Information on The Dark Island

Subject: Information on The Dark Island
From: GUEST,Mary O'Neill
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 08:10 AM

Hi everyone,
I need your help. My mum is doing her final presentation in Irish Trad Music on Saturday and I am singing the Dark Island but I need information about it, like where it came from etc. If anyone knows anything about it please reply to this a.s.ap.
Thanks
Love Mary

---

Search for "dark island" threads

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: IanC
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 08:23 AM

Hi Mary

This thread has quite a lot of information about the various songs sung to the tune. Here's another thread with some useful information, including the statement that As everybody will know this is a purely Scottish tune now gone worldwide.

Hope that doesn't mess up your presentation!

:-)
Ian

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: MMario
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 08:27 AM

a previous thread

I *think* the discussion is on the song you are talking about.

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From:
Date: 24 Jun 02 - 11:07 AM

Particularly, look at the messages from Rossey in the thread MMario points you to.

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: GUEST
Date: 26 Feb 06 - 05:33 AM

Could anyone give me details of the origin, date etc of the Dark Island please. my daughter is wanting to use this in her higher music paper. very many thanks, [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: GUEST,Away from home
Date: 26 Feb 06 - 05:58 AM

Perhaps the fact that The Dark Island in Scottish may leave an adverse impression regarding the extent of the knoledge or understanding at someone's final presentation of Irish Trad Music.

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: nutty
Date: 26 Feb 06 - 06:42 AM

Given the copyright contraversy surrounding this song I would give it a very wide berth. Two things are certain ....

a) It is not traditional
b) It is not Irish

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: rumanci
Date: 26 Feb 06 - 07:34 AM

traditional Scottish tune as far as I remember and play it
Alan Bell wrote some "good enough" lyrics to it once and performed them with The Blackpool Taverners but I suspect it was only one of several attempts by many to "enhance" the tune for some ears.
The melody is haunting enough not to need any lyrics really IMO
:-)
rum

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: Jeri
Date: 26 Feb 06 - 07:57 AM

I'm in 2006 here, not 2002 --

GUEST, the tune was composed in 1958 by Iain MacLachlan, and originally entitled 'Dr. Mackay's Farewell to Creagorry'. It was used by the BBC as the theme music for the TV series 'The Dark Island' filmed on Uist in 1963. Lyrics were later written by various people.

There's more information and opinion in the threads linked to at the top of this page that your daughter might enjoy reading.

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: rumanci
Date: 26 Feb 06 - 08:08 AM

aha.....memories play tricks eh ?
Thanks Jeri

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 26 Feb 06 - 04:17 PM

Iain MacLachlan lived on Benbecula in the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides, Scotland. He did write the Dark Island and I heard him play it on many occasions on the piano accordian, his favoured instrument. If I remember rightly he worked for the Hydro Board. I think that he died quite some time ago.

Regards

John

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: GEST
Date: 26 Feb 06 - 09:25 PM

Iain MacLachlan (1927-1995)

Dark Island, arranged by Ryan's Fancy (A Portrait Of Ryan's Fancy, Audat Records ©1971)

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 26 Feb 06 - 10:34 PM

Full information (and, as usual, misinformation) is on other threads: see links above. Please all note (as Jeri has already said, though not everyone seems to have noticed) that this is an old thread recently revived, and is redundant; as it already was when first started back in 2002.

Why do newcomers always seem to resurrect the only thread they can find that doesn't already include the information they want? The search function is well signposted and quite easy to use, though I suppose that not everybody can be bothered to read what others have already said.

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: Cluin
Date: 26 Feb 06 - 11:00 PM

Will a teacher really accept a website in your bibliography?

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: Pauline L
Date: 27 Feb 06 - 03:09 AM

Dark Island was a favorite song of the father of Phil and Johnny Cunningham. He wanted it played at his funeral, and it was. It was also a favorite of Johnny Cunningham, and I have heard Phil sing it in honor of Johnny, who died 2 or 3 years ago, when he was in his 40s. (I'm not sure that I remember the date and age, so someone can correct me if I'm wrong.)

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: Geordie-Peorgie
Date: 27 Feb 06 - 04:16 PM

Aah remember in the '60's a version by 'The Alexander Brothers' who were aall done up in the proper scots rig oot - sang sort of Foster & Allen type stuff but years before

Aah dee remember when aah wez on HMS Endurance we had a whole series of BBC Radio records - Things like 'The Goon Shows' 'Roond The Horn' and we had a load've BBC Radio serials (ye used te play a half 'oor each night for five nights) One of these wez a spy story aboot Scotland in WW2 caalled 'The Dark Island' and the sig tune was (obviously) 'The Dark Island' and the tune stuck with uz cos the story was that good!

Aah've even got the sheet music forrit somewhere

Gan on man!

Subject: RE: Information on The Dark Island
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Feb 14 - 11:15 AM

does anyone have an image of david silver? if so please email me at [e-mail]