Lyrics
[Turas san Lochmor]
An nĂŹ a bha nam inntinn gun inns mi dhuibh an rann:
Gu falbhainn dh'aindeoin sĂŹde air sgrĂŹob do thĂŹr nan Gall,
Le baga lĂ n de chearcan agus rudan a bha gann â
Gum bithinn aig Bliadhn' Ăir ann 's gun chĂšmhnadh air an dram.
Diciadain dh'fhalbh mi casruisgt' le mo bhagaichean nam dhòrn,
A' dol a Loch nam Madadh ghabhail aiseag san Lochmor;
Bha fuachd na mo chasan-sa 's bha sneachd' air bhĂ rr nan lòn â
Cha dĂŹochuimhnich mi 'n tâallaban cho fad' 's a bhios mi beò.
Nuair rà inig mi a' cheà rdach, à rdach duine chòir
A thug aâstaigh gun dĂ il mi 's a nochd dhomh cĂ irdeas mòr,
Thug dhomh tĂŹ a b' fheĂ irrde mi ri aghaidh bhlĂ th an stòbh â
Gu seasainn fuachd nuair dh'fhà g sinn le mo chaiseart blà th 's lem chòt'.
Nuair dh'fhalbh an carbad-ola leinn 's ar nâaghaidh thoir dhan tuath,
Bha sinn greis an Cearsabhagh a' blasad air stuth cruaidh;
Gun tĂ inig Bean na Maise 's am muir geal oirre mun cuairt,
'S chanainn fhĂŹn gum b' amadan a rachadh innt' air chuan.
Nuair thog i mach gu farsainneachd, 's sinn airsnealach is sgĂŹth,
Nuair thòisich cur na mara oirnn, bu mhath a bhith air tÏr;
Bha mise mar bha cĂ ch, le spĂ irn orm a' strĂŹ â
An drama dh'òl mi 'n Cearsabhagh, bu duilich dhealaich sinn.
On earâdheas bha i sèideadh oirnn, gun choltas tighinn na b' fheĂ rr,
Bha sinn uil', oir b' fheudar dhuinn, nar sĂŹneadh air an lĂ r;
Nuair readh i sĂŹos dhan chlaisidh leinn 's am muir a' sgailceadh Ă rd,
Bha cĂšram air gach neach againn nach tilleadh i gu brĂ th.
B 'e siud an oidhche Ă nranach a bh' againn anns a' bhĂ t',
Ach rĂ inig sinn Loch Baghasdail le dĂŹon an TĂŹ as Ăird;
Thug mi leam mo bhagaichean agus thĂ rr mi Ă s a' bhĂ t' â
Chan fhanainnâsa na b' fhaid' innte ged rachainn dhan taigh-gheĂ rd!
Fhuair mi cadal socair ann an dachaigh dhaoine còir,
Aig Maiseig Ruadh, 's mo ghrà dh oirre, oir nochd i cà irdeas dhòmhs':
Guma fada slà n i, oir 's bà idheil i na dòigh
Gu gabhail ro aon Ă nranach a dh'fhĂ gadh an Lochmor.
Mun crÏochnaich mi an t-òran seo, gun inns mi dhuibh an còrr:
AâmĂ ireach thill mi dhachaigh agus botal na mo phòc;
Chruinnich sinn na cà irdean gu pà rtaidh dhe gach seòrs',
Is cha robh hâaon a thĂ inig leinn a chĂ ineadh an Lochmor!
[A Journey in the Lochmor]
I'll tell you in verse what my intention was.
Regardless of bad weather, I would pay a visit to the Lowlands,
carrying a bag full of chickens and other scarce goods.
I'd be there at New Year and there would be no stinting on whisky
Barefoot, I left on Wednesday, clutching my bags,
heading for Lochmaddy and a crossing on the Lochmor.
Snow had fallen and my feet were freezing.
It was a journey I'll never forget.
I reached the smithy, home of a good man,
who took me in and showed me great kindness.
In front of a warm stove he restored me with tea.
I was able to withstand the cold when I left with warm shoes and a coat.
The motor car left, heading north,
and we spent a while in Cearsabhagh sampling whisky.
Bean na Maise appeared through foaming seas all around and,
in my opinion, only a fool would take to sea in her.
By the time she reached open seas we were depressed and weary.
As seasickness started we longed to be ashore.
I was like the others, fighting it valiantly.
But sadly I had to part from the dram I drank in Cearsabhgh.
A south-easterly wind was blowing hard and showing no sign of abating.
We were all, of necessity, lying on the floor.
When she plunged into the trough, with seas breaking high above her,
we were all terrified that she'd never right herself again.
Despite having such a stormy night in the ship,
under the protection of the Almighty, we reached Lochboisdale.
I took my bags and escaped from the ship.
Threat of imprisonmemt wouldn't have made me stay on board.
I had a good night's sleep in dear Maiseag Ruadh's,
the home of generous, friendly people.
May she live long for the kindly welcome she gave
to at least one wanderer who deserted the Lochmor.
Before I finish this song I'll tell you the rest.
The following day I returned home with a bottle in my pocket.
Friends gathered and we had a splendid party and
no-one in the company bad-mouthed the Lochmor.
