Some Highland Songs

Eilean Dorcha - Dark Island
Faclan le David Silver
The island of Benbecula was the inspiration for the emotive song The Dark Island. Written by David Silver of Inverness, the musician - journalist, who wrote the words, and was asked to write a song for a BBC Thriller called "The Dark Island", filmed here in Benbecula. He reveals how the quiet, lonely place was in mind for the number, and the words were set to music by the accomplished accordionist Ian Maclachlan from Creagorry. The tune has become a classic since it was first sung in 1963. There are more than 50 different recordings by Scot's, among them; Ann-Lorne Gillis, Peter Morrison and Kenneth Mackellar although fittingly the recording which gets most airing on radio is by Silver/Maclachlan on accordion.

The Dark Island Hotel opened on June 30th, 1981 originally for many years a small restaurant. This transformation developed through the years to its present 4 crown, Taste of Scotland, Les Routier status.

Why not read through the Dark Island words and reflect on the writers lyrics as follows:



1 Away to the west ward I'm longing to be,
Where the beauties of heaven unfold by the sea
Where the sweet purple heather blooms fragrant and free
On a hilltop high above - The Dark Island

Chorus Oh, isle of my childhood, I'm dreaming of thee,
As the steamer leaves Oban and passes Tiree
Soon I'll capture the magic that lingers for me
When I'm back once more upon - The Dark Island

2 So Gentle the sea breeze that ripples the bay
Where the stream joins the ocean and young children play
On the strand of pure silver I'll welcome each day
And I'll roam forever more - The Dark Island

3 True Gems of the Hebrides bathed in the light
Of the mid-summer dawning that follows the night
How I yearn for the cries of the seagull in flight
As they circle high above - The Dark Island

Gaelic:

1 Air mo thùrus do'n iar 's ann bu mhiannach a bhi
Far bheil àilleachd nan Néimh dol fo sgéith 'sa chuan sios
Fraoch dearg 's e fo bhlàth fàile cùbhraidh cho saor
Air a' bheinn ud is àird 'san Eilean Dorcha

1-alt An mo thùras don iar 's leam bu mhiannach a bhi
Far bheil àilleachd nan eathar dol fo sgéith sa chuan sios,
Creag Dhearg 's e fo bhlàth faileadh cùbhraidh cho saor
Air a' bheinn ud as àird 'san Eilean Dorcha.


Séist Eilean òige mo ghràidh 's tu tha tàladh mo chridh'
Is mi seòladh bhon Obain 's a dol seachad Tiridh,
Bi mi glacadh a dh'aithghearr gach mais a tha 'gam dhith
'S bi mi fhìn air ais a-rithist 'san Eilean Dorcha.

Alt Eilean òige mo ghràidh 's tu tha tàladh mo chridh'
'S mi seòladh bhon Obain gu eilean bòidheach Thiridh,
Bi mi glacadh air oidhche gach mais a tha 'gam dhith
'S bi mi fhìn air ais a-rithist 'san Eilean Dorcha.

2 Gaoth na mara cho séimh séideach reidh staigh don bhaigh
Far bheil sruth dol don chuan clann suaimhneach le'n gàir',
Air an traigh gheal mar airgead bi mi falbh oirr' gach là
'S bi mi fhìn air ais a-rithist 'san Eilean Dorcha.

3 Fior àilleagan e measg gach cearn 'san taobh siar
Anns a mhoch mhaduinn thràth 's e ri dearrsadh 'sa ghrian:
Eòin na mara ri seinn 'sa toirt sòlas dom' chridh'
'S iad ag itealachd gu h-àrd 'san Eilean Dorcha.





MO RÙN GEAL DÌLEAS
Mo rùn geal dìleas, dìleas, dìleas
Mo rùn geal dìleas nach till thu 'nall
Cha till mi fhein leat, a ghaoil, cha'n fhaod mi,
'S ann tha mo ghaol-sa na laidhe tinn.

Is truagh nach robh mi an riochd na faoilinn
A snàmhadh aotrom air bhàrr nan tonn;
Is bheirinn sgrìobag do'n eilean Ileach,
Far bheil an rìbhinn dh'fhàg m'inntinn trom.

Is truagh nach robh mi 's mo rogha cèile
Air mullach shlèibhte nam beanntan mòr,
'S gun bhi 'gar n-éisdeachd ach eoin na slèibhe,
'S gun tugainn fhéin di na ceudan pòg.

Thug mi corr agus naoi mìosan
Anns na h-Innsean a b'fhaide thall,
'S bean bòichead t'aodainn cha robh ri fhaotainn,
'S ged gheibhinn saoghal cha'n fhanainn ann.

