Writing
Sgrìobhadh

After the Storm

By Brian Ó hEadhra & Brian Finnegan

Jamie sails the sea
He's the only one for me;
I am often wondering if he’ll return.
How many times have I cried and prayed
That my children will soon see their father return.

He's away, far away,
All the day, night and day;
I’ll be here come what may,
After the storm.

The last thing he said to me,
"I always will love thee.
Don't you be a-feared for I'll be home soon.”
But that was a month ago; it seems so long;
O Jamie why did you have to go?

Three men are missing;
One of them my Jamie.
The storm hit the ship o'er two days ago.
God give him mercy; he's so young to die at sea;
Grant me the strength to carry on.

An t-Eilean Beag Bòidheach

Le Brian Ó hEadhra 

An t-eilean beag bòidheach ri taobh Eilean a’ Cheò
Le daoine cho dòigheil is sona a bhith beò
Ann an àite cho àlainn, làn dualchais òr
An t-eilean beag bòidheach, mo dhachaigh gu deò

Nuair a bha mise òg bha mi beòthail is faoin
Cha robh dad a dhìth orm, bha mo bheatha làn mhaoin
Le mo charaidean coibhneil ann an coimhearsnachd cruinn
Is mise gu h-àghmhor sna làithean cho binn

Ach dh'fhàg mi an sgìre son seallaidhean ùra
Chuala mi fathainn mun dùthaich seo nuadh
Aig a' chidhe thug mi buidheachas do mo mhuinntir-sa uile
Soraidh slàn dhan eilean is na deòir a' sileadh

Chunnaic mi àiteachan iongantach is brèagha
Chuala mi cànain nach cluinneadh tu riamh
Ach air cùlaibh m' inntinn bha mo smuaintinn fhathast beò
Air an eilean bheag bhòidheach ri taobh Eilean a’ Cheò

Dhachaigh leam nise gu Ratharsair ghrinn
Dhachaigh gu luath don chroit agam fhìn
Is togaidh mi teaghlach; chan fhàg mi a-rithis
An t-àite mo ghaoil,  m' anam is sìth

A-raoir Bha mi Coiseachd

Le Brian Ó hEadhra 

A-raoir bha mi a’ coiseachd air Tràigh àlainn Shanndaigh
Chuir a’ ghaoth dath nam ghruaidh le do fodha na grèine
Bha mo smuaintean air na làithean a tha fada seachad
Nuair a bha gaol a’ briseadh a-steach air mo chridhe

Ceum as dèidh ceum a’ dèanamh dealbh sa ghainmheach
An speur a’ fàs dearg aig deireadh an t-saoghail
Chì mi fhathast thu nam làimh-sa a’ bruidhinn gu sàmhach
Nuair a bha gaol a’ briseadh a-steach air mo chridhe

Cà' bheil ar càirdean a bha làn de shonais
A bheil an cuimhne agaibh beò air an tràigh àlainn fhathast?
A’ cluich ‘s a còmhradh le dùil nar sùilean
Nuair a bha gaol a’ briseadh a-steach air mo chridhe

Air ais aig an taigh; an tràigh anns an astar
Mo theaghlach air fàs, le clann aca fhèin
‘S do làmh na mo làimh; m’ aisling cho bòidheach
Tha gaol fhathast a’ briseadh a-steach air mo chridhe

At the End of the Day

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

As I wake in the morning
And see you by my side
I recall when we first met
And all the days flown by
And darling
I wouldn’t change a thing

This life is full of prizes
And you’re the best I’ve won
So I don’t need to gamble
‘Cause everything I own
Means nothing
Without you in my life

At the end of the day
You are there
When I need you the most
You are there
And when the world gets you down
And you don’t know where to turn
I’ll be here for you too

Now it wasn’t always easy
And we’ll have hard times ahead
But don’t you ever worry
Things will be
All right
In the end

‘Cause dreams keep us afloat
With our family and friends
Live one day at a time
I have everything I want
And nothing
Left to mend

