Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Mairi's Wedding

Don't worry! I'm not getting married. Believe me, if that was going to happen, you would already know about it. The Mairi's Wedding to which I refer is the song. It is a popular song, and a popular fiddle tune, known to many people. I grew up listening to the Corries sing it (of course!). Since learning Gaelic, I never supposed it to be a Gaelic song, and when I learned the song "Morag bheag" which is a wedding song, I assumed the English "Mairi's Wedding" must have been borrowed from "Morag bheag" as the tunes are similar.

But, much to my astonishment and delight, I learned today that "Mairi's Wedding" was originally written in Gaelic!

* I apologise for not being able, at a public computer, to write Gaelic words with the proper accents. Morag should have an accent over the "o" as Mairi should over the "a". I am about to type out a bunch of Gaelic words that need their accents, which I am unable to do. So I will include a link to the website where I found out all this glorious information*

So! Here it is in Gaelic:

Chorus:
'S i mo ghaol-sa Mairi Bhan
Mairi bhoidheach sgeul mo bhain
Gaol mo chridh'-sa Mairi Bhan
'S tha mi 'dol 'ga posadh.

verse 1
Thuit mi ann an gaol an raoir
Bha mo chridhe shuas air beinn
Mairi Bhan ri m' thaobh a' seinn
Tha mi 'dol 'ga posadh

verse 2
Cuailean oir is suilean tlath
Mala chaol is gruaidh an aigh
Beul as binne sheinneas dan
'S tha mi dol 'ga posadh

verse 3
S ann aig ceilidh aig a' Mhod
Fhuair mi eola air an oigh'
'S ise choisinn am Bonn Oir
'S tha mi dol 'ga posadh

vese 4
Bi mo ghaol do Mairi Bhan
Dileas, durachach gu brath
Seinnidh sinn d'a cheil' ar gradh
'S tha mi dol 'ga posadh.

see: http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Zone/6338/mairbhan.html

Like many Gaelic to English songs, the words are quite different. I'm working on all 4 verses, but the first verse, for instance, says the following:
verse 1
Last night I fell in love
My heart was up on a mountain
Fair Mairi by my side singing
I am going to marry her.

I sent this information to Donald, and he knows the Gaelic words. He says there's a woman who works at his bank named Mairi Campbell, and he often sings her "Mairi Bhan". I now intend to learn the song, as well as translating it. I am truly thrilled and excited to find this all out!
Posted by at 10:12 PM

4 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 16, 2009 at 11:16 PM

    Thanks. This is fascinating and very worth having. I'd like a paper copy of those words. Perhaps I ought to try to copy them from this. AND RONNIE. And all else! Very lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  2. SarahOctober 17, 2009 at 10:58 PM

    If we do end up naming our daughter Mairi, this will be a very special song! Do you know anywhere on the web that I can listen to it? I think the lyrics are quite beautiful - at least the ones I can read! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mairi dhubhOctober 20, 2009 at 7:20 PM

    The Corries (ha,ha!) sing it in English, very nicely too, I might add. I can sing it to you in Gaelic when you move out East! How's that?

    ReplyDelete
  4. SarahOctober 24, 2009 at 3:08 PM

    Hey, that sounds like a good deal! I'll look forward to it! :-)

    ReplyDelete

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