Thug mi mìos ann am fiabhrus claoidhte
Gun dùil rium oidhche gu'm bithinn beò;
B'e fàth mo smaointean a là 's a dh'oidhche,
Gu'm faighinn faochadh 'us tu bhi 'm chòir.

Cha bhi mi strìth ris a' chraoibh nach lùb leam
Ged chinneadh ùbhlan air bhàrr gach gèig,
Mo shoraidh slàn leat ma rinn thu m'fhagail,
Cha d'thàinig tràigh gun mhuir làn 'na dèigh.

Words by Maclean
Torlosk, Mull.


TRANSLATION

MY FAITHFUL FAIR DARLING
My faithful fair darling,
My faithful fair darling, won't you turn back to me;
I will not turn with you, my love, I cannot
For my beloved is lying ill.

I grieve I am not in the guise of a seagull,
Swimming light on top of the waves;
And I would journey to the island of Islay
Where tarries the maiden who vexes my soul.

I regret I am not with my own chosen mate,
On the mountaintop moorland
And no one to listen but the birds of the heath;
And hundreds of kisses I would give to her.

I took more than nine months
In the Indies so distant,
Where a woman whose beauty like yours was unseen
And for all this world I would not stay there.

I spent a month in the torment of fever
When each night I did not expect to survive;
The object of my thoughts each day and night
That my request be granted and you at my side.

I will not struggle with the tree I can't bend,
Though each bough be amply laden with apples;
My fond farewell to you if you have left me,
The sea never ebbs, but follows the flow.



Lyrics: English Translation:

Ho rò mo nighean donn bhòidheach Ho ro my beautiful brown-haired maiden
Hi rì mo nighean donn bhòidheach Hi ri my beautiful brown-haired maiden
Mo chaileag laghach bhòidheach My kind, beautiful maiden
Cha phòsainn ach thu I would not marry anyone but you

A nighean donn nam blàth-shùl Oh brown-haired maiden of the warm eyes
Gur trom a thug mi gràdh dhut I loved you deeply
Tha d'iomhaigh, ghaoil, is d'àilleachd Your appearance, dear, and your beauty
A ghnàth tigh'nn fom ùidh Always come into my mind

Cha cheil mi air an t-saoghal I shall not conceal from the world
Gu bheil mo mhiann 's mo ghaol ort That you are my desire and that I love you
'S ged chaidh mi uat air faondradh And though I strayed from you
Cha chaochail mo rùn My love will not change

Ach nuair a thig an samhradh But when the sumer comes
Bheir mise sgrìob don ghleann ud I shall make a trip to that glen
'S gun tog mi leam don Ghalldachd And I shall take with me to the Lowlands
Gu h-annsail am flùr Lovingly, the flower

Ho rò mo nighean donn bhòidheach Ho ro my beautiful brown-haired maiden
Hi rì mo nighean donn bhòidheach Hi ri my beautiful brown-haired maiden
Mo chaileag laghach bhòidheach My kind, beautiful maiden
Cha phòsainn ach thu I would not marry anyone but you

Professor Blackie translated one verse like this:

AND WHEN WITH BLOSSOMS LADEN,
BRIGHT SUMMER COMES AGAIN,
I'll fetch my nut brown maiden
Afrae the bonnie glen....

I SEE THE BIG MOUNTAINS (THE MIST COVERED MOUNTAINS OF HOME)



Sèist: Chorus (after each verse):
O chì, chì mi na mórbheanna Oh I see, I see the great mountains
O chì, chì mi na córrbheanna Oh I see, I see the lofty mountains
O chì, chì mi na coireachan Oh I see, I see the corries
Chì mi na sgoran fo chèo I see the peaks under the mist

Chì mi gun dàil an t-àite 's an d'rugadh mi I see right away the place of my birth
Cuirear orm fàilt' 's a' chànain a thuigeas mi I will be welcomed in a language which I understand
Gheibh mi ann aoidh agus gràdh 'n uair ruigeam I will receive hospitality and love when I reach there
Nach reicinn air thunnaichean òir That I would not trade for tons of gold

Chì mi ann coilltean, chì mi ann doireachan I see woods there, I see thickets
Chì mi ann maghan bàna is toraiche I see fair, fertile lands there
Chì mi na féidh air làr nan coireachan I see the deer on the ground of the corries
Falaicht' an trusgan de chèo Shrouded in a garment of mist

Beanntaichean àrda is àillidh leacainnean High mountains with lovely slopes
Sluagh ann an còmhnuidh is còire cleachdainnean Folk abiding there who are customarily kind
'S aotrom mo cheum a' leum g'am faicinn Light is my step when I go bounding to see them
Is fanaidh mi tacan le deòin And I will remain there a while willingly

HERE's a very happy convivial ballad well done by the Rankins:



(TRANSLATION:
"Tis he the gillie (lad)of aroon (love) who raises up my spirit
In this gold year he brings me solace
Aye, 'tis the gillie (lad) aroon (love) who raises up our spirt!

