Ruth Keggin – Irree ny greiney (Sunrise)

From the album 'Turrys' (2016) www.ruthkeggin.com
'Irree ny greiney' written by Bob Carswell. Arranged and performed by Ruth Keggin, David Pearce and Vanessa Hutchinson. Filmed on the Isle of Man by Samuel Hurt Videography

This beautiful contemporary song has become very popular in the Manx traditional music scene in recent years, and deservedly so! The lyrics take me straight to a summer’s day, sitting on a sun-warmed rock by the sea, with velvety seaweed swirling around my feet. Bright, glassy-sounding harmonics on the guitar and double bass musically reflect the idea of sunbeams scattering across the sea...

Manx Gaelic lyrics:

Irree ny greiney harrish y vooir,
Shoh yn oor ta’n laa çheet rish,
Skellyn skeaylley harrish y cheayn,
Foddey as lhean ta’n soilshey nish.
Lurg goullyn gial y vadran glass,
Ta’n ghrian soilshean, cur lhee e çhiass.
Irree ny greiney harrish y vooir,
Shoh yn oor ta’n laa çheet rish.

Irree ny greiney harrish y çheer,
Sheeyney my-heear ta soilshey’n laa,
Druight er duillag as dossan y drine:
Shimmey bine t’er gass as blaa.
Ta’n ollagh doostey ayns yn ‘aaie,
Jeh’n ushtey oor t’ad giu nyn saie.
Irree ny greiney harrish y çheer,
Sheeyney my-heear ta soilshey’n laa.

Çhiassid ny greiney ayns Mannin veg veen,
Ta’n çheer as y cheayn nyn lhie ec fea,
Tashid y voghree vees girree myr gaal
As jannoo craa-skell ayns çhiass vunlaa.
Cho souyr ta’n Ellan ‘syn ‘astyr mie,
Ta’n sourey çheet gys çheer my ghraih.
Çhiassid ny greiney ayns Mannin veg veen,
Ta’n çheer as y cheayn nyn lhie ec fea.

English translation:

Sunrise over the sea,
This is the hour that the day appears,
Beams scattering across the ocean,
The light reaching far and wide.
After the cool white rays of the grey dawn
The sun is shining, bringing its warmth.
Sunrise over the sea,
This is the hour that the day appears.

Sunrise over the land,
Fingers of daylight stretching westward,
Dew on the leaf and the hawthorn berries:
There is many a drop on both stem and flower.
The cattle awaken in the meadow
And drink their fill of the fresh water.
Sunrise over the land,
Fingers of daylight stretching westward

Warmth of the sun in dear little Mannin,
The land and the sea lie at rest,
The morning dew will rise as vapour
And shimmer in the heat of midday.
How pleasant the Island is in the afternoon,
Summer is coming to the land that I love.
Warmth of the sun in dear little Mannin,
The land and the sea lie at rest.