy

The Emerald Ireland

Lies in bondage so brutal

The sad, tormented

Prisioner of her foes

Is it her fate then

To be forever weeping

That proud little isle

Of the saint and the bard?

I should this my prayer

To great God our Father

Let death and destruction

Be the fate of John

Who banished so many

Across the great water

And parted forever

My fair-haired boy and me