The Dark Island sung by Fiona Kennedy

A song that exemplifies the Scots' strong sentimental attachment to their homeland. Apologies for the age of the recording, taken from old vynil. Wee Fiona was only a teenager when she made it in the late 1960s.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Dark
• Island
• Fiona
• Kennedy
• Scottish
• music
• song
• Hebrides
• Gaels
• Gaelic
• South
• Uist
• Benbecula

[xxxxxxxkarinxsakura]

my mum wants me to sing this for her she wants it played at her funeral and i would like to find the lyrics to the song somewhere does anyone know where i can get them it is such a beautiful song

[brawladdie1]

@xxxxxxxkarinxsakura Put 'stewart ross dark island lyrics' into a search engine

[herestoscottish]

Hi this uses the lyrics written by my late father Stewart Ross, 1929-1993 of Inverness, Scotland. He pretty much wrote the words to order, as the instrumental around which it is loosely based was being used as a TV theme. Argo Cameron recorded it first in 1965. Other songs he tended to write both words and music to - such as 'My Bonnie Maureen' (recorded by Daniel O' Donnell'). He often wrote emigration songs - even though he was from Inverness - and never went abroad!

[brawladdie1]

I remember well the thrilling TV series, with Robert Hardy and Francis Matthews, from 1962. For me, the song encapsulates the sadness of the Scottish diaspora, the exile's longing to return and the satisfaction of dying where one naturally belongs. Not bad, if your father did all this from his imagination!

[brawladdie1]

I'm glad if this brought back any happy memories, though I expect they were probably, like the song, tinged with a little sadness.

[scarymary129]

best song in the world ,,especialy played on pipes at a funeral ,, and sang in front of a few hundred motor bikers , brought the whole marquee to silence brill ,,,,,

[SuperJanerey]

loved this version- have never heard these words before

[justkaz41]

@xxxxxxxkarinxsakura PLAYED IT AT MY MUMS FUNERAL IT KILLED ME BUT SHE LOVED THE BLACK WATCH

[simnebrael]

@paulinemjohnson

just google "yourube to MP3" and it will show you pages that convert youtube to mp3 files

[paulinemjohnson]

I really like this version sung by Fiona but I can't find it to buy as an MP3 on itunes or Amazon. Do you know if it's available?

paulinemjohnson@blueyonder.co.­uk

[xxxxxxxkarinxsakura]

@sirmobil thank you so much for the offer but i managed to find them a few months ago,but thank you for taking the time to reply to my comment :)

[sirmobil]

@xxxxxxxkarinxsakura send me your e-mail address & i'll forward them I had my own mothers coffin piped into the creamotorium to a piper playing this not a dry eye to be had my address is james-jamieson@o2.co.uk

[alister222]

Already 2 years since the last timeI was in Uist! I don't spend a week without wishing i was back there! thnaks for sharing!

[wellie10]

Made me think when reading the comments was that the Stewart Ross that used to sing in the pub by the Ness on a Friday night , heart rendring song for a Gael away from the Highlands, what a lovely voice Fiona has what a talented family x

[xxxxxxxkarinxsakura]

@brawladdie1 thank you very much :)