Lyr Add: S Daor A Cheannaich Mi'n t-Iasgach

Subject: Lyr Add: S Daor A Cheannaich Mi'n t-Iasgach
From: RunrigFan
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 03:40 PM

'S daor a cheannaich mi an t-iasgach
Seo a' bhliadhna chuir às dhomh
'S daor a cheannaich mi 'n stòp
A bh' air a' bhòrd an Taigh Chladaich.

Chaill mi snàmhaich a' chaolais
'S tu nach glaodhadh an t-aiseag,
Agus coisiche beinne
Nach bu deireadh air feachd thu.

'S ann aig Stac Beul an Àthain
A bhàthadh an gaisgeach;
Siud a' bheairt nach do shaoil
Air an t-saoghal seo thachradh.

Gun rachadh do bhàthadh
Gu bràth gun chuan farsaing,
No gun rachadh do mhilleadh
'S do chuid ghillean thighinn dhachaigh.

'S tha do bhreacan ùr uasal
Ann an ùrlar an aigeil,
'S tha do lèine chaol bhòidheach
Aig na rònaibh ga sracadh.

Tha do ghàrtanan rìomhach
Air ìnean nam partan,
'S tha d' fhaltan donn dualach
Na chuachaibh 's na phreasaibh.

Tha ruith nan tonn uaine
Mu bhruaichean do leapa;
Tha d' fhidheall gun ghleusadh
'S tha na teudan air glasadh.

Tha do thaigh mòr gun tughadh
'S e 's dubhach liom d' aitreabh.
Tha do phiuthar gun bhràthair
'S tha do mhàthair gun mhacan.

Tha do bhean òg gun chèile
'S tha mi fhìn dheth gun dalta.
'S daor a cheannaich mi an t-iasgac

From BBC Orain

https://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/oran/orain/s_daor_a_cheannaich_mi_n_t_iasgach/

From the singing of Christine Primrose from the album

'S Tu Nam Chuimhne - And you on my mind released in 1987

https://i.imgur.com/urPGLBX.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/7nm7o7T.jpg
https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0247/5213/files/COMD2024_Christine_Primrose_S_tu_nam_chuimhne.pdf?16154056427886929143

Ishbel MacAskill was only released on cassette and LP no words

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: S Daor A Cheannaich Mi'n t-Iasgach
From: RunrigFan
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 03:46 PM

I meant on cd and cassette and download but I haven't got a copy so cant tell if words were included

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: S Daor A Cheannaich Mi'n t-Iasgach
From: Felipa
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 04:43 PM

words for Ishbel MacAskill recording are published at http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/macaskill/sdaor.htm

The title means "I paid dearly for the fishing". It's a lament for someone who has drowned.

Tha do phiuthar gun bhràthair
'S tha do mhàthair gun mhacan.

Tha do bhean òg gun chèile
'S tha mi fhìn dheth gun dalta.

your sister is without a brother
your mother without a son
Your young wife without a spouse
And myself without my foster child

According to the BBC Bliadhna nan Òrain page, this song probably dates from the 18th century. Taigh a' Chladaich, the house of the shore/beach, was the former name of a hotel in North Uist, later known as the Westford Inn. but some people associate the song with Islay instead of with Uist.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: S Daor A Cheannaich Mi' n t-Iasgach
From: Felipa
Date: 20 Feb 22 - 04:49 PM

There are some very evocative lines about "your tartan on the sea floor, your new shirt torn by the seals, your fine garters on the claws of the crabs" :

'S tha do bhreacan ùr uasal
Ann an ùrlar an aigeil,
'S tha do lèine chaol bhòidheach
Aig na rònaibh ga sracadh.

Tha do ghàrtanan rìomhach
Air ìnean nam partan,

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: 'S Daor A Cheannaich Mi'n t-Iasgach
From: Felipa
Date: 05 Aug 23 - 06:58 PM

a nice recording by Calum MacLean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br2EFeScqMg

Calum MacLean Isle of Skye, 1956
https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/75672

Calum MacLean collected this song in field recordings
see the site Tobar an Dualchais
https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/5838 singer Catríona MacCormack 1953 recorded by Calum MacLean

published in 'Tocher' 21 and 'Songs of Gaelic Scotland' (Anne Lorne Gillies), p. 45

more from Tobar an Dualchais (the well of heritage): a nice recording of
Mary MacMillan singing at the 1994 Mod in Dunoon, https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/track/101806

Billy Ross, with accompaniament https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE5N_OO1Ses

lyrics, and sound file from Christine Primrose: https://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/oran/orain/s_daor_a_cheannaich_mi_n_t_iasgach/

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: S Daor A Cheannaich Mi'n t-Iasgach
From: RunrigFan
Date: 06 Aug 23 - 12:27 AM

‘S daor a cheannaich mi’m t-iasgach
‘S daor a cheannaich mi’n t-iasgach Seo a’bhliadhna chuir as dhomh
‘S daor a cheannaich mi’n stop
A bh’air a’bhord an taigh a’chladaich
Tha do phiuthar gun bhrathair ‘S tha do mhathair gun mhac dhe
Tha do bhean og gun cheile
‘S tha mi fhein dheth gun dalta
‘S tha mo leabaidh gun charadh Air urlar an aigeil
Tha do leine chaol bhoidheach Aig na roinibh ‘g a stracadh
Tha do ghartanan riomhach Air innean nam portan

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: S Daor A Cheannaich Mi'n t-Iasgach
From: RunrigFan
Date: 06 Aug 23 - 12:29 AM

Dearly I paid for the fishing*
Dearly I paid for the fishing This year has been my ruin,
Dearly I paid for the water carrier On the table in the shore house.
Your sister is without a brother
And your mother is left without a son.
Your young wife is without a spouse And I am without my fosterling.
Your bed has not been made On the sea floor,
Your beautiful fine shirt
Has been ripped by the seals.
Your beautiful garters Are on the crabs’ claws.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0535/4913/8100/files/Ishbel_Faclan.pdf?v=1645973754

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: S Daor A Cheannaich Mi'n t-Iasgach
From: RunrigFan
Date: 06 Aug 23 - 12:29 AM

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0535/4913/8100/files/Ishbel_Faclan.pdf?v=1645973754

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: S Daor A Cheannaich Mi'n t-Iasgach
From: leeneia
Date: 06 Aug 23 - 02:20 PM

Thank you, Runrig Fan and Felipa, for a very evocative and true-to-life song. Fishing has been a very dangerous occupation for a long time, although now, thank goodness, we have the technology to track storms better.