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Listen to some of our Music Here you will find a few of our songs we have recorded. Let us know what you think.
About Our Music
Gaelic Bus Fàilte. The Gaelic Bus is powered by peat and liberal amounts of single malt Islay whisky. Our destination is unknown -- hey, it's all about the journey. Smoking is allowed, but keep your hands off the black pudding. Uibhist mo Ghràidh/Dèan Cadalan Sàmhach The first tune is a Gaelic song praising North Uist, composed by Alasdair MacMhathain. The second tune is one of several used for "Dèan Cadalan Sàmhach," which may be the one of the first Scottish Gaelic songs written in North America. It's often attributed to Iain Mac Mhurchaidh, who emigrated to North Carolina before the American Revolution. Bruadal Ruairidh "Ruairidh's Dream" -- an easy-going tune inspired, but not sung, by Liam’s cat, Ruairidh. Slán agus Beannacht le Buaireamh an tSaoil
A bilingual song from the Irish "macaronic" tradition. Liam learned this song many years ago from sean-nós singer Treasa O'Carroll of Carna, Conamara, and we can't get him to stop singing it. It's title in Irish means "A farewell and blessing to the cares of the world." Boys of Blue Hill/Off to California A pair of hornpipes well-known in Ireland and Scotland. You probably know them too. Calum's Road This well-known contemporary tune was composed by Donald Shaw of the Scottish folk group Capercaillie in honor of the late Calum MacLeod of Arnais, Raasay, who built a road to his remote croft by hand when the local council refused to build it. We've never been to Raasay, but we understand the tune is smoother than the road itself. Òran an t-Saighdeir A Scottish Gaelic song about a Highlander recruited into the British army. Liam learned the song from a recording of Margaret MacLean of Boisdale, Nova Scotia made by folklorist Rosemary McCormack and released on the CD "Òr Cheap Breatuinn/Cape Breton's Gaelic Gold". Margaret MacLean learned the song from a Mackinnon who came to Cape Breton from Skye. Other versions may be heard on the CD "Còmhla Cruinn" and Legacy International's oddly named "Scottish Drinking and Pipe Songs." Maol Donaidh/Iomradh eadar Ìle agus Uibhist
The first tune is found in the 18th century Patrick MacDonald collection and also is known as "The Fisherman's song for attracting the Seals." The second tune is "Rowing from Islay to Uibhist" from Simon Fraser's collection, published in 1874. Fingal's Cave/Captain Campbell/Buain na Rannaich/Muileann
Dubh The closest we come to a Cape Breton set -- an air often used as a retreat march followed by two strathspeys and a reel. Fingal is an anglicized version of Fionn and refers specifically to Fionn Mac Cumhaill, the great legendary hero of the Gaelic world. Fingal's Cave, or Uaimh Fhinn, is on the island of Staffa. The Minstrel Boy / Wearin o' the Green (Thomas Moore / Dion Boucicault, arr. Na Maragan) A pipe set paying tribute to the Emerald Isle and all the Saint Patrick's Day parades we've ever attended. The first tune goes with the song written by Thomas Moore (1779-1852), author of "Endearing Young Charms" and many other well-known songs. Dion Boucicault (1820-1890) wrote the lyrics to "Wearin o' the Green" but the tune is much older, being first published in 1747. Not only is it used for another Irish rebel song -- "At the Rising of the Moon" -- but also for an anti-rebel song in Scottish Gaelic -- "Òran a' Chaimp, 1798" -- by the great poet Donnchadh Bàn Mac an tSaoir. Wheels of the World This 19th-century song protests everything from the Act of Union that bound Ireland to Great Britain and the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo to factory working conditions and oppression of the poor. Solidarity forever. Learned from the singing of Len Graham. Sliabh na mBan This is an air from the sean-nós (old-style) song tradition of Ireland. Many tunes and songs in Irish and English have shared its title, but this particular song dates back to the rebellion of 1798. It laments the fate of the United Irishmen who were defeated by British troops at Sliabh na mBan on July 23rd of that year. The song has been attributed to the poet Mícheál Óg Ó Longáin (1766-1837). Sliabh na mBan (the mountain of the women, anglicized "Slievenamon") is in County Tipperary. Liam learned this song from Treasa Uí Chearúil, a sean-nós singer from Carna, Co. Galway, when she lived in New York City many years ago. Bail ó Dhia uirthi. "Níor tháinig ár major i dtús an lae chugainn is ní rabhamar féinig i gcóir ná i gceart, ach mar a sheolfaí tréada de bha gan aoire ar thaobh na gréine de Shliabh na mBan." "Our major did not come to us at the break of day, and we were not in proper order, but driven as a herd of cows without a shepherd on the sunny slope of Sliabh na mBan." Chunnaic mi an dàmh donn 's na h-èildean /Fac' thu
na Fèidh? The first tune is from J.F. Morrison collection
The second tune in this deer-hunting (or watching) set is a traditional Scottish jig and port-à-beul found in the Ceòl nam Fèis collection (Fèisean nan Gàidheal, 1996).
