Lyr Add: Fàilte Don Eilean Sgitheanach

Subject: Lyr Add: Fàilte Don Eilean Sgitheanach
From: RunrigFan
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 02:28 PM

source https://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/oran/orain/failte_don_eilean_sgitheanach/


O! fàilte air do stùcan,
Do choireachan ùdlaidh,
Do bheanntanan sùghmhor,
Far an siùbhlach am meann!
Tha 'n geamhradh le dhùbhlachd
Mu na meallaibh a' dùnadh,
'S gach doire le bhùirean
Air a rùsgadh gu bonn.

Chì mi an Cuiltheann
Mar leòmhann gun tioma,
Le fheusaig den t-sneachd'
Air a phasgadh ma cheann;
'S a ghruaidhean a' srùladh
Le easanan smùideach,
Tha tuiteam nan lùban
Gu ùrlar nan gleann.

Do chreagan gu h-uaibhreach,
Mar challaid mun cuairt dhut,
'S na neòil air an iomairt,
A' filleadh mum bàrr;
'S am bonn air a sguabadh
Le srùlaichean gruamach,
Bho bhàrcadh a' chuain
A' toirt nuallain air tràigh.

O càit eil na gaisgich
A dh'àraich do ghlacan,
Bu shuilbhire macnus
Mu stacan a' cheò?
Le fùdar ga sgailceadh
Bhon cuilbheirean glana,
'S na mial-choin nan deannaibh,
Nach fannaich san tòir.

Na laoich nach robh meata
Ri aodann a' bhatail,
Nach aomadh gu taise
Ri caismeachd an nàmh;
Chan eil raon agus machair
Air 'n do sgaoil iad am bratach,
Nach d' fhàg iad an eachdraidh
Gun mhasladh dan àl.

Ach tha 'm fàrdaichean sguabte,
'S an seòmraichean uaine;
Iad fhèin is an gaisge
Nan cadal fon fhòid;
'S tha osag nam fuar-bheann,
Le h-osnaidhean gruamach,
Gan caoidh mu na cruachan,
'S a' luaidh air an glòir.

O! càite bheil gach sòlas
Bha agam nam òige,
Toirt meal' às na ròsan
Mud chòsagan tlàth?
Tha companaich m' eòlais
Air am fuadach bhon còmhnaidh,
Tha mhil air a deòghal
'S na ròsan gun bhlàth.

Ach 's caomh leam do ghleanntan,
Do shrathan 's do bheanntan,
'S an ceò tha na chadal
Air baideal nan àrd;
Na ciabhagan torach,
Na srònagan corrach,
'S na sruthain ri coireal
Don eilid 's da h-àl.

Gu ma buan a bhios d' eachdraidh,
Agus cliù aig do mhacaibh,
Gus an crìonar an talamh,
'S am paisgear na neòil!
Fhad 's bhios sìaban na mara
A' bualadh air carraig,
Bidh mo dhùrachd gun deireas
Do dh'Eilean a' Cheò.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fàilte Don Eilean Sgitheanach
From: RunrigFan
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 02:44 PM

Arthur Cormack from Nuair Bha Mi Òg

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

O! fàilt' air do stùcan,
Do choireachan ùdlaidh,
Do bheanntanan sùghmhor,
Far an siùbhlach am meann!
Tha 'n geamhradh le dhùdhlachd
Mu na meallaibh a' dùnadh,
'S gach doire le bhùirean
Air a rùsgadh gu bonn.
Is chì mi an Cuillion
Mar leòmhann gun tioma,
Le fhiasaig de 'n t-sneachd'
Air a phasgadh ma cheann;
'S a ghruaidhean a' srùladh
Le easanan smùideach,
Tha tuiteam nan lùban
Gu ùrlar nan gleann.

Do chreagan gu h-uaibhreach,
Mar challaid mun cuairt dhut,
'S na neòil air an iomairt,
A' filleadh mum bàrr;
'S am bonn air a sguabadh
Le srùlaichean gruamach,
Bho bhàrcadh a' chuain
A' toirt nuallain air tràigh.

