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Thug Mi Gaol don Fhear Bhàn

Lyrics:

Thug mi gaol, thug mi gaol,
Thug mi gaol don fhear bhàn;
Agus gealladh dhutsa, luaidh;
O cha dual dhomh bhith slàn.

Chaidh am bàta tron chaol
Leis na daoine Dimàirt;
'S mise phàigh am faradh daor,
Bha mo ghaol air a clàr.

Chunnacas long air a' chuan
'S i cur suas nan seòl àrd;
Nuair a dhiùlt i cur mun cuairt
Bha mo luaidh-s' air an t-snàmh.

Tacan mun do laigh a' ghrian
Bha mi 'm fianais mo ghràidh;
Tha e nis an grunnd a' chuain;
O, gur fuar àite tàimh.

Bha mi bruadar a-raoir
A bhith 'n caoimhneas rim ghràdh;
'S nuair sin thug e rium a chùl
Shil mo shùilean gu làr.

Bha mi deas is bha mi tuath,
Bha mi 'n Cluaidh uair no dhà;
Dheth na chunna mi fon ghrèin
Thug mi spèis don fhear bhàn.

Cha tèid mise thaigh a' chiùil;
Thuit mo shùgradh gu làr,
Bhon a chualas thusa, rùin,
Bhith sa ghrunnd far nach tràigh.

Composer

Unknown/Traditional

Performances

Gaelic song index ref: COG599

Find all versions of this song in Tobar an Dualchais

Song Background

This is how Eòghann Mac a’ Phì told the story of the song on a BBC Gaelic programme on 25 May 1953:

“Most of the soldiers in the Huntly Regiment — or the Gordons, as they are known — were from Lochaber when that regiment was first raised. Some of them did not go into soldiering of their own free will. They were told that they would either have to join the regiment or be denied the right to remain on the estate.

Among them was a young couple who had just been married, and in order that they should not be left without a home, the young man joined the new regiment.

When the men were being embarked, she was left taking leave of the man she loved, and as the vessel put to sea, he stood on the deck continually looking back towards the land he was forced to leave.

It was then, by a cruel twist of fate, that he fell over the side and was drowned.

As soon as his young wife heard what had happened, she gave voice to the depth of her sorrow in this song.”