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| The poem below helps capture
the essence of C�analas’ in which the writer, in old age and far from his
birthplace, reminisces of his childhood and early adulthood in Port of Ness, looking over
the bay from 'Barr a Yard' - the boundary wall of the builders yard used by the
contractors who built Port of Ness harbour during the 19th century. |
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View of the inner harbour at Port of Ness as
seen from 'barr a Yard'. |
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Barr a Yard
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'S truagh
nach robh mi fhin an drasd
Nam shuidh' air Barr a' Yard,
Ri faicean gainmheach gheal na traigh
'S a cluinntinn ceol an t- sail;
Nah-eithrichean 's iad lan de dh' iasg
Tighinn timcheall ceann a' bhaigh-
Carson nach fhaod mi fuireachd ann
Le m' dhoigh gu crioch mo la.
Tha ' n taigh san d' fhuair mi m'
arach og
An- diugh na dhun gun chail
' S an teaghlach bha gu doigheil ann
Cho sgapt' air feadh gach ait'
Ach saoilidh mi gu bheil mi faoin
Bhith ri smaoineachadh mar bha-
Bhon cha dhealaich ni na facail fior
Nach till mi ann gu brath.
Tha ' n acarsaid mar bha i riamh
Ged ' s gann tha sgoth is bat;
Tha ' m muir a' traghadh ' s a lionadh
Gach latha glanadh traigh;
Tha na creagan is na sgeirean ann
Mar bha iad ' na mo phaisd,
Chan eil ni ach daoine caochladh
' S tha tim ' na adhohar craidh. |
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Ged '
s doigheil mise mar tha mi,
Tha rudeigin a dhith;
Tha bean ri m ' thaobh tha maiseach coir
Is clann tha boidheach grinn;
Ach chan fhaic mi ' n seo na cladaichean
'S cha chluinn mi muir ri stri;
Chan fhaic mi siaban mara ann
'S cha ghabh mi cuairt mun tir.
Mo bheannachd gu gach taigh sa
Phort
' S gach duine th' ann ri tamh;
Ged b' e mo dhurachd comhnaidh ann,
Cha thachair sin gu brath;
Ach ma bheir sibh cuairt air feasgair ciuin,
Dol sios os cionn a' bhaigh,
Ler suilean duint' gu faic sibh mi
'Nam shuidh' air Barr a' Yard. |
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