Eilean Fraoich

Eilean Fraoich

Eilean fraoich Eilean fraoich
Eilean fraoich nam beann àrd
Far an d'fhuair mi m' àrach òg
Eilean Leòdhais mo ghràidh

Chaidh mi tarsuinn air a' chuan
'S chaidh mi suas abhainn sàil
An Quebec chaidh mi air tìr
'S thug mi sgrìob feadh an àit

'S ged a bheirte dhomh an tìr
Eadar chraobhan is bàrr
B'fhearr leam a bhi measg an fhraoich
Ann an Tìr nam Beann Àrd

Thug mi greis de làithean m' òig
Air a' mhòintich nam phàisd
'S mi ri tional nan laogh òg
Is nam bò aig an tràth

Far an faca mi an òigh
Thuit mi òg anns a' ghràdh
'S ann a chionn nach eil i beò
Tha mi seòladh air sàl

Island of the heather
Island of the heather and high peaks
Where I was raised
my dear Island of Lewis

I went overseas
and went up a salt-water river
landed at Quebec
and had a look around the place

Even if I were given all the land
with its trees and crops
I would much rather be amongst the heather
In the Land of the High Bens

I spent a lot of my childhood days
on the moorland as a young boy
Tending the young calves
and the cattle at evening time

Where I laid eyes on the young maiden
I was young when I fell in love
And it's because she is not alive
That I am sailing across the sea