Tune traditional, words J. Glyn Davies.
Tune A long time ago, halliard shanty. The once familiar ‘Queenstown or Falmouth for orders’ is no doubt forgotten now. Here the wind served for Queenstown. Bacio’r main yards, to back the main yards for heaving-to; in shore language to stop the ship to pick up the harbour pilot. (J. Glyn Davies).
Queenstown reference – this major Irish port near Cork was renamed from Cove to Queenstown in 1849 in honour of Queen Victoria, and renamed Cobh in 1921. Cobh is just a Gaelicisation of Cove. Its original name in Irish is Cuan an Neimheadh after Neimheidh, one of the first settlers there, pre 1000 BC. (Wikipedia).
* Fastnet Light is a lighthouse on the remote Fastnet rock, at the end of a chain of islands stretching south-west from the south-west point of County Cork. It is the most southerly point of Ireland.
Words
Mae’r gwynt yn deg a’r hwyliau yn llawn,
Unwaith eto, hogie!
A’r Fastnet Light yn agos iawn,
Aiô, hogie bach!
Os deil y gwynt cawn weled y tir,
Unwaith…
A bryniau Werddon cyn bo hir.
Aiô…
Daw cwch y peilot toc aton ni,
A “back main yards” i’w haros hi.
O Meister Peilot bach, bore da,
Ni welsom dir er dechra ha’.
O ewch â ni dan gysgod y tir,
I harbwr Corc ‘rôl mordaith hir.
Cawn fwrw angor yn y man
A chlywed peraroglau’r lan.
Cawn ordors toc i hwylio ymlaen,
Daw diwrnod tâl a Phortinllaen.
Translation
The wind is fair and the sails are full,
Once again, boys!
And Fastnet Light* is very near
Ai-o lads!
If the wind holds we will get to see the land,
Once…
And the hills of Ireland before long.
Ai-o…
The pilot’s boat is coming towards us,
And “back main yards” to wait for her.
O Mister Pilot, good morning,
We have not seen land since the beginning of summer.
O take us under the shelter of the land,
To Cork harbour after a long voyage.
We will be able to drop anchor straight away,
And notice the smells of the shore.
We will soon get orders to sail onwards
Payday and Portinllaen will come.