Ruith 's a mhonadh, ruith nam beann
'S mar sin dhan sgoil aig deireadh samhraidh
'Nar clann aig coig bliadhna dh'aois
'S gun facal beurla 'nar ceann
"Seo do leabhar, seo do pheann
Dean do leasan," thuirt iad riumsa
"'S gun eirich sibh suas anns an t-saoghal
'S gheibh sibh air adhart ann."
Dh'ionnsaich sinn a leithid ann
Canan 's bardachd, bardachd Beurla
Ceol na Gearmailt, eachdraidh na Spainnt
'S b'e sinn an eachdraidh mheallt
Bhon sgoil do'n oilthigh chaidh sinn ann
A'leantail foghlum, tuilleadh foghlum
Mar amadan air deireadh streang
Seorsa de dh'fhoghlum 'nam cheann
Ach dh'eirich mi suas anns an t-saoghal
Fhuair mi deise is fhuair mi leine
Fhuair mi aite ann an suilean dhaoin'
Fada bhon mhonadh mi'n drasd
Carson a chum iad eachdraidh bhuainn?
Innsidh mi dhut, tha iad gealltach
Mas eirich clann nan Gaidheal suas
Le ceistean sireach is cruaidh
Fichead bliadhn' airson firinn
B'fheudar dhomh feitheamh, b'fheudar dhomh lorg
Fichead bliadhn' de bhreugan
Thug iad eachdraidh air falbh bhuainn
Nuair a thoisich mi air lorg
Cha do chreid mi mo shuilean
Obair olc
Fichead bliadhn', fichead bliadhn'
Fichead bliadhn' 's mi aineolach
Translation
To tell you the truth
Freedom of the moor, freedom of the hill
And from there to school at the end of a summer
Children, five years of age
Without one word of the English language
"Here is your book, here is your pen.
Study hard," they said to me,
"And you will rise up in the world.
You will achieve."
I learnt so many things
The language and poetry of England
The music of Germany, the history of Spain
And even that was a misleading history
Then from school on to University
Following education, more education
Like puppets on the end of a string
Our heads filled with a sort of learning
And I did rise up and make my way in the world
I got my suit, I got my shirt
I found a place in the eyes of men
A long way away from the moor now
But why did they keep our history from us?
I'll tell you, they were frightened
In case the children of Gaeldom wakened up
With searching and penetrating questions
Twenty years for the truth
I had to wait, I had to search
Twenty years of deceit
Denied a knowledge of myself
When I started searching
I could not believe my eyes
Dark deeds
Twenty years, twenty years
Twenty years and I have not been informed