Skeealyn Vannin, Disk 4 Track 03: Conversation: John Kneen, Ballaugh and John Tom Kaighin, Ballagarrett, Bride
https://www.youtube.com/embed/-kclO4Wpe-MDate(s): 1948
Creator(s): Irish Folklore Commission
Transcript: J. Kneen
T’ad ooilley ersooyl voish yn sleityn wooinney, t’ad ooilley ersooyl voish yn sleityn.
They are all away from the mountains man; they are all away from the mountains (upland farms).
J. T. Kaighin
T’ad ooilley ersooyl, cha nel ny feallagh aegey goll dy gobbragh, goll da ny lhergy t’ayn.
They are away, the young people are not going to work, going to the lhergy that is in.
J. Kneen
Cha nel ad abyl goll dys ny picturin’ (cinema).
They are not able to go to the pictures.
J. T. Kaighin
Picturin’ as as goll er er,
Pictures and and go er er,
J. Kneen
Daunley.
Dancing.
J. T. Kaighin
Goll kegeesh dy goaill aash, goaill, goaill aash son kegeesh
Going a fortnight to take rest (holiday), taking, taking rest for a fortnight
cha nel ad goll dy obbragh dy chooilley laa,…….. as nish,
they are not going to work every day…… and now,
v’ad cliaght dy ve ghaa ny tree jeh’n mwyllin jannoo, jannoo, jannoo ....
and now there used to be two or three mills making, making, making ....
what’s the Manx for crushing meal? At the ‘Lhen’, man.
Va cliaght dy ve mwyllin oc son dy jannoo, son yn arroo dy jannoo meinn jeh,
There used to be mills at them for to make, for the corn to make “meal”,
as nish cha nel mwyllin ayn ooilley nane ayns Skylley Vreeshey,
and now there is not a mill in every one in Kirk Bride,
Skyll Andreas, Skylley ny Chreest, as un mwyllin ayn dy jannoo meinn.
Kirk Andreas, Kirk Christ (Lezayre) and one mill in to make “meal”.
J. Kneen
Cha nel.
Is not.
J. T. Kaighin
Unnane ayns Skyll Chreest, ta shen yn un mwyllin ayn dy jannoo meinn nish.
One in Kirk Christ Lezayre, that's the one mill in to make meal now.
J. Kneen
Shen yn un mwyllin ta er y twoaie nish.
That’s the one (only) mill that’s on the north now.
J. T. Kaighin
Ta shen yn un mwyllin ayn er y twoaie nish.
That’s the one (only) mill in on the north now.
J. Kneen
Aw, well wooinney, shen yn aght ta’n seihll...
Aw, well man that’s the way the world...
J. T. Kaighin
Shen yn aght, yn seihll goll foddey s’chionn ny v’eh cliaghtey ve,
That’s the way, the world's going far speedier than it used to be,
son t’ad get - t’ad getlagh ayns yn aer nish
for they are fly - they are flying in the air now
as goll foddey s’chionn er y bayr son t’ad goll lesh steam
and going far speedier on the road for they are going with “steam”
er y vayr nish er dy chooilley red, son cha nel cart ny cabbyl ny red erbee goll er y vayr nish.
on the road now, on everything, for there is no cart or horse or anything going on the road now.
J. Kneen
Ooilley lesh aile.
All with fire.
J. T. Kaighin
Dy chooilley red,... as cha nel ad nish, dy chooilley red
Everything... and they are not now, everything
dy cur lesh ad, dy chooilley boayl t’ad goll nish,
to carry them, every place they are going now,
v’ad cliaghtey ve shooyl, voish Skyll Vreeshey dys Balley Cashtal.
they used to be walking from Bride to Castletown.
J. Kneen
Ta.
Yes.
J. T. Kaighin
Agh nish t’ad abyl, t’ad cur-lesh ad, ta reddyn, ta reddyn oc nish dy cur-lesh ad dys Balley Cashtal,
But now they are able, they are carried, there is things, there’s things at them now to carry them to Castletown,
as cha nel ad laccal shooyl ny red erbee,
and they are not wanting to walk or anything at all,
v’ad cliaght dy ve shooyl goll gys Balley Cashtal ec yn oie as v’ad geddyn thie yn oie lurg shen.
they used to be walking to Castletown at night and they were getting home the night after that.
