It’s the end of our vacation. The sun, low to the west, slants across the deck. From the window on my left, I can see lazy little breakers and a few tireless sanderlings. For some reason, the song in my head is Jimmy Mó Mhíle Stór (“Jimmy, my thousand treasures”).

I was able to find it in case you’d like to hear. The images aren’t North Carolina, but some of the water is the Atlantic.

The singers are Cookie, Heather, and Raylene Rankin, sisters from Mabou, on Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island (also, my fourth cousins once removed). You may recognize the band as well; the song appears on their album Tears of Stone.

The verses are in Irish (Gaeilge).

Bliain an taca seo Jimmy d’imigh uaim rún mo chléibh
Ní thiocfaidh sé abhaile go dtabharfaidh sé cúrsa an tsaoil;
Nuair a chífead é rithfead le fuinneamh ró-ard ina chomhair
‘S clúdód le mil é, sé Jimmy mó mhíle stór

Bíonn m’athair is mo mháthair ag bearradh’s ag bruíon liom féin
Táim giobaithe piocaithe ciapaithe cráite dem shaol;
Thugas taitneamh don duine úd dob fhinne ‘s dob áille snó
Is chuaigh sé ar bhord loinge, sé Jimmy mó mhíle stór

These twelve months and better my darling has left the shore
He ne’er will come back till he travels the globe all over
And when he returns with laurels I’ll crown him all over
He’s the fondest of lovers, sweet Jimmy mó mhíle stór

Raghadsa chun coille agus caithfead an chuid eile
San áit ná beidh éinne, ag éisteacht le ceol na n-éan
Ag bun an chrainn chaorthainn mar a bhfásann ann féar go leor
Ag tabhairt taitnimh don duine úd, sé Jimmy mó mhíle stór

He’s the fondest of lovers, sweet Jimmy mó mhíle stór