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When I Went to Glasgow First

Date 1970
Track ID 34741
Part 1

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1970.292.A3

Original Tape ID

SA1970.292

Summary

This is a Gaelic and English macaronic song which tells of the bard's experiences when he first went to Glasgow. He became involved in a fight, but met a Highland policeman and got off with a warning. He is still in the city after many years and knows it well.

Item Notes

Seven verses sung. The contributor heard the song from Archie Campbell, Glendale, Skye, who was the foremen at the building of the jetty in Berneray.

Item Location

County - Lanarkshire

Parish - Glasgow

Village/Place - Glasgow

Language

English, Gaelic

Genre

Song

Collection

SoSS

Transcription

Donnchadh MacFhionghain (DM):

When I went down to Glasgow first, a-mach gu tìr nan Gall,
I was like a man adrift, air iomrall 's dol air chall.
The noise it was like thunder, chuir e tuainealaich nam cheann,
And often times I wished I was air ais an Tìr nam Beann.

Na fireannaich 's na boireannaich who met me on my way,
An dòighean cha do chòrd iad rium, they had too much to say.
Bha cuid dhiubh 'g iarraidh airgead orm. When I said, "Clear away,"
'S ann chuir iad mach an teanga rium, and nasty things did say.

Chuir siud suas mo nàdar-sa, my temper it got wild,
Is chuir mi gu sgapadh iad, along the banks of Clyde.
Fhuair mi grèim air gàrlach dhiubh, I swung him round my head,
Is thilg mi leud na sràide e, they picked him up half-dead.

Thàinig sin am poileasman, a splendid man was he,
Duine gast' is spèisealta belonging to Portree.
Thuirt e riumsa, "Òganaich, o what is all this row?
Chaidh àsan riumsa connsachadh, and I will tell you how."

Thòisich mi ri innse dha, he'd heard the like before,
Is rinn e fead ri chompanach, who stood at the pub door.
Thug e mach a leabhar, [and pretended down to] write,
Mar thòisich Iain Dòmhnallach 's na Lowlanders to fight.

'S bha nàire mhòr is mì-ghean orm, to be in such a fix,
Ach thuirt e, "Bhon is Gàidheal thu, you'll have to stop your tricks."
Gu cinnteach ma nì thu leithid gu bràth, just treat them with disdain,
Oir gu cinnteach cuiridh mi thu sàs, if you do the like again.

Thug mi taing gu cridheil dha, and went upon my way,
Tha iomadh bliadhn' on làithean ud, 's mi an Glasgow to this day.
'S aithne dhomh gach cùil a th' ann, I know my Glasgow well,
Ann an coibhneas mòr rim choimhearsnaich I never more shall dwell.


Iain Peatarsan (IP): Agus a bheil cuimhn' agad cà 'n cuala thu an toiseach e, a Dhonnchaidh?

DM: Ò chan eil cuimhn' a'm cà 'n cuala mi e. Cha chreid mi nach e Eairdsidh Sgitheanach a bh' aig a' chidhe a bhiodh ga ghabhail, no cuideigin mar sin.

IP: Ò seadh. Agus tha thu a' smaoineachadh gur e òran... gur e fear Sgitheanach a rinn e?

DM: Tha mi a' smaoineachadh gur e Sgitheanach a rinn e. Chan eil mi uabhasach cinnteach, ach tha mi a' smaoineachadh gur e Sgitheanach a rinn e.

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good