Dunvegan Posted April 23, 2001 Report Share Posted April 23, 2001 what can you tell me about the song "Morag of Dunvegan"? I am trying to find out the history behind the song....what it commemorates and who Morag was...if he was a McLeod...a laird of the castle or what have you...do you know where I could find out? thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacCeol Posted April 23, 2001 Report Share Posted April 23, 2001 i can't tell you about the rest of it, but generally morag is a woman's name and a fairly common (and old) one at that. have a good day all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mairead Posted April 23, 2001 Report Share Posted April 23, 2001 Well, Morag is a name given girls rather than boys, so that's a start. Let me look in some of my old books tonite and I'll see what I can find? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunvegan Posted April 24, 2001 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2001 do you know if it has lyrics? THANKS! you're a PAL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mairead Posted April 24, 2001 Report Share Posted April 24, 2001 As I suspected, Mòrag à Dùn-Bheagain was a composed song that's now passed into the tradition ---and I can understand why: it sounds very much a trad 'Western Isles love song', to me. It was written by Catriona Dhughlas (1893-1965) of Skye. Cailin òg dha'n tug mi luaidh Air mo bhuadhan fhuair i buaidh, 'S gus an càirear mi 's an uaigh Molaidh mi mo Mhòrag. (refrain) Ho bhan 's na ho bhan o, Ho bhan 's na hi ho ro, Ho bhan 's na ho bhan o, 'S mìlse leam mo Mhòrag. Nuair bheir mi sgrìob gu Port an Dùin Chi mi h-iomhaigh anns gach flùr, 'S bidh na h-eòin a' brìodal rium 'S iad sìor-mholadh Mòraig. 'S nuair a shèideas mi pìob-mhor Mar bu nòs is mar bu chòir Bidh gach ceòl a théid troimh m' mhèoir A' sìor-mholadh Mòraig. Togaidh mise do mo ghràdh Bothan beag ri taobh na tràgh, 'S an Dùn-bheagain nan seòid 's nam flath'n Pòsaidh mi mo Mhòrag. KYE-leen oge da'n too mi LOO-ay Air mo VOO-akan FOO-air i BOO-aykh SGUSS an KYE-rear mee SAN oo-aykh MO-lay MEE mo VO-rek HO vahns na HO vahn o HO vahns na HEE ho row HO vahns na HO vahn o SMEEL-sheh LEEam mo VO-rek NOO-air VAY-eer mee sgrief goo Port an Doon CHEE mee YOH-vaykh ANNS gatch FLURE SBEE na EY-OH-in a BREE-odal REE-um SEEad SHUR-volah MO-rake SNOO-air a SHAYdeyas MEE peep-vor MAR boo NOS is MAR boo CHOeer BEE gatch KAYol a HAYeed TRO VAYoeer AH shure VOlay MO-rake. TOWgay MEEsheh DO mo khrah BOWan BAYak ree CHOWff na TRAH SHAN doon VAYgayin nan SHEOHid snam FLAHn POsay MEE mo VO-rek. Hope that helps. Where'd you run across it? It really is a lovely wee song. (My pronunciation is not the best [understatement of the year ] and the Gaelic doesn't lend itself to pronouncable transliteration anyway, so don't be surprised if native speakers wince and correct you. Don't hesitate to blame me. ) [This message has been edited by Mairead (edited 04-23-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunvegan Posted April 25, 2001 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2001 Originally posted by Mairead:As I suspected, Mòrag à Dùn-Bheagain was a composed song that's now passed into the tradition ---and I can understand why: it sounds very much a trad 'Western Isles love song', to me. It was written by Catriona Dhughlas (1893-1965) of Skye. GREAT, Mairead....but can you translate that into ENGLISH please? [This message has been edited by Dunvegan (edited 04-25-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mairead Posted April 25, 2001 Report Share Posted April 25, 2001 er, translate what? Mòrag à Dùn-Bheagain is Morag from Dunvegan; Catriona Dhughlas is Catherine Douglas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunvegan Posted April 25, 2001 Author Report Share Posted April 25, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Mairead: er, translate what? Mòrag à Dùn-Bheagain is Morag from Dunvegan; Catriona Dhughlas is Catherine Douglas. the lyrics....could you translate them...so I know what the song is about? pretty please???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Posted April 26, 2001 Report Share Posted April 26, 2001 (chuckling to myself) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Aaron Posted April 26, 2001 Report Share Posted April 26, 2001 Is that a fiddle tune? Where did you find those lyrics and what language is that? Kyle Aaron [This message has been edited by mark (edited 04-26-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mairead Posted April 26, 2001 Report Share Posted April 26, 2001 I'm sorry, my brains weren't working, of course that's what you would have meant You'd probably get a better and faster translation from someone else, though. My Gaelic really isn't the best, and I'm not at all a poet. Basically it's a man telling how he's really captivated by his sweetie, Morag. No matter what he's doing, travelling, playing the pipes, everything seems to remind him of her. And he's looking forward to being able to marry her and live in Dunvegan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunvegan Posted April 27, 2001 Author Report Share Posted April 27, 2001 Mairead....where can I get a direct translation? word for word? are there any sites you know about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D.H.Parker Posted April 27, 2001 Report Share Posted April 27, 2001 Dunvegan, try this: http://www.ingeb.org/songs/dunvegan.html I don't know if it's word for word, but there is a translation. [This message has been edited by D.H.Parker (edited 04-27-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunvegan Posted April 28, 2001 Author Report Share Posted April 28, 2001 THANKS everyone....I got it...2 translations, as a matter of fact..... I really appreciate the help...for obvious reasons I am trying to track down any songs that refer to the McLeod clan, the isle of skye, or Dunvegan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel Posted April 30, 2001 Report Share Posted April 30, 2001 As my mother-in-law's name is Morag, it must have been my father-in-law who played the pipes and sang that song. Now, I don't know what happened to living in Dunvegan, how the heck did they end up in Canada??? Laurel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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