Lyr Req: Kishmules Galley? / Kishmul's Galley

Subject: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: MissMac
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 08:46 PM

I am looking for the rest of the words to what I know as The Factory Girls, This is not the same as The Factory Girl in the DT. The first line is

Horns Blowing so forlorn
(blank line I can't make it out),
head penned against the day.

The other song is Kishmuels(spelling??) galley I think the Corries sang it but I don't have it. First line I think is:

High on the ben O hie

I tried searching for both of these but now I am stuck

Thanks in advance
MissMac

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Bill Sullivan
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 08:54 PM

Ronnie Browne's (of the Corries) son Gavin has a website about the Corries. He is starting to add Lyrics and has an Email address. You could ask him. He's very helpful.

www.corries.com

Bill

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 09:06 PM

G'day,
There was a thread here on Kishmul's Galley a few months ago click here.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: Lyr Add: KISHMUL'S GALLEY
From: Bill Sullivan
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 09:20 PM

Found it....

Isn't the Internet wonderful.

KISHMUL'S GALLEY.

High from the Ben a Hayich
On a day of days
Seaward I gaz'd,
Watching Kishmul's galley sailing.
O hio huo faluo!

Homeward she bravely battles
'Gainst the hurtling waves
Nor hoop nor yards,
Anchor, cable, nor tackle has she.
O hio huo faluo!

Now at last 'gainst wind and tide
They've brought her to
'Neath Kishmul's walls,
Kishmul Castle our ancient glory.
O hio huo faluo!

Here's red wine and feast for heroes
And harping too,
O hio hu!
Sweet harping too!
O hio huo faluo!

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Alan of Australia
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 09:47 PM

G'day,
And here's another thread click here.

Cheers,
Alan

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: MissMac
Date: 19 Dec 98 - 10:59 PM

Thankyou Alan and Bill

I am still learning my way around the computer, internet and this site. This site is marvolus

Now if I can just find The factory girls.

Thanks again

MissMac

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: MG
Date: 22 Dec 98 - 08:46 PM

Is this song a genuine traditional song, or an effulgence of the dilletantesque 60's folkies who were looking for something "different" with which to while away their middle-class "quality time" - whatever that may mean. MG

Subject: Lyr Add: BEINN A' CHEATHAICH / THE MISTY MOUNTAIN
From: Philippa
Date: 27 Jan 99 - 06:14 PM

mg, a chara,
The damage was done well before 1960. Your comment may apply to the Kennedy-Fraser adaptation; she's been much criticised for her romanticising of tradition songs. But she did collect and preserve them and did publish the Gaelic words along with her fanciful translations. Kishmul's Galley, a' Bhirlinn Bharrach [the Barra Galley] is in vol. 1 of Kennedy-Fraser's "Songs of the Hebrides". The Gaelic words are from Mrs.m Maclean, Barra and tune from the singing of Mary Macdonald, Mingulay. I've tried to translate a bit of the text as given by Kennedy-Fraser. In other collections of Gaelic song you will find "Beinn a' Cheathaich" or "the Misty Mountain" - sometimes as an air, sometimes done fast as a waulking song (song sung for group work, fulling the tweed). An Internet search indicates that the Poozies and Bannal (a group specialising in waulking songs) have recorded "Beinn a' Cheathaich"

Latha dhomh am Beinn a' Cheathaich [One day I was at Beinn a' Cheathaich]
Air fal-il-o o-i-o-u
Gu'n deach bàta Chloinn Neill seachad [and I saw Clann MacNeill's boat go past]
o hi-o hu-o fal-u-o.

I gun slat gun rachd gun bheairt rith [She had no yard, no traveller (a ring keeping the mast to the yard), no running beam(?)]
Air fal-il-o o-i-o-u
Gun cheann cumail air a h-acair [without a brace on her anchor]
o hi-o hu-o

Fearchar air stiùir làmh ri tapadh [Fearchar steered her cleverly]
Air fal-il-o o-i-o-u
Ruaraidh Òg an t-oighre maiseach [young Rory was the handsome heir]
o hi-o hu-o

Gille dhillean Mòr an gaisgeach
Air fal-il-o o-i-o-u
'S Niall Gruamach Mac Ruari 'n Tartair.
o hi-o hu-o

B'ait leam do bhàta 's gabhail
Air fal-il-ho riona-so
'Mach ò dhùthaich Mhic 'Illeathain
o hi-o hu-o fal-u-o
'Steach gu Ceisemul an athair [Ceisemul=Kishmul]
Air fal-il-o, no rion-a-so
Far am faighteadh cuirm ri gabhail
o hi-o hu-o fal-u-o

