Sarnia Cherie

"Sarnia Cherie" is used as the anthem of Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands. 'Sarnia' is a traditional Latin name for the island, hence, the title translates as 'Dear Guernsey'. George Deighton wrote Sarnia Cherie in 1911, with Domenico Santangelo composing the tune later the same year. The song was first performed at St. Julian's Theatre – which is now the Gaumont Cinema – in November 1911.[1]

Sarnia Cherie
English: Dear Guernsey
Regional anthem of Bailiwick of Guernsey
LyricsGeorge Deighton, 1911
MusicDomenico Santangelo, 1911

Sarnia Cherie was G. B. Edwards's title for The Book of Ebenezer Le Page on the original typescript he gave to Edward Chaney in 1974 but Hamish Hamilton decided to use his subtitle when they published it in 1981, choosing, however, to add Deighton's song as an epigraph instead.[2]

In 2005, the then Chief Minister, Laurie Morgan, called for an updated version, which seems to have been abandoned after it met with near-universal opposition. The sheet music has been republished (c)2009 Ray Lowe, Sark.

A CD of 13 renditions of the song has been released. Included on the CD is a recording from May 9, 1945, when British Troops landed in St. Peter Port to Liberate the Island after five years of German Occupation during World War II. The 1945 rendition can be listened to on this link Sarnia-Cherie.[3] CD available from the Guernsey Information Centre, North Plantation, St Peter Port, GY1 2LQ Guernsey.

The anthem can be heard on a number of occasions each year, every 9 May Liberation Day, at Island Games gold medal ceremonies, National Trust of Guernsey Viaër Marchi, inter-island sporting events, etc.

English version

Sarnia; dear Homeland, Gem of the sea.
  Island of beauty, my heart longs for thee.
Thy voice calls me ever, in waking, or sleep,
  Till my soul cries with anguish, my eyes ache to weep.
In fancy I see thee, again as of yore,
  Thy verdure clad hills and thy wave beaten shore.
Thy rock sheltered bays, ah; of all thou art best,
  I'm returning to greet thee, dear island of rest.

CHORUS

Sarnia Cherie. Gem of the sea.
  Home of my childhood, my heart longs for thee.
Thy voice calls me ever, forget thee I'll never,
  Island of beauty. Sarnia Cherie.

I left thee in anger, I knew not thy worth.
  Journeyed afar, to the ends of the earth.
Was told of far countries, the heav'n of the bold,
  Where the soil gave up diamonds, silver and gold.
The sun always shone, and "race" took no part,
  But thy cry always reached me, its pain wrenched my heart.
So I'm coming home, thou of all art the best.
  Returning to greet thee, dear island of rest.

CHORUS

Guernesiais version

A version in Dgèrnésiais, Guernsey's native dialect of the Norman language, has also been made:

Sarnia, chière patrie, bijou d'la maïr,
  Ile plloinne dé biautai, dans d'iaoue si cllaire
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjous, mon tcheur plloin d'envie,
  Et mon âme té crie en poine, mes iars voudraient t'veis.
Quaend j'saonge, j'té vaie derchier, mesme comme t'étais d'vànt,
  Tes côtis si vaerts et ton sabllaon si bllànc,
Tes bànques et tes rotchets. Ah! Dé toutes la pus belle.
  Mon réfuge et mon r'pos, chière île qu'est si belle.

Sarnia Chérie, ma chière patrie,
  D'l'île dé ma nèissance, mon tcheur a envie
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjours,
  Et j'pense à té chaque jour.
Ile plloinne dé biautai, Sarnia Chérie.
  Sàns saver ta valeur, j'm'en fus en colère,
Je v'yagis si llian, à l'aute but dé la terre.
  I m'dirent dé biaux pays, et j'm'en fus brâment
Oueque la terre baillait à haut d'l'or et dé l'argent.
  Nous 'tait tous amis et i fit bal chaque jeur,
Mais ta vouaix m'applait terjours, a m'déteurtait l'tcheur.
  Ch'est pourtchi qué j'm'en vians. Ah! té veis, la millaeure.
Ma chière île dé répos, dé chenna j'sis saeure.

Sarnia Chérie, ma chière patrie,
  D'l'île dé ma nèissance, mon tcheur a envie
Ta vouaix m'appeule terjours,
  Et j'pense à té chaque jour.
Ile plloinne dé biautai, Sarnia Chérie.

References
  1. "Sarnia Cherie » History & Heritage". This Is Guernsey. Retrieved 2011-04-15.
  2. The Book of Ebenezer Le Page
  3. "Sarnia Chérie (Guernsey anthem) - Sung on Liberation Day in 1945".
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