DESCRIPTION:
Performing in Vancouver, 2015.
Traditional Scottish Gaelic song credited to the wife of Griogal Cridhe on his untimely death at the hands of her family of clan Campbell.
Often sung as a lullaby, a soothing air with a heart wrenching history.


GRIOGAL CRIDHE

'S iomadh oidhche fhliuch is thioram,
Sìde nan seachd sian,
Gheibheadh Griogal dhòmhsa creagan
Ris an gabhainn dion.

Obhan, obhan, obhan iri
Obhan iri O!
Obhan, obhan, obhan iri,
'S mòr mo mhulad, 's mòr.

Dhìrich mi dhan t-seòmar mhullaich,
'S theirinn mi'n taigh làir,
'S cha d'fhuair mise Griogal cridhe
'Na shuidhe mu 'n chlàr.

Obhan ...

Eudail mhòir a shluaigh an Domhain
Dhòirt iad d'fhuil an dè,
'S chuir iad do cheann air stob daraich,
Tacan beag bho d' chrè

Obhan ...

B' annsa bhi le Griogal cridhe,
Teàrnadh chruidh 's a' ghleann,
No le Baran Mòr na Dalach,
Sioda geal mu m' cheann.

Obhan ...

Chan eil ùbhlan idir agam
'S ùbhlan uil' aig càch,
'S ann tha m'ubhal cùbhraidh caineal
'Cùl a' chinn ri làr.

Obhan ...

Nuair bhios mnathan òg a' bhaile
Nochd nan cadal sèimh,
'S ann bhios mise air bruaich do lice,
Bualadh mo dhà làimh.

Obhan ...
GREGOR DARLING

Many a rainy night or dry,
The seven elements weather there
Gregor would find for me a shelter
Refuge in his care.

Obhan, obhan, obhan iri
Obhan iri O!
Obhan, obhan, obhan, iri,
So vast is my suffering.

Climbing to the upper tower
And lying on the cellar floor,
I would not find my darling Gregor,
Not then or ever more.

Obhan ...

Great darling of the "Domhainn" folk,
They split your blood yesterday,
And put your head on an oaken stake
Close to where your body lay.

Obhan ...

I would be happy with dear Gregor
Bringing cattle down through the glen,
Instead of the richest Baron of the county
White silk covering my head.

Obhan ...

I don't have an apple (sweetheart)
Though others have them all,
My sweetheart lies upon the floor
His body now embalmed.

Obhan ...

The young women of the village
Serenely sleep this eve
But I will be at your graveside,
Beating my hands on your gravestone.

Obhan ...

Notes

This song is believed to date from the 16th century composed by the wife Gregor MacGregor on his death. See Derick S. Thomson (ed.), The Companion to Gaelic Scotland, (Oxford: Basil Blackwell), 1983.