Skeealyn Vannin, Disk 1 Track 06: Conversation: Annie Kneale, Ballagarrett, Bride, J.W. (Bill) Radcliffe and Mark Braide
https://www.youtube.com/embed/L4cisJQa_aoDate(s): 1948
Creator(s): Irish Folklore Commission
Transcript: A. Kneale
Oh, Seventy - four years ago. And seventy... from seventy-three years, seventy-three.. a little one, (yes), damp in the mud. And you know that old mud house that’s out there at Tom Kelly’s place? (yes) Well, that’s all stamped with bare feet. Isn’t that old bits of the old wall standing there yet. I was wondering would be any interest to take this man out to that old house to see that old mud walls.
J. W. Radcliffe
Va mee g’insh da mychione shen jea.
I was telling him about that yesterday.
A. Kneale
What?
J. W. Radcliffe
Va mee g’insh da mychione shen jea.
I was telling him about that yesterday.
A. Kneale
Ah. Well, that’s all made of stamped clay mortar.. clay of the.. stamped, you know with your bare feet. There was a dwelling house there and there was that barn and there was the stable and cows combined, and they were all made of mud out there. It’s an awful pity that that place is gone. That’s out Tom Kelly’s, that’s not Annie... Harry Kneale’s at all.
J. W. Radcliffe
Could you tell us in Manx that there was a fidder (weaver) living down there and he had...
A. Kneale
Aw.
J. W. Radcliffe
And he had a rhyme...
myr ooh ta mish dy jarroo.
like an egg I am I indeed.
A. Kneale
Is it on this now? Ah, Juan Goodn (Gawne).
Va Juan Goodn as v’eh beaghey shen ayns yn magher.. shen, shen...
There was Juan Goodn and he was living there in that field there, there...
I can’t get that at last…
V’eh beaghey ayns yn magher as v’eh... v’eh fidder as v’eh soie as v’eh... gra...
He was living in the field and he was….he was a weaver and he was sitting and he was….saying….
Myr ooh ta mee dy jarroo
Like an egg am I indeed
Danjeyragh dy ve brisht
In danger to be broken
As goll rish shenn vraagyn
And like old shoes
Va ceauit as ayns corneil
(That) were thrown in a corner
Faagit as treigit
Left and abandoned
As my chorrag ayns my veeal
And my (index) finger in my mouth
As goll rish shenn vraagyn
And like old shoes
Va ceauit ayns corneil.
(That) were thrown in a corner.
J. W. Radcliffe
Shen eh.
That’s it.
A. Kneale
That’s it.
J. W. Radcliffe
Abbyr y skeeal mysh yn fidder... shiuish goll gys yn fidder as v’eh taggloo ayns Gailck.
Say the story about the weaver... you going to the weaver and he was speaking in Manx.
A. Kneale
Va mee loayrt rish shenn fidder laa ennagh as ooilley va mee abyl gra va... was.. ‘feer vie... feer vie’.
I was speaking with an old weaver one day and all I was able to say was... ... ‘very good... very good’.
Va mee hoght blein ny nuy blein. ‘C’red t’ou laccal’? he said...
I was eight years or nine years (old). ‘What are you wanting’?...
‘Ta mee laccal’...
‘I am wanting’
‘Vel shiu laccal ollan’?
‘Are you wanting wool’?
‘Cha nel. Ta mee laccal bluckan... nane bluckan’.
‘No. I am wanting a ball... one ball’.
But I can’t tell how he... it was to finish the web, he wanted the one ball of thread to finish this web, but all I could say to him was ‘feer vie... feer vie’. I remember that as well... I wouldn’t be as old as Sheila at all, that was all. And then there’s the song about the Colbagh Breck.
J. W. Radcliffe
Ah, gow shiu er.
Ah, take you on.
A. Kneale
Have you got that here?
J. W. Radcliffe
Ta. T’eh ayns yn lioar.
Yes. It’s in the book.
A. Kneale
Is it worth repeating it here?
J. W. Radcliffe
Aw, dy jarroo, ta.
Aw, indeed, yes.
A. Kneale
Va’n shenn sleih as v’ad gra...
The old people were and they were saying..
Yn colbagh breck er sthrap
The speckled heifer on a strap (tether)
Ny re ee hene vees souyr
Is it not itself will be comfortable
Yn shenn bock bane goll eig
The old white gelding (nag) is failing
Tayrn yn arroo ‘syn ouyr
Drawing the corn at the harvest
As ben... v’ee gra...
And a woman... she was saying
Nee poost, as poost dy liooar va shin
It’s married, as married enough were we
Ta foddey share ny ve poost
It’s far better that to be married
Na’n taggloo smessey ve jin
Than the worst talk being of us
Gown dy linsey-woolsey
A gown of linsee woolsee
As bonnad bane salloon.
And a white shalloon bonnet.
(Transcribed and translated by Fiona McArdle, Kirk Michael)
Language: Manx
Collection: Sound Archive
Level: WHOLE
ID number: SA 0579/1/6