Fion ò oidhche 'gus an latha [wine from night to day]
fal-li-o-hu o-i-o-u
Is clarsach bhinn 'ga gleusadh marris [and a sweet harp playing]
o hi-o hu-o fal-u-o

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Annraoi
Date: 29 Jan 99 - 09:57 PM

Sock it to them, Philippa, ye girl ye !!!! Annraoi

Subject: Kishmul's Galley = Beinn a' Cheathaich
From: Philippa
Date: 17 Feb 99 - 02:41 PM

Another version of Beinn a' Cheathaich is in Peter Kennedy's "Folksongs of Britain and Ireland" and on one of his field recordings. The later is available from Folktrax: Send a stamp or International Reply Coupon for catalogue to: Folktrax Cassettes, Heritage House, 16 Brunswick Square, Gloucester GL1 1UG
For specific queries e-mail: [e-mail] OR phone +44 -(0)1452-415110/(0)1452-503643
also, there's a version of Beinn a' Cheathaich (in Gaelic with translation)at Mudcat contributor George Seto's website

I regret that the words I posted in this thread on 27 Jan are among MANY lyrics on the forum archives that have transmuted in the recent technical overhaul. Wherever you see an equal sign there should be an • (o\, o with grave accent, indicating an elongated vowel)and — (u\) has turned into a dot!

Subject: Kishmul's Galley - Beinn a' Cheathaich
From: Philippa
Date: 29 Jun 99 - 09:22 AM

I'm happy to say that the problem referred to in the last paragraph above has been sorted (for the time being at least)

Subject: Tune Add: BEINN A' CHEATHAICH
From: alison
Date: 02 Sep 99 - 08:06 AM

hi Here is the tune (courtesy of Philippa) by P.Kennedy, in Folksongs of Britains and Ireland...

MIDI file: BEINNA~1.MID

Timebase: 480

Name: BEINN A' CHEATHAICH
TimeSig: 6/8 24 4
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Key: D
Start
0000 1 69 092 0478 0 69 092 0002 1 69 100 0238 0 69 100 0002 1 71 072 0478 0 71 072 0002 1 69 096 0238 0 69 096 0002 1 66 093 0238 0 66 093 0002 1 64 080 0238 0 64 080 0002 1 62 082 0238 0 62 082 0002 1 62 071 0238 0 62 071 0002 1 59 067 0238 0 59 067 0002 1 57 085 0238 0 57 085 0002 1 59 094 0478 0 59 094 0002 1 62 073 0238 0 62 073 0002 1 66 090 0718 0 66 090 0002 1 69 092 0238 0 69 092 0002 1 71 075 0238 0 71 075 0002 1 74 087 0238 0 74 087 0002 1 66 082 0718 0 66 082 0002 1 69 092 0238 0 69 092 0002 1 69 099 0238 0 69 099 0002 1 69 099 0238 0 69 099 0002 1 71 096 0238 0 71 096 0002 1 69 092 0238 0 69 092 0002 1 66 089 0238 0 66 089 0002 1 66 090 0478 0 66 090 0002 1 69 082 0238 0 69 082 0002 1 64 078 0238 0 64 078 0002 1 62 085 0238 0 62 085 0002 1 62 093 0238 0 62 093 0002 1 71 084 0478 0 71 084 0002 1 69 099 0238 0 69 099 0002 1 66 093 0358 0 66 093 0002 1 64 086 0118 0 64 086 0002 1 62 073 0240 1 64 093 0003 0 62 073 0475 0 64 093 0002 1 66 088 0238 0 66 088 0002 1 62 079 0478 0 62 079 0002 1 62 084
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:Beinn a' cheathaich
M:6/8
Q:1/4=100
K:D
A2AB2A|FEDDB,A,|B,2DF3|ABdF3|AAABAF|F2AEDD|
B2AF3/2E/2D|E2FD2D||

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: GUEST,jane
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 04:25 PM

i would like to find the printed music for Kishmul's Galley. WOuld love to find the volumes of Songs of the Hebrides arranged by Marjorie Kennedy-Frase and Kenneth MacLeod, published in 1917. I think there were 5 volumes. Any suggestions?

