"" (; "Across the Waves") is a traditional
Irish song often taught to
primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
children. It has the same tune as the 20th century Scottish song "
Westering Home
"Westering Home" is a song that was written by Hugh S. Roberton in the 1920s. It was subsequently adopted as the slow march of the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by ...
".
The upbeat song is a narration of a rower who is returning to Ireland following his travels abroad. The song originates from the
Gaoth Dobhair area of
County Donegal
County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconne ...
.
Lyrics
:Trasna na dtonnta, dul siar, dul siar,
:Slán leis an uaigneas ‘is slán leis an gcian;
:Geal é mo chroí, agus geal í an ghrian,
:Geal bheith ag filleadh go hÉirinn!
:Chonaic mo dhóthain de Thíortha i gcéin,
:Ór agus airgead, saibhreas an tsaoil,
:Éiríonn an croí ‘nam le breacadh gach lae
:‘S mé druidim le dúthaigh mo mhuintir!
:Ar mo thriall siar ó éirigh mo chroí
:An aimsir go hálainn is tonnta deas réidh
:Stiúradh go díreach go dúthaigh mo chliabh
:‘S bheidh mé in Éirinn amárach!
:Muintir an Iarthair ‘siad cairde mo chroí,
:Fáilte ‘is féile bheidh romham ar gach taobh.
:Ar fhágaint an tsaoil seo, sé ghuidhim ar an Rí
:Gur leosan a shinfear i gcill mé.
:Over the waves, returning, returning!
:Good-bye to loneliness and to the distant remoteness;
:Bright is my heart and bright is the sun,
:Happy to be returning to Ireland!
:I saw my fill of countries abroad,
:Gold and silver, the wealth of the world,
:My heart rises in me with the break of each day,
:As I draw closer to the land of my people!
:On my journey - oh! my heart rises!
:The weather is beautiful and the waves are settled
:Steering directly to land of my bosom
:And I'll be in Ireland tomorrow!
:People of the West, they're the friends of my heart,
:Welcome and celebration awaits me on every side.
:Leaving this life I pray to the Lord
:That it's with them I'll be stretched in the graveyard!
References
Year of song unknown
Songwriter unknown
Songs in Irish
{{worldmusic-song-stub