J. Kneen
Ta, dy jarroo wooinney.
Yes, indeed man.
J. T. Kaighin
Agh nish cha nel ad shooyl nish edyr, well, t’eh foddey share nish,
But now, they are not walking now at all, well, it is far better now,
cha nel ad - cha row ad ayns traaghyn, shenn, traaghyn
they are not - they were not in the old times, times
v’ad gobbragh goll rish cabbil, shenn laghyn, voish shey er y chlag ayns y moghree,
they were working like horses, in the old days, from six on the clock in the morning,
dys shiaght ny hoght er yn oie.
to seven or eight in the night.
J. Kneen
Er yn oie.
On the night.
J. T. Kaighin
As va’n ghaaue gobbragh ayn y moghree woish shey er y clag dys nuy er yn oie,
And the blacksmith was working in the morning from six on the clock to nine on the night,
nuy er y clag er yn oie.
nine on the clock on the night.
J. Kneen
Nuy as jeih
Nine and ten
J. T. Kaighin
Nuy as jeih, as beagh ad ooilley...
Nine and ten, they would be all...
J. Kneen
Gobbraghey son veg.
Working for nothing.
J. T. Kaighin
Gobbragh - cha row cooat ny red erbee orroo, cha row edd orroo gobbragh.
Working - there was not a coat or anything at all on them, there was no hat on them working.
J. Kneen
Cha row.
Was not.
J. T. Kaighin
As v’ad jannoo ram jeh’n obbyr, v’ad jannoo ooilley yn keeaght, keeaght double as keeaght single
And they were doing lots of work, they were making plough, double ploughs and single ploughs
as dy chooilley keeaghtyn v’ad ooilley jannoo ad, as nish
and every kind of plough, they were all making them, and now
t’ad ooilley jeant er, cha nel ad jeant er - cha nel ad jeant er, cast iron they are all done by now like- these things.
they are all done on, they are not done on - they are not done on, cast iron they are all done now like these things.
Aw, va’n ghaaue gobbragh creoi, agh cha nel cabbil oc dy cur crouyn oc nish.
Aw, the blacksmith worked hard, but there is not horses at them to put shoes on now.
J. Kneen
Cha nel, cha nel ad son crouyn cabbil, cha nel ad cur crouyn er cabbil nish.
Is not, they are not for shoeing horses, they are not putting shoes on horses now.
J. T. Kaighin
Cha nel, as v’ad crou cabbil, as cha row ad dy bragh cast
Are not, and they were shoeing horses and they were never cast
echey faagit, as foast troggit before troggit, as va’n ghaaue
at him left, and yet built (wrought) before built and the blacksmith
foast trog eh as cur-lesh eh-hene, cur-lesh eh-hene,
had to make it and do it himself, do it himself,
v’eh, as eirinagh y traa shen v’ad cur-lesh ooilley lesh cartyn,
the farmers were at that time, they were bringing all with carts,
nish t’ad abyl cur-lesh eh, lesh lorry as cur
now they are able to bring it with (motor) lorries
cur-lesh tree feed stook ayn jee, va ram - cha nel ad
and bring bring three score stooks in it, that's lots - they are not
laccal dy gobbragh cha creoi, as t’ad abyl jannoo yn obbyr lesh, cha nel ad laccal, cha nel ad laccal,
wanting to work as hard, and they are able to do the work with, they are not wanting, they are not wanting,
cha nel ad laccal, wheesh sleih dy jannoo yn obbyr noadyr.
they are not wanting, as many people to do the work either.
J. Kneen
Oh! cha nel, cha nel (ad).
Oh! they are not, they are not.
J. T. Kaighin
T’ad abyl dy jannoo yn obbyr lesh fer.
They are able to do the work with one.
J. Kneen
Aw, t’ad abyl dy jannoo yn obbyr nish wooinney!
Aw, they are able to do the work now man!