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Peace
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 05:52 PM

Songs of the Hebrides -- ask here.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Peace
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 05:59 PM

"Kishmul's Galley" available here.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Dave Hunt
Date: 12 Mar 07 - 09:56 PM

ABC format:

X:1
T:Beinn a' cheathaich
M:6/8
Q:1/4=100
K:D
A2AB2A|FEDDB,A,|B,2DF3|ABdF3|AAABAF|F2AEDD|
B2AF3/2E/2D|E2FD2D||

If you are not familiar with ABC it's a brilliant way of sending music via the internet. For full explanation see the website of the man that invented it Chris Walshaw. http://www.walshaw.plus.com/abc/

To see the written musical notation just copy the whole of the ABC notation above, go to http://www.concertina.net/tunes_convert.html
Paste into the blank space, hit 'submit' aand Wow there's the music, Now hit 'Midi file' and it will play it to you as well!!

There are vast libraries of music in ABC - worth learning how to use it. (simple tutorial on http://www.lesession.co.uk/index.htm )
Dave.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: GUEST,Terri
Date: 27 Oct 07 - 03:52 PM

The first line is actually "High on The Barra Quay" not Ben a Hayich. Kisimul Castle is located on the Isle of Barra as was the Galley itself.    It was the Chieftain of the MacNeill of Barra Clan that owned the Galley that was so famous for tormenting and raiding the English ships that dared sail past the Isle of Barra.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Effsee
Date: 27 Oct 07 - 09:18 PM

Actually , Guest Terri, I think you're quite wrong on two counts. If you read Phillipa's post of 27/1/99 you'll see the lyric of the original Gaelic song....first line:-


"Latha dhomh am Beinn a' Cheathaich [One day I was at Beinn a' Cheathaich]"

And Kisimul Castle is on it's own little islet within Castlebay on Barra.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Oct 07 - 04:11 AM

This is Flora McNeill's version as sung on Folksongs of Britain series (Sailormen and Servant Maids), along with the note.
Jim Carroll
Nothing could be more of a contrast to the previous bit of patriotic doggerel than this ancient rowing song from Barra in the Hebrides. It comes from the days when the Gaelic pirates of the Islands so controlled the stormy waters of the Minch, that Elizabeth I was forced to make a peace treaty with them. The castle of one of these Gaelic sea-rovers still stands on an island in the middle of the harbour of Barra, unassailable except by water. [Out of its dark archway and] past its grim walls sailed galleys manned by [brawny] Scottish sea fighters, pulling at the oars to the tune of songs like this [one – songs that celebrated the doughty fighters aboard and their leaders.]
This song is cast in leader-chorus form, as are the waulking songs from the west of Scotland, still performed in the Hebrides [with a swing and co-ordination of ensemble foreign to anything else in the British Isles]. The question of the origins of this type still remained in doubt until we heard singing in the same responsorial style from the Faeroe Islands. It now seems likely that the song style represented by this song was brought to the west coast of Scotland by conquering raiders from Scandinavia. The performer here is Flora McNeil of the McNeils of Barra Castle, [now dulcet-voiced telephone operator of the village.]

1. Latha dhomh's mi 'm Beinn a' Cheathaich
Air farail ill eo, ro a bji ho
Hoirreann is o ho ro hi o ho
Hi ri ho ro a bha ho hug o ro

2. Gun deach bata Chlann Nill seachad
3. Gun cheann cumaidh aig a h-astar
4. Le dá mhac lain' ic a' Phearsain
5. Murchadh Mor a ceann a 'clachain
6. S'Ruaraidh og an t-oighne maiseach
7. S'teach a duthaich mhic Ill'eathain
8. S'teach gu Ciosmul an aigheir
9. Far am faighte chuirm ri gabhail
10. Fíon a 'dhoidche gu látha
English translation

1. One day as I was on the misty mountain,
2. MacNeill's Galley was passing
3. At great speed.
4. On board were two sons of John MacPherson,
5. Big Murdo from the head of the clachan
6. And fair young Roderick, the heir,
7. Coming from the Land of the MacLean
8. Going to Kishmul of the mirth.
9. Where there will be feasts
10. Wine from night till day.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: GUEST,Jim Carroll
Date: 28 Oct 07 - 04:12 AM

Whoops, should have signed
Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: musiknlaw
Date: 28 Oct 07 - 09:53 AM

hi Effsee..don't know how to reach you..did my cd arrive yet?- Peter Thompson...sorry to interupt the thread//

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Effsee
Date: 28 Oct 07 - 01:31 PM

