Celtic Lyrics Corner > Artists & Groups > Ishbel MacAskill > Essentially Ishbel > Canan Nan Gaidheal

   
Essentially Ishbel Canan Nan Gaidheal
   
Credits: Murdo MacFarlane; arranged by Ishbel MacAskill & Andy Thorburn
   
Appears On: Essentially Ishbel
   
Language: Gàidhlig (Scottish Gaelic)
   
Other Versions: "Canan Nan Gaidheal" by Gaelic Women on the Ar Cànan 'S Ar Ceòl compilation
"Cànan Nan Gàidheal" by Catherine-Ann MacPhee on the Scotland The Real compilation
"Cànan Nan Gaidheal" on Tannas' album Oighreachd
   

Lyrics: English Translation:
   
Cha b'e sneachda 's an reothadh o thuath It wasn't the northern snow or frost
Cha b'e an crannadh geur fuar on ear Nor the sharp, withering east wind
Cha b'e an t-uisge 's na gaillionn on iar Nor rain and westerly storms
Ach an galar a bhlian on deas But the plague that came from the south
Blàth, duilleach, stoc agus freumh To blight blossom, leaf, stalk and root
Cànan mo threubh is mo shluaidh The language of my people and my race
   
Sèist: Chorus (after each verse):
Thig thugainn, thig cò' ruim gu siar Come to us, come with me to the west
Gus an cluinn sinn ann cànan nam Fèinn And hear the language of heroes
Thig thugainn, thig cò' ruim gu siar Come to us, come with me to the west
Gus an cluinn sinn ann cànan nan Gàidheal And hear the language of the Gael
   
Nuair chithear fear fèilidh 's a' ghleann If a kilted man would be seen in the glen
Bu chinnteach gur Gàidhlig a chainnt Certainly Gaelic was his language
Nuair spìon iad a fhreumh às an fhonn Then they tore his roots from the land
An àite Gàidhlig tha cànan a' Ghoill And replaced Gaelic with the language of the Lowlander
Is Ghaidhealtachd creadhal nan sonn And the Highlands, once the cradle of the brave
'S tìr "mhajors" is "cholonels" 'n-diugh innt' Is now a land of foreign majors and colonels
   
Thoir a-nuas dhuinn na coinnleirean òir Bring out the golden candlesticks
'S annta càraibh na coinnlean geal, cèir And set up the white-wax candles
Lasaibh suas iad an seòmar a' bhròin Light them in the room of mourning
Taigh aire seann chànan a' Ghàidheil Hold a wake for the ancient tongue of the Gael
Se siud o chionn fhad' thuirt an nàmh That is what the enemy once said
Ach fhathast tha beò cànan a' Gàidheal But the language of the Gael lives on
   
Ged a theich i le a beath' às na glinn Though it fled for its life from the glens
Ged na cluinnear a-nis muigh i san Dùn And can no longer be heard in the Dun
O Dhùthaich Mhic Aoidh fada tuath From Mackay county far in the north
Gu ruig thu Druim Uachdair nam bò Down to Drumochter of cattle
'S iathadh nan Eileanan Siar But in the Western Isles
Si fhathast ann ciad chainnt an t-slòigh It is still the first language of the people