An Toll Dubh

The Dungeon

Taobh cùil an dorais - cha bhi grian

Suidh aig bòrd

Cha bhi biadh 's cha bhi fìon

Taobh cùil an dorais - cha bhi grian

Cha bhi biadh 's cha bhi fìon

Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain

Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain

An Gaidheal 's a leabaidh

An Gaidheal na shuain

Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain

Thàinig e à Sasainn ann

Thàinig e

Le eachaibh luath is iuchair throm

Thàinig e à Sasainn ann

Le eachaibh luath is iuchair throm

Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain

Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain

An Gaidheal 'sa leabaidh

An Gaidheal 'na shuain

Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain

Air làr 'san toll-dhubh - cha bhi grian

Cha bhi gealach

'S dubh an oidhche chaidleas sinn

Air làr 'san toll-dhubh - cha bhi grian

'S dubh an oidhche chaidleas sinn

Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain

Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain

An Gaidheal 'sa leabaidh

An Gaidheal 'na shuain

Le èiginn ar n-èirigh às ar suain

--oOo--

On the other side of the door there will be no sun

Sitting at the table

There will be no food and no wine

On the other side of the door there will be no sun

There will be no food and no wine

He came from the south

He came

On a fast horse and with a heavy key

He came from the south

On a fast horse and with a heavy key

On the dungeon floor there will be no sun

There will be no moon

Dark will be the night as we sleep

On the dungeon floor there will be no sun

Dark will be the night as we sleep

It is with difficulty that we will rise from our slumber

It is with difficulty that we will rise from our slumber

The Gael has gone to bed

The Gael is asleep

It is with difficulty that we will rise from our slumber

Rubh nan Cudaigean

Headland of the Cuddy Fish

Buain nam bàirnich, nam bàirnich, nam bàirnich

Buain nam bàirnich air creagan Rubh nan Cudaigean

Buain nam bàirnich, nam bàirnich, nam bàirnich

'S goilidh sinn na bàirnich

'San taigh air Rubh nan Cudaigean

Goilidh sinn na bàirnich, na bàirnich, na bàirnich

Goilidh sinn na bàirnich 'san taigh air Rubh nan Cudaigean

Goilidh sinn na bàirnich, na bàirnich, na bàirnich

'S cagnaidh sinn na bàirnich

Air cladach Rubh nan Cudaigean

Cagnaidh sinn na bàirnich, na bàirnich, na bàirnich

Cagnaidh sinn na bàirnich air cladach Rubh nan Cudaigean

Cagnaidh sinn na bàirnich, na bàirnich, na bàirnich

'S sgaoilidh sinn na bàirnich

Air muir Rubh nan Cudaigean

Sgaoilidh sinn na bàirnich, na bàirnich, na bàirnich

Sgaoilidh sinn na bàirnich air muir Rubh nan Cudaigean

Sgaoilidh sinn na bàirnich, na bàirnich, na bàirnich

'S suidhidh sinn le tàbh ann

Air creagan Rubh nan Cudaigean

Be hileam bo horam bo, èirich is ithibh ith

Be hileam bo horam bo, feitheamh air na cudaigean

Be hileam bo horam bo, èirich is ithibh ith

Nach ith sibh na bàirnich is ithidh mi na cudaigean

Harvest of the limpets [barnacles], of the limpets, of the limpets

--oOo--

Harvest of the limpets on the rocks of the headland....