Thogainn Fonn air Lorg an Fhèidh A Cape Breton version of a Scottish Gaelic song learned from Jeff MacDonald of Glendale, Nova Scotia. It shares a chorus with an older song from Scotland but has very different lyrics. The original hunting song somehow has gained seafaring verses. Mannanan Song / Ben Rein y Voaldyn Two tunes from the Isle of Man, the smallest nation in the British Isles, with a parliament, Tynwald, that can be traced back to Viking days and a Celtic language, Manx, that is the sister tongue of Irish and Scottish Gaelic. We start with the air to a Manx song about the mythical king of the island, Mannanan Beg mac y Leir. Manx singer Emma Christian recorded this song on her CD "Beneath the Twilight". "Quoi ta 'n Ree? Ta 'n Ree Mannanan. Ta cashtal echey er mullagh Varool" "Who is the King? The King is Mannanan. He has a castle on top of Barrule". The second tune is a 6/8 dance with a name that means "The Beltane Queen" - Boaldyn being the Manx spelling of the name of the ancient Celtic festival that welcomes the return of summer at the start of May ("Hooray, hooray, the first of May" expresses a universal sentiment). Both tunes were collected by Manx folklorist Mona Douglas in the early 20th Century and published more recently in Kiaull yn Theay Vol. 2 (Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh) and Rinkaghyn Vannin: Dances of Mann (Sleih gyn Thie) Mo Dhachaidh / Fagail Lios Mòr Two well-known Scottish Gaelic songs -- "My Home" and "Leaving Lismore" played here as waltzes. Greis Beach Ed's tribute to the Isle of Lewis. Composed after his second visit to Scotland. Cuaichín Ghleann Neifín Also known as " Éireoidh mé amárach" ("I will rise tomorrow"), this beautiful love song hails from the west of Ireland and shares its name with another sean-nós song. Liam originally learned this version from Conamara singer Treasa O' Carroll. Ceò na Mara "The mist of the sea" - this tune should put you on the deck of a fast-moving sailboat as spume breaks over the bow. Refreshing, isn't it? Dedicated to our good friends Tom and Kate Herr of Richmond, Va. "Ceò na Mara" is the name of their boat. O Bhean an tí, cén bhuairt sin ort? / The Atholl
Highlanders These aren't two tunes you'd wouldn't expect to find together, but they fit. The first is an Irish jig, adapted from another song dating to the 1798 rebellion. The second originally was a 6/8 pipe march.
The Lass o' Glenshee / Maids of Arrochar
Liam learned the first tune from the singing of Scotland's Billy Ross, who performs with Ossian. He's always enjoyed this tune. The second he learned from a recording of Cape Breton harmonica legend Tommy Basker. We cannot recommend his CD, "The Tin Sandwich" (Silver Apple, 1994), highly enough. Car ny Ferrishyn This well-known tune from the Manx repertoire actually was written by Scottish composer J. Scott Skinner, who titled it "The Fairies' Dance." The Manx borrowed the English name and put their own Gaelic on it. On the Isle of Man the Fairies are called "Ferrishyn" or "Sheeaghyn," just as they are called "Sitheachan" in Scotland or "Daoine Sidhe" in Ireland. This is what a writer in the journal Mannin had to say about them in 1914: "I have not heard anything about fairies this long time. There is no one hearing them but the woman in the little shop. She was telling me the other day that she went out one night this winter about twelve o’clock and she heard them among the elder trees, and they were talking away in some language that she could not understand, and they came as near to her that she could hear them whisper in her ears, but could not understand what they were saying. So she got very fearful, and got in the house as fast as possible and shut the door after her. I fancy they must be foreign fairies that are visiting the Island, for all the fairy tales I have heard from the old folks was Manx. But it appears the Manx fairies are gone away, or have changed their language like the Manx people, and it is no wonder when the people gave over talking Manx. Perhaps the fairies could not understand English, and changed their language as well for spite, for I have heard that some of them were very spiteful when offended." Rosin the Bow / The Pet of the Pipers Two jigs learned from the Cape Breton styling of fiddler Alex Francis MacKay. Faoileagan Sgarba / 'S Truagh nach do Dh'fhuirich
