An Eala Bhán - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

An Eala Bhàn is a Scottish Gaelic love song

Love song

A love song is about falling in love and the feelings it brings. Anthologies of love songs often contain a mixture of both of these types of song. A bawdy song is both humorous and saucy, emphasizing the physical pleasure of love rather than the emotional joy...

composed by Dòmhnall Ruadh Chorùna

Dòmhnall Ruadh Chorùna

Donald MacDonald known as Dòmhnall Ruadh Chorùna was a North Uist stonemason, a combat veteran of the First World War, and a legendary war poet in the Scottish Gaelic language.He is best known for the song An Eala Bhán which he composed during...

during the Battle of the Somme. It is addressed to Mhagaidh Nic Leòid, his sweetheart at the time of World War I

World War I

World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

.

An Eala Bhàn is considered one of the most popular Scottish Gaelic songs composed during the 20th century. In recent years, it has been recorded by artists as diverse as Calum Kennedy

Calum Kennedy

Calum Kennedy was a Scottish singer.Kennedy won a gold medal at the Mod , singing in Scottish Gaelic...

, Donnie Munro

Donnie Munro

Donnie Munro is a Scottish musician, and former lead singer of the band Runrig.A native speaker of Scottish Gaelic, much of his work is in that language.-Early life:...

, Capercaillie

Capercaillie

The Western Capercaillie , also known as the Wood Grouse, Heather Cock or Capercaillie , is the largest member of the grouse family, reaching over 100 cm in length and 6.7 kg in weight. The largest one ever recorded in captivity had a weight of 7.2 kg....

, and Julie Fowlis

Julie Fowlis

Julie Fowlis is a Scottish folk singer and multi-instrumentalist who sings primarily in Scottish Gaelic.-Musical career:Fowlis grew up in North Uist, an island in the Outer Hebrides, in a Gaelic-speaking community, and has been involved in singing, piping and dancing since she was a child.She is a...

Lyrics

Gur duilich leam mar tha mi

'S mo chridhe 'n sàs aig bròn

Bhon an uair a dh'fhàg mi

Beanntan àrd a' cheò

Gleanntannan a'mhànrain

Nan loch, nam bàgh 's nan sròm

'S an eala bhàn tha tàmh ann

Gach latha air 'm bheil mi 'n tòir.

A Mhagaidh na bi tùrsach

A rùin, ged gheibhinn bàs-

Cò am fear am measg an t-sluaigh

A mhaireas buan gu bràth?

Chan eil sinn uile ach air chuairt

Mar dhìthein buaile fàs

Bheir siantannan na blianna sios

'S nach tog a' ghrian an àird.

Tha 'n talamh leir mun cuairt dhìom

'Na mheallan suas 's na neòil;

Aig na 'shells a' bualadh -

Cha leir dhomh bhuam le ceò:

Gun chlaisneachd aig mo chluasan

Le fuaim a' ghunna mhòir;

Ach ged tha 'n uair seo cruaidh orm

Tha mo smuaintean air NicLeòid.

Air m' uilinn anns na truinnsichean

Tha m' inntinn ort, a ghràidh;

Nam chadal bidh mi a' bruadar ort

Cha dualach dhomh bhith slàn;

Tha m' aigne air a lionadh

Le cianalas cho làn

'S a'ghruag a dh'fhàs cho ruadh orm

A nis air thuar bhith bàn

Ach ma thig an t-àm

Is anns an Fhraing gu faigh mi bàs

'S san uaigh gun tèid mo shìneadh

Far eil na mìltean chàch,

Mo bheannachd leis a' ghruagaich,

A' chaileag uasal bhbànn -

Gach là a dh'fhalbh gun uallach dhi,

Gun nàire gruaidh na dhàil.

Oidhche mhath leat fhèin, a rùin

Nad leabaidh chùbhraidh bhlàth;

Cadal sàmhach air a chùl

Do dhùsgadh sunndach slàn

Tha mise 'n seo 's an truinnsidh fhuar

'S nam chluasan fuaim bhàis

Gun duil ri faighinn às le buaidh -

Tha 'n cuan cho buan ri shnàmh.

Sad I consider my condition

With my heart engaged with sorrow

From the very time that I left

The high bens of the mist

The little glens of dallaince

Of the lochs, the bays and the forelands

And the white swan dwelling there

Whom I daily pursue.

Maggie, don't be sad

Love, if I should die -

Who among men

Endures eternally?

We are all only on a journey

Like flowers in the deserted cattle fold

That the year's wind and rain will bring down

And that the sun cannot raise.

All the ground around me

Is like hail in the heavens;

With the shells exploding -

I am blinded by smoke:

My ears are deafened

By the roar of the cannon;

But despite the savagery of the moment

My thoughts are on the girl called MacLeod.

Crouched in the trenches

My mind is fixed on you, love;

In sleep I dream of you

I am not fated to survive;

My spirit is filled

With a surfeit of longing

And my hair once so auburn

Is now almost white.

But if it should happen

That I am killed in France

And laid in the grave

As thousands are already,

My blessings go with the maiden,

So noble and fair.

May her every day be free of care,

And her life a source of pride.

Goodnight to you, love

In your warm, sweet-smelling bed;

May you have peaceful sleep and afterwards

May you waken healthy and in good spirits

I am here in the cold trench

With the clamour of death in my ears

With no hope of returning victorious-

The ocean is too wide to swim.

External links

Video

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