Caidil Ri Mo Thaobh

Le Brian Ó hEadhra
2009

Nar laighe an seo anns an duibhreas
Do shèideadh cho dlùth ri mo bheul
Is a h-uile rud còir is ceart ruinn
Gun fhuaim ri cluinntinn 's e sèimh

Caidil ri mo thaobh mo leannan-sa
Mo bheannachdan ort nad thàmh
Is tusa am freagairt dom cheistean
Mo shonas, is tusa am fàth

Tha a' ghaoth a-muigh bùrsach is èitigh
Is na frasan a' sileadh gu treun
Ach sinne gun dragh is gun aire
Sa mhadainn bidh gatha na grèine

Sa bhliadhnachan romhainn bidh dùbhlain
De sin chan eil teagamh sam bith
Ach an dràsta cha bhi sinn ach sàsta
Leis ar beatha 's ar cuideachd 's ar sìth 

Cén Treo Anois?

Le Brian Ó hEadhra

Tá mo spiorad briste
Scaipthe, scriosta
Ar luascadh sa ghaoth
I bhfad ó mo chroí
Idir dá shaol
Táim breoite, i mbaol
Ag lorg mo chúise
Fé dheireadh 

Cén treo anois
Cén treo anois
Cén t-slí is fearr
Leanfidh mé air aghaidh
Gan freagra, gan fáth
Gan rud air bith ach m’ inntinn

Ó lá go lá
Ceistím an fáth
Go bhfuil gráin ar aighthe
Mo bhráithre
Aineolas, náire
Tá ciall ‘dol amú
Theip ar ár dteagasc na staire

Distant Brother

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

Oh, my distant brother
Who I do not know
Lead me to the valley
Where the great river flows.
My native sister
Take me by the hand.
Tell me what I fail to hear;
Tell me of your land.

Be still awhile,
Rest your weary head.
Close your eyes
Tell me of yourself.
Of all that you love
The sun, moon and stars.
Time will heal all.

Though I do not know your nature
I feel it is a part of me.
The rhythm of the beating drum
Keeps our music company.
There’s so much to learn
So much to see
I will keep on searching
External and internally.

Now there are no barriers
In the physical or mind.
Know what you once were
And Know what you can be.
Forget about forgiveness
Leave behind the pain.
I stand to embrace you
Together once again.  

Forever Free

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

I have been a rambler, a Gambler and a fool
I've left my native country in search of a life new.
On my journeys, I have weathered wind, rain and snow
To find what I am looking for,
Well heaven only knows, only knows

Oh the life of pleasure, oh the life of ease.
The life of a rover, many I do displease.
For no man do I serve, no prince, king or queen
I'll always be forever free

I've lived on borrowed pennies, sailed the ocean blue.
I drank and fought, I had it all; lost it the same day too.
I've been on the great continents, seen the wonders of the world.
Just keep an eye on the horizon
And let my life unfurl

But now I've found a woman and she wants me to stay
Close by her side through the night and day.
Ah sure, what does it matter as long as we're happy
And in our hearts until the end
We'll be forever free

Fourteen days now,
I have been running
From a prison
Far from here.
To my lover,
I must go now;
To live without her,
I cannot bear.

I was a poor man
In search of labour;
The days had ended
Down in the mines.
For stealing silver,
I was imprisoned
There was no work here
To be found.

I robbed a rich man
Of his purse of money
To pay the rent;
To feed a poor mouth.
I was trembling
As I drew the dagger;
Oh, my God,
What have I done?

They caught and bound me;
Mocked and scorned me;
And said my true love,
I’d see no more.
Into the darkness
I did stumble,
But I escaped from
That den of woe.

Now I must find her,
Ma belle, Louise;
If you should see her
Say this for me:
‘Please forgive me,
And when I find you,
I’ll take you far
Away from here.’

Lament for the Lonely

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

Thinking alone in the dark of a room
On a street in a run down town;
Lying awake with the hum of outside
Running 'round and around and around in my mind.

