Lyr Add: Ghruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain

Subject: Lyr Add: Ghruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain
From: RunrigFan
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 01:57 PM

Gruagach òg an fhuilt bhàin,
Èist ri bàrdachd mo bhilean;
Thoir dhomh gealladh thar chàich
'S air do sgàth nì mi tilleadh;
Ged 's iomadh tè san robh m' ùidh
Anns gach dùthaich is cinneadh,
O, nach aontaich thu leams',
'S mi bhiodh sunndach gad shireadh.

Ged theireadh do chàirdean
Gur tràth thug mi 'n gealladh,
Do ghruagach òg an fhuilt bhàin
A chaidh àrach am Barraigh;
'S iomadh fear anns gach àit'
Rinn a nàdar a mhealladh -
Cò bheir maorach à tràigh
Nuair tha 'n làn air dhol thairis?

'S truagh nach robh mi mar eun,
It' a sgiathan gun ghiorradh,
'S mi gun siùbhladh san iarmailt
'S mi nach iarradh gu tilleadh;
Bu mhòr m' aighear 's mo shunnd
Togail cùrs' thar gach linne,
'S nuair a dhealaicheadh tu rium
Bhiodh mo shùilean a' sileadh.

Cha do rugadh an òigh
Bhon a thòisich an cruinne
Bha cho ceanalt' na dòigh
Is bha an còrr ort an grinneas
'S bòidhche sealladh do shùil
'S d' anail chùbhraidh ro mhilis
Gura h-àill thu na flùr
A laigh driùchd air a dhuilleach.

Chuir mi ùidh na do bhòidhchead
'S bha do chòmhradh leam taitneach
Do dha ghruaidh mar an ròs
Anns gach dòigh bha thu tlachdmhor;
Is mi nach iarradh leat stòr
Nam faighinn còir ort le ceartas -
Tha mo ghaol ort cho mòr
'S nach eil dòigh aig air seacadh.

Chaidh do chliù chur an dàn,
'S tha do chànan aig filidh,
Chaidh a thogail is àrach
Ann am fàsaichean Uibhist;
'S e gaol carraig nan àl
Leanas nàdar an duine,
'S tu mo reul fad gach latha
'S bidh mo ghràdh far an suidh thu.

Bheir mo shoraidh gu bràth
Leis a' mhàthair a ghin thu,
'S a thug dhut bainne blàth
A thug fàs ort an grinneas;
'S ged a gheibhinn de dh'òr
Na tha 'n stòras na cruinne
Bhiodh mo chridh' ort an tòir
Ged bhiodh tu pòsda ri millean.

Ged a gheibhinn dhomh fhìn
A h-uile nì a th' air talamh
Agus tusa gam dhìth,
Gu dè bhithinn-s' ach falamh?
'S gus an tèid mi don chill
Air mo shìneadh an anart
Tha mi 'n geall air bhith tinn
'S cha dèan lighich' mi fallain.

Source BBC Alba Orain site https://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/oran/orain/gruagach_og_an_fhuilt_bhain/


Some recordings

1981 - Arthur Cormack
1984 - Rhona MacKay
1987 - Willie John Macaulay
1987 - Norman MacLean
1993 - Alasdair Gillies
1996 -The Clan MacColl as a instrumental medley
2003 - Donnie Munro
2016 -Alexis MacIsaac & Calum MacKenzie


Written by Donald Allan MacDonald

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ghruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain
From: RunrigFan
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 02:02 PM

Donnie Munro

Ghruagach Òg An Fhuilt Bhain
Young Fair-haired Maid


Gruagach òg an fhuilt bhàin
Éisd ri bàrdachd mo bhilean
Thoir dhomh gealladh thar chaìch
'S air do sgàtha ni mi tilleadh
Ged 's iomadh té 's an robh m'ùigh
Anns gach dùthaich is cinnead
O nach aontaich thu leam
'S mi bhiodh sunndach 'gad shireadh



Ged theireadh do chàirdean
Gur tràth thug mi'n gealladh
Do gruagach òg an fhuilt bhàin
A chaidh àrach am Barraidh
'S iomadh fear anns gach àit'
Rinn a nàdur a mhealladh
Co bheir maorach á tràigh
Nuair tha'n làn air tigh'nn thairis



'S truagh nach robh mi mar eun
Ite sgiathan gun ghiorradh
'S mi gun siùbhladh an iarmailt
'S mi nach iarradh gu tillead
Bu mhór m'aighear 's mo shunnd
Togail cùrs' thar gach linne
'S nuair a dhealaicheadh tu rium
Bhiodh mo shùilean a' sileadh



