On a lone island by the West Coast there dwelt an old fisherman and his
daughter, and the man had power over the water spirits, and he taught
his daughter the charms that bind them to obey.
One day a boat was driven on the shore, and in it was a young handsome
gentleman, half dead from the cold and the wet. The old fisherman
brought him home and revived him, and Eileen the daughter nursed and
watched him. Naturally the two young people soon fell in love, and the
gentleman told the girl he had a beautiful house on the mainland ready
for her, with plenty of everything she could desire—silks to wear and
gold to spend. So they were betrothed, and the wedding day was fixed.
But Dermot, the lover, said he must first cross to the mainland and
bring back his friends and relations to the wedding, as many as the
boat would hold.
Eileen wept and prayed him not to leave, or at least to take her to
steer the boat, for she knew there was danger coming, and she alone
could have power over the evil spirits and over the waves and the
winds. But she dared not tell the secret of the spell to Dermot or it
would fail, and the charm be useless for ever after.
Dermot, however, only laughed at her fears, for the day was bright and
clear, and he scorned all thought of danger. So he put off from the
shore, and reached the mainland safely, and filled the boat with his
friends to return to the island for the wedding. All went well till
they were within sight of the island, when suddenly a fierce gust of
wind drove the boat on a rock, and it was upset, and all who were in it
perished.
Eileen heard the cry of the drowning men as she stood watching on the
beach, but could give no help. And she was sore grieved for her lover,
and sang a funeral wail for him in Irish, which is still preserved by
the people. Then she lay down and died, and the old man, her father,
disappeared. And from that day no one has ever ventured to live on the
island, for it is haunted by the spirit of Eileen. And the mournful
music of her wail is still heard in the nights when the winds are
strong and the waves beat upon the rocks where the drowned men lay dead.
The words of the song are very plaintive and simple, and may be
translated literally—
“I a virgin and a widow mourn for my lover.
Never more will he kiss me on the lips;
The cold wave is his bridal bed,
The cold wave is his wedding shroud.
O love, my love, had you brought me in the boat
My spirit and my spells would have saved from harm.
For my power was strong over waves and wind,
And the spirits of evil would have feared me.
O love, my love, I go to meet you in heaven.
I will ask God to let me see your face.
If the fair angels give me back my lover,
I will not envy the Almighty on His throne.”