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Cumha MhicCruimein

Lyrics:

Dh'iadh ceò nan stùc mu aodann Chuilinn
Is sheinn a' bhean-shìth a tòrman mulaid;
Gorm shùilean ciùin san Dùn a' sileadh
On thriall thu bhuain 's nach till thu tuilleadh.

Sèist

Cha till, cha till, cha till MacCriomain
An cogadh no sìth cha till e tuilleadh;
Le airgead no nì cha till MacCriomain
Cha till e gu bràth gu latha na cruinne.

Tha osag nam beann gu fann ag imeachd,
Gach sruthan 's gach allt gu mall le bruthach;
Tha ealtainn nan speur feadh gheugan dubhach
A' caoidh gun d' fhalbh 's nach till thu tuilleadh.

Tha 'n fhairge fa dheòidh làn bròin is mulaid,
Tha 'm bàta fo sheòl, ach dhiùlt i siubhal;
Tha gàirich nan tonn le fuaim neo-shubhach,
Ag ràdh gun d' fhalbh 's nach till thu tuilleadh.

Cha chluinnear do cheòl san Dùn mu fheasgar,
'S mac-talla nam mùr le mùirn ga fhreagairt;
Gach fleasgach is òigh gun cheòl, gun bheadradh,
On thriall thu uainn 's nach till thu tuilleadh.

Composer

Unknown/Traditional

Performances

Gaelic song index ref: COG183

Find all versions of this song in Tobar an Dualchais

Additional Info

According to the story, it was the sister of Dòmhnall Bàn MacCrùimein who composed the words of this song. Dòmhnall Bàn belonged to the famous family who were employed as hereditary pipers over generations by the chiefs of Clan MacLeod of Dunvegan in the Isle of Skye.

There is a tradition which says that Dòmhnall Bàn himself composed the tune on the night before he left Dunvegan to fight on the Jacobite side in 1745. It was said that he knew he would not return, and indeed he was killed on Wednesday, 16 February 1746, at the Rout of Moy, when the British government attempted to surprise Prince Charles’s forces at Moy.