When I lay my face to sleep,
Sleepless I am on New Year's Eve and I don't like it

I hear the lovely songs and lovely chatter
BRING THE BOTTLE and LET US BEGIN!!!

Chorus:
'S e gillean mo ruin a thogadh mo sunnd,
'S i so a' Bhliadhn' Or thug solas dhuinn:
'S e gillean mo ruin a thogadh oirnn sunnd.

Air m'uilinn 's an leabaidh an am dol a chadal,
Gun d'fhairich mi Challuinn 's gun chord i rium.

Chualas na duain am briathran nam buadh,
"Thoir botul a nuas 's an toisich sinn".

'S e gillean mo ghraidh a thainig o'n bhlar,
Le'n cotaichean sgarlaid 's boidheach iad.

S e gillean mo chridhe a sheinneadh an fhidheall,
Bu mhiann le clann-nighean bhi comhla riuth'.

'S i fidheall nan teud a sheinneadh gu reidh,
'S gun cuireadh i ceud an ordugh dhuinn.

'S aighearrach mi o'n rinneadh an t-sith,
'S mo bheannachd do'n Righ thug forladh dhuinn.

THIS WAS A FAVORITE SONG OF JOHN MACCORMACK and he sang it in translation but never mastered the Gaelic version something he sincerely regreted.



Na cheithre Úna, na cheithre Áine The four Unas, the four Annies
Na cheithre Máire 's na cheithre Nóra The four Marys and the four Noras
Na cheithre mná a ba cheithre breátha The four women that were the four finest
I gceithre cearda na Fódhla In the four corners of Ireland
Na cheithre tairní 'a chuaigh sna cheithre clára The four nails in the four boards
Na cheithre clárachaí cónra The four boards of a coffin
Ach na cheithre gráin ar na cheithre mná But the four hates on the four women
Nach dtugann na cheithre grá do na ceithre póga Who do not give the four loves four kisses

A Úna Bhán, ba rós i ngáirdín thú Fair Una, you were like a rose in a garden
Ba choinnleoir óir ar bhord na banríona thú A gold candlestick on the queen's table
Ba cheiliúr is ba cheolmar ag gabháil an bhealaigh seo romham thú So sweet and melodious you moved on the path before me
Ach sé mo chreach mhaidne bhrónach nár pósadh liom thú But it's my terrible loss that you did not marry me

'Sé mo leán géar gan mé mo phréachán dubh ___
Go dtugainn an léim úd suas ar leataobh na chnoic ___
Mo gha ghréine mar phréamh mé ag casadh faoi shruth ___
'S mo ghrá féin ar gach taobh díom ag castáil dhom ___

Tá an sneachta ar lár agus barr air chomh dearg le fuil The snow on the ground is as red as blood
Samhail mo ghrá ní théann i mbealach ar bith No sight of my love I see anywhere
Ach féach í, a mhná... "Cén t-óchón sin ort?" Women, don't you see... Why the cause of your lamentation?
"Ach an t-aon ghlaoch amháin ag Áth na Donóige" The only one call at Donoge Ford

A Úna Bhán nach gránna an luí atá ort Fair Una, it's terrible the way you are lying now
Do cheann le fána i measc na mílte corp Your head sloping amongst a thousand corpses
Ach mar a dtuga tú fóir orm a phlandóg a bhí riamh gan locht But if you don't come and rescue me, my dear one without fault
Ní thoicfaidh mise 'un t'áras go brách ach an oíche anocht I will not come to your residence ever again, but tonight


Sung by Dolores Keane from Caherlestrane, County Galway.. Beautiful Scottish Love Song composed by a great Scots Poet Dougie MacLean:




"I don't know if you can see
The changes that have come over me
In these last few days I've been afraid
That I might drift away
So I've been telling old stories, singing songs
That make me think about where I came from
And that's the reason why I seem
So far away today

Oh, but let me tell you that I love you
That I think about you all the time
Caledonia you're calling me
And now I'm going home
If I should become a stranger
You know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything
I've ever had

Now I have moved and I've kept on moving
Proved the points that I needed proving
Lost the friends that I needed losing
Found others on the way
I have kissed the ladies and left them crying
Stolen dreams, yes there's no denying
I have traveled hard with coattails flying
Somewhere in the wind

(Chorus)
Now I'm sitting here before the fire
The empty room, the forest choir
The flames that could not get any higher
They've withered now they've gone
But I'm steady thinking my way is clear
And I know what I will do tomorrow
When the hands are shaken and the kisses flow
Then I will disappear."