Hew Morrison Collection > Sar-obair nam bard gaelach, or, The beauties of Gaelic poetry

AN CIARAN MABACH.
55
Gur h-e " Port Raoghuill uidliir,"*
Mur Dach bu dligbeach is ceòl domb.
'S bochd mo naidbeacbd r'a b-innse
Ge b' e sgriobhadh i 'u tàtb-bbuinn ;
O 'n la riiin thu f'eum duine,
Gus' n do chuireadh 'sa 'n làr tbu ;
Bha mo dheas-Iamh dol sios leat.
An cladhan criche mo chràdb-shbid ;
'S mor na b' fheudar dhomh fbulaiig,
Mo bhuan fhuireach o m' bratbair.
'S bochd an ruinnlgil fhuathais,
Rug air uaislean do chairdean,
'S goirt a bhonnag a fhuair iad,
'N latha ghluaiseadh gu tàmb leat ;
Ge b'e neaeh is mo buannachd,
'N lorg luatliair a bhàis so,
'S mise pearsa 's mo tuairghe,
'Sa 'nuair so th' air t-aruinn.
Cha chuis fhanmaid mo letbid ;
'S ann tba mi 'n deigh mo spùìllidb ;
Bhuin an t-eug dhiom gu buileach,
BaiT a's iomall mo cbùirte ;
'S feudar tamailte fhulaiig,
Gun dion biiiU' air mo chùl-thaobh,
Stad mo chlaidheamh na dhuille,
'S bath dhomh fuireach r'a rùsgadh.
• Raoghul! odhar was a piper. There is a story told aliout
this worthy, to the following purpose ;— He was a great
coward ; and being in the exercise of his calling in the
battle-field one day along with his clan, he was seized
with such fear at the sight of the enemy, whom he thought
too many for his party, that he left off playing altogether,
and began to sing a most dolorous song to a lachrymose air,
8ome stanzas of which had been picked up and preserved
by his fellow soldiers ; and which, on their return from the
warthey did not fail to repeat. When an adult is seen crying
for some trifling cause, he is said to be singing 'Port
Raoghnuill uidhir," " Dun Donald's tune :" and when
a Highlander is threatening vengeance for some boisterous
and uproarious devilment which has been played otF upon
him, he will say : " Bheir misort gu seinn Ihu ' Port Raog.
huill uidhir '" ie. "I will make you sing ' Dun Ronald's
tune.'" The following are a few of the stanzas : —
" Be so an talamh mi shealbhach !
Tha gun chladach gun gharbhlach gu'n chòs ;
Anns an rachainn da'm fhalacb,
'S Bluagh gun athadb a teannadh faisg oirn.
Tha mi linn lets an eagal,
Tha mi cinnteach gur beag a bhios bed
Chi mi lasadh anjhtutