Och nan och, tha mi fo mhulad - Mary Smith

This is a song of a woman (or a man, but sung in this case by a woman) who has emigrated from Lewis to America, it's about her longing to return home and in the end she decides she will turn her back on the New World and go back to her homeland.
I did have the full English translation somewhere too so when I find it I will put it up.

Och nan och, tha mi fo mhulad - Och, I am so depressed/sad/sorrowful

Nuair a rinn mi airson fàgail
Fhuair mi beannachd mo chàirdean
Ghabh mi 'n t-aiseag air a' bhàt'
Gu ruig' sàil nam beann mòr.

Och nan och, tha mi fo mhulad
Dhomhsa tha mo chòmhradh duilich
'S cruaidh an càs ach 's fheusar fhulang
'S mi fuireach ann an coille mhòir.

Nuair a thàinig mi air fòrladh
A dh'Ameireagaidh a chòmhnaidh
Chunnaic mi a' sin luchd-eòlais
Anns gach dòich sa robh iad ann.

Chunnaic mi a' sin na càirdean
'S daoine nach robh idir blàth rium
Bidh mi cuimhneachadh na dh'fhàg mi
Tarraing ràmh sa seatadh seòl.

Bidh mi cuimhneachadh Sgir' Uige
Far a bheil na daoine cliùteach
'S tric a dh'fhàg sin mo shùilean
'S 'ad a' sileadh driùchdan deòir.

'S tric mi cuimhneachadh na h-àrmuinn
Bhiodh cho snasail Là na Sàbaid
Clann-nighean òg bu bhinne gàire
Tighinn air fàire Stiogha Mhòir.

'S beag bha dhùil agam an uairsin
Gun tiginn a-null thar chuaintean
Far eil iomadh seòrsa truailleadh
Gu bhith buaireadh a' chrìdh' òig'.

Far eil Èireannaich is Frangaich
Agus Sasannaich na Galldachd
Daion' aig a bheil ioma cainnt'
Nach tuig mo cheann-sa ri mo bheò.

Ach thèid mis' air ais do Leòdhas
Àite còmhnaidh, seasmhach, bòidheach
Mairidh mi gu crìoch mo là ann
'S gheibh mi sòlas ann ri m' bheò.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Gaidhlig
• Gaelic
• Scottish
• Scotland
• Traditional
• Folk
• Lewis
• Leodhas
• OneTrueMedia

[UISTMAN59]

Forgot to say what a great selection of photos and prints you've chosen for this post :-0

[animalunaris]

@UISTMAN59 Moran Taing!

[robsargent4]

when Gaels say Ameireagaidh does that necessarily mean the US or just North America in general i.e. including Canada?

[ornitorrinc999]

Moran taing!! Alba, t'estimo moltíssim. Salutacions des dels Països Catalans.

[wyvisben]

Just found this -. what a wee jewel, and beautifully hosted - mòran taing, animalunaris!

[UISTMAN59]

Not only sung by a woman but in this case composed by a woman also Mary Maciver . She emigrated to the United States and while there suffered greatly with homesickness and composed this song. According to tradition she lost her sight though constant weeping, but notes on ceuig website say it was more likely that her blindness was caused by some substance used in her daily work in a laundry. Màiri did eventually return home to Uig.