Lament for the Lonely,
Lonely.
Lament for the Lonely
Lonely and I.

There's little relief socialising with those
Who hardly remember your name.
The music you play is all you can trust
Though grows stale played again and again...

Sight can seem so dark.
Life can be so dark.
Night is oh so dark,
For no reason why.

I can hardly remember the last time I felt
On top of the world and alive;
Without someone to comfort me
I lay down as though to die.
No one asks why.

Life

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

In a dream last night I saw a thousand horses
Striding across a plain
Their manes flowing free in the breeze
No barriers in their way.

Then a child looks up
With innocent eyes,
Asks why all things must die,
What's the reply?
I never found out -
Then my dream ran dry.

It's life, life, life...
That's all it is.

I tossed and turned all night long
With the weight of life on my head.
No one said it would be like this,
No one ever dares.

I lie and wonder for hours on end
How we ever came to be this way,
And I say "Lord, if you're really up there
Send me a better day."

Love is the cure but also the drug,
I've walked on air when falling in love.
Though when the bough breaks
Oh how it aches
To re-enter the world alone.

Live to Love

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

The city is a lonely place
When your heart is low
And your love is all-alone;
Your memories are all you have
When the streets are dark,
So far away from home.
Dreaming of a better day;
A day that comes
But once in a blue moon;
Writing all your letters,
Telling them:
'I hope to be home soon.'

'Live to Love',
Is what you said to me,
'And your dreams will come to you.
Listen to your heart,
It always is true,
And your dreams will come to you.'

I've wandered through the shadow-lands;
Taken the path to God-knows-where.
I've cried out pearls of poison,
And where they fell
A weeping willow grew.
Holding on to yesterday;
Fearing what is
Just around the bend.
But now I see the sun and moon;
An oak will grow instead
And remain true.

Ag Meán oíche gabhaim siar don aill
Ag lorg mo ghrá atá caillte
Suím ar an charraig ag impí uirthi
Filleadh arais chugam ag baile.

Ó mo chailin donn
Mo Ghrá geal is mo chroí
Fill air ais go luath
Is bí liom arís

Is fada í ar shiúl uaim
Mo leanbh is mo stòr aici
Is trua gur cheil mé mo ghrá ort
Mo chailín i bhfad ó mo thigh

Anois táim ag dol in aois
Im’ shuí cois teallaigh liom fèin
Ag smaoineamh ar ‘n am atá thart
A chaitheas lem chailin donn.  

Not as Young

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

“Where has all the time gone?” you say,
As you sit in that chair every day.
It’s wherever you want it to be,
It’s forever entwined memories.

Look at my hands, old and strong;
At all they have done and been through.
I’ve had a hundred jobs in my life,
Every one of them, a step to be free.

I’m not as young,
I’m not as young as I used to be.

Look at my eyes and all they’ve seen;
The good and the bad through my days.
But I wouldn’t have it any other way,
For what I’ve seen, others only get to dream.

My children have grown and spread far;
No one stays in one place anymore.
The future is theirs to be had;
I remember when the world was made for me.

Now a day never passes me by
That I ask if what we had was really true?
As you slipped through my arms in the night
And whispered in my ear “I love you.”

Now the sea sings to me a timeless song
And the mountains breathe a sigh of relief.
They are friends to me now.
All else ceases to be.

Nothing Ever Happens

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

As nighttime approaches,
I hardly even notice
I'm cocooned in my room
And haven't got a notion
How the world is living;
Maybe I should say dying;
Let's face it it's reality
That I'm denying.

Nothing ever happens.
It always seems the same.
It's just another situation
Seen through another frame.
Nothing ever happens.
It's all the same to me.
A never-ending story.
A recurring dream.

Every once in a while
I get this sinking feeling
When I look at the paper,
See the people that are needing
Everything that I own,
Every ounce of my being.
Puts everything in perspective,
But I just read it and I leave 'em.

