Today in the Isle of Man, is the feastday of Columb Killey or Colm Cille, and celebrations take place in the parish of Arbory. Composer and educationalist Aalin Clague has made a special composition Y Folliaght (the secret) to lyrics by Marie Clague. You can listen to it here, and the lyrics in Manx and English are available below. Choose Gaeilge and Gàidhlig tabs to see the lyrics in those languages.
S’eunyssagh dou dy ve er cronk aalin er baare carrick.
Dy voddym mennick fakin er yn ‘aarkey kiune.
Delightful to me to be on an island hill on the crest of a rock,
that I might often watch the quiet sea.
Dy voddym fakin ny tonnyn trome erskyn yn ushtey
myr t’ad cantal kiaull da nyn Ayr dy bea veayn,
kiaull da nyn Ayr dy bea veayn.
That I might watch the heavy waves above the water,
as they chant music to their Father everlastingly,
music to their Father everlastingly.
Dy voddym fakin ny tonnyn trome,
Dy voddym fakin yn traie gial-oirrit,
Dy voddym clashtyn cronnane ny tonnyn,
Dy voddym fakin possanyn eanlee, possanyn eanlee.
That I might watch the heavy waves,
That I might watch the bright-bordered shore,
That I might hear the murmur of the waves,
That I might see/watch flocks of birds, flocks of birds.
My vees my ennym, folliaght ta mee ginsh
Eshyn chass e chooyl er Nerin
Eshyn chass e chooyl er Nerin
that my name should be–it is a secret that I tell–
“he who turned his back upon Ireland.”
“he who turned his back upon Ireland.”
S’eunyssagh dou dy ve er cronk aalin er baare carrick.
Dy voddym mennick fakin er yn ‘aarkey kiune.
Delightful to me to be on an island hill on the crest of a rock,
that I might often watch the quiet sea.
Dy voddym fakin yn yindys mooar,
Dy voddym fakin muic varrey niartal,
Dy voddym clashtyn eam taitnyssagh
Dy voddym clashtyn eanlee joarreeaght, eanlee joarreeaght.
That I might see the great wonder,
That I might see the mighty whales,
That I might hear a pleasing [bird]call,
That I might hear strange birds, strange birds.
My vees my ennym, folliaght ta mee ginsh
Eshyn chass e chooyl er Nerin
Eshyn chass e chooyl er Nerin
that my name should be–it is a secret that I tell–
“he who turned his back upon Ireland.”
“he who turned his back upon Ireland.”
Dy voddym clashtyn cronnane ny tonnyn
er oaie ny carrickyn, eam ny faarkey myr keayney liorish oaie.
That I might watch the heavy waves
against the rocks, the sound of the sea like mourning beside a grave
My vees my ennym, she folliaght ta mee ginsh,
Eshyn chass e chooyl er Nerin
Eshyn chass e chooyl er Nerin.
Columb Killey.
