Duanag do Mhattie
(A Song for Mattie)
Duanag do Mhattie / A Song for Mattie
Le Aonghas Mac ‘ill Fhaolain / by Angus Y MacLellan
Thig a nall ‘s thoir dhomh do là mh
Ann ad ghluasad na biodh dà il,
Chum ‘s gun innsinn ann an dà n
Meud a’ ghà idh thug mi do Mhattie.
Come on over, take my hand
Don’t delay in coming,
So that I can tell you my song
How great is my regard for Mattie
Bha mi’n dè ‘s a’bhaile shìos
Thainig sid’ nach robh gum’ mhiann,
Gaoth a’ sèideadh trom ‘on Iar
‘S frasan lionmhor tighinn gu talamh.
Yesterday I was downtown
When unpleasant weather arose,
The wind blew hard from the West
With frequent showers falling.
Dhèonaich mise anns an am
Ionnsaidh thorit air tighinn a nall,
Ged a dh’fhiach cha deachaidh leam
Leis cho trom ‘s a bha a’ghaillionn.
It was then I wanted to
Try to come over,
Even though I was unsuccessful
Because the storm was so fierce.
Sin nuair thainig caraid ghaoil
A thuirt rium am briasthran caomh;
“Seo mo charbad ‘s bheir e saor
Thu an taobh a tha do dhachaidh.”
Then came my dear friend
Who said to me in kind words:
“Here’s my car for free
To take you homeward.”
Se MacFhearghuis grìnn a bh’ann
Bha cho caoimhneil rium ‘san am
Iarmad uaislean gun mheang
A bha thall an Tir nam Beannaibh.
It was the fine Ferguson
Who was so kind to me right then,
The descendant of true gentlemen
Who once lived in the Land of the Mountains.
Beannachd leat is seo mo là mh
Ge b’e dè tha dhomh an dà n,
Gum bi cuimhn’ agam gu brà th
Air cho cà irdeil ‘sa bha Mattie.
Fare thee well and here’s my hand
Whatever might lie in store for me,
I will forever remember
Mattie’s great generosity.
Angus Y MacLellan was keeper of the lighthouse on Margaree Island, and a contemporary of Mattie Ferguson. He wrote many songs and poems in Gaelic, including ‘S E ‘m Bèth aig Matà a Fhearr.
This is the poem mentioned in the story of Mattie Ferguson and Angus Y (also here at Cousin Agam Fhèin).
Characters • Ferguson, Mattie • MacLellan, Angus Y • Stories • Storytellers • told by Angus MacLellan | Dave Ferguson March 11, 2006