What can I do?
What can I say?
Ring in a credit,
Shake a can in the air.
I could sign a petition,
Ring on a bell,
Take a little bit of heaven
And throw it down to hell.

November

By Brian Ó hEadhra & Aimée Leonard

No one ever told me about November,
The month of sorrow and pain.
How is it I never read the writing on the wall:
‘With joy there also comes pain.’

Everything I know has turned around now
And other people’s fears are holding strong.
From the outside looking in I can see behind the smiles
And realise my life’s moving on.

November may come and go
But some memories always remain.
November was bittersweet
Like sunshine through the rain.

Although I know a change is for the better
It doesn’t make it easier to bear.
The more I fight the harder it becomes to walk away
And no one ever knows how much I care.

Now I have to leave some dreams behind me
And fly like the wind.
All that I can do is take one day at a time;
It’s a new beginning again.

People

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

Some people are black, some people are white
Some people push you down when you’re walking on ice
Other people can be seen as red, orange or green
So many people make it hard for you to be what you want to be

It’s hard to remember, so easy to forget
The day we last talked, the time we last met
You told me some people were putting you down
The happens to the best of us but try not to spread it around this nosey ol’ town

People
Some people
Yeah, people

Some people are funny on their comedy shows
And other people are evil, but that’s how it goes
Some people look trashy, other people look fine
Some people are sour, and other people devine

Maybe too observant, maybe just the same
People have the habit of playing the same game
Remind me to remember, never to forget that we’re all the same people
So what? Let’s put it to bed; what’s said has been said

Sleep Until I Die

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

As the rain came down on this sleepy town,
Dark clouds hung in the sky,
It dawned on me that if things don’t change
I’ll sleep until I die.
Sleep until I die my dear,
Sleep until I die.
It dawned on me that if things don’t change
I’ll sleep until I die.

A man has only one true friend,
His conscience is his guide
But none of this means anything
If I sleep until I die.
Sleep until I die my dear,
Sleep until I die.
None of this means anything
If I sleep until I die.

I believe all that I read,
Can’t see between truth or lies
But if I don’t question everything
I’ll sleep until I die.
Sleep until I die my dear,
Sleep until I die.
If I don’t question everything
I’ll sleep until I die.

This land tells a thousand tales
Its language was its pride
But if I remember none of this
I’ll sleep until I die
Sleep until I die my dear,
Sleep until I die.
If I remember none of this
I’ll sleep until I die.

Take This Moment

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

Write me a letter;
No words of wisdom or of rhyme.
Tell me what you're feeling;
The joys and woes of sight.

Take this moment;
Hold it in your hand.
Look around you;
See for the first time - life.

Mistakes, I've made a few;
Regrets, more than one.
Hope is all I live for,
And dreams of days to come.

East and West, I stand between you;
My path runs far and wide.
Wonder shall be my teacher,
The elements, my delight.

The Liberty

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

She is tall, strong and proud
Her sight had ne'er been seen
Before the day that she set sail
Upon the raging sea
From France, she did depart
And 'til this very day
The ship that sails in every heart
Her name is 'Liberty'

Well the crew they stand as one
Behind their captain brave
And he treats each like a son
As they sail across the mane
And they work both day and night
For the love of one so free
The ship that sails in every heart
Her name is 'Liberty'

In battle, she has fought
And has won more than a few
But there's still more to be gained
By this brave and gallant crew
And a light shines from the deck
Each night for those to see
The ship that sails in every heart
Her name is 'Liberty'

Well now my time has come
To take to the sea
I can hear her voice
Calling out to me
And I will have no fear
For all eternity
The ship that sails inside my heart
Her name is 'Liberty'

The Journey

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

Darkness descends on my sea
As I sail from the Port of the Free
To a land that is far away
And I need to be strong night and day

Secrets in your eyes,
I can see
Tears in your heart
Burning me

I come to an island on my way
There's a song in the air, but I can't say
If the words are of war or of peace
But I'll try to seek out harmony

All that I am
And all that I see
It will live on
Inside of me

Now I'm standing so close to the edge
Of what's real and what's inside my head
Mine's a journey that knows no end
Recall what is love is all I ask

This Time

By Brian Ó hEadhra & Aimée Leonard

News has just broken;
It’s out in the open;
But it’s happening every day.
Someone is lost;
Someone is found;
Something is learned on the way.