Harvest of the limpets, of the limpets, of the limpets

and we will boil the limpets in the house on the headland of the cuddy fish

We will boil the limpets, the limpets, the limpets

We will boil the limpets in the house on the headland

We will boil the limpets, the limpets, the limpets

and we will chew the limpets on the shore of the headland…

We will chew the limpets, the limpets, the limpets

We will chew the limpets on the shore of the headland…

We will chew the limpets, the limpets, the limpets

And we will scatter the limpets on the sea at the headland…

We will scatter the limpets, the limpets, the limpets

We will scatter the limpets on the sea at the headland…

We will scatter the limpets, the limpets, the limpets

And we will sit with nets on the rocks of the headland…

Be hileam bo horam bo, rise and eat, eat

Be hileam bo horam bo, waiting on the cuddy fish

Be hileam bo horam bo, rise and eat ,eat

Won’t you eat the limpets, and I will eat the cuddy fish

'Ic Iain 'Ic Sheumais

A Mhic Iain 'Ic Sheumais

Tha do sgeul air m' aire

Air fa ra ra lo, air fa ra ra lo

Latha Blàr a' Cheithe

Bha feum air mo leanamh

A hi eile fe o hiri si bho horo hu

Fal eile bho hiri si bho ho fal eile bho

Latha Blàr a' Cheithe

Bha feum air mo leanamh

Latha Blàr na Feitheadh

Bha do leine na ballan

Latha Blàr na Feitheadh

Bha do leine na ballan

Bha fuil do chuim chùbhraidh

A' drùdhadh ro'n anart

Bha fuil do chuim chùbhraidh

A' drùdhadh ro'n anart

Bha fuil do chuirp uasail

Air uachdair gach fearainn

Bha fuil do chuirp uasail

Air uachdair gach fearainn

Cuma nach ghabh thu am bristeadh

Latha ligheadh na fala

Bh'on latha thug thu an cuan ort

Bha gruaim air na beannaidh

Bha snigh air na speuran

'S bha na reultan galach

Nam biodh agam curaidh

Gun cuirinn air chuan i

Feuch a faighinn naidheachd

No brath an duin uasail

Repeat

--oOo--

Son of Iain , Son of Seumas

Son of Iain,son of Seumas

Air fa ra ra lo,air fa ra ra lo

News of you weighs heavy

The Day of the Battle of the Ceith

my nursling was needed

A hi eile fe o hiri si bho horo hu o

Fal eile bho hiri si bho ho fal eile bho

The Day of the Battle of the Ceith

my nursling was needed

Air fa ra ra lo,air fa ra ra lo

The Day of the Battle of the Runnel

Your shirt was blotted

A hi eile fe o hiri si bho horo hu o

Fal eile bho hiri si bho ho fal eile bho

The Day of the Battle of the Runnel

Your shirt was blotted

Air fa ra ra lo,air fa ra ra lo

The blood of your sweet bosom

Was soaking through the linen

A hi eile fe o hiri si bho horo hu o

Fal eile bho hiri si bho ho fal eile bho

The blood of your sweet bosom

Was soaking through the linen

Air fa ra ra lo,air fa ra ra lo

The blood of your noble body

On the surface of the country

A hi eile fe o hiri si bho horo hu o

Fal eile bho hiri si bho ho fal eile bho

The blood of your noble body

On the surface of the country

Air fa ra ra lo,air fa ra ra lo

How were you not broken

On the day of the blood-letting?

