Ailein Duinn Nach Till Thu An Taobh Seo
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1953.169.3
Original Tape ID
Summary
A woman's love song for brown-haired Allan. The composer refers to a fight in an alehouse and she wishes she had been there to hit two or three of Allan's enemies.
Item Notes
Three verses with refrain between each verse. Transcribed in the School of Scottish Studies.
According to tradition, brown-haired Allan in the song is Allan of Kingsburgh, who became famous as the husband of Flora MacDonald. He was wrestling one day with Martin of Bealach, and Martin managed to put MacDonald down on his back. Sometime later some of the MacDonalds met a group of the Martins in an inn, and a fight broke out as described in the song.
See:
'Songs Remembered in Exile' (J. L. Campbell) song 16
'Gesto Collection' (K. N. MacDonald) appendix p. 16
Language
Gaelic
Genre
Collection
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good