Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?

Subject: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From:
Date: 06 Jan 99 - 09:26 PM

I've had the above question asked of me before, and received an e-mail with this question tonight.
Thought I'd pose it here too. Does anyone know of a version of it in Gaelic?

As far as I can TELL, the Skye Boat Song was written in the mid-1800s to an old Gaelic air. I have found that that air MIGHT be Cuachag Nan Craobh. This is a song written by William Ross from the late 17th century, which translates as Cuckoo of the Grove. However, the tune is reversed - The first four lines are sung to the second half of Skye Boat Song, and the tune of the second half of Cuachag Nan Craobh is that of the first half of Skye. Or it is VERY nearly so. (I don't read music, but my friends who do say that is the case).

Besides that, I have come across a copy of a recording by Rhona NicLeo\id (Rhona MacLeod), who sings a song called Siubhail A Bhirlinn, which is sung to the Skye Boat Song tune. HOWEVER I have been unable to make out the words to the song, and have not located the words. The title doesn't translate to that of the Skye Boat Song. Can anyone suggest a source for those lyrics?

For the words to Cuachag Nan Craobh

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Jan 99 - 12:52 AM

Don't know for sure, but I wonder if Jean Redpath might've done this in Gaelic? It's one of my favourites, but I don't know it in anything but English.

Good luck,

katlaughing

Subject: Lyr Req: Siubhail A Bhirlinn
From: Felipa
Date: 30 Apr 03 - 12:15 AM

Since the Skye Boat song was written in English I don't expect there is a version in Gaelic (of course, someone may have bothered to translate it)
But I am very interested in learning more about "Siubhail A Bhirlinn"

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: GUEST,mary
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 10:18 AM

The words to cuachag nan craobh can be found in any collection of poems by Uilleam Ros (or William Ross)

It is a song of unrequited love!!

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 10:41 AM

According to this site:

http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/15298/8;jsessionid=31F6CDC0900025F87B85612E99E0D6EC

William Ross was born in 1762. It must be an error above that "Cuckoo of the Grove" is late 17th Century. Late 18th Century is probably right.

It's a nice little tune, but for me it's ruined by association with Jacobite sentimentality. Grrr - hate that stuff!

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: Nick
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 12:46 PM

Perhaps you could message Paul Arrowsmith who is currently on Skye with his wife who is on a Gaelic singing course.

Someone might know!

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: GUEST,Banjman
Date: 05 Apr 12 - 01:22 PM

Paul Arrowsmith here.

I'll get Wendy to ask her tutor tomorrow. Watch this space!

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: GUEST,Banjiman away from home
Date: 06 Apr 12 - 12:15 PM

I spoke to Christine Primrose abot this today (and she WOULD know - she teaches Gaelic song at Sabhal Mor Ostaig - The Gaelic College on Skye).

There is no Gaelic translation of The Skye Boat song available.

Paul

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: GUEST,Joe McNicholas
Date: 15 Mar 18 - 11:38 AM

In the nineteenth century, the boatmen ferrying people across Loch Coruisk on the Isle of Skye used to sing traditional Gaelic songs.
One passenger(Anne McLeod) was particularly taken by a song called "A Chuachag nan Craobh" (To the cuckoo in the trees).
She did not speak Gaelic but was a musician and memorized the tune.
In the 1870's Sir Harold Bolton put English words to her tune.
He used the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie fleeing after the battle of Culloden.
Charlie was half starved when Flora McDonald disguised him in female clothes as her maid when she smuggled him to the Isle of Skye on 12 July 1746.
The Gaelic song was about a young man bemoaning rejection by one Marion Ross of Stornaway, Harris. (Harris is the Isle just north of Skye)
The words of the original Gaelic song can be found here.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/oran/orain/cuachag_nan_craobh/

Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic are the same language but spellings can be different so translation apps may struggle with this as they tend to use Irish spellings.


Flora's story is here.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/jacobite-1745/flora-macdonald/

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: Lighter
Date: 15 Mar 18 - 12:03 PM

The only tune of "A Chuachag nan Craobh" that I've seen is hard to recognize as "Skye Boat Song" - though there is a similarity.

Where is an early printing of "Cuachag" to the "Skye" tune - or at least something close to it?

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: Felipa
Date: 18 Mar 18 - 08:51 AM

Joe McNicholas - Irish and Scottish Gaelic have diverged in more than spelling. There are differences in grammar and in vocabulary - greater differences than there are between the 3 main dialects of Irish, though I agree that the two languages are closely related. As for automated translations the ones that I've seen for Irish to English are crap. I have a reasonable command of Irish (and somewhat less of Scottish Gaelic, which I did study formally but don't use much)and I find the translations are no help to me, that it is easier to translate from the original without trying to get a headstart with the likes of google translate.

Thanks for the story of how Howard Bolton derived the air for the Skye Boat Song. I wouldn't be surprised if someone has translated the verses from English to Gaelic by now.

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 19 Mar 18 - 03:44 PM

Harold (not Howard!) Boulton (sp)! And a Lord to boot!
He also wrote the Loch Tay Boat song (had a thing about boats?)

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: GUEST,seonaid
Date: 01 Dec 20 - 03:50 PM

I know I'm 21 years late but here's the best I know

skye boat song gaelic

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 02 Dec 20 - 03:28 AM

These made-up back translations of songs that history didn't arrange to have written in the right language are the musical equivalent of the fake mermaids that clever taxidermists used to sell to gullible wannabe antiquarians. Hebrew and Armenian have them too. Harmless until the myths take over.