Chaidh do chliu chur an dà
'S tha do chànan aig filidh
Chaidh do thogail is t'árach
Ann am fàsaichean Uibhist
'S e gaol carraig nan àl
Leanas nàdur an duine
'S tu mo reul fad gach làtha
'S bidh mo ghràdh far an suidh thu

Source Gaelic Heart 2003 album and runrig.rocks website

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ghruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain
From: RunrigFan
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 02:20 PM

Arthur Cormack

source https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0247/5213/files/Songwords_Arthur_Cormack_Nuair_Bha_Mi_Og.pdf

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain
From: Felipa
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 07:35 PM

BBC gives the title as Gruagach Òg An Fhuilt Bhàin. The lenition, spelled "Gh" instead of "G", would be if you just said the young maiden", "An Ghrugach Òg", but the An and the "h" drop out when you have "an" afterwards for "of the fair hair". You would also lenite/aspirate if you address the lass directly, "o, maiden ...". "a ghruagach ...".

BBC site Bliadna nan Òran attributes this song to author Dòmhnall Ailean Dhòmhnaill who was born in South Uist in December 1906 and died in Feb 1992 . It says that Dòmhnall wrote the words for Mòrag NicAmhlaigh (patronymic name Mòrag Dhòmhnaill Chaluim, descriptive name Mòr Bhàn) of Castlebay, Barra. Apparently they only met once, at a dance in association with the Uist games (sport, highland games).

Now, this is quite a tale. The couple were quite taken with each other and Dòmhnall asked if he could walk her home. But - as I understand it - he had a some drinks with his mates and forgot about Mòrag. The gruagach had to make her own way back to her friends house in Lochboisdale and she wasn't pleased.

When Dòmhnall realised his neglectfulness, he was truly sorry and wrote the ode as an apology, a peace-making gesture.

Mòrag died in Feb 1998, aged 86. It's said Gruagach Òg An Fhuilt Bhàin was song at her burial.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/oran/people/domhnall_ailean_domhnallach/

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ghruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain
From: Felipa
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 07:37 PM

spelling correction - "bliadhna"
The word for "year" has an h in it, always. I spotted my error just as I was pressing the send button, alas.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain
From: Felipa
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 08:02 PM

A translation of the four verses given in the second post in this discussion thread, from http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/cormack/gruagach.htm

TRANSLATION of GRUAGACH ÒG AN FHUILT BHÀIN
from the Gàidhlig of Dòmhnall Ailean Dhòmhnaill

Young fair-haired maid        
Listen to my poem
Give me a promise forsaking all others
And I will do the same for you
Although there were many women in my affections
In every land and clan
Oh won't you yield to me
And I would be happy to fulfill your desires

Although your relatives warned
That I gave my promise too young
To the fair-haired maid
Who was brought up in Barra
Many men in every place
Tried to entice her
Who would gather shellfish from the shore
When the tide comes in

If only I were like a bird
With unclipped wings and feathers
Travelling through the skies
Not wanting to return without you
How happy and peaceful I would be
Making my way across the sea
And when you would give me your promise
My tears would flow

Your praises have been sung in song
And the poets speak your language
You were born and reared
In the wilderness of Uist
It is the yearning for a strong tie
That grips man's nature        
And you are my star throughout every day
And my love will be wherever you shine

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ghruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain
From: RunrigFan
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 08:02 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD3qPzH5mNI

sings verse 1 to 3, 5 and 6

Not sure if words are the same

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain
From: Felipa
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 08:40 PM

some of the recordings presently available on youtube are

Oigridh

Norman MacLean

Donnie Munro

also Norman MacKinnon, track 2 at https://open.spotify.com/album/7csYHzd0DkQJQNlCeAgG2W

Art Cormack's recording can be found via track 5 at https://open.spotify.com/album/46OKIpJtvFmU4xwngT7RpI

And you can find another translation of the song and a different story (saying the poet wrote the song when Mórag failed to show up at the dance) via http://largsgaelic.moonfruit.com/toms-tranlations-2/4590907532

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ghruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain
From: Felipa
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 08:45 PM

The youtube link from Runrig Fan just before my last message is a different one from any on my list; the singer is Alasdair Gilles.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Ghruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain
From: RunrigFan
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 08:59 PM

Donald MacRae

https://open.spotify.com/track/5BsALdTxrzDSchHDrU0iTA?si=15596359c7c34c3b

Calum Ross

https://open.spotify.com/track/0QiyXc95EZyHhpnOCx62yb?si=633c9c768a84497e

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Gruagach Og An Fhuilt Bhain
From: Felipa
Date: 01 Jul 21 - 11:12 AM

People still dance at the South Uist Games
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC2fvnv6r0E