91 Cumha Cheap Breatuinn / Chì Mi Bhuam, Fada Bhuam 91
From Donald Fergusson's Beyond the Hebrides
 
 
Séist
Chì mi bhuam, fada bhuam,
Chì mi bhuam, ri muir làin;
Chì mi Ceap Breatuinn mo luaidh    
Fada bhuam, thar an t-sàil.
Chorus
I see far, far away,
I see far o'er the tide;
I see Cape Breton, my love,
Far away o'er the sea.

Chì mi Créiginis nan craobh,
Le cuid aonaichean àrd;
'S an Rugh' Fada tha ri taobh'
Gheibhte maoin ann 'us barr.

 
Bha na Glaisrich ann gun eis,
Bheireadh feum as an fhal;
Bha iad modhail, bha iad gleusd',
Bha iad speiseil 'nan ghaths.
 
Chì mi Siudaig nam fear cruaidh,
Chì mi Bruaich nam fear àrd,
Bha Clann Sheumais ann ri uair -
Laoich a bhuanaicheadh blar.

 
Bha iad fearail, bha iad treun,
'S iad gun eucoir 'nan cail;
Ach nuair chasadh iad gu streup
'S iad nach geilleadh do namh.
 
Chì mi Sestico nan tur,
'S am bheil buthan 'us sraid;
Chì mi Màbou air a' chùl--
B' i sid duthaich mo ghraidh.

 
'S e na thug mi dhi de m' rùn
Rinn mo dhusgadh gu dan,
'S gu bheil m' fharmad ris gach gnuis
Tha mu bru'ichibh a tamh.
 
Gu bheil togradh ann am inntinn
Bhi leibh mar a bha,
Ged tha fios agam 'us cinnt
Ribh nach till mi gu brath.
 
Chì mi cladach Meinn a' Ghuail,
'S am bidh buar agus gran;
'S Rugh an t-Seallaidh fad mu thuath,  
Creagach, fuar agus àrd.
 
Tha mi ruith gu ceann mo reis,
'S mi fo eislein gach latha;
Sguiridh mi 's cha 'n eil mi reith,
'S cha 'n eil feum ann am dhan.

 
Nis bho 'n tha mi air bheag stath,
Leam a b' aill, nuair nach beò,
Mi bhi comhla ri m' chairdean,
Ann am Màbou fo 'n fhoid.
I see Creignish of the trees,
With its pasturelands high;
And Long Point that is so near,
And so rich in its crops.
 
Where the fairies without stint
Brought us gain from the land;
So well-mannered and well skilled,
They were always beloved.
 
I see Judique of strong men,
I see Braes of tall men,
Once Clann Sheumas lived up there -
Men who battles would win.
 
They were manly, they were strong
No injustice would they do,
But when joining in the fray,
They'd not yield to a foe.
 
I see Sestico of the spires
With its shops and its streets,
I see Mabou to the rear -
It's the land that I love
 
It's because you have my love
That I'm raising my song,
And I envy every face
That now dwells on the ridge.
 
There's a longing in my heart now,
To be where I was,
Though I know that's it's quite sure
I shall never return.
 
I see Coal Mines beach again,
With its cows and its grain;
And Sight Point far to the north
Rocky, cold and so high.
 
Now I soon shall end my race,
I am failing each day,
Though I stop, I'm not at rest,
There's no worth in my song.
 
No that I am so useless,
I would love when I die,
To be joined with my kindred,
In Mabou at rest.

After living on the Mabou Ridge for more than 30 years, Allan and his family moved to upper South River, Antigonish County in 1847. Years later, Alexander wrote the song, Cumha Cheap Breatuinn after spending a bright, sunny day at Cape George from where he got a fine view of the island he still loved



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Courtesy of An Cliath Clis
www.ancliathclis.ca