Granny Isabella Sloan was born in Conlig, County Down, Ireland, at the end of the nineteenth century, when they still spoke Scotch in our village, of which we are extremely proud. She went to Scotland during the Great War to work in Alfred Nobel’s Dynamite factory in Ardeer, Ayrshire and made bombs, because her cousin William Sloan was killed on 1st July, 1916, on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. She married a Scottish soldier and former miner called Robert Kerr and eventually came to live beside the Afton Water, so beloved of Rabbie Burns. When I was aged 22 years, she and my Grandfather presented me with The Alloway Bicentenary Edition of his Poems and selected letters. Rabbie wrote in his own unique idiom, which is a mixture of Scotch and English. So I have translated his famous poem for you into my granny’s original Ulster-Scots for New Year’s Eve.
Auld Lang Syne – Rabbie Burns
Chorus
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
And surely ye’ll be your pint-stowp!
And surely I’ll be mine,
And we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!
We twa hae run about the braes
And pou’d the gowans fine;
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit
Sin’ auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn,
Frae mornin’ sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ auld lang syne.
And there’s a hand, my trusty fiere!
And gie’s a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll tak a right guid willie-waught,
For auld lang syne.
Oul Lang Syne – Ulster-Scots, Ullans or Braid Scotch
Chorus
Fur oul lang syne, ma dear,
Fur oul lang syne,
We’ll tak a cup o kindness yit,
Fur oul lang syne!
Shud oul acquaintance be forgot,
An niver brocht tae mine?
Shud oul acquaintance be forgot,
An oul lang syne?
An shairly ye’ll buy yer pint-stowp!
An shairly A’ll buy mine,
An we’ll tak a cup o kindness yet,
Fur oul lang syne!
We twa hae rin aboot the braes
An pou’d the gowans fine;
But we hae wander’d mony a weary fit
Sin’ oul lang syne.
We twa hae paidl’d i’ the burn,
Frae moarnin sun till dine;
But seas atween us braid hae roar’d
Sin’ oul lang syne.
An there’s a han, my trusty fiere!
An gie’s a han o thine!
An we’ll tak a richt guid willie-waught,
Fur oul lang syne.
Old Time’s Sake (Long, Long Ago) – English
Chorus
For old time’s sake, my dear
For old time’s sake,
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
For old time’s sake!
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot,
And old time’s sake?
And surely you’ll buy your pint-jug!
And surely I’ll buy mine!
And we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
For old time’s sake.
We two have run about the hills
And pulled the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot
Since long, long ago.
We two have paddled in the stream,
From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared
Since long, long ago.
And there’s a hand, my trusty friend!
And give us a hand of yours!
And we’ll take a deep draught of good-will
For old time’s sake.