Muladach Mi o chionn Seachdain
Contributors
Fieldworkers
Date
01 June 1968
Track ID
31708
Part 1
Track Information
Original Track ID
SA1968.302.A3
Original Tape ID
Summary
This waulking song was composed by the poetess Mary MacLeod while in exile. In it she asks if she can return to Ruairidh Mòr in Dunvegan Castle where there is dancing, fiddling and piping.
The contributor also speaks of the disputes about where Mary was born, and where she was buried.
Item Notes
Eight lines sung.
Item Subject/Person
Màiri Nighean Alasdair Ruaidh
Recording Location
County - Inverness-shire
Parish - Duirinish
Island - Skye
Village/Place - Dunvegan
Item Location
County - Inverness-shire
Parish - Duirinish
Island - Skye
Village/Place - Dunvegan
Language
English, Gaelic
Genre
Collection
Transcription
Calum Nicolson:
Muladach mi o chionn seachdain
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Air eilean gun fheur gun fhasgadh
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Ma dh'fhaodas mi thèid mi dhachaigh
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Gu Ruairidh Mòr MacLeòid nam bratach
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Mu thaigh mhòr a fhuair mi macnas
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Danns le sunnd air ùrlar farsaing
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Fìdhlearachd gam chur a chadal
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Pìobaireachd mo dhùsgadh maidne
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
She composed that song on this island where she was driven... where she was banished for her song. But there's been a lot of controversy over this poetess. Harris maintains that she is their poetess. Skye maintains - this part here - that she was their poetess. But Mary MacLeod was born in Harris. Some say she is buried in that cemetery up there, but they say in Harris that she was born in Rodel, and she was Ruairidh Mòr's dairymaid. And she is my favourite poetess. And if you enter into Dunvegan Castle today, as you go in the steps there, you can think for one second and say, 'Mairi nighean Alasdair Ruaidh walked in here also'. And the Queen of England today she walked in there too, but there's nothing to Mairi Nighean Alasdair Ruaidh as far as I'm concerned.
Muladach mi o chionn seachdain
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Air eilean gun fheur gun fhasgadh
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Ma dh'fhaodas mi thèid mi dhachaigh
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Gu Ruairidh Mòr MacLeòid nam bratach
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Mu thaigh mhòr a fhuair mi macnas
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Danns le sunnd air ùrlar farsaing
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Fìdhlearachd gam chur a chadal
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
Pìobaireachd mo dhùsgadh maidne
Hoirinn o hao hì hó
She composed that song on this island where she was driven... where she was banished for her song. But there's been a lot of controversy over this poetess. Harris maintains that she is their poetess. Skye maintains - this part here - that she was their poetess. But Mary MacLeod was born in Harris. Some say she is buried in that cemetery up there, but they say in Harris that she was born in Rodel, and she was Ruairidh Mòr's dairymaid. And she is my favourite poetess. And if you enter into Dunvegan Castle today, as you go in the steps there, you can think for one second and say, 'Mairi nighean Alasdair Ruaidh walked in here also'. And the Queen of England today she walked in there too, but there's nothing to Mairi Nighean Alasdair Ruaidh as far as I'm concerned.
Source Type
Reel to reel
Audio Quality
Good