Lyr Add: Balaich An Iasgaich

Subject: Lyr Add: Balaich An Iasgaich
From: RunrigFan
Date: 09 Nov 21 - 09:11 PM

Balaich An Iasgaich was written by Donald Morrison

A fishing song that tells of the hardship of being a fisherman

It appears on Fiona Mackenzie and Arthur Cormack album         Seinn! O Ho Ro Seinn! release in 2003

Lyrics from the album

Fàilte gu fearann air balaich an iasgaich        
'G iomradh 's a tarraing 's a gearradh a'bhiathaidh        
Coma leam leabaidh no cadal no biadh
Gu faigh mi mo lìon an òrdugh

Siud agaibh na balaich a sheasadh an cruadal        
Sìnt' air a bhallaist gun phealaig mun uachdar        
Còignear no seisear 's an lethcheann air cluasaig        
Ulpagan cruaidhe Cheòsain

Bàtaichean Gallach a gearradh an t-sìobain        
Beatadh gu cala an agaidh sruthlìonaidh        
Bàtaichean biorach aig Nisich is Siaraich        
Fada mun iar air Rònaidh

B'fheàrr leam an leabaidh na gàbhadh nan tonn        
Is plaide mo mhàthar 's mo làmh fo mo cheann        
B'fheàrr na bhith lathadh fo fhasgadh nan crann        
'G èisteachd ri srann nan ròpan

Fàilte gu fearann air balaich an iasgaich        W
'G iomradh 's a tarraing 's a gearradh a'bhiathaidh        
Coma leam leabaidh no cadal no biadh        
Gu faigh mi mo lìon an òrdugh

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Balaich An Iasgaich
From: RunrigFan
Date: 09 Nov 21 - 09:21 PM

Willie John MacAulay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE5uKYTCbuU


New Tradition

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSbu5xIMsr4

Archie McTaggart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XrD_lHsXH0

to name a few

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Balaich An Iasgaich
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Nov 21 - 01:52 AM

Also Bodega with a young Norrie MacIver doing the singing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lN-6jq4Cb4

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Balaich An Iasgaich
From: Felipa
Date: 10 Nov 21 - 09:33 PM

I thought the lyrics fairly elegant. According to the BBC site Bliadhna nan Óran, Dòmhnall Moireasdan is the author of "Balaich an Iasgaich". Moireasdan was a minister who was born in Glasgow but raised in Lewis. He returned to Glasgow as a minister for some years. He was well known as a singer. He was still teaching a choir in Glasgow at the time of publication, which was 2014.

Translation at Celtic Lyrics Corner website:

Welcome ashore the lads of the fishing
Rowing and pulling and cutting the bait
I don't care for bed, sleep or food
Until I get my nets in order

Those were the lads who would stand upright
Stretched on the ballast without a rug over them
Five or six and their cheek on a pillow
Of hard lumps of Ceosan [down feathers]

[Learngaelic dictionary translates ceòsan as "light down", but I suppose feather pillows can get hard and lumpy when they've been soaked and much used.]

Caithness boats cutting the spray
Tacking to port against a flow tide
Sharp-bowed boats manned by Ness men and Westsiders
Far west of Rona

I would prefer bed than the danger of the waves
And my mother's blanket and my hand under my head
I'd prefer that than being benumbed under the shelter of the masts
Listening to the hum of the ropes

Welcome ashore the lads of the fishing
Rowing and pulling and cutting the bait
I don't care for bed, sleep or food
Until I get my nets in order

----
there are additional verses on the Bliadhna nan Óran page

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Balaich An Iasgaich
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 11 Nov 21 - 01:10 PM

I remember a few years ago turning from the horrible programmes on the main channels late on New Year to BBC Alba. Lo, there was folk music, and the band were playing Balaich an Iaisgaich. Great song!

(I was the guest that mentioned the Bodega version btw. Sooner or later, I should see about applying for an actual mudcat account.)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Balaich An Iasgaich
From: GUEST,ottery
Date: 11 Nov 21 - 01:27 PM

Thanks for the lyrics, Felipa.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Balaich An Iasgaich
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 01 Mar 22 - 01:59 PM

Ceòs is a place on Lewis, south of Stornoway - comes into various songs, sometimes with the diminutive or plural ending -an.
Cheòsain = of Ceòs(an), genitive case, so presumably where the boulders for ballast came from.

https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/local/ceos-na-h-eileanan-an-iar