J. T. Kaighin
Aw, ta nane abyl dy jannoo yn obbyr jeh tree, as traaue
Aw, one is able to do the work of three, and plough
as red ennagh, as buinn arroo neesht, cha nel ad laccal cabbil
and anything, and reap corn too, they are not wanting horses
dy buinn arroo ny red erbee nish, jannoo ooilley lesh, lesh,
to reap corn or anything now, doing all with, with,
J. Kneen
Vel enn er yn traa ayd tra v’ad bwoailley yn arroo lesh yn vaidjey?
Is there knowledge at you on the time when they were striking the corn with the sticks? (flail)
J. T. Kaighin
Ta, ta mee er fakin ad bwoailley lesh maidjey,
There is, I have seen them striking (thrashing) with sticks.
maidjey as cur sthrap er maidjey elley, as cur er y corn bwoailley yn corn lesh eh,
one stick and put a strap on another stick, and give it to the corn striking the corn with it,
aw, ta mee er n’akin ad bwoailley yn corn,
aw, I have seen them striking the corn,
eisht ren ad geddyn mwyllin eisht, as va’n cabbyl cur lesh eh runt mygeayrt,
then they were getting a mill then, and a horse was turning it round about,
runt mygeayrt ooilley yn traa, as eisht ren ad geddyn mwyllin mooar as cur lesh eh marish cabbil,
round about all the time, and then they did get a big mill,- and bring it. with horses,
J. T. Kaighin
Eisht ren ad geddyn mwyllin mooar as v’eh goll echey hene, as cha nel eh laccal cabbyl erbee,
Then they did get a big mill and it was going at (by) itself and it is not wanting a horse at all,
as v’eh foddey share na goaill cabbyl roish yn... son v’ad...
and it was far better than taking a horse before... for they were...
J. Kneen
Vel oo toiggal yn traa ren yn mwyllin mooar cheet?
Do you understand (remember) the time the mill did come?
J. T. Kaighin
Ta cooinaghtyn aym er yn chied mwyllin mooar ren cheet. V’eh cabbil cur lesh eh
There’s remembrance at me on the first big mill [that] did come. It was horses bringing it.
J. Kneen
Ta, kiare cabbil fo’ee.
Yes, four horses in front of it.
J. T. Kaighin
Kiare cabbil, as ram jeh’n cabbil geddyn baase trooid tayrn, rour gyn arroo.
Four horses and many of the horses dying through pulling the, too much without corn.
J. Kneen
V’eh trome, v’eh trome, wooinney.
It was heavy, it was heavy, man.
J. T. Kaighin
O, v’eh trome, v’eh trome…v’eh trome as bwoaill ad gys jerrey, too, bwoaill ad gys jerrey
O, it was heavy, it was heavy… it was heavy and they struck to an end, too, they struck to an end
as v’ad goaill …. ….ayns yn ellan as bwoaill ad
and they were taking….. on the island..and they struck
Balla.. Balla… Ballalaagh (Ballaugh), boayl va ram …… bog na Skylley Breeshey.
Balla…Balla…Ballaugh, a place [that] was much……. softer than Kirk Bride.
J. Kneen
Ram boggyn ayn?
Many bogs in?
J. T. Kaighin
Ram boggyn, ram thalloo ushtey ayns Ballalaagh, Skylley Breeshey,
Many bogs, much wet land in Ballaugh, Kirk Bride,
nyn thalloo dooin ooilley ‘syn Ayrey feer chirrym,
our land to us all in the Ayres very dry,
as nee goaill ad, nee ad goailll chirmagh ayns yn, ayns yn
and they will take, they will take drying in the, in the
J. Kneen
Ayns y gheurey? Ayns y gheurey.
In the winter? In the winter.
J. T. Kaighin
She, er yn gheurey... chirrym. Ta ram jeh Skylley Breeshey lhargee dy liooar ayn neesht
Yes, on the winter... dry.. There is much of Kirk Bride sloping enough too
as ta Ballalaagh ny smessey.
and Ballaugh is worse.
J. Kneen
Va ram sleityn ayns Ballalaagh.
There were many mountains in Ballaugh.
J. T. Kaighin
Ram lhargeeyn ayn neesht.
Lots of slopes in too.
..lhargey mie ta shiu abyl goll er y mullagh as jeeaghyn runt mygeayrt eh.
..a good slope you are able to go to the top and look around about it.
J. Kneen
Va mee heose aynshen.
I was up there.
J. T. Kaighin
Ta mee clashtyn…mish, tra va mee goll dys Skylley Chreest as goll dys y lhargeeyn heese va’n sleih ooilley beaghey aynshen
I am hearing…I, when I was going to Kirk Christ (Lezayre) and going to the slopes down the people were all living there
and ooilley tra main goll sheese dys y lhargeeyn as nish cha nel ooilley unnane t’ad beaghey ayns, ayns
and all when we go down to the slope and now there is not everyone, they are living in, in
J. Kneen
Dy chooilley voayl shen.
All those places.
J. T. Kaighin
Va cliaghtey ve feed beaghey as cha nel unnane ta beaghey ayns dy chooilley yn boayl nish.
There used to be twenty living and there is no-one that’s livng in all of the place now.
Can’t get [it] out somehow.
Yes. Skyll Chreest nane ta beaghey ayn nish va’n chied, chied…
Kirk Christ (Laezayre) one that’s living in it now, the first was, first..
Cha nel ad gobbragh veg da nish as v’eh ro lhargee as kirree t’ad freayll ayn nish, ooilley kirree.
They are not working any to it now, and it was too steep and sheep they are keeping in it now, all sheep.
J. Kneen
Shen ooilley t’ad freayll.
That is all they are keeping.
J. T. Kaighin
Shen ooilley t’ad freayll….as t’ad geddyn g’obbragh ayn, as v’ad g’obbragh ayn…
That is all they are keeping…and they are getting work in, and they were working in…
ta mee clashtyn, va mee cooinaghtyn aym tra va mee clashtyn ve goll as v’ad cur lesh eh,
I am hearing, there was remembering at me when I was hearing were going and bringing it,
v’ad coyrt er y, cur lesh ad er y dreeym oc,
they were bringing on the, bringing …on their back,
cur lesh yn stoo er y dreeym oc as cur er y thalloo dy jeeragh ..t’eh cur ..cha nel ad abyl cur cart ny cabbyl..
bringing the stuff on their back, and putting it straight on the land, ..he was putting..they were not able to put a cart or horse..
(Cock crowing)
Row shiuish dy bragh jannoo, jannoo son dy buinn traagh? Row shiu dy bragh jannoo shen, wooinney?
Were you ever doing, doing for to reap hay? Were you ever doing that, man?
J. Kneen
Aw, va mee buinn traagh.
Aw, I was reaping hay.
J. T. Kaighin
Eisht v’ad buinn ooilley lesh skynn….giare ooilley…
Then they were reaping with a knife…..cutting everything…
J. Kneen
C’red t’eh gra? Shleeuee?
What is he saying? A scythe?
J. T. Kaighin
Yes, shenn shleeuee giarrey ooilley yn traagh. Ooilley yn reaper nish giarrey yn…..giarrey traagh rish blein
Yes, an old scythe cutting all the hay. All the reaper now cutiing the…cutting hay for year[s]
as gonnagh [nagh] row ad abyl shooyl…as hooar ad yn ‘reaper’ nish ta giarrey…..
and sore they were [not] able to walk.. and they got the reaper now that cuts…
v’ad er ve giarey traagh yn dreeym oc cha gonnagh ny dy row ad abyl shooyl
they had been cutting hay the back on them so sore they were not able to walk
(Cock crowing again)
Tra v’ad g’obbragh, ny traaghyn va mish g’obbragh tra va mee aeg, va gobbyr shiaght skillin y shaightin
When they were working, the times I was working when I was young, working was seven shillings the week
v’ad geddyn, nish t’ad geddyn queig punt y shiaghtin.
they were getting, now they are getting five pound the week.
J. Kneen
Ta, dy jarroo.
Yes, indeed.
J. T. Kaighin
Queig punt Three punt jeih and.. and..
Five pound. Three pound ten [shillings] and..and..
J. Kneen
As y vee ayd.
And your food.
J. T. Kaighin
And y vee ayd. As va’n gaaue ec y traa shen v’ad shoe, cur crowyn er y chabbyl
And your food. And the smith at that time, they were shoe.. putting shoes on the horse
kiare crowyn son c’red t’eh?
four shoes for…. what is it?
J. Kneen
Daa skillin as kiare phingyn.
Two shillings and fourpence.
J. T. Kaighin
Daa skillin as...
Two shillings and...
J. Kneen
Kiare phing.
Fourpence.
J. T. Kaighin
C’red?
What?
J. Kneen
Kiare phingyn.
Fourpence.
J. T. Kaighin
Kiare phingyn.
Fourpence.
J. Kneen
Daa skillin and kiare phingyn.
Two shillings and fourpence.
J. T. Kaighin
Cha row ad geddyn shey pingyn y chrow. Cha row ad geddyn…
They were not getting sixpence the shoe. They were not getting…
as nish t’eh kiare-jeig ny queig-jeig son cur y crowyn oc.
and now it is fourteen or fifteen for putting the shoe at them.
J. Kneen
Aw.
Aw.
J. T. Kaighin
Punt.
A pound.
J. Kneen
Aw, dy jarroo. Oh, dear, dear.
Aw, indeed.
J. T. Kaighin
Ren sleih, va’n sleih v’ayn yn traa shen, v’ad foddey.., ayns Skylley Breeshey yn traa shen
People did, the people that were in that time, they were far.., in Kirk Bride that time
va ooilley yn feallagh voish Skylley Breeshey shen, va ram jeu, v’ad ooilley bunnys kiare, shey…
all the people from that Kirk Bride were, there were many of them, they were all four, six…
What’s a foot? Shey cartyn er head. Six feet high. All the
C’red t’eh? Put the Manx on it.
What is it?
J. W. Radcliffe
Trie.
Foot.
J. T. Kaighin
Height. Shey feet ayns head., height, as nish cha nel ad veg.
, and now they are not anything.
J. Kneen
Aw, cha nel. Kiare.
Aw, are not. Four.
J. T. Kaighin
Queig. Va Skylley Vreeshey, when, sleih voish Skylley Vreeshey, when, yn sleih s’lajer ayns whole Mannin.
Five. Kirk Bride was, when, people from Kirk Bride, when, the strongest people in whole [of] Mann.
Son va dooinney ayns Skylley Breeshey ec y traa shen va shiaght feet shiaght feet, shiaght feet daa…
For there was a man in Kirk Bride at that time, who was seven feet, seven feet, seven feet two…
J. Kneen
Dooinney mooar.
A big man.
J. T. Kaighin
Dooinney mooar, dooinney, what do you call the giant?
C. C. Craine
Foayr. Foayr.
Giant. Giant.
J. T. Kaighin
Yn dooinney, v’eh yn dooinney...
The man, he was the... man..
J. Kneen
Foayr, foayr, t’ad gra. Shen dooinney mooar lajer.
Giant, giant, they say. That’s a big strong man.
J. T. Kaighin
Shiaght feet daa inches. V’eh yn dooinney smoo ayns the whole of Mannin, ooilley Mannin.
Seven feet two inches. He was the biggest man in the whole of Mann, all Mann.
J. Kneen
V’eh, ec y traa.
He was, at that time.
J. T. Kaighin
As va’n jishag yn dooinney s’lajer ayns dy chooilley Skylley Vreeshey
And the father of the man was the strongest man in all Kirk Bride.
V’eh abyl dy goaill sack as goaill eh, as troggal eh as cur eh er y chart eh-hene.
He was able to take hay and he took [it] and put it on the cart himself.
J. Kneen
Ta.
Yes.
J. T. Kaighin
And unnane ayns Mannin could jannoo eh nish edyr. Ayns dy chooilley Mannin.
And [no]one in Mann could do it now at all. In the whole of Mann.
C. C. Craine
C’red ta’n ennym jeh?
What is the name of him?
J. T. Kaighin
C’red t’eh gra?
What is he saying?
C. C. Craine
C’red ta’n ennym jeh?
What is the name of him?
J. T. Kaighin
Cregeen. Christeen. Aye, that big fella’ in Ballabeg.
Cregeen. Christian.
J. Kneen
Ta. Aye.
Yes.
(Transcribed and translated by Walter Clarke, Ramsey)
Language: Manx
Collection: Sound Archive
Level: WHOLE
ID number: SA 0579/4/3