The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #169613   Message #4109745
Posted By: Felipa
11-Jun-21 - 06:13 PM
Thread Name: Any May songs?
Subject: RE: Any May songs?
There are so many May songs that we should have twice as many singarounds in the month of May as we have in any other month. '

I'm thinking of a thread just for songs in Scottish Gaelic with the word Cèitean (May) in them. Or the alternatives, Maigh (a' Mhaigh) or Bealtainn . Bealtainn is the Celtic May day, but in Irish Bealtaine is also the modern name for the month of May.

THOIR MO SHORAIDH THAR GHUNANIDH
Thoir Mo Shoraidh Thar Ghunanidh has the lines

Far an cluinnear a' chuthag
Air gach bruthach ro Bhealltainn.
Rachel Walker singing Thoir Mo Shoraidh Thar Ghunnaidh

(Where the cuckoo is heard On every brae before the feast of Beltane (in May)

THIG AN SMEORACH A’S T- EARRACH
Thig An Smeòrach As t-Earrach
Thig an smeòrach a's t-Earrach        The thrush will come in spring
Thig a' chuthag 's a'Chèitinn        The cuckoo will come in May
Bi gach eun anns a'choille        And every bird in the forest
Cumail coinneamh le chèile        Will meet together

Ishbel Macaskill singing Thig an Smeòrach as t-Earrach

MO BHEANNACHD DHAN BHAILLIDH UR
Mo Bheannachd dhan Bhaillidh Úr

'S fhuair thu i 'n Cèitean a h-òig'.
You won her in the May of her youth

Mo Bheannachd dhan Bhaillidh Úr sung by Julie Fowlis but without the line about an Cèitean

Tha mo Ghaol air Ard a' Chuan is already listed. I'm sure there are many more!