Outlander: Gradh Geal Mo Chridhe

 Leggi in italiano

In the “Outlander” book  Diana Gabaldon narrates the journey through time of Claire Randall who, crossing a circle of stones near Inverness (Scotland), is magically catapulted two hundred years back in the mid-eighteenth century. Runned into some highlanders, she is taken to Castel Leoch  to meet the chief clan, Colum McKenzie.

In the evening entertainment the Welsh bard Gwyllyn (Gillebrìde MacMillan) performs two song “The Woman of Balnain” and “Gradh Geal Mo Chridhe” (Fair love of my Heart)  a scottish slow air in which a man is heartbroken after being forsaken by the girl he loves, rearranged  by Marjorie Kennedy-Fraser as Eriskay Love Lilt  because she listened the gaelic song at Eriskay.

Bheir Mi Ò/Gradh Geal Mo Chridhe

Bheir mi o hua ho,  the original version 
Contributors – Marion MacInnes  from Tobar Dualchais
Summary – This is a love song in which a man remembers how he used to meet the girl he loved. His love for her has made him very sad. He is not yet married but hopes he will be. He promises that he will work hard, so that the couple can have what they need. Permission from her family is needed, but her agreement is more important than anything else.
Ishbel MacAskill in Sioda 1994 (II, IV, V, VI)
Alison Helzer & Tonn Nua in Carolan’s Welcome,  2010 ( I, IV, V)

This version is the most realistic one, linked to the hard life on the island of Eriskay: here the man puts the strength of his arms at the disposal of the woman he loves, promising her that he will take care of her and will never let her lack anything; but the woman cannot decide to marry him or perhaps she has left him and the man suffers terribly.

English translation
Chorus:
Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
I am sad and you are not with me
I
Many nights wet and cold
I took a trip all by myself
Until I reached the place
Where my heart’s bright love was.
II
On turning to the glen
My heart was enthralled
Since you did not give me your hand
I thought you wouldn’t leave me
III
There’s no music in my harp
My fingers knew naught but pain,
Then your kiss, made me wounded
Brought song to my life again.
IV
I would plow for you and reap
I’d support you and you’d want for nothing
I would take from the hard gravel
A living for my love
V
Although we are not yet married
I hope we will be
As long as there is strength in my two fists
We will want for nothing
VI
You left my eye tearful
You left my heart broken
You left me with a sickly pallor
My hair is thinned
Scottish gaelic
Sèist:
Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
Bheir mi ò hu ò hì
Bheir mi ò hu ò hò
‘S mi fo bhròn ‘s tu gam dhìth
I
‘S iomadh oidhche fliuch is fuar,
Ghabh mi cuairt is mi leam fhìn;
Gus an d’ ràinig mi an t-àite
Far robh gràdh geal mo chridh’.
II
‘N àm bhith cromadh ris a’ghleann
Thàinig snaidhm air mo chridh’
Bho nach d’thug thu dhomh do làmh
‘S mi’n dùil nach fhàgadh tu mi
III
Na mo chlàrsach cha robh ceòl,
Na mo mheòirean cha robh àgh,
Rinn do phòg-sa mo leòn,
Fhuair mi eòlas air dàn.
IV
Dhèanainn treabhadh dhuit is buan
Chumainn suas thu gun dìth
Bheirinn as a’ ghreabhal chruaidh
Do mo luaidh teachd an tìr
V
Ged nach eil sinn fhathast pòsd’
Tha mi’n dòchas gum bi
Fhad’ ‘s a mhaireas mo dhà dhòrn
Cha bhith lòn oirnn a dhìth
VI
Dh’fhàg thu sìlteach mo shùil
Dh’fhàg thu tùrsach mo chridh’
Dh’fhàg thu tana-glas mo shnuadh
‘S thug thu ghruag bhàrr mo chìnn

IRISH VERSION

The Irish version of the song is from Rathlin Island, a transposition from the Scottish Gaelic

english translation Kay McCarthy
Carry me over Oro van O 
Carry me over Oro van O
Carry me over
I’m  miserable and missing you.
II
Many a night both wet and cold
I wandered by myself
Until I came to this place
Wherein dwelt the love of my heart
II
In my   harp there was no music
In my fingers there was no power
Until you announced your intention
And I got to know my destiny
Irish gaelic
Bheir mí ó, óró bhean ó
Bheir mí ó, óró bhean í,
Bheir mí óró óhó,
Tá mé brónach, ‘s tú im’ dhíth.
I
‘S iomaí oíche fliuch is fuar
Thug mé cuairt is mé liom féin,
Nó go ráinig mé san áit
Mar a raibh stór gheal mo chléibh.
II
I mo chláirseach ní raibh ceol,
I mo mheoraigh ní raibh brí,
Nó gur luaigh tú do rún,
‘S d’fhuair mé eolas ar mo dhán.
Condon O’ Connor
Na Casaidigh in Irish Childhood Songs 2012

LINK
http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/cormack/gradh.htm
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=31628
http://ingeb.org/songs/vairmeor.html
http://www.celticlyricscorner.net/macaskill/gradh.htm
https://www.seaboardgaidhlig.com/2016/11/10/2016-an-t-samhain-gradh-geal-mo-chridh-eriskay-love-lilt-am-mod-nov-2016/

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Pubblicato da Cattia Salto

Amministratore e folklorista di Terre Celtiche Blog. Ha iniziato a divulgare i suoi studi e ricerche sulla musica, le danze e le tradizioni d'Europa nel web, dapprima in maniera sporadica e poi sempre più sistematicamente sul finire del anni 90

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