Ta 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
(Translation)
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 fair land of Erin
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 d**h and destruction
Be the fate of John
Who banished so many
Across the great water
And parted forever
My fair lad and me