A hi eile fe o hiri si bho horo hu o

Fal eile bho hiri si bho ho fal eile bho

Since the day you took to the ocean

darkness has lain on the mountains

Air fa ra ra lo,air fa ra ra lo

The skies look gloomly

The stars have grown murky

A hi eile fe o hiri si bho horo hu o

Fal eile bho hiri si bho ho fal eile bho

If I had a coracle

I'd put it on the ocean

Air fa ra ra lo,air fa ra ra lo

To try and get tidings

Or word of the noble

A hi eile fe o hiri si bho horo hu o

Fal eile bho hiri si bho ho fal eile bho

Son of Iain,son of Seumas

News of you weighs heavy

Air fa ra ra lo,air fa ra ra lo

The Day of the Battle of the Ceith

my nursling was needed

A hi eile fe o hiri si bho horo hu o

Fal eile bho hiri si bho ho fal eile bho

Translation courtesy of Tim Hyder

Recovery

Watching the morning come in on the land

See the moon roll over Skeabost

See the young men late in the glen

All with camans in hand

Sea winds out on the wilds

Sea waves crash onto Uig

See the black homes strung out on a line

Across the island of Skye

Should have been home before daylight

But it's not easy when you're down and hungry

One from the late run rolled up in a coat

I make my way across the moor

For a late summer in '84

But now there's a new day dawning

I've heard the Braes men talk in Portree

The news from Glendale

Still the morning comes in on the land

See the new sun red and rising

See the corn turn ripe in the fields

See the growth of the glen

And MacPherson's in Kilmuir tonight

What a night for a people rising

oh God not before time

There's justice in our lives

And I can't believe

That it's taken all this time

I can't believe

My life and my destiny

After the clans, after the clearings

Here I am

Recovering

'S tu mo Leannan /

Nightfall on Marsco

Nightfall on Marsco

Cuchullin in sheets

This world of Maclean's words

Around us like spirits released

I came to love you

I came to drink

Though dancing in darkness

I'm cup running over and drunk

Darkest of prisons

Oldest of nights

For the dawning round Garsbheinn

In patience we wait for the light

I am a climber

I am a thief

Oh kingdom of Gabbro

Your strong chains won't hold this love

'S tu mo Leannan, Leannan o

'S tu mo Leannan, Leannan o

'S tu mo Leannan, 'S tu mo Leannan

'S tu mo Leannan, Leannan o

Fuaim a Bhlair

The Noise Of Battle

Fuaim a' bhlàir, ceòl a' chogaidh

An guth 's an nàire

Air cluasan eachdraidh

Sgìth dh'an bhlàr, sgìth dh'an chogadh

An t-eallach 's an cràdh

Air gualainn eachdraidh

Saidhdear mi 's a' Fhraing 's 's a' Ghearmailt

Saidhdear mi air raointean Chanada

Saidhdear mi 's an Spàinn 's an Eadailt

Saidhdear mi 'nam aghaidh fhèin an Èirinn

Blàr nan Gaidheal, an Gaidheal 's an cogadh

An fhuil 's am bàs

Air bràighean eachdraidh

Fuaim a' bhlàir, ceòl a' chogaidh

An guth 's an nàire

Air cluasan eachdraidh

Saidhdear mi 's a' Fhraing 's 's a' Ghearmailt

Saidhdear mi air raointean Chanada

Saidhdear mi 's an Spàinn 's an Eadailt

Saidhdear mi 'nam aghaidh fhèin an Èirinn

--oOo--

The noise of battle, the music of war

The voice and the disgrace

In the ears of history

Tired of the battle, tired of the war

The burden and the pain

On the shoulders of history

The battle of the Gael, the Gael and the war

The blood and the death

On the braes of history

The noise of battle, the music of war

The voice and the disgrace

In the ears of history

I have soldiered in France and Germany

I have soldiered on the plains of Canada

I have soldiered in Spain and Italy

I have soldiered against my fellow Gael in Ireland

Tir An Airm

Land Of The Army

An tèid thu leam a rìbhinn òg

Gu tìr mo gràidh sìtheil sona

'S chì thu saighdearan a' ruith

Am measg nan lusan brèagh 'sa mhonadh

Ho ro horain O

Fàilte gu tìr an airm

Ho ro horain O

A' coimhead a mach air madainn chiùin

Air ball mòr cruinn os cionn na beinne

'S bhon os ciùin na tonnan gorm

Tha ceòl ùr aig ceòl na mara

'S an tèid thu leam gu tìr mo ghràidh

Seall na h-eòin dhorcha dhona

Treabhadh speuran as ar cionn

Dèanamh air Steòrnabhagh le cabhaig

Nis leugh t-eachdraidh, fosgail sùil

Anns gach linn mu dhòigh an airm

Stampadh air na croitean seagail

'S beathannan òg aig gillean Uibhist

Cha tèid mise gu an rìgh

Cha tèid mise an corr a shabaid

O Lunnainn mheallt, a Bhreatuinn fhoilleil

Cha seas mi ach 'son sìth nan eilean

Ho ro horain O

Fàilte gu tìr an airm

Ho ro horain O

--oOo--

Come along with me, my young girl

To the peaceful, happy land

And you will see soldiers running around

Amongst the beautiful wild machair flowers

Looking out on a peaceful morning

On the great round ball above the mountain

And though the waves are calm

There's a new music in the music of the sea

And will you go with me to the land I love

To see the dark evil birds

Ploughing the skies above us

Making for Stornoway at high speed

Now read your history, open your eyes

To every generation and to the ways of the military

Stamping on the rye in the crofts

And the young lives of the Uist boys

But I cannot go "for the King"

I cannot fight anymore

The deceit of London, the treachery of Britain

I'll only support peace in the islands

Ho ro horain O

Welcome to the Land of the Army

Ho ro horain O

The Old Boys

The old Boys

Are all leaving

Leaving one by one

Where young birds go flying

Spread your wings and run

But over the fields

By the drystone walls

An eagle will come no more

Welcome

Were the headlands

St Valery behind

No medals worth wasting

On memories of sand

But sweet is the breeze

Over Raasay

The morning awaits you there

What kind

Of heroes

Here for us now

Where leaders, stone preachers

Minnows on flow

But low hang the lights

Over Viewfield

And this night will day see no more

(Chorus)

Dust

So lead me to the river

Blood runs thicker than the water

Wrap me in your sheets together

Where my earth heart lies forever

The Lowland Scot with English habits

Has brought me to his lowland manners

No they can't understand

The hole that is in my heart

I've lived my life here with the others

I long to live with you my brothers

And my drum will beat this day

Pounding for the Gael

An end to sighs, all hands unite

In the spring that lies behind this sorrow

Deep the faith and pure the light

That shines inside and guides your people

Oh I do believe

Dust will turn the seed

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