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Lyr Add: Thoir Dhomh do Lamh

26 Sep 20 - 08:58 PM (#4073263)
Subject: Lyr Add: Thoir Dhomh do Lamh
From: Felipa

There are a few songs, poems and tunes with this title, which means Give Me Your Hand (Tabhair dom do lámh in Irish, but I don't know of any song with this phrase which is found both in Ireland and Scotland)

Thoir Dhomh Do Làmh
         Iain MacLeòid

seisd/chorus:
Thoir dhomh do lámh, thoir dhomh do làmh,
’S ged tha an saoghal fada ceàrr,
’S e tha dhith air tuilleadh gràidh -
Thoir dhomh do làmh, thoir dhomh do làmh.

rannan/verses:
Mo sheanair fhin’s do sheanair fhein,
Cha b’ann tric a bha iad rèidh,
Le peilearan a’ murt a chèil’ -
Ach thoir thusa dhomhs’ do làmh.

Is thuit iad fùil an cogadh faoin
Is rinn am fùil lòn dearg mar aon;
An cuirp san uaigh tha taobh ri taobh -
'Nis thoir thusa dhomhs’ do làmh.

Tha mis’ a Nis s tha thus’ a Uig,
’S tha ’m fear ud thall cho dubh ri sùith,
Ach tha iomhaigh Dhé na ghnùis -
Tugainn leam ’s thoir dha do làmh.

Ged tha mise leis a’ Phàp,
Is canaidh tu gu bheil mi ceàrr,
Chan eil ni nach ceartaich gràdh -
Seo mo làmh, thoir dhomh do làmh.

https://digital.nls.uk/an-comunn-gaidhealach/archive/126432497 from the book Starsach, Rosg is ba`rdachd : am Mo`d Ri`oghail Na`iseanta 1892-1992 published by An Comunn Gàidhealach

give me your hand, give me your hand
although the world is far astray
What is needed is more love
Give me your hand

(summary verse 1&2)
my own grandfather and yours spilled blood in the war
their corpses lie side by side in the grave
Now give me your hand

You are from Ness and I am from Uig
That man yonder is as black as soot
But made in the image of God (the image of God is in his face)
Come along with me and give him your hand.

Although I am with the Pope
and you will say that I am wrong
There is nothing that love won't make right
Here is my hand, give me your hand.

recordings include
Alasdair Gillies In this recording he just sings the chorus and the first and last verses. The link is to youtube.

Còisir Òg an Rubha another youtube link. The youth choir of Rubha sing all the verses in this video, preceded by another song called "Togaidh sinn fonn" (we will raise a tune).

Mary Sandeman won the PanCeltic Song Contest in 1976 with "Thoir Dhomh Do Làmh"
According to discography, she did a recording with both Gaelic and English language versions of Thoir Dhomh Do Làmh, credited to Rev. J. Macleod and E. Mc Spence (It is common in Scotland for people to use two versions of their names Iain Mac Leóid = John MacLeod.
http://www.45cat.com/record/spa011

Here is Mary Sandeman singing an English language version. She doesn't sing the verses about different races and religions in this recording.

Give me your hand, give me your hand.
I'm sure the world will understand
Peace and calm to every man,
Give me your hand, give me your hand.

my own grandfather your grandfather too...
they fought and fought until they died
their bodies now lie side by side ...


26 Sep 20 - 09:41 PM (#4073268)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thoir Dhomh do Lamh
From: Felipa

1)There have been a few BBC Radio nan Gáidheal programmes about Rev MacLeóid and Thoir Dhomh do Làmh ... most are not now available on the i-player, but it appears a programme from 2 Oct 2016 will be broadcast again on Sunday 4 Oct 2020 at 15.30 (3.30 p.m.)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/search?q=Thoir+Dhomh+Do+Làmh

2) The words that Brian Warfield of "The Wolfe Tones" band put to the well-known Irish tune do have a similar message to that of Rev. MacLeóid's song. https://www.kinglaoghaire.com/lyrics/741-give-me-your-hand

3) Perhaps you "visit" this thread hoping to see lyrics to a different song.
If you would like to learn to sing "Teann a-nall 's thoir dhomh do làmh", there is an online lesson at http://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/foghlam/beag_air_bheag/songs/song_04/index.shtml

Or perhaps you are looking for Thoir dhomh do làmh gu'n teid sinn cuairt; lyrics and translation are at http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/tannas/thoir.htm. I haven't found an open access online recording yet. The Tannas recording can be found on Amazon tunes and on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/track/0T81WROXlg2DAoZxeqyTn2

4) James Thomson, who was crowned the bard of 1923 by An Comunn Gaidhealach and published a collection of poems, "Fasgnadh",in 1953, wrote a religious poem with the title "Thoir Dhomh do Làmh"


05 Dec 20 - 08:28 AM (#4081992)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thoir Dhomh do Lamh (Iain Mac Leoid)
From: Felipa

Can someone refresh my memory: who sang this song on last Monday's Mudcat worldwide singing circle, and which Gaelic choir does she sing with?