Finding Gaelic Songs Workshop

This workshop was designed in response to the feedback from community language instructors and to better assist those who are interested in developing lesson plans based on Gaelic song. The session was delivered by key members of the Language in Lyrics team: Dr. Heather Sparling, Màiri Britton, and Mary Jane Lamond.

• Lesson objective: Participants will be able to search for Gaelic songs to be used in their teaching by using a variety of resources at the end of the session

Case Study One: “Ged a Sheòl Mi air M’ Aineol” through the Beaton Institute

1. Search via Unity in Diversity Webpage (Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University)

• Great resource for songs popular in Cape Breton
• “Ged a Sheòl Mi air M’Aineol”
  • Note basic background, lyrics, translation, PDF of lyrics, PDF of music notation
  • Audio recordings used to be available until Flash no longer supported
  • Note “T” number (T-3203), located at the bottom of the song summary

2. Search via Beaton Archives (Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University)

• Search for T-3203 on beatoninstitute.com

• T-3203 doesn’t come up as it hasn’t been added to the online collection yet. However, it can be requested directly from the Beaton Institute by contacting Archivist Jane Arnold (jane_arnold@cbu.ca)

• Search for “ged a sheol” in beatoninstitute.com
  • Multiple records are found
  • The first record displayed is MG 6.62. Ignore records beginning with MG; this is “manuscript group,” not recordings
  • Focus on items marked with a T (for tape):
    • T-609 – CHER Radio Failte ‘s Furan — seems to include a recording of the North Shore Gaelic Singers but no audio or video file listed in the “notes” field
    • T-215 – there are audio files but the song title is misspelled “Ged tha sheol” — you need to search for the song in one long audio file (and have to figure out whether the song is on Side A or Side B)
    • T-3021 — unusually, the audio file has been divided into individual tracks each of which are labelled — but there is a mislabel here — “Ged a Sheol” is actually track A3, not A2 (as indicated)
  • When playing the the recording, there are three dots on the right-hand side that will allow you to download the file

Case Study Two: Puirt-a-beul

• Puirt-a-beul are useful for memorizing

• You can use the Language in Lyrics spreadsheet for The Cape Breton Gaelic Folklore Collection – online transcription frolic to find puirt-a-beul from the Cape Breton Folklore Collection (Sruth nan Gàidheal / Gaelstream) 

1. Tha Fionnladh ag innearachd from Isabelle MacIsaac on Gael Stream / https://thesession.org/tunes/10897 
2. Mór Nighean a’ Ghiobalain on Gael Stream / Traditional Tune Archive

• Example of Puirt with Joe Neil MacNeil and Doug MacPhee Beaton Institute 

Published resources for puirt-a-beul: 

• K.N. MacDonald
• Play it like you-sing-it-volume-2, Barry Shears
• An Rubha can sometimes contain puirt-a-beul

Case Study Three: MacTalla

Finding alternative versions of a song and transcriptions. Tha Mo Rùn air a’ Ghille is a very common song but with many different versions, including a version composed in Nova Scotia, and is used as an example in this search. In this example alternate versions and transcriptions are found. 

• Search the Language in Lyrics Clàr nan Òran and in MacTalla there are found 3 versions (Ceit Mhunn NS0231166)
• Keyboard search shortcuts: Cmd+F (Mac) or Ctrl+F (Windows)
• Be cautious that spelling is not always consistent when doing your search. For example, the use of an apostrophe while searching may not locate titles lacking an apostrophe.
• Hyperlinks available to the text volume of MacTalla, which were uploaded by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
• Sometimes recordings of these songs can be found using The Cape Breton Gaelic Folklore Collection – online transcription frolic.
• Also see: The Gaelic bards from 1825 to 1875, p. 48
• Cross reference with: 
  • Lauchie MacLellan (Lachlainn Dhòmhnaill Nìll) – Sruth nan Gàidheal (GF043i03_044i01), transcription in Brìgh an Òrain
  • Johnny Williams, Melford – An Drochaid / Sruth nan Gàidheal (GF226i01)
  • Margaret MacLean, Boisdale (Mairead Bean Ruairidh Iagain Ruairidh)
  • Also in Diversity in Unity Collection (Sandy Campbell)

Group Discussion: Where do you get the songs that you use in your teaching?

• HDSG Audio archive This is the audio archive of DASG and contains many recordings made in Nova Scotia. Each recording contains a transcription and the words appear on the screen as the recording is playing. 
• DASG Corpus page: This page lists all the texts in the corpus. Each text is a link to an information page where, if it is available, one can find a link to a PDF/Text file. Only the oldest publications are available in this form. Mary Jane Lamond has also attached a list that we made of digitized texts in DASG that are relevant to the LiL project.
• Frances Tolmie Collection
• Beaton Institute
• Folksongs and folklore of South Uist
• Beyond the Hebrides
• Leabhar nan Caimbeulach – Fonn
• Brìgh an Òrain
• Fuaran (Fèisean nan Gàidheal) https://www.feisean.org/fuaran/gd/orain/
• Tobar an Dualchais https://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/
• An Drochaid Eadarainn http://www.androchaid.com/search-androchaid/8 (Song list)
• Cainnt Mo Mhàthar http://cainntmomhathar.com/speaker_s/sp/2/l/e/ – Nos ‘s Fonn (Style and Melody)
• Cluais ri Claisneachd https://dasg.ac.uk/audio/about/crc/en
• BBC Bliadhna nan Òran http://www.bbc.co.uk/alba/oran/orain/list/a_u/
• Cape Breton Folklore Collection Sruth nan Gaidheal https://stfx.cairnrepo.org/islandora/object/stfx%3Agaelstream
• Rosemary McCormack’s book for children
• KC Craig
• Commercial CDs
• Gordon MacLennan Collection
• Sidney Robertson Cowell CD
• An t-Oranaiche – Sìol Cultural Enterprises published a version with a CD with some of the songs sung by Nova Scotians. Great way to get the melodies.
• Songs of Gaelic Scotland by Anne Lorne Gillies
• North Shore Gaelic Singers CD
• Òr Cheap Breatainn
• Songs I’ve heard at céilidhean or milling frolics
• Sabhal Mòr Ostaig resources
• Book: Eilean Fraoich
• Celtic Lyrics Corner
• MacEdward Leach collection https://www.mun.ca/folklore/leach/index.html
• SMO song lyrics http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/en/rannsachadh/leabharlann/na-h-ealain/
• CB Gaelic Society’s binder of songs All numbered. There’s an index. Some older learners may have copies