The Hills o' Gallowa'

Roud# 5989

Poem by Thomas Mounsey Cunningham (1776 - 1834), poet and literary writer.
Written while he was in Cambridge sometime between 1801 and 1805.
The poem is a pastoral love song.


First published in:
The Scots Magazine and Edinburgh Literary Miscellany, Vol 68, April 1806, p.288.

THE HILLS O' GALLOWA'- The Scots Magazine

THE HILLS O' GALLOWA'
Tune: — "The Ley Rig."

Amang the birks, sae blythe an' gay,
I met my Julia hameward gaun,
The linties chantit on the spray,
The lammies lowpit on the lawn,
On ilka howm the sward was mawn,
The braes wi' gowans buskit braw,
An' gloamin's plaid o' grey was thrawn
Out owre the hills o' Gallowa'.

Wi' music wild the woodlands rang,
An' fragrance wing'd alang the lee,
As down we sat the flow'rs amang,
Upon the banks o' stately Dee.
My Julia's arms incircled me,
An saftly slade the hours awa,
Till dawin' coost a glimmren' e'e
Upon the hills of Gallowa'.

It isna owsen, sheep, an' kye,
It isna goud, it isna gear,
This lifted e'e wad hae, quoth I,
The war's drumlie gloom to chear;
But gie to me my Julia dear,
Ye powers wha rowe this yirthen ba',
An' O sae blythe through life I'll steer
Amang the hills o' €rallowa'.

When gloamin' dauners up the hill,
An' our gudeman ca's hame the yows,
Wi' her I'll trace the mossy rill
That owre the moor meand'ring rowes;
Or tint amang the scroggie knowes.
My birken pipe I'll sweetly blaw,
An' sing the streams, the straths an' howes,
The hills an' dales o' Gallowa'.

And when auld Scotland's heathy hills,
Her rural nymphs an' jovial swains,
Her flow'ry wilds an' wimplin' rills
Awake nae mair my canty strains;
Where friendship dwails and freedom reigns,
Where heather blooms an' moor-cocks craw;
O! dig my grave, an' hide my banes
Amang the hills o' Oallowa'.


In 1806 Cunningham began to contribute poetry to the ‘Scots Magazine,’ and in 1809 was invited by James Hogg, who styled him ‘Nithsdale's lost and darling Cunningham,’ to contribute to his ‘Forest Minstrel', which included a rewording of The Hills o' Gallowa.

The Forest Minstrel: A Selection of Songs, Adapted to the Most Favourite Scottish Airs, by James Hogg (The Ettrick Shepherd), 1810, pp. 65-67.

THE HILLS O' GALLOWA - The Forest Minstrel


THE HILLS O' GALLOWA.

Tune - Lee Rig.

AMANG the birks, sae blythe an' gay,
I met my Julia hameward gaun;
The linties chantit on the spray,
The lammies lowpit on the lawn;
On ilka swaird the hay was mawn;
The braes wi' gowans buskit braw;
An' gloamin's plaid o' grey was thrawn
Out o'er the hills o' Gallowa.

Wi' music wild the woodlands rang,
An' fragrance wing'd alang the lee,
When down we sat, the flowers amang,
Upon the banks o' stately Dee:
My Julia's arms encircled me;
Then sweetly slade the hours awa,
Till dawning coost a glimmerin' e'e,
Upon the hills o' Gallowa.

It isna owsen, sheep, an' kye,
It isna gowd, it isna gear,
This lifted e'e wad hae, quo' I,
The warl's drumlie gloom to cheer;
But gie to me my Julia dear,
Ye powers wha rowe this yirthen ba',
An' O sae blythe through life I'll steer
Amang the hills o' Gallowa.

When gloamin' daunders up the hill,
An' our gudeman ca's hame the cows,
Wi' her I'll trace the mossy rill
That through the rashes dimpled rowes;
Or tint amang the scroggy knowes,
My birken pipe I'll sweetly blaw,
An' sing the streams, the straths, an' howes,
The hills an' dales o' Gallowa.

An' when auld Scotland's heathy hills,
Her rural nymphs an' jovial swains,
Her flow'ry wilds an' wimplin' rills,
Awake nae mair my canty strains;
Where friendship dwells an' freedom reigns,
Where heather blooms an' moor-cocks craw,
O dig my grave, an' lay my banes
Amang the hills o' Gallowa.