An nĂŹ a bha nam inntinn gun inns mi dhuibh an rann:
Gu falbhainn dh'aindeoin sĂŹde air sgrĂŹob do thĂŹr nan Gall,
Le baga lĂ n de chearcan agus rudan a bha gann â
Gum bithinn aig Bliadhn' Ăir ann 's gun chĂšmhnadh air an dram.
Diciadain dh'fhalbh mi casruisgt' le mo bhagaichean nam dhòrn,
A' dol a Loch nam Madadh ghabhail aiseag san Lochmor;
Bha fuachd na mo chasan-sa 's bha sneachd' air bhĂ rr nan lòn â
Cha dĂŹochuimhnich mi 'n tâallaban cho fad' 's a bhios mi beò.
Nuair rà inig mi a' cheà rdach, à rdach duine chòir
A thug aâstaigh gun dĂ il mi 's a nochd dhomh cĂ irdeas mòr,
Thug dhomh tĂŹ a b' fheĂ irrde mi ri aghaidh bhlĂ th an stòbh â
Gu seasainn fuachd nuair dh'fhà g sinn le mo chaiseart blà th 's lem chòt'.
Nuair dh'fhalbh an carbad-ola leinn 's ar nâaghaidh thoir dhan tuath,
Bha sinn greis an Cearsabhagh a' blasad air stuth cruaidh;
Gun tĂ inig Bean na Maise 's am muir geal oirre mun cuairt,
'S chanainn fhĂŹn gum b' amadan a rachadh innt' air chuan.
Nuair thog i mach gu farsainneachd, 's sinn airsnealach is sgĂŹth,
Nuair thòisich cur na mara oirnn, bu mhath a bhith air tÏr;
Bha mise mar bha cĂ ch, le spĂ irn orm a' strĂŹ â
An drama dh'òl mi 'n Cearsabhagh, bu duilich dhealaich sinn.
On earâdheas bha i sèideadh oirnn, gun choltas tighinn na b' fheĂ rr,
Bha sinn uil', oir b' fheudar dhuinn, nar sĂŹneadh air an lĂ r;
Nuair readh i sĂŹos dhan chlaisidh leinn 's am muir a' sgailceadh Ă rd,
Bha cĂšram air gach neach againn nach tilleadh i gu brĂ th.
B 'e siud an oidhche Ă nranach a bh' againn anns a' bhĂ t',
Ach rĂ inig sinn Loch Baghasdail le dĂŹon an TĂŹ as Ăird;
Thug mi leam mo bhagaichean agus thĂ rr mi Ă s a' bhĂ t' â
Chan fhanainnâsa na b' fhaid' innte ged rachainn dhan taigh-gheĂ rd!
Fhuair mi cadal socair ann an dachaigh dhaoine còir,
Aig Maiseig Ruadh, 's mo ghrà dh oirre, oir nochd i cà irdeas dhòmhs':
Guma fada slà n i, oir 's bà idheil i na dòigh
Gu gabhail ro aon Ă nranach a dh'fhĂ gadh an Lochmor.
Mun crÏochnaich mi an t-òran seo, gun inns mi dhuibh an còrr:
AâmĂ ireach thill mi dhachaigh agus botal na mo phòc;
Chruinnich sinn na cà irdean gu pà rtaidh dhe gach seòrs',
Is cha robh hâaon a thĂ inig leinn a chĂ ineadh an Lochmor!
[A Journey in the Lochmor]
I'll tell you in verse what my intention was.
Regardless of bad weather, I would pay a visit to the Lowlands,
carrying a bag full of chickens and other scarce goods.
I'd be there at New Year and there would be no stinting on whisky
Barefoot, I left on Wednesday, clutching my bags,
heading for Lochmaddy and a crossing on the Lochmor.
Snow had fallen and my feet were freezing.
It was a journey I'll never forget.
I reached the smithy, home of a good man,
who took me in and showed me great kindness.
In front of a warm stove he restored me with tea.
I was able to withstand the cold when I left with warm shoes and a coat.
The motor car left, heading north,
and we spent a while in Cearsabhagh sampling whisky.
Bean na Maise appeared through foaming seas all around and,
in my opinion, only a fool would take to sea in her.
By the time she reached open seas we were depressed and weary.
As seasickness started we longed to be ashore.
I was like the others, fighting it valiantly.
But sadly I had to part from the dram I drank in Cearsabhgh.
A south-easterly wind was blowing hard and showing no sign of abating.
We were all, of necessity, lying on the floor.
When she plunged into the trough, with seas breaking high above her,
we were all terrified that she'd never right herself again.
Despite having such a stormy night in the ship,
under the protection of the Almighty, we reached Lochboisdale.
I took my bags and escaped from the ship.
Threat of imprisonmemt wouldn't have made me stay on board.
I had a good night's sleep in dear Maiseag Ruadh's,
the home of generous, friendly people.
May she live long for the kindly welcome she gave
to at least one wanderer who deserted the Lochmor.
Before I finish this song I'll tell you the rest.
The following day I returned home with a bottle in my pocket.
Friends gathered and we had a splendid party and
no-one in the company bad-mouthed the Lochmor.