Sean 'is Ùr/Old and New

Ma thig sibh gu Ceap Breatainn an dòchas gun cluinn sibh fuinn no òrain Ghàidhlig, gu dé a bhios romhaibh? Mar a tha fhios aig iomadh duine, 's e seann dualchas a th' anns a' Ghàidhlig agus bidh cuid dhe na h-òrain a ghabhas sinn a' seo gu math sean cuideachd.

Chan eil sin ri ràdh nach cluinnear òrain ùra idir. Bidh òrain ùra ri 'n cluinntinn gu cinnteach, òrain a chaidh a dheasachadh am bliadhna fhéin agus o chionn beagan bliadhnaichean.. ach cuideachd…

Bidh "Òran do 'n Mhòd " ri chluinntinn uaireannan, òran a dheasachadh anns a' bhliadhna 1938 le Garret MacDòmhnaill airson a' cheud mhòid aig a' Cholaisde Ghàidhlig . 'S e deagh bhàrdachd a th' ann, a' sealltainn dhuinn nach do chaill na daoin' a' seo an seòl air bàrdachd ged a bha a' Ghàidhlig 'ga sìor-chur gu cùl 'sna laithean sin.

Cuideachd, " A' Choille Ghruamach " leis a' Bhàrd Iain Mac 'Illeathain — ged a tha an t-òran sin uamhasach tàmailteach do 'n àite. Sgrìobhadh an t-òran seo tràth 'san naoidheamh linn deug 'nuair a bha e air nuadh-thighinn do Alba Nuadh agus bu ghràinneil dha e.

Tha an t-òran " Ò Hì Thog I Ò " mór-thaitneach fhathast agus thàinig e thugainn ás an ochdamh linn deug, greiseag an déidh a' Bhlàir Chùl Lodair. A réir coltais 's e òran ghaoil a th' ann ach chaidh iomadh rann a sgrìobhadh mar mholadh do 'n Phrionnsa Tearlach, agus 'sna seann laithean cha ghabhadh tu ach na ranntan a chòrdadh ris an luchd-éisdidh a bh' ann, air eagal do bheatha!

'S dòcha gur e an t-òran a's sine a chluinneas tu ann an Ceap Breatainn " Cath Mhaighre Bhuirb " . Chuala mi gu robh na faclan seachd ceud bliadhna a dh' aois agus cha chreid mi nach eil am fonn na 's aosda na sin. Dé cho sean a tha sin? Uill, tha e timchioll air dà cheud bliadhna na 's aosda na a' Bheurla! 'Sann air cath nach bu shealbhach a bh' aig na Féinn a tha an t-òran seo agus fonn breagha air.

Chan e seo ach cuid bheag de dh' eisimpleirean air na h-òrain a bhios ri 'n cluinntinn aig ceilidhean 'is cuirmean ciùil. Sean no ùr, is cinnteach leam gun còrd iad ruibh!

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If you come to Cape Breton hoping to hear Gaelic music or songs, what will you find? As many people know, Gaelic is an ancient culture and some of the songs sung here will be quite old also.

This isn't to say that new songs won't be heard. It's certain they will be, songs that were composed this very year and within the last few years… but also…

" A Song to the Mod " will be heard sometimes, a song composed by Garret MacDonald for the first mod at the Gaelic College in the year 1938. The fine poetry in this song shows us the people here didn't lose their bardic talents even though Gaelic was being systematically repressed in those days.

Also, " The Gloomy Forest " by the Bard John MacLean — although that song is horribly insulting to the area. This song was composed early in the 19th century when he was newly arrived in Nova Scotia and he despised the place.

The song " Ò Hì Thog I Ò " ( vocables, no transaltion ) is still popular and it came to us from the 18th century, shortly after the battle of Culloden. Ostensibly it's a love song but many a verse was written in praise of Prince Charles, and in the old days you would only sing the verses that would be acceptable to your audience, on fear of your life!

Perhaps the oldest song you'll hear in Cape Breton is " The Battle of Savage Maighre ". I've heard that the words are seven hundred years old and I believe the melody is older than that. How old is that? Well, it's about two hundred years older than the English language! It's about an unsuccessful battle the Fenians fought and it has a beautiful air.

This is only a small sample of the songs that are heard at ceilidhs and concerts here. Old or new, I'm sure you'll enjoy them!

Sean 'is Ùr/Old and New

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