Have PM'd you Peter.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Roughyed
Date: 28 Oct 07 - 07:08 PM

There's a performance on Youtube. Look for Corries and 'Kismuil's galley' (sic)

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: GUEST,Bandanaman
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 08:48 AM

The version I sing is this:

High on the Barra quay
On that day of days
Seaward I gazed
Watching Kishmuls Galley sailing

Bravely against wind and tide
They have brought her to
Neath Kishmuls walls
Kishmuls castle of ancient glory

Homeward she bravely battles
Gainst the hurtling waves
No hoop nor yards
Anchor cable nor tackle has she

Heres red wine and toast to heroes
And harping too
Sweet harping too
Watching Kishmuls galley sailing

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Bryn Pugh
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 10:47 AM

Here it is as I learned it (in English !) from a native Gaelic speaker at a Pan-Celtic, many years ago :

High upon the Benachie (Beinn a Chie ?)
On a day of days
Seawards I gazed, watching Keishmul's galley sailing
Ohee, Oh Hoo - oh
Folaroh

Bravely homewards she battles 'gainst wind and tide.
No moors nor ropes, anchor cable tackle has she.

Now at last 'gainst wind and tide they've brought her to
Neath Keishmul's walls - Keishmul's castle, our ancient glory.

Here there's wine and feast for heroes ; sweet harping too
O hee O hoo
Sweet harping too, O hee oh.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 11:22 AM

There's romanticizin' and there's romanticizin'. In this case K-F's adaptation into English seems wonderfully faithful to the original's spirit and much of its sense - or at least as much as Philippa translated for us in 1998.

Everybody on Barra a hundred-odd years ago would have understood the allusions and the local pride behind them. A bare translation into English would not adequately convey these elements.

Remember too that K-F also preserved the original words as well as the airs to Hebridean songs. Bare translation thus remains an option. (Well, she may have regularized the airs a little - something almost irresistible to a Romantic composer - but the irregualr stanzas of "Kishmul's Galley" suggest that she left that aspect pretty much alone.)

I've often wondered how many people sang "Kishmul's Galley" in the first place. Barra was pretty small. And I wonder if Flora MacNeill consciously altered any of the lyrics she learned. Not a criticism, though. When I was in college I thought her rendition of the song was the greatest British field recording of a solo singer ever made.

And you know what? Maybe it is!

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Big Tim
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 04:50 AM

The following is a selection from the Gaelic original, as given in Hebridean Folksongs, volume I, (1969), by Dr. John Lorne Campbell (1909-1996) and Francis James Montgomery Collinson (1898-1984),

One day on the misty mountain,
Rounding up the sheep to get them,
Not the pair of the two sisters,
Nor the small pair of the road's end,
'Twas I myself beheld the vision,
Seeing thy galley going past me,
Setting her head to the wide ocean,
From MacNeil of Barra's country,
Out from Cíosamul's joyful Castle,
Where we used to be a-feasting,
Drinking wine from dawn till nightfall,
Shouts of men their ale a-drinking,
With women wearing brown silk dresses;
'Tis I am who am afflicted
If Clan Neil's boat has passed me,
She broke the cable and left the anchor,
She broke the best rope that was on her;
I knew the men engaged upon her,
Great Gill' Eoghanain the hero,
Gloomy Neil, son of noisy Rory,
And the handsome heir, young Rory,
Fair Rory, apt for manly action,
Red Murdo from the end of the clachan,
Little Murdo, wed to Lachlan's daughter,
And the two sons of John MacPherson,
Gun and shield befit your handgrasps,
And dark blue bonnet on curling back-locks.

This version, recorded from the singing of Mrs. John MacInnes of Barra on 21 May 1937, shows just how far Nic Iain Fhinn's original Gaelic song has 'evolved' into MKF's Kishmul's Galley: barely recognizable but linked by the key word 'Cíosamul' and the central image of someone sitting on a hill watching the galley's progress. Campbell and Collinson even managed to identify many of the individuals named. 'Gill' Eoghanain' was Chief of the MacNeils from around 1655 to 1670. 'Young Rory' was Gill' Eoghanain's son and was still alive in 1679. 'Noisy Rory' ('the tartar') was an earlier Chief, dating from c.1594-1620. It's interesting to note that in the original version the galley is 'setting her head to the wide ocean' whereas in Kishmul 'homeward she bravely battles'. Perhaps a more important difference is that the tempo of the Gaelic version is twice as fast as MKF's.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 07:51 AM