The words fly around;
I’ve heard it before,
But it’s new and it’s real this time.
Give me the strength
To say what is right
Or we’ll fall.

Only you, only you
Can make it real for me;
How can I, how can I
Make it real for you?
I will give what I can
And take what I find.

People have said
That love is a game
But the rules have never been clear.
There’s love and there’s loss,
And you know you’re alive
When you feel it again and again.

And the shadows fall away
From the room inside your heart;
Take a step and you will see
An eternity.  

Time For Sleep

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

I lay my body down to sleep
I hope your dreams tonight are sweet
Moonlight shines from window bright
I’ll think of only you tonight
I’ll think of only you tonight

It’s time for sleep
The lights are low
Music in the distance
Play slow music, slow
Slow, music, slow

Angels above, my guardians dear
Comfort me as I lay here
Alone without you in the fading light
I’ll dream of only you tonight
I’ll dream of only you tonight

To Be With You

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

Though I may be many miles away
I can still see your face as clear as day
Across the land and open sea
You never will be far away from me

And I’ll always sing a song for you
To let you know that I’ll be true
And someday soon
I’ll return
To be with you

I always will return to you
To be together again
My friend, oh my friend
And if you look upon a moonlight sky,
Find a star and make a wish for me

I’ll carry a flame and it always will remain,
No matter where I am I’ll be with you
Remember how it was
Well it shall be like that again
Though some may say things never stay the same.

Trì Rionnagan Beaga

Le Brian Ó hEadhra

A' siubhal dhachaigh a-nochd
Tha trì reultan san speur
Thar na mìltean eile
A' losgadh gu treun
A toirt stiùireadh is dòchas
Sòlas is sìth
Trì rionnagan beaga
Cho prìseil dhomh fhìn

Mur nach robh iad gu h-àrd
Bhithinn mar bhàta gun stiùir
Gun soilleireachd gach oidhche
Air call sa mhuir
Dh'fheumainn neart a lorg
Mo bheatha gun chiall
Gun trì rionnagan beaga
Cho prìseil dhomh fhìn

Le fortan mar seo
Chan eil sìon a tha dhìth
Nan robh an aon rud a'd fhèin
Thuigeadh tu mo bhrìgh
'S iad an solas nam shùil
Is an t-sùmhlachd nam chridhe
Na trì rionnagan beaga
Cho prìseil dhomh fhìn

'S an t-aon bheag a tha seargach
Cha bhi thu fada bhuainn a ghràidh
Cum sùil a-mach oirnn uile
'S cumaidh mise mo shùil ort fhèin

True Love Songs

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

I’m scarred for life
A sliver of pain lodged deep inside my soul
Sometimes I cannot hide my emotions from the world
I find it harder now to hide from myself

All the love songs have come true
All these sickly sweet words, they come shining through
Is alone all that bad, necessary to be sad
And it’s time to break free for a day

These true love words
Sound increasingly absurd, in every act, in every word that I say
But I can’t resist writing love songs such as this
If not, my soul would be wasting away

Next move, checkmate, you lose a queen
She’s lost her king and it’s so absurd
The pawns, they play on
The game of love

Will You Break My Heart?

By Brian Ó hEadhra 

No time is the right time
To say these words to you.
But words are never enough
To say 'I love you'.

Time, a friend or an enemy,
While I search to define my life.
And you look like an angel;
Teach me to laugh and cry.

Will you break my heart?
Will you hold me now?
Can you tell me
That everything's all right?

We stand face to face now.
The night wraps itself around.
And we talk with no words,
And see through the same eyes.