Search

'Illean o, ro bha hó

Date 16 May 1954
Track ID 43791
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

CannaWirek.1954.1

Original Tape ID

CannaTape.0006

Summary

These are two sections of a waulking song. In the first, a woman refers to being on an island. There are two children with her. In the second section, the composer refers to the death of a man she loves. He is described as a hunter.

Item Notes

11 lines sung plus choruses.

See:
'Òrain Luaidh Màiri nighean Alasdair' (K. C. Craig ed., 1949) p. 82

Some versions of this waulking song, such as that in 'Òrain Luaidh Màiri nighean Alasdair', contain a section beginning, "Is e mo ghràdh na gamhna geala". This is followed by a section beginning, "Gura h-e mo ghaol na gillean". It is from these two sections of this waulking song that the lines of the song known to modern singers as 'Na gamhna geala' have been taken.

Recording Location

County - Inverness-shire

Parish - South Uist

Island - Benbecula

Village/Place - Hacklete

Language

Gaelic

Genre

Song

Collection

Canna

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good