Thanks. Big Tim.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Big Tim
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 11:37 AM

A classically trained musician, Marjory Kennedy-Fraser (1857-1930), from Perth, collected the air in 1907, the lyrics in 1908, both on-site in Barra, and published the song in the first volume of her massive 3 volume work, 'Songs of the Hebrides', in 1909.                                                         

The lyrics, she wrote, were obtained from 'an old woman' [Mrs. Maclean of Barra] and the air from the singing of Mary MacDonald of Mingulay. Additionally, a Mrs. Boyd of Mingulay also sang the song to MKF, giving the Gaelic title as 'Latha dhomh am Beinn a Cheathaich' ('one day on the misty mountain'). Barra quay is wrong.

MKF wrote 'Kishmul's Galley' is my own translation, [it] is literal, save that I have omitted merely the local sixteenth-century names of the men on board the vessel' [which she did include in her parallel Gaelic version of 1909].   

The original Gaelic version by Nic Iain Fhinn ('daughter of fair-haired John'), bardess of the Macneils, was written about 1700.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 12:19 PM

Wonderful. But why isn't Songs of the Hebrides online? Surely a 1909 publication must be in the public domain by now.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 01:14 PM

Kennedy-Fraser
A CD-ROM is available- Scotpress/Scotdisc, 2007, pdf format, for computer reading. Price about $30 U. S. Includes the later twelve songs.

The publisher, Boosey and Hawkes, reprinted the 3 vols., I think 1922 was the last one.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Big Tim
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 04:59 PM

MKF's 'Songs of the Hebrides' was reprinted in 2002, by West Port Books, Edinburgh. Can't remember the price, but not too expensive.

Her autobiography (which I bought on Barra) is called 'A Life of Song' (1929, reprinted 2007) - a fascinating read.

The Aberdeen soprano Lisa Milne sings 34 of the songs on her CD 'Land of Heart's Desire'. Kishmul is of course included.

MKF is not everyone's favourite collector. Hamish Henderson called her work 'vapid moonshine'. Anne Lorne Gilles called it 'Songs of the Hybrids' ! I think Kishmul in an exception, retaining much of the splendour of the original.

My favourite version is that of Alex Campbell.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 08:33 PM

West Port Books are sold through Abebooks; a search indicates that they have no copies of Kennedy-Fraser.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 04:09 PM

Everyone seems to have overlooked MissMac's request for FACTORY GIRLS.

FACTORY GIRLS was written by Roy Arbuckle, and it's on his album "Songs of the Fountain." (The Fountain is a neighborhood in Derry.)

I found this quote:

Horns blowing so forlorn, dreary Derry dawn,
Head bent against the day, scarf and rollers on,
Hands tucked inside her sleeves, through the wind and rain,
And the factory girl goes off to work again.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Jul 08 - 07:59 PM

There is another "Factory Girls," sung by Flogging Molly; not the one sought.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: GUEST,P Thomas
Date: 23 Aug 08 - 11:50 AM

Discovering this site was a real delight. After being haunted by some of the words of Kishmuls Galley for 60 years - yes it was one of a set of three hebridean songs that we learnt at school, I now know all the words. The next thing is --- can any one help me find one of the others? The lyrics I remember are --- Why should I sit and sigh,poo in bracken,poo in bracken. Why should I sit and sigh on the hill side dreary.    When the day wears away sad I looka down the valley eila ? sound themes abound ? sets my heart a thrilling.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 23 Aug 08 - 12:15 PM

See thread  Help: Fairy Love Song

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Aug 08 - 11:25 AM

Thanks for the Fairy LOVE SONG Malcoln. I've followed the thread. P.T.

Subject: RE: factory girls and Kishmules Galley lost lyric
From: Big Tim
Date: 26 Aug 08 - 11:32 AM

Here's the rest from Campbell and Collinson. The suspicion here is that this may be from an entirely different song, which somehow was grafted on! It is prefaced 'Change', (in Gaelic, 'altharraich').

When I was a girl,'neath the sheen of my tresses,
I'd not lie myself down beside any mean fellow,
I'd prefer a fine man who'd never be churlish,
A handsome man, dark yellow haired, not conceited,
Who'd climb the moor with his gun on his shoulder,
Who'd hunt antlered deer in the rush-covered valley,
Who's hunt the [black] cock and the red roe deer,
And the grey hen who'd raise her brood in the cold nest,
Who'd not be ashamed if her tenth egg was taken.