In this Tír Enda “About the Song” video, I take a closer look at an Irish song I first learned in school — one of those songs that’s often treated as a children’s song, even though it carries a surprisingly tragic ending.

The real hero of the song is Feilim’s little boat: a brave wee vessel that has battled the oceans, brought in the catch, and done its work faithfully — only to meet a sad fate in the end.

It’s also trickier to sing than it might first appear, which is often the way with these old school songs. They stay with you for years, and then one day you realise there’s far more going on in them than you understood as a child.

Here I’m trying it out with the bodhrán which seems to be working nicely.

Thanks, as always, for being part of Tír Enda and for giving these songs a warm place to land. there's an mp3 for those who might like to add it to their USB stick. 

There's a song only version of it too that you might see on Youtube.

Translation of Báidín Fheilimí

Feilimí's little boat went to Gola,
Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it,
Feilimí's little boat went to Gola,
Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it.

Chorus

A tiny little boat, a lively little boat,
A buoyant little boat, Feilimí's little boat,
A straight little boat, a willing little boat,
Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it.

Feilimí's little boat went to Tory,
Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it,
Feilimí's little boat went to Tory,
Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it.

Chorus

Feilimí's little boat crashed on Tory,
Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it,
Feilimí's little boat crashed on Tory,
Feilimí's little boat and Feilimí in it.

Chorus

Feilimí's little boat crashed on Tory,
Fish on board and Feilimí in it,
Feilimí's little boat crashed on Tory,
Fish on board and Feilimí in it.
 

Enjoy!