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: Felipa
Date: 25 Feb 23 - 02:39 PM

this video on youtube gives the translation to Gaelic by Bear McCreary on screen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJmny5Iy8gc

the chorus:

Seinnibh leam dàn
Gu nìghneag mo chridh
Nìghneag mo rùn 's mo ghraidh
Faicibh am bàt'
'S e togail bho thìr
Giùlan mo rìgh bho thraigh


another video includes the English lyrics by Robert Louis Stevenson (who didn't like Harold Boulton's original, I read) and Gaelic lyrics attributed to Gillebride MacMillan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w40xS4CCwt4

Seinn dhom an duan,
Mun tè a chaidh air thìr,
Saoil am bu mise i.
Sheol i thar sàil,
's i chò faiteach na gràdh,
ò chàidh anull thar sàil,

Oiteag is stuagh, atadh is cuan,
beanntan an uisge is na grèine.
Gach nì a bha dhom math,
Gach nì a bha gun smàl,
Gach nì a bha gu math,
A-nis air falbh bhuam.

Subject: Lyr add: Cuachag nan Craobh
From: Felipa
Date: 25 Feb 23 - 02:46 PM

the tune of the Skye Boat Song is said to derive from the tune to Cuachag nan Craobh (the Cuckoo of the Tree)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/oran/orain/cuachag_nan_craobh/
see also the abc of the tune posted by Malcolm Douglas on 4 Nov 2007
at Origins:Skye Boat Song a discussion which includes alternative English language lyrics for the Skye Boat Song.

CUACHAG NAN CRAOBH    Uilleam Ros (aka William Ross)

A chuachag nan craobh, nach truagh leat mo chaoidh
Ag osnaich ri oidhche cheòthar?
Shiùbhlainn lem ghaol fo dhubhar nan craobh
Gun duin' air an t-saoghal fheòraich.
Thogainn ri gaoith am monadh an fhraoich,
Mo leabaidh ri taobh dòrainn
Seo chrutha geal caomh sìnte rim thaobh
Is mise gad chaoin phògadh.

Chunna mi fhìn aisling, 's cha bhreug,
Dh'fhàg sin mo chrè brònach,
Fear mar ri tè, a' pògadh a beul,
A' brìodal an dèidh pòsaidh;
Dh'ùraich mo mhiann, dh'atharraich mo chiall,
Ghuil mi gu dian, dòimeach,
Gach cuisle is fèith o ìochdar mo chlèibh
Thug iad gu leum còmhla.

Thuit mi led ghath, mhill thu mo rath,
Strìochd mi le neart dòrainn,
Saighdean do ghaoil sàitht' anns gach taobh,
Thug dhìom gach caoin còmhla.
Mhill thu mo mhais, ghoid thu mo dhreach,
'S mheudaich thu gal bròin dhomh;
'S mur fuasgail thu tràth, led fhuran 's led fhàilt',
Is cuideachd am bàs dhomhsa.

'S camlubach d' fhalt fanna-bhuidh' nan cleac
'S fabhradh nan rosg àlainn;
Gruaidhean mar chaor, broilleach mar aol,
Anail mar ghaoth gàraidh.
Gus an cur iad mi steach, an caol-taigh nan leac
Bidh mi fo neart cràidh dheth,
Le smaointean do chleas, 's do shùgraidh ma seach
Fo dhuilleach nam preas blàthmhor.

'S tu 'n ainnir tha grinn, mileanta, binn,
Led cheileire, seinn òran,
'S e bhith na do dhàil a dh'oidhche 's a latha
Thoilicheadh càil m' òige.
Gur gile do bhian na sneachd' air an fhiar,
'S na canach air sliabh mòintich,
Nan dèanadh tu, rùin, tarraing rium dlùth
Dhèanainn gach tùrs fhògar.

Càirear gu rèidh clach agus crè
Mum leabaidh-s' a bhrìgh d' uaisle
'S fada mi 'n èis a' feitheamh ort fhèin
'S nach togair thu, gheug, suas leam;
Nam bu tus' a bhiodh tinn dhèanainn-sa luim
Mus biodh tu fo chuing truaighe;
Ach 's goirid an dàil gu faicear an latha
'M bi prasgan a' trà'l m' uaigh-sa!

Subject: RE: Cuathag nan Craobh
From: Felipa
Date: 25 Feb 23 - 02:54 PM

a recording of Cuathag nan Craobh sung by Máiri MacInnes, so you can hear how the tune differs from that of the Skye Boat Song. Though of course, tunes have variants, just as lyrics do ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=298ngsE8dTY

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 25 Feb 23 - 06:45 PM

My old mate Adam, passed away many years since, resthis soul, used to sing the Mingulay boat sing in Gaelic after a few pints. The following day he would swear he didn't know it!

Subject: RE: Skye Boat Song in Gaelic?
From: GUEST,henryp
Date: 26 Feb 23 - 05:53 AM

Sir Harold Boulton, 2nd Baronet composed the lyrics to an air collected by Anne Campbell MacLeod in the 1870s. (He also wrote the lyrics to Glorious Devon in 1905. The recording by Peter Dawson in 1929 became nationally known through broadcasts by the BBC.)

Alternative lyrics to the tune were written by Robert Louis Stevenson, probably in 1885. After hearing the Jacobite airs sung by a visitor, he judged the lyrics to be "unworthy", so made a new set of verses "more in harmony with the plaintive tune".[1]

1. Mrs R. L. Stevenson. "Prefatory Note". In Robert Louis Stevenson. Poems. Volume I. p. 58. London: Heinemann, 1924. The visitor was Elizabeth Anne Ferrier who stayed with Stevenson in June 1885 (Robert Louis Stevenson. Letters, Volume V. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1995). Wikipedia