mi Tioram air Tir The first tune is a Scottish air from the Patrick MacDonald collection, which dates to the 18th century. The title means "Seagulls of Sgarba." The second tune is a whaling song by Dòmhnall Iain Mac a' Mhaoilinn about a sailor who wishes he were back safe on dry land -- where he could spend his money wetting his throat! Campbell's Farewell to Redcastle / Sweet Lass of
Glendaruel Two well-known pipe tunes here adapted to whistle and guitar. The second also is the tune to a piece of mouth music known as “Bhon chuir mo leannan cùlaibh rium.” The Massacre at Glen Coe Although widely believed to be a traditional tune, the "Ballad of Glencoe" or "House of MacDonald" actually was written in 1963 by Jim McLean. It refers to the Glencoe murders of 1692, in which British troops killed 38 members of the MacIain branch of the MacDonald family in Glencoe. The head of the family had been slow to recognize the authority of King William III, who had replaced his uncle, James VII of Scotland and II of England, on the British throne. We learned the tune as a waltz from a book of Prince Edward Island fiddle tunes, which claimed it had been adapted from an air which itself was derived from "Colonel Robertson." The Burning of the Piper's Hut / Ghoid iad mo Bhean
Uaim An-Raoir It's a terrible, terrible thing, to burn down a piper's hut, but it must have been done more than once because there are a few tunes by this name. This one is from Barry Shear's "Gathering of the Clans Collection" of pipe music from Nova Scotia, and he in turned adapted it from a 19th century march in David Glen's collection. The title of the second tune translates as "They stole my wife from me last night," perhaps while the hut was burning. It's from the 18th century Patrick McDonald collection, which makes us glad to be living in the 21st century … Old John's Jig, Mug of Brown Ale Two Irish jigs. Bruach na Carraige Báine / The Dark Island
The first tune is the air to an Irish song. The title means "Banks of the White Rocks," There are several sets of lyrics and several tunes with the same title. "The Dark Island" is the common name for a tune originally called "Dr. Mackay's Farewell to Creagorry" composed by the great accordion player and piper Iain MacLachlainn of Benbecula, Scotland. It was composed in 1958 as a pipe lament for Dr. Mackay but got its new name when it was used as the theme for a British television program called "The Dark Island" in the 1960s. A pity, we think. Hector the Hero Fidleyr y Chiarn / King George's Army / Duntulm
Quickstep A harmonica set that Liam usually performs solo. The first tune in this set hails from the Isle of Man. It was composed by one "Clague y Fiddler" (Clague the Fiddler) for the Duke of Athol when he arrived on the island as Lord of Man in the 18th century. The second and third are Scottish tunes. Liam first heard King George's Army on a field recording collected by Margaret Bennett from the MacArthur family of Newfoundland's Codroy Valley. The Duntulm Quickstep is from the J.F. Morrison collection. The castle of Duntulm is on the Isle of Skye. 'S e Fàth mo Mhulaid A 19th Century Gaelic song by Aonghas Mac Mhuirich of Mull, who left his home to become a policeman in Glasgow. He laments the clearances that sent many Highlanders to North America and his life in an unfriendly city far from Loch Leamhainn. Liam learned the song from Jamie MacNeill of Boisdale, Nova Scotia. 'S e mo Chas Chrùbach "It's my lame leg (that had kept me behind)." A pipe tune similar in some ways to the better known song "Thèid mi Dhachaidh Chrò Chinn t-Sàile." From the J.F. Morrison collection. Ny Kiree fo Niaghtey / Arrane Ghelby W/G
Two beautiful airs from the Isle of Man. The first — "The Sheep under the Snow" — is a lament for a flock of sheep lost by farmer Nicholas Raby when they died in a blizzard. The event took place in the late 1600s. The second is often called the “Song of the Kelpie,” but it’s actually the “Song of Dalby,” a village on the Isle of Man. Rights of Man / Off She Goes Two hornpipes -- the first named for the famous book by 18th century writer Thomas Paine, who inspired revolutionaries and seekers of liberty in America, France, Britain and Ireland. As for the second, we’ve no idea where she went. The Mountains of Pomeroy / Kenny Gillies of
Portnalong W/G Pomeroy is in County Tyrone, Ireland. The second is a contemporary pipe tune. Portnalong is on the Isle of Skye.
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