DASG Blog

Òrain nam Mathan ann an Alba Nuadh

I come "bear"ing great tidings! It was Canada's national day recently and we have been celebrating the special day for our friends and family over in Canada publishing songs recorded in Nova Scotia that we have in out audio archive, Cluas ri Claisneachd. I found a local song that was humorous going by the name “Òran a’ Mhathain”, and after doing a bit more research I recognised that there was a load of them going by the name “Òran a’ Mhathain”. They were all different and respectively interesting and I would like to collect them all in a blog for you all, looking at the poets that composed the songs and to celebrate the special, lovely topic that just as well: The bear itself.

1. Òran a’ Mhathain – Uilleam mac Ghilleasbuig, Catalone.
William was a notable and industrious bard. He lived in Catalone, close to Lousibourg. He was completely-full of songs and it is said that the songs that he wrote were kept in a barrel in his own home. Unfortunately his house went ablaze and many of his songs were lost as well with the house. William was well-known and renowned for putting local events to song, embarrassing some of the people that were laughing-stocks in accordance to their idiocy.
The song is about a bear that disturbs others on the Brickyard road in Mira. Uilliam gives verses showing the opinions of others about the bear, many of them bad and disparaging. Sometimes he is very sarcastic representing their respective opinions, satirising both the bear and the people who are afraid of it!:
“E ho ro mo Mhàiri
‘S tu mo Mhàiri ghrinn,
E ho ro mo Mhàiri
‘S tu mo Mhàiri ghrinn,
E ho ro mo Mhàiri
‘S tu mo Mhàiri ghrinn,
Màiri laghach bòidheach
Rugadh anns na glinn.
 
Cha b’ e idir Màiri
Na ceann fada bhuam
Ach am beathach grannda
Tha ’n dràsda mun cuairt;
’S ann tha ’d riumsa ’g ràdha
Gun d’ thàinig e bhon tuath,
’Steach o chùl Beinn Dhòmhnaill
Gu àit’ Iain ’ic Dhòmhnaill Ruaidh.
 
’S ann bha bilean bàn air
Mollain àrda cruinn,
Cluasan biorach dàna
Air àrainn a chinn;
Earball goirid geairrte
Ceathramh slàn man druim,
Ceathramh deiridh a’s e
Màgach man leth-chinn.
 
Sin a ghearain Màiri
“’S e mathan a th’ ann,
Beathach sligeach grannda
Nach dèan car ach call;
Cha bhi caor’ air fearnn
Coineanach an gleann
Nach bi ruith sa’ gearain
’S e cho dealach thall...”

More can be read, and the rest of the song, on the Language and Lyrics. The song can be heard on the Sruth nan Gàidheal record, sung by Uilleam Illeasbuig, with St. Francis Xavier University: Òran a’ Mhathain.
 
2. Òran a’ Mhathain – Ailean ‘An Rids’ Dòmhnallach, Mabou, Ceap Breatainn.
This song is different from the first one because the bard shows the view and feeling of the bear itself: its fear, its sadness, its anxiety of humans. Althought it is frightening for us to be surrounded with bears it's them who are fearful of us. The song does great work to show us that:
“Is moch sa mhadainn rinn mi triall
Lem chuilbhear gun fhiaradh agam;
Ràna’ mi fear dubh nan spòg
’S e na thòrr air taobh an rathaid.
Gun tàna’ mi sin cho dlùth
Is cha robh ùin’ aig’ air dhol fairis;
Dh’inns e gach car chuir e riamh dheth
Bhon a thriall e às a’ gharaidh.

O challan hòro
Challan laigh is eilir
Hòro challan

Bha siud agam ceathrar bhràithrean
Ged tha pàirt dhiubh nach eil maireann;
Fear dhiubh Laraidh agus Fearchar
Fhuaradh marbh iad fo na maidean.
Chan eil sgeul againn air Fionnlagh,
Mura bheil e ’n grunnd na maise.
Tha sinn gan iarraidh ’s gan ionndrainn
Bràithrean mo rùin nach tig dhachaigh.

O challan hòro
Challan laigh is eilir
Hòro challan

Mìle marbhphaisg air an t-sluagh
Tha an-dràst’ air uachdar an fhearainn.
Nàirich iad mi leis na breugan
Gum bithinn ag òl a’ bhainne.
Chan eil iad airson mo sheòrsa-sa
Bhith tighinn an còir an fhearainn
Bidh iad a’ faotainn an-còmhnaidh
Làrach mo spòig anns an talamh...”

The entire song can be heard and read on our recording in Cluas ri Claisneachd: Òran a’ Mhathain.

3. Òran a’ Mhathain – Aonghas Caimbeul a’ Mhonaidh, Ceann a’ Bhràighe, Na Cùlaibh Deas. [Salmon River]
The bard and his family had livestock of sheep and cattle before the bear came and stole his sheep. It would be difficult getting rid of it without a gun because many people at the time did not have guns but a man who was called "Ràghall Òg". He had a plan to say to all the neighbours who had sheep to put them all together in a fang for the night so they could entice the bear to them. They did just that and in the night, with Ràghnall Òg waiting with his gun, the bear came, and as soon as he saw it trying to creep into the fang Ràghnall òg let out two shots into him and he died. After the bard, Aonghas Caimbeul a' Mhonaidh, heard the news he composed the song that follows: 
Gura mis’ tha fo mhìghean,
’S mi ’nam shìneadh ’sa lòn;
’S mi cho teann air taigh Mhìcheil,
Ag éisdeachd pìobadh MhacLeòid.
E fhéin ’na thòireadh ’s ’na dheannaibh,
Tighinn ’gam fheannadh ’s mi beò;
Ma thug mi bhuaidh-sa ’n gamhainn
Cha robh e reamhar gu leòr.
 
’S e Raghnall Òg leis na caran
A rinn mo mhealladh ron àm;
Nuair dh’fhalbh e ’s a’ mhadainn,
Bu mhór aisling mu’m chall.
Cha bu chòir dha bhith gearain
Nach tug mi a’ bhean bhuaidh’ ’s a chlann;
Ach ma chaidh mi dhan bhàthaich
’S daor a phàigh mi g’a chionn.
 
Truagh nach mise bha dlùth riut
Nuair chaidh ’m fùdar ’na cheò;
Nuair a thog thu ri d’shùil i
B’ e do dhùrachd mo leòn.
Gun tugainn ort leis na dubhain
Mhóra dhubha nam spòig;
Gun geàrrainn dhìot-sa na làmhan
Air do chnamhan is fheòil.
 
Gura mise tha fo mhìghean
’S bochd m’uirsgeul ri sheinn;
Truagh nach robh mi trì mile bhuat
Mun d' dhìrich thu ’bheinn.
Le’d ghunna dùbailt ’s le’d chrios
Mharbh thu mise le foil;
’S ann le solus na gealaich’
A thilg thu fairis mi ’n raoir.”

The song can be read in the Cape Breton magazine: Cape Breton Magazine. The song can be heard on "Soundcloud" by the Beaton Institute: Òran a’ Mhathain.

I will stop with the songs we have here. I have heard there are more of them but if I have left out some from this blog let us know on facebook, twitter and our website.