DASG Blog

Òrain na Dùthcha bho Ghlaschu dhan Eilean Sgitheanach (Pàirt 2)

Welcome back! I hope the rest of January has been good to you and that the weather hasn't been so awful! Despite "Na Faoilich", "ospagan" and the "dìlean-bhàite" nothing with obscure the beauty of the country. We are carrying on with more songs carrying on northwards in the Highlands, starting this week from Glencoe.

“Thoir Dhomhsa an Gleann” by Alasdair MacFhraing – Glencoe
MacFhraing is from Glencoe who wrote this song of love of his country, praising the glen of his upbringing and his heart:

“Thoir dhòmhsa an gleann far bheil Comhann a' triall,
Far bheil Bidean-nam-Beann bho thoiseach gach ial,
Far am faic mi an iolair', far am fàileant' am fiadh,
Far am faigh mi a' bhiolair, cho blast' ris a' bhiadh.

Thoir dhòmhsa an gleann far bheil monaidhean àrd,
Far 'n do dheachdaich nèamh peann neo-bhàsmhor a' bhàird;
Far bheil coill' anns gach doire fad nas uaine nam feur,
Far bheil mil-fhraoich 's gach coire 'n gleann as àille fon speur...”

"Murt Ghlinne Comhainn", by the Bàrd Muchanach – Glencoe
This is a lament, commemorating the great massacre of Glencoe town. Clan MacDonald of Glencoe was late to give his promse of fealty to the new king, therefore Redcoat soldiers were sent to the town. On the thirteenth day of February, 1692, the people of the glen were massacred. This bagpipe-song was written to commemorate the terrible massacre. Further reading about the massacre can be read on the website "GlencoeMuseum.com":

“Làmh Dhè leinn a shaoghail
Tha thu carach mar chaochladh nan sian,
Nì nach guidheamaid fhaotainn,
Mar na sruthaibh ag aomadh a nìos;
'S i chneadh fèin thar gach adhbhar,
Bhios gach duine ri caoine, 's e tinn,
Breith Mhic Shamhain air saoidhean
Tighinn a ghleachd rinn a taobh cùl ar cinn.

Cha b' i siud an fhuil shalach
Bha ga taomadh mun talamh sa ghleann,
'S a liuthad ùmaigh mar ghearran
A bha cur fùdair na dheannaibh mur ceann;
A Rìgh dhùlaich nan aingeal!
Gabhsa cùram dar n-anam, 's sìth thall;
Chaidh ar cunntas an tainead
Le garbh dhùsgadh na malairt a bh' ann...”

“Loch Lìobhainn” by Alasdair MacFhraing - Glencoe
We're back with MacFhraing and his beautiful song praising the glen of his upringing:

O 's truagh nach robh mis' ann an gleannan mo ghaoil
Oir tha beannachadh Dhè agus sìth ann
Tha na h-aibhnean 's na coilltean as bòidhch' air an t-saoghal
Ann an gleannan mo ghaoil taobh Loch Liobhainn.
 
Fàile cùbhraidh an fhraoich tigh'nn thar mullach nam beann
Agus chì thu'n damh ruadh air an fhrìth ann
'S ged shiùbhladh tu Alba chan fhaic thu aon ghleann
Tha cho boidheach rim' ghleann taobh Loch Lìobhainn...”
 
"Horo Chaidil M’ Eudail", by Iain Camshron – Lochy
This song was written by the Paisley Bard who was raised in Glencoe:

“Ho rò chaidil m' eudail,
Ho rò chaidil m' eudail,
Ho rò chaidil m' eudail,
'S ma chaidil slàn gun èirich.
...
O nì mi brochan bainne dhut
Is nì mi brochan eòrna,
Bheir d' athair meann à fireach dhut
'S breac à linne air Lòchaidh.”

"Latha Inbhir Lòchaidh/Moladh Inbhir Lòchaidh", by Iain Lom – Inverlochy
This is a jacobite song written by the bard, praising the Duke of Montrose who was
striving on behalf of King Charles I. He engaged a battle against the forces of Sir Duncan Campbell of Auchinbreck in Inverlochy on the second day of February. The Duke of Montrose's forces won on the day:

“Hì hó ro ’s na hó ro leatha,
Hì hó ro ’s na hó ro leatha,
Hì hó ro ’s na hó ro leatha,
Chaidh an latha le Clann Dòmhnaill.

’N chuala sibhse ’n tionndadh duineil
Thug an camp bha ’n Cille Chuimein?
’S fhada chaidh ainm air an iomairt,
Thug iad às na nàimhdean iomain.
Hì hó ro ’s na hó ro leatha…

Dhìrich mi moch madainn Dòmhnaich
Gu bàrr caisteil Inbhir Lòchaidh;
Chunnaic mi ’n t-arm dol an òrdugh,
’S bha buaidh an latha le Clann Dòmhnaill.
Hì hó ro ’s na hó ro leatha…”
 
"Bràigh Loch Iall/Òran do Loch Iall" – Locheil
A song of love of one's country praising Locheil, Lochaber:

"I ò bha hò
'S na haoiri rìri ho hi
Hoireann o gù ho hi
O bha hò.

O thèid, is gun tèid,
O thèid mi thairis
Gu innis nam bò,
Far am b' eòl dhomh an ainnir.

Gun innis nam bò,
Far am b' eòl dhomh an ainnir,
Gu Bràighe Loch Iall
Far am bi fiadh sa langan..."

"Fàilte a’ Phrìonnsa/Òran a' Phrionnsa" by Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair – Glenfinnan
A jacobite song by the renowned and skilled bard, Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair, praising the King to be, Charles III, and his arrival in Scotland to bring the clans together:

"A dh'ionnsaighcladach a' chuain ri fuar ghaoth an anmoich
Thàinig Tearlach gu dealrach air Albann 's e sgith
Cha ro reul air a bhroilleach neo freiceadan 'falbh leis
Ach aithne nan gorm-shùil gu daelbhaich a li
'Smar dhaoimein san oidhche bha a' mhaighdean fo thùrsa
'Si cràiteach mu Thearaich 'bhi a' fàgail a dhùthcha
'S bu trom a bha a h-osna 's bu ghoirt deòir bho sùilean
On a chunnaic i an lubhrach a' dlùthadh ri tir.

Bha a' ghaelach a' snàmh thar àirde nan stùc-bheann
'S a gathannan siùbhlach far dlùth-thonn a leum
Gu grad thug i 'n aire mar òigh air a ciùrradh
Gu sgàil air a gnù is ghil fo shiùil neòil nan speur
Dhan a' ghealaich 's na reultan iad fhéin anns 'sa ghorm-bhrat
Bha osna na gaoithe trom chaoimhneil a' falbh uainn
Bha gearain a' chuain an àm bualadh ri garbh-chreag
Mo léir chreach air Albainn 'sann a mharbhadh na tréun...."

"O Siud an taobh a ghabhainn", by Anna NicGillIos’ - Morar
Written by the bardess Anna NicGillios', an emigrant who sailed to Quebec. In the song she names the places from which they came in the "rough-grounds", Morar is amongst them:

“O, sud an taobh a ghabhainn,
E, sud an taobh a ghabhainn,
'S gach aon taobh gam biodh an rathad
Ghabhainn e gu h-eolach.

Gabhaidh sinn ar cead de Mhorair,
Arisaig 's Muideart nam mor-bheann,
Eig' is Cana ghorm nan roiseal,
'S Uibhist bhoidheach ghreannmhor;...”
 
“Fàilt’ Ort fhèin, a Mhòr-Thìr Bhòidheach”, by Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair - Morar
It's not hard to believe why the bard wrote this praising song about this particular beautiful part of the Highlands. He praised the beauty of it's nature in which he lived from when he fled South Uist.

“Fàilt’ ort fhèin, a mhòr-thìr bhòidheach
Anns an òg-mhios bhealltainn
 
Heitirinn àirinn uirinn ò-ho-rò
Heitirinn àirinn ò-rò
 
Grian-thìr òr-bhuidh, ‘s uaine còta,
’S froinidh ròs ri h-alltaibh...
 
Le biadh ’s le dibh a’ cur thairis
Cha tèid Earrach teann orr’...”
 
“Eilean a’ Cheò”, le Màiri 'Mhòr nan Òran' Nic a' Phearsain – An t-Eilean Sgitheanach
The bardess expressed her desire to return to the island after being far away for many years:

“Ged tha mo cheann air liathadh
Le deuchainnean is bròn
Is grian mo leth-cheud bliadhna
Air ciaradh fo na neòil
Tha m’ aigne air an lìonadh
Le iarrtas tha ro mhòr
A dh’fhaicinn eilean Sgiathach
Na Siantanan ’s a’ cheò.
 
Tha còrr ’s dà fhichead bliadhna
Bho’n thriall mi uait gam dheòin
’S a chuir mi sìos mo lìon
Ann am meadhan baile mhòir
Is ged a fhuair mi iasgair
A lìon mo thaigh le stòr
Bu chuimhneachail mi riamh ort
’S bu mhiann leam bhi’ nad chòir...”

We are finished with this series although there could be many more songs that we could put in these two blogs! Do you recognise any of the songs above? Do you have any recomendations for songs on the road upwards to the Isle of Skye from the Lowlands? Let us know on facebook, twitter and our website!