Fàbharach ~ Canan Nan Gaidheal (Lyrics added with translation)

Canan Nan Gaidheal - Language of the Gael - by Gaelic Women from album of same name. Album available from iTunes store.
Various photographs of Isle of Barra & surrounding area. All Photographs my own ©

LYRICS with English translation
Cha b'e sneachda 's an reothadh ò thuath
(It wasn't the snow of frost from the north)
Cha b'e 'n crannadh geur fuar ò 'n ear
(It wasn't the cold snap from the east)
Cha b'e 'n t-uisge 's gaillionn ò 'n iar
(It wasn't the rain or gale from the west)
Ach an galar a bhlian ò 'n deas
(But the disease which has blanched from the south)
Blàth, duileach, stoc agus freumh
(The blossom, foliage, stem and roots)
Cànan mo threubh 's mo shluagh
(Of the language of my race and people)




Sèist: (Chorus:)
Thig thugainn, thig cò' ruinn gu siar
(Come along and join us in the west)
Gus an cluinn sinn ann cànan nan fhèin
(So that we will hear the language of the people)
Thig thugainn, thig cò' ruinn gu siar
(Come along and join us in the west)
Gus an cluinn sinn ann cànan nan Gàidheal
(So that we will hear the language of the Gael)




Bheir anuas dhuinn na coinnleirean òr
(Fetch down the golden chandeliers)
'S ann annt càraibh na coinnlean geal cèir
(And set the white wax candles in them)
Lasaibh suas iad an seòmar a' bhròin
(Light them up in the chamber of sorrow)
Taigh aire seann chànan a' Ghàidheil
(The wake house of the old Gaelic language)
'Se siud ò chionn fhad' thuirt an nàmh
(That's what the enemy said a long time ago)
Ach fhathast tha beò Cànan nan Gàidheal
(But the Gaelic language still lives)




Ged theich i le beath' às na glinn
(Although she has retreated from the glens)
Ged 's gann an diugh chluinnear i nas mò (Though one hears her so seldom now)
O Dhùthaich Mhic Aoidh fada tuath
(From the Mackay far in the north)
Gu ruig thu Druim Uachdar nam bò
(Down to Drumochter of the cattle)
Gidheadh, dhith na h-Eileanan Siar
(But even so, we need to have the sword and shield)
Biodh claidheamh is sgiath ud 'n ur dòrn
(In our fists in the Western Isles)

Ged nach cluinnear anis i 'san dùn
(Although it is no longer heard in the castle)
No 'n talla nan cliar is nan corn
(Nor in the hall of bards and drinking cups)
Ged tha meòir Chloinn 'ic Criomain gun lùths (Though the fingers of the MacCrimmons lie without strength)
O 'n tric fheasgar ciùin dhòirteadh ceòl
(Which once played such splendid music of an evening)
Gidheadh, anns ha h-Eileanan Siar
(She's even under threat in the Isles)
'S i fhathast ann, ciad chàinnt an t-slòigh (Though it's still the first language of the people)


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[MsBarbol]

@KeshHarp Thank you for the comment, but I do not agree with your correction on the translation. Heroes would be written as gaisgeil or gaisgeach. Feinn which is in fact Irish [regional dialect] meaning warrior, from the word fianna. Fhèin refers to a collection of people ie they/them/your/us/our. I would have used 'our people' in translation but having heard it sung in english it is sung 'the people', so did not wish to cause confusion to anyone who has learnt it in english.

[KeshHarp]

A gentle correction...the end of the first phrase of the chorus should be " 'Gus an cluinn sinn ann Canan nam Feinn"...( Language of Heroes )...always got an arguement from the sassenach about why we used a capital letter when we wrote Canan...some eejits never will learn...