Ol c' àit 'eil na gaisgich
A dh'àraich do ghlacan,
Bu shuilbhire macnus
Mu stacan a'cheò?
Le fùdar ga sgailceadh
Bho 'n cuilbheirean glana,
'S na mial-choin nan deannaibh,
Nach fannaich san tòir.
Na laoich nach robh meata
Ri aodann a' bhatail,
Nach aomadh gu taise
Ri caismeachd an nàmh,
Cha 'n eil raon agus machair
Air 'n do sgaoil iad am bratach,
Nach d' fhàg iad an eachdraidh
Gun mhasladh d'an àl.

Ach tha 'm fàrdaichean sguabte,
'S an seòmraichean uaine;
Iad fhèin is an gaisge
Nan cadal fon fhòid;
'S tha osag nam fuar-bheann,
Le h-osnaidhean gruamach,
Gan caoidh mu na cruachan,
'S a' luaidh air an glòir.

Ach 's caomh leam do ghleanntan,
Do shrathan 's do bheanntan,
'S an ceò tha na chadal
Air baideal nan àrd;
Na ciabhagan torach,
Na srònagan corrach,
'S na sruthain ri coireal
Do 'n eilid 's da h-àl.
Gu ma buan a bhios t' eachdraidh,
Agus cliù aig do mhacaibh,
Gus an crìonar an talamh,
'S am paisgear na neòil!
Fhad 's bhios sìaban na mara
A' bualadh air carraig,
Bidh mo dhùrachd gun deireas
Do dh'Eilean a' Cheò.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: FAILTE DON EILEAN SGITHEANACH
From: Felipa
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 06:35 PM

The BBC site (link given in first message on the thread) says that Fàilte Don Eilean Sgitheanach was written by Niall MacLeòid, who was born in the Glendale (Gleann Dail) area of Skye (an t-Eilean Sgitheanach, the winged island) in 1843. His father was also a published bard.

Life was hard in Skye during Niall's lifetime. It was a time of land struggles and evictions. Niall and his cousin Ruaraidh left for Edinburgh in 1866. Niall had not had much schooling but appears to have taught himself to read and write English. He spent much of his life in Edinburgh, though he also travelled for his work as a tea merchant. His poems were first published in the book "Clàrsach an Doire" in 1883.

There is a translation along with the lyrics at http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/cormack/failte.htm

TRANSLATION of Fàilte Don Eilean Sgitheanach (from the Gaelic of Niall MacLeòid)

Oh hail to your crags And dark corries
Your solid mountains Where the young roe wander
The gloom of winter Closes around the hills
And the wind-blown groves Are completely stripped
And I see the Cullin Like a fearless lion
With a beard of snow Encircling its head
And its cheeks furrowed By foaming waterfalls
Falling and twisting To the glens below

Oh where are the brave men Who were reared in your glens
Who moved with alacrity Around the misty hills?
With powder fired From clean muskets
And their mighty hunting dogs Who never faltered in their search
The heroes uncowardly In the face of battle
Who would not yield readily To the enemy's war cry
On every field and plain Where they unfurled their banner
They left a historic legacy Which does not disgrace their issue [progeny]

But I love your glens Your valleys and mountains
With mist resting On their high pillars
The fertile fields The high promontories
And the streams loudly calling The hind and her young
May your history be eternal And your sons renowned
Until the earth decays And the heavens fold
While the surf Pounds its rocky shore
I will never relinquish my love
For the Isle of Mist

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fàilte Don Eilean Sgitheanach
From: Felipa
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 06:54 PM

The sections of the poem which are left out of the above translation are - in reference to the BBC transcription, first message on the thread -
verse 3 "Do chreagan gu h-uaibhreach," (your lofty crags);
verse 6 "Ach tha 'm fàrdaichean sguabte," (but the premises are swept - seems in the context to mean they are empty);
and verse 7 "O! càite bheil gach sòlas Bha agam nam òige," (Where is all the contentment I had in my youth)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fàilte Don Eilean Sgitheanach
From: RunrigFan
Date: 27 Jun 21 - 07:16 PM

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

a mistake in last verse, but translation is similar

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fàilte Don Eilean Sgitheanach
From: leeneia
Date: 29 Jun 21 - 02:13 PM

Thanks for the good poem and interesting translation.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Fàilte Don Eilean Sgitheanach
From: RunrigFan
Date: 29 Jun 21 - 07:26 PM

Thank you