DASG Blog

Òrain Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu: Pàirt 3

We are still in Glasgow, “The Great Town of the Gaels” and “The Great Town of the Gaelic Sons”, as you shall see in this blog. We will have a look at where we left off, in the East end of the town.
 
“Mother Glasgow” – [Micheal Marra, from Dundee.]
Micheal Marra never spoke any Gaelic, but he had a great respect for the town just as many other Gaels. The song was translated from English to Gaelic by Kenna Campbell, from the Isle of Skye. The song presents thrice the legacy of the town on the world, and the legacy of Saint Mungo, and her people:
“Dàrna cathair-bhaile mòr na h-Ìmpireachd,
Tha Glaschu ag altrumas a h-àl;
A’ saorachadh a druidean beaga bhiathadh,
Gun fhiosda, gheàrr i ’n sgiathan aig am bàrr.
 
‘S tha Glaschu gun leiteachas na màthair
Do Phròstanaich ’s luchd-leanmhainn a’ Phàp;
Bhruadair mi dhol cuartag le Naomh Mungo
Feuch an glacainn iasg nach b’ urrainn snàmh...”

“Camanachd Ghlaschu” – [Màiri “Mhòr nan Òran” Nic a’ Phearsain, from Skiabost The Isle of Skye.]
Màiri lived in Glasgow, where she spent the majority of her life in the city. Whilst she was there she saw many a Gaelic event with the Gaels of the town and, without a doubt, she saw a great game of shinty at Hogmanay on Glasgow Green. The Gaels used to gather on the Green to play a game of shinty. The sight of it was beautiful and the game was celebrated and put together in a beautiful song:
“’S iad gillean mo rùin a thogadh mo shunnd;
’S i seo a' Bhliadhn' Ùr thug sòlas duinn;
’S iad gillean mo rùin a thogadh mo shunnd.

’S iad gillean mo ghràidh
Tha ’n Glaschu nan sràid –
Is fhada bho àit’ an eòlais iad.

’S ann goirid ron Challainn
A chruinnich an comann,
’S a chuireadh an iomain an òrdugh leoth’..”.

“Dh’iarr an Sgioba Dhol Dhan Chrann”
Going west to Broomielaw this was the place from which many a boat and ship sailed because it was an incredibly industrious area. Many Gaels where involved in the sailing business in Broomielaw and the song here shows what was involved in the work of the boats:
“Dh’iarr an sgiobair dhol dhan chrann
Thuirt mi ris nach rachainn ann
Thuirt e: “Feumaidh tu dhol ann
’S e nì a gheall thu dhòmhsa...”

“Latha Dhomh is Mi Gabhail Sràid”
This song looks at how a man was decieved by a woman in Broomielaw and they spent the night together, after she had plied him with drink. When he awoke in the morning he hadn’t a penny for it had been stolen by the woman, and he therefore had to enrol in the army:
“Latha dhomh ’s mi gabhail sràid,
A-mach 's a-staigh sa Bhroomielaw,
Thachair orm tè chrath mo làmh,
’S chuir fàilt’ orm ri sòlas.
 
Thuirt i rium am Beurla chiùin:
“Is fhad o b’ aithne dhomh thu ,rùin,
Gheibh thu deoch nas fheàrr na leann,
Ma thèid thu leam nam sheòmbar.”...”
 
“Nuair a Sheòl Sinn Mach À Cluaidh”
This song tells of how a man gave promise to work on the boats, although as we shall read, that that isn’t his wish to because sailing is not what he want to do. This is another variation of the two songs above with the story behind it:
“Nuair a sheòl sinn mach à Cluaidh
Shil i ’s shèid i, dh’fhàs i fuar
’S ann ormsa thàinig a dhol suas
Mo thruaighe ’s gun mi eòlach.
 
Thuirt an sgiobair mi dhol dhan chrann
Thuirt mi ris nach d’rachainn ann
Thuirt e: “Feumaidh tu dhol ann
’S e nì a gheall thu dhòmhsa.”...”
 
We will go forward Westerly in the new blog to Finnieston, Hillhead, and Partick. If you have any Gaelic songs that are connected to Glasgow let us know on facebook, twitter and our website.