Altan

With a wave of her hand and her sparkling eye
My island girl waved me goodbye
For another country in another time
For another life under another sky

But don't just cut off your heart keep it open and sure
Keep it free from hurt and keep an open door
And let the spirit of love that united our soul
Be a gentle dove and guide you to your goal
And I'll go to that stream and I'll sing my own prayer
That my island girl shall be safe everywhere

Sing away while you can and before very long
The coming tide brings the chosen one
And there is a hope and there is a peace
In that ancient land where my angel sleeps

And when your river runs high
Let it flow, let it flow
It's your time with life to let your garden grow
And when your burden gets rough
Let it go, let it go
Let your strength return on every breeze that blows
Through that ancient land, through eternity
O, my island girl, remember me

For your life has its course and you never can say
Who you'll meet and marry along your way
But be sure from the start that the cities behind
Love the lands living heart and breath eternal time

And when your river runs dry and your halo is torn
Drink the living stream in the calm of the dawn
And may you travel in peace
And may your children be blessed
And your mind released and your soul caressed
In that faraway land where my spirit flies
To my island girl under those ancient skies

And with a wave of her hand and her sparkling eye
My island girl bid me goodbye
For another dream in another time
For another life under another sky

As I roved out one evening fair
By the verdant braes of Screen
I set my back to a hawthorn tree
To view the sun in the west country
And the dew on the forest green

A lad I spied by Abhann's side
And a maiden by his knee
And he was as dark as the very brown wood
And she all whey and wan to see
All whey and wan was she

"Oh sit you down on the grass," he said
"On the dewy grass so green
For the wee birds all have come and gone
Since I my true love have seen," he said
"Since I my true love have seen"

"Then I'll not sit on the grass," she said
"Nor be a love of thine
For I hear you love a Connaught maid
And your heart's no longer mine," she said
"And your heart's no longer mine"

"And I will climb a high, high tree
And I'll rob a wild bird's nest
And back I'll bring whatever I do find
To the arms that I love best," she said
"To the arms that I love best"

If you're traveling in the north country fair
Where the wind stands heavy on the borderline
Remember me to one who lives there
For she once was a true love of mine

If you go when the snowflakes storm
When rivers freeze and summer ends
Please see if she has a coat so warm
To keep her from the howling winds

Please see for me if her hair hangs long
If it rolls and flows all down her breast
Please see for me if her hair hangs long
For that's the way I remember her best

I wonder if she remembers me at all
Day and night I've often prayed
In the darkness of my night
And in the brightness of my day

Fare you well, my own true love
Farewell for a while
I am going away but I'll be back
If I go ten thousand miles

Ten thousand miles, my own true love
Ten thousand miles or more
And the rocks may melt and the seas may burn
If I no more return

Oh don't you see yon lonesome dove
Sitting on yon ivy tree
She is weeping for her own true love
As I shall weep for mine

Oh come back, my own true love
And stay a while with me
If I had a friend all on this earth
You have been a friend to me

There's naught but care on every hand
In every hour that passes oh
What signifies the life of man
If it were not for the lassies oh

Chorus (after each verse):
Green grow the rushes oh
Green grow the rushes oh
The sweetest hours that ever I spent
Are spent among the lassies oh

The worldly race may riches chase
And riches still may fly them oh
And though at last they catch them fast
Their hearts can ne'er enjoy them oh

Give me a cannie hour at e'en
My arms around my dearie oh
The wisest man the world e'er saw
He dearly loved the lassies oh

Old nature swears the lovely dears
Her noblest work she classes oh
Her apprentice hand she tried on man
Then she made the lassies oh

Green grow the rushes
Green grow the rushes

Time has passed
You have gone
Your tune is played
I must carry on

Darkness falls
You send the light
Love is here
I must carry on

Chorus:
Mo ghra go deo
Ilar mo chroi
Mo ghra go deo
Fhad a bheas me beo

I open to the world
The world will give
No one's alone
I must carry on

In God I love
In love I believe
I believe in you
I must carry on

(Chorus 2x)

Winter is cold
Spring melts the snow
Love is renewed
I must carry on

S a Chiti Ni Eadhra
Nach nair mar a d'imigh tu uaim
'S an chroi ata 'mo lar
Gur fhag tu chomh dubh leis an ghual
Ni iarrfainn aon spas ar an Ard Ri
'Sna Flaitheas anuas
Ach cead troda leis an bhas
Gach la sular imigh tu uaim

'S ta dha cheann an ti
'Na lui 'ta'n lar gan doigh
O d'imigh an bhean chaoin
Faraor, a bhi soineanta coir
Nior fhan si agam ach tri raithe
Amhain bhi ba ghiorra na an uair
Och nach e mo lean gear
Gur fagadh i sinte san uaigh

Is a Chiti, mo mhian
Nach aoibhinn duitse bheith ar lar
Ata i bhFlaitheas na Naomh
'Bhfuil na milte anam gan smal
Is chan mar a bimse 'ta gui
'S ag osnai gach trath
No i dTalamh na Naomh
Ata rogha mo charaid thar mhna

Bhi moran daoine uasal ann
Bhi tuatanaigh na h-Alban ann
Bhi 'n maistir scoile 'san ministir ann
Bhi an laoch Mac Amhlaigh ann

Curfa:
Donal, 'se Donal
'Se Donal a rinne an bhainis
Donal agus Morag
A rinne an bhainis ainmeil

Bhi cearcan ann, is bhi geoidh ann
Bhi corr is dosean sgairbh ann
Seo bha iad is bhi car bi ann
'Se cearc na n-ean a b'fhearr dhiubh ann

Curfa

Bhi bradain 's bric on Eirne ann
Is fluirse feoil na bhfia n-ean ann
Feol mart is lao, ba bhlasta bhi
Bhi uanfheol friochta is oisfheoil ann

Curfa

Bhi 'n di go fial 's go fairsing ann
Bhi brannda is fion na Spainne ann
Bhi poitin stil is mead le mil
Bhi beoir is leann na h-Eireann ann

(Curfa 4x)