To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=66832
5 messages

Lyr Add: Thainig na Cait (Scottish Gaelic)

08 Feb 04 - 06:30 PM (#1112098)
Subject: Lyr Add: Thainig na Cait (Scot. Gaelic)
From: Felipa

A cattle raiding and pibroch song from Scotland, published in "Carmina Gadelica", vol. 4
Words and info. from a presentation on "Cattle in our Song Culture" given by singer Maighread Stiùbhart (Margaret Stewart) at Feis nan Òran in the Isle of Lewis, 2002

After a spate of contributions of verses in Irish Gaelic, I feel it's time to add a song in Scottish Gaelic, and this one seems suitable for "the Cat"

"This 'piobaireachd' pipe-tune is composed upon a cattle-raid by the 'Cats', but it is not said upon whom the raid was made. The Cats may have been either members of the Clann Chatain or members of the Cat tribe, whose name is preserved in the English name Caithness and in the Gaelic names 'Cataibh', Sutherland, and 'Cataich', men of Sutherland. The Earl of Sutherland was styled 'Morair Chat', Lord of the Cat-folk; the Duke of Sutherland is 'Diuc Chat', Duke of the Cat-folk."

THÀINIG NA CAIT

Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig iad oirnne

A bhristeadh a-steach
A thogail nan creach
A spùilleadh nan each
A rùsgadh nan teach
Thàinig iad oirnne.

Thàinig iad, thàinig iad
Thàinig iad, thàinig iad
Thàinig iad, thàinig iad
Thàinig iad ris an-uair;
Bhualadh iad oirnne.

Tha clanna nan daoi'
Ri gaillinn 's ri gaoith
'S na lagain fraoich
Am fuil air na raon.
An t-saighead ri'm taobh
Is taosg san dorlach.

Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig iad oirnne

Gu murt agus snaothal
Thàinig iad
Gu bùrral is baoghal
Thàinig iad
Gu furradh is fadhbh
Ri uisge 's ri gaoth
A thogail bà laoigh
Thàinig iad oirnne

Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig na Cait oirnn
Thàinig Caite oirnne
Thàinig na Cait ris an-uair
Bhualadh iad oirnne.

translation
The cats are come upon us (4x)
They are come on us.

To break in upon us
To lift the spoil from us,
To steal the kine from us
To cudgel our horses
To strip bare our house
They have come on us.

They are come, they are come (3x)
They are come in the ill hour
They are found amidst us.

The Cats are come, Cats are come (3x)
The cats are come in the evil hour
Their stroke is upon us.

The children of wicked men
In storm and in wind
Are in the heathery hollows;
Their blood on the field,
Their shafts by their sides
And their quivers well filled.

The Cats are come on us (4x)
They are come upon us.

For murder and for mauling
They are come
For howling and for hazard
They are come
For pillage and for plunder
In rain and in wind
To lift the calving kine,
They are come upon us.

The Cats are come (4x)
Cats are come on us,
The Cats are come in the evil hour,
Their stroke is upon us.


09 Feb 04 - 02:48 AM (#1112276)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thainig na Cait (Scottish)
From: GUEST,An Púca

Tha sin intinneach. Is the quoted info also from Carmichael or independently from Maighread Stiùbhart? Any notions of dates? When was the last "táin" in Scotland?


09 Feb 04 - 05:28 PM (#1112827)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thainig na Cait (Scottish)
From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca

Nice song. Tapadh leibh, Felipa.

Question.... Looking at the translation, there seems a little discrepancy between it and the Gaelic. Some more lines in the translation. You have They are found amidst us and the next series of lines through to the line Their stroke is upon us. Just wondering if something is missing? Still it's a nice song.


09 Feb 04 - 05:29 PM (#1112828)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thainig na Cait (Scottish)
From: George Seto - af221@chebucto.ns.ca

I assume the pipe tune has the same name as given above?


29 Feb 04 - 01:10 PM (#1126249)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Thainig na Cait (Scottish Gaelic)
From: Felipa

Tha mi duillich; dichuimhnich mi an rann deireanach. Seo agaibh e!
Sorry, I left out the last verse:

Gu cur nam bà laoigh
Gu imairt nan caor
Gu fuil agus fraoch
Gu gul agus gaoir
Gu fuil agus fraoch
A' dul anns an Daorn
Thàinig iad orainn.

translation
To drive the calving kine
To lift away the sheep
For blood and for wrath
For weeping and for wailing
For blood and for wrath
Marching on Thursday
They are come upon us.