Because of spacing requirements the penultimate measure, above, is a bid out of alignment. The reason for the apparent extra syllable is that as sung mé and i are elided. Furthermore, where necessary ’S may be treated as a full syllable, Is.
’S chuaigh sé a’ rith geallta,
’S chuaigh sé a’ rith geallta,
’S chuaigh sé a’ rith geallta,
Mo Cheallaichín Fionn.
’S chuaigh sé a’ rith geallta,
Le sliogáirgín báirneach,
Is ghnóthaigh sé tri geall,
Mo Cheallaichín Fionn.
Crufa:
’S nach fada uiam siar é,
’S nach fada uiam siar é,
’S nach fada uiam siar é,
Mo Cheallaichín Fionn.
’S nach fada uiam siar é,
Ón gClochan anair é,
Is ní fheichidh mé i mbliana,
Mo Cheallaichín Fionn.
A’ gabhail soir Cora Dhaighinse,
A’ gabhail soir Cora Dhaighinse,
A’ gabhail soir Cora Dhaighinse,
’Sea a chas sé a’ stiuir.
A’ gabhail soir Cora Dhaighinse,
A’ gabhail soir Cora Dhaighinse,
’S nó phósfaidh sé anois,
No go bhfaighfidh sé bád nua.
Bhí punt do Dheaideó,
’S bhí punt do Mhamó,
’S bhí punt do Dheaideó,
Ag mo Cheallaichín Fionn.
Bhí punt do Dheaideó,
’S bhí punt do Mhaimó,
’S punt eile le n-ól
Ag mo Cheallaichín Fionn.
’Sé mac Bháinín Móir é
’Sé mac Bháinín Móir é
’Sé mac Bháinín Móir é
Mo Cheallaichín Fionn.
’Sé mac Bháinín Móir é
’Sé mac Bhánín Móir é
As baile Iorrais Mhóir é
Mo Cheallaichín Fionn.
And he went boat racing,
And he went (boat) racing,
And he went (boat) racing,
My wee fair-haired Kelly.
And he went (boat) racing
With a barnacle shell of a boat
Yet he won three races,
My wee fair-haired Kelly
Chorus:
And is he not a long way to the west of me?
And is he not a long way to the west of me?
And is he not a long way to the west of me?
My wee fair-haired Kelly.
And is he not a long way to the west of me?
Coming from Clifden, out west
And I won’t see him again this year
wee fair-haired Kelly.
And going east of Cora Dhaighinse,
And going east of Cora Dhaighinse,
And going east of Cora Dhaighinse
Did he not change the direscion?
And going east of Cora Dhaighinse,
And going east of Cora Dhaighinse
And he won’t marry now
Until he gets a new boat.
He had a pound for Grandad
And a pound for Granny
He had a ponud for Grandad
My wee fair-haired Kelly.
He had a pound for Grandad
And a pound for Granny
And another pound for drink
My wee fair-haired Kelly.
He’s the son of Báinín Mór
H’s the son of Báinín Mór
He’s the son of Báinín Mór
My wee fair-haired Kelly.
He’s the son of Báinín Mór
He’s the son of Báinín Mór
From the town of Iorras Mór
My wee fair-haired Kelly.
