Soraidh Leibh
Soraidh leibh nuair thig oirbh
a dhol a Cheann Trá a sheasamh
ris an tAmhrán Náisiúnta ’s a dh’aideachadh
gun do dh’fhàg sibh a’ Bhànrigh aig an taigh
A bheil amhran agaibhs’
dh’fhaighnich fear an taighe
Tha
Chan eil
Tha
Dè fear?
‘Flower of Scotland’
O chan e
Nach e?
Dè eile?
‘Soraidh Leibh
is Oidhche Mhath Leibh’
is mise còmh ribh
le beag nàire
na mo laighe leis a’ ghàire
Cha b’ e sin a bha iad ag iarraidh
an Ceann Trá an Contae Chiarraí ach ’s e fhuair iad
’s sheas iad ris
cho modhail balbh ’s rinn sinne falbh mar fhògarraich
Is iadsan ‘Laochra Fáil
Atá faoi gheall ag Éirinn’
Is sinne sluagh na dàil
A tha ro mhall ag èirigh
ach thog sinn ‘Flùr na h-Alba’ an Tamhlacht
agus leag sinn an taigh.
Translations of this Poem
Farewell
Farewell
when your day comes
to go to Ventry and stand for the National Anthem and admit
you’ve left the Queen at home.
Do you have an anthem
asked the master of ceremonies
Yes
No
Yes
Which one?
‘Flower of Scotland’
Oh no
No use?
What else?
‘Farewell
and Goodnight to you’
and me along with you embarassed
and quaking with laughter
That wasn’t what they wanted
in Ventry in County Kerry
but it’s what they got
and they stood for it
so quiet and polite and off we went like refugees
They’re ‘The mighty warriors of Fate
Who’re under oath to Ireland’
While we’re the people who procrastinate
And are too slow in rising
but we sang ‘Flower of Scotland’ in Tallaght
and brought the house down.
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Màiri NicGumaraid
Mary Montgomery
Mary Montgomery’s most recent collection ‘Fo Stiùir a Faire’, published by Coiscéim in 2012, inspired Irish critic Seán de Fréine to describe NicGumaraid as ‘one of Scotland’s great poets’ praising her ‘straightforward’ style.Mary Montgomery
