'S e mo ghràdh na gamhna gealla
Hillean o ro bha ho
Thèid do'n chrò 's nach òl am bainne
He ho ho ri i ri o
Hogi o hillean o ro bha ho
Thèid do'n chrò 's nach òl am bainne
Hillean o ro bha ho
Thèid a dh' Eirinn ris a ghealaich
He ho ho ri i ri o
Hogi o hillean o ro bha ho
Thèid a dh' Eirinn ris a ghealaich
Hillean o ro bha ho
'S a thig às le aon seòl mara
He ho ho ri i ri o
Hogi o hillean o ro bha ho
He ho ro ri i ri o
He ho ro ri i ri o
He ho ro ri i ri o
Hogi o ro bha ho
Bha MacCoinnich ann's MacLeoid
Hillean o ro bha ho
'S Mac Mhic Alasdair o'n Chrò
He ho ho ri i ri o
Hogi o hillean o ro bha ho
'S Mac Mhic Alasdair o'n Chrò
Hillean o ro bha ho
'S Mac 'Ic Ailein nach eil beò
He ho ho ri i ri o
Hogi o hillean o ro bha ho
He ho ro ri i ri o
He ho ro ri i ri o
He ho ro ri i ri o
Hogi o ro bha ho
--oOo--
I love the white stirks
Hillean o ro bha ho
They'll go to the cattle-fold - but won't drink milk!
He ho ho ri i ri o
Hogi o hillean o ro bha ho
They'll go to the cattle-fold - but won't drink milk!
Hillean o ro bha ho
They'll go to Ireland by the light of the moon
He ho ho ri i ri o
Hogi o hillean o ro bha ho
They'll go to Ireland by the light of the moon
Hillean o ro bha ho
and will come back on the same tide
He ho ho ri i ri o
Hogi o hillean o ro bha ho
He ho ro ri i ri o
He ho ro ri i ri o
He ho ro ri i ri o
Hogi o ro bha ho
MacKenzie and MacLeod were there
Hillean o ro bha ho
Glengarry from Cro
He ho ho ri i ri o
Hogi o hillean o ro bha ho
Glengarry from Cro
Hillean o ro bha ho
and Clanranald's corpse
He ho ho ri i ri o
Hogi o hillean o ro bha ho
He ho ro ri i ri o
He ho ro ri i ri o
He ho ro ri i ri o
Hogi o ro bha ho
Dorch an nochd tha 'n t-Eilean
Dathan air am fuadach far nam beann
Tha faileas a' tuiteam bhon an Stòr
Mar t-fhalt dorch a suabadh do cheann
Horo Mhàiri o
Horo Mhàiri o
Horo Mhàiri o
'S mi gad ionndrain ho ro
Dè math an tobar gun an t-uisge
Dè math an corp gun cridh'
Nam biodh neart an Stòir 'nam làmhan
Bhiodh sinn le 'r chèile 's an Eilean a rithist
Horo Mhàiri o
Horo Mhàiri o
Horo Mhàiri o
'S mi gad ionndrain ho ro
'S dòch nach fhaigh sinn neamh no beatha eile
Nuair a dhuineas sùilean aig deireadh lath
Ach fhuair mi mo neamh an seo 's an àite
Far an d' thug thu dhomh do làmh 's do cridhe slàn
Horo Mhàiri o
Horo Mhàiri o
Horo Mhàiri o
'S mi gad ionndrain ho ro
--oOo--
There's a darkness on the Island of Skye tonight
The colours are clearing away from the hills
A shadow is falling down from the Storr
Like your dark hair sweeping across your face
What use is the well without water
What use is the body without the heart
If I had the power of this landscape in my hands
We'd be together again on the island
Maybe we will never find a heaven or any other existence
When we finally close our eyes at the end of our days
But I have found my heaven here in this place
Where you gave me your promise and your full heart
Horo Mairi o
Horo Mairi o
Horo Mairi o
I miss you
Ruith 's a mhonadh - Ruith nam beann
'S mar sin dhan sgoil aig deireadh samhraidh
'Nar clann - Aig còig bliadhna dh' aois
'S gun facal Beurla 'nar ceann
Seo do leabhar - Seo do pheann
"Dean do leasan," thuirt iad riumsa
"'S gun èirich sibh suas anns an t-saoghal
'S gheibh sibh air adhart ann"
Fichead bliadhn' airson firinn
B' fheudar dhomh feitheamh
'S b' fheudar dhomh lorg
Fichead bliadhn' de bhreugan
Thug iad eachdraidh air falbh bhuainn
Dh' ionnsaich sinn a leithid ann
Cànan 's bàrdachd, bàrdachd Bheurla
Ceòl na Gearmailt - Eachdraidh na Spainnt
'S b' e sin an eachdraidh mheallt
Bhon sgoil don oilthigh chaidh sinn ann
A' leantail foghlum, tuilleadh foghlum
Mar amadan air deireadh streang
Seòrsa de dh' fhoghlum nam cheann
Fichead bliadhn' airson firinn
B' fheudar dhomh feitheamh
'S b' fheudar dhomh lorg
Fichead bliadhn' de bhreugan
Thug iad eachdraidh air falbh bhuainn
Ach dh'eirich mi suas anns an t-saoghal
Fhuair mi deise, 's fhuair mi leine
Fhuair mi aite ann an suilean dhaoin
Fada bhon mhonadh mi'n drasd
Ach dh' èirich mi suas anns an t-saoghal
Fhuair mi deise is fhuair mi leine
Fhuair mi àite ann an sùilean dhaoin'
Fada bhon mhonadh mi 'n dràsd
Carson a chùm iad eachdraidh bhuainn?
Innsidh mi dhut, tha iad gealltach
Mas èirich clann nan Gaidheal suas
Le ceistean sireach is cruaidh
Nuair a thòisich mi air lorg
Cha do chreid mi mo shùilean
Obair olc
Fichead bliadhn' 's mi aineolach
--oOo--
Freedom of the moor
Freedom of the hill
And then to school at the end of summer
Children,
Five years of age,
Without many words of English
"Here is your book
Here is your pen”
Study hard that's what they told me
"And you will rise up in the world
You will achieve"
Twenty years for the truth
I had to wait
I had to search
Twenty years of deceit
They denied me knowledge of myself
I learned many things
The English language, the poetry of England
The music of Germany
The history of Spain
And even that was a misleading history
Then on to further education
Following education, more education
Like puppets on the end of a string
Our heads filled with a sort of learning
Twenty years for the truth
I had to wait
I had to search
Twenty years of deceit
They denied me knowledge of myself
And I did rise in the world
I found my suit, I found my shirt
I found a place in the eyes of men
Well away from the freedom of the moor
But why did they keep our history from us?
I'll tell you they are frightened
In case the children of Gaeldom awaken
With searching and penetrating questions
Twenty years for the truth
I had to wait
I had to search
Twenty years of deceit
They denied me knowledge of myself
By yon bonnie banks and by yon bonnie braes
Where the sun shines on Loch Lomond
Where me and my true love spent many happy days
On the banks of Loch Lomond
Twas there that we parted in yon shady glen
On the steep sides of Ben Lomond
Where in purple hue the Highland hills we view
And the moon glints out in the gloaming
You'll take the high road and I'll take the low road And I'll be in Scotland afore ye
Where me and my true love will never meet again
On the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond
Where wild flowers spring and the wee birdies sing
On the steep sides of Ben Lomond
But the broken heart it kens nae second spring
Though resigned we may be while we’re greetin
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
'S iomadh là a rinn sinn suidhe
Rinn sinn suidhe 's ghabh sinn smuaint
Dè math bhi suidhe fàs nas aosd
'S laithean earraich a' falbh bhuainn
Chur sinn ar cànan na'ar cridhe
Fhuair sinn òran 's rinn sinn seinn
Thoir dhuinn làmh còmhnaidh 's seinnibh co-rinn
'S le chèile togaidh sinne fonn
Òg tha sinn òg
òg na ar cridhe
Beatha na'r coinneamh
Coinneal na'r làimh
'S an againn tha neart
Is an againn tha 'n cothrom
Nar cridhe gu bràth
Tha sinn òg
òg
Tha sibh mar na h-uain a's t-earrach
Siubhal 's a leum, tapaidh, saor
Ach an fhaca sibh na caoraich aosd'
Nì aon dhuibh gluasad 's leanaidh 'n corr
Nuair bhios na bliadhnaichean 'dol bhuaibh
Lathan doirbh lathan dorch
Cùm do choinneil an àrd is laiste
'S coisich an saoghal le cridhe òg
Òg tha sinn òg
Òg na ar cridhe
Beatha na'r coinneamh
Coinneal na'r làimh
'S an againn tha neart
Is an againn tha 'n cothrom
Nar cridhe gu bràth
Tha sinn òg
òg
--oOo--
Many's the time we sat down
We sat down and thought to ourselves
What is the point in sitting, growing older
The days of springtime disappearing from us
We put our language in our hearts
We found a song and sung it
Give us a helping hand, sing along with us
And together we can make things happen
You are like the lambs in springtime
Running around, jumping and carefree
But have you ever noticed the older sheep
When one moves they all follow
And when the years start departing from you
The difficult days, the darker days
Keep your candle aloft and lit
Walk this world with a young heart
Young, we are young, young in our hearts
Life ahead of us, a candle in our hands
We have the enthusiasm, we have the opportunity
In your attitude forever, stay young, stay young
Tha na duilleagan a' dannsa
Bho na craobhan anns a' ghaoith
Foghar donn ar bliadhn' air tionndadh
Nis tha luchd an t-samhraidh ma sgaoil
Sona dh' fhàg thu mi le m' eilean
'S leam na lochan is na bàigh
Mo chridh' aig tàmh air beanntan geamhraidh
Nis tha luchd an t-samhraidh ma sgaoil
Foghar nan eilean
Foghar mu thuath
Gheibh sinn beatha mar a chleachd sinn
Mas tàinig an t-sluagh
Bidh am fraoch air nam beanntan
'S a choille ruadh fon ghrian
'S iad a sealltain dathan dhomsa
Gus an till iad a rithis
Tha an latha seachad buithtean duinnte
Gheibh an caisteal fois na h-oidhch'
Gheibh an t-airgead cadal socair
Nis tha luchd an t-samhraidh ma sgaoil
Mar a dh' atharraich iad ar beòshlaint
Mhill iad dualchas cainnt 's ar dòigh
Ach fhoghair, crathaidh mi do làmh
Nis tha luchd an t-samhraidh ma sgaoil
Foghar nan eilean
Foghar mu thuath
Gheibh sinn beatha mar a chleachd sinn
Mas tàinig an t-sluagh
Bidh am fraoch air nam beanntan
'S a choille ruadh fon ghrian
'S iad a sealltain dathan dhomsa
Gus an till iad a rithis
--oOo--
The leaves are dancing
From the trees in the wind
The browns of autumn are turning our year around
Now that the summer visitors have gone
Content is the way you left me to my island
The lochs and the bays are all mine
My heart rests easy on the winter hills
Now that the summer visitors have gone
The day is over, the shops have closed
The castle will get a night's peace
Money will get some respite
Now that the summer visitors have gone
They changed our means of livelihood
They altered our language and way of life
But autumn, I can only welcome you
Now that the summer visitors are gone
Island autumn
Northern autumn
We can live a little like we used to
Before the crowds came
The heather on the hills
And the sunlit forests
Will reveal their colours for us
Until they return again
In the distance day was dawning
Comes to me the early morning
Something tells me that I’m going home
The brand new sun shines bright
From the darkness fields of light
Something tells me that I’m going home
Going home
When the summer's coming in
And the moonlight on the river
Shows me where I’ve been
Soft the rain gently falling
Lightly ‘cross the city morning
I get the feeling that I’m going home
Across the moorland, past the mountains
O’er the rivers beside the new stream
Something tells me that I’m going home
(Chorus)
(Chorus)
As the trains rolling nearer
Ah, the feeling just to be there,
Something tells me that I’m going home
Now the skylines reach my eyes
The ridge stands out in highland skies
I just can’t believe I’m going home
Going home
I'm standing here
In a long row
Farewells
And a future hanging low
Waving out
In the morning grey
A burning heart
That keeps tearing me away
Morning tide
Morning tide
You're taking me
For all my life
Morning tide
Morning tide
You're sailing me away
Precious
Morning still
My wealth falls in
All around the island hills
Dying out
Across the bay
The pier runs out
And the Minch waves roll
Away
(Chorus)
I'm standing here
In a long row
Farewells
And a future hanging low
Waving out
In the morning grey
A burning heart
That keeps tearing me
Away
Tha sinn uile air cuan
Stiùireadh cuairt troimh ar beatha
A' seòladh geòla dhorch
Air chall an greim na mara
Tha a' ghaoth air ar cùl
Tha a' gheòl a' cumail roimhpe
'S cha dèan uair no an cuan
Tonaisg dhuinn no rian
A' mhuir tha i ciùin
Tha i fiadhaich tha i farsainn
Tha i àlainn tha i diamhair
Tha i gamhlasach is domhain
O ach sinn tha sinn dall
'S chan eil againn ach beatha
Tog an seòl, tog an ràmh
Gus an fhaigh sinn astar ann
Ach tha mi 'n dùil, tha mi 'n dùil
Nuair a bhios a' ghrian dol fodha
Chì iad mi a' stiùireadh 'n iar
Null a dh' Uibhist air a' chearcal
Cearcal a' chuain
Gu bràth bidh i a' tionndadh
Leam gu machair geal an iar
Far an do thòisich an là
--oOo--
We are all on an ocean
Steering a course through life
Sailing a dark vessel
Lost in the grasp of the ocean
The wind is astern
The boat forging ahead
And time and the sea
Makes no sense to us at all
The sea is calm
It is wild, it is vast
It is beautiful, it is mysterious
It is vengeful and deep
O, but we, are blind
and all we have is life
Raise the sail, lift the oars
Til we get up speed
I intend, I do intend
when the sun is sinking down
To be seen steering a westerly course
On the ocean's cycle to Uist
O the ocean's cycle
Forever I'll be turning
To take me back to the pole machair in the west
Where the day has dawned