DASG Blog

Òrain Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu: Pàirt 4

“Thug thugainn, thig còmhl’ ruinn gu siar”, the famous line, but it is to the west side of Glasgow that we’re looking in this here blog! In the last blog we were travelling west from Broomielaw to Partick and we shall have a look at songs of the west end of Glasgow.
 
Òran na Mulchaig – [Iain MacPhàidein, à Bhaile a’ Mhuilinn, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach.]
The sights of the great shops are still interesting to us even in this day and age, but to the Gaels of old, from smaller towns of the country, for some of them, it was a reason of great intrigue. In the song the Gaels gave great attention to what they saw in the window on 101 Stobcross Street; a truckle of cheese. The Gaels were debating on from where the cheese came originally and there was many mirth and merriment involved in the song:
“Am faca sibh a’ mhulchag,
Am faca sibh an tualaman,
Am faca sibh a’ mhulachag den chàise?
’S i cho mòr ri cloich-mhuilinn,
Shìos aig Lipton anns an uinneig,
Agus miann gach neach a chunnaic i air pàirt di.
 
’S i siud a’ mhulachag eireachdail
A thàinig à Ameireaga –
Tha leth-tunn’ innte ’s ceathramh, tha ’d ag ràdh rium;
Tha cuid a their gur geir a th’ ann,
’S cuid eile gur e maide th’ ann,
’S tha connsachadh is caganadh gun tàmh uimp’...”
[It can be read in “Caran an t-Saoghail”, by Dòmhnall Meek, that “Corn Rigs and Barley Rigs” is the name ascribed to the song.]
 
Deoch-Slàint’ a’ Chomuinn Oiseanach
The "Comunn Oiseanach" is the Gaelic stdent society at the University of Glasgow. Throughout the years that the society has run, from its early history as a debating society of old but is now a society for Gaelic and the Gaels at the university. The song “Deoch-Slàint’ a’ Chomuinn Oiseanach” was made in 1833 to celebrate the society "without haughtiness" or "blemish" in a song:
“Deoch-slàinte Chomuinn Oiseanach
'S e sin an Comunn sòlasach
Comann glan nan Oiseannach
A sheasadh còir na Fèinne.

'S e seo an Comann dealasach
Tha smuain a' ghaoil gan teannachadh
Bidh suain aig Goill a' bhaile seo
Mun dealaich iad ri chèile...”
[’S e “Tha Tighinn Fodham Èirigh” am fonn a chuireadh ris].

Marbhrann a' Choin Duinn
This isn't totally entirely a song from Glasgow, because it is not a song set in Glasgow, but according to the book "Bho Chluaidh gu Calasraid", by Michael Newton, it was written by a student that was in Glasgow about his brown dog that died:
bhàsachadh:
“Tha mi ro dhuilich
Is fo mhulad an dràsta;
Chan e gaol rinn mo bhuaireadh,
Chan e gruagach rinn m’ fhàgail,
Ach ’s e naidheachd fhuair mi
As taobh tuath o mo bhràthair
Thug na deòir air mo shùilean
Is chuir air chùlaibh mo ghàire...”

Òran na “Corns” – [Iain MacPhàidein].
The bard was suffering with painful corns, as can be seen in the song. Tha song was published in “Teachdaire nan Gàidheal” in August, 1925:
“Ho gur truagh mi he gur truagh mi
Ho gur truagh mi le na corns.
Tha mo chruadal a bhi gluasad
Aig na fhuair mi le na corns.

Bheir an greasaich earail ùr dhomh
Cur mo lùdagan air doigh
An ceap as motha feumar clud air
A cuir barrachd rùm dhan chorn...”

We are not done yet with Gaelic songs of Glasgow and around her: We shall be carrying on westerly to Govan and onwards to Greenock. If you have any Gaelic songs that relate to Glasgow let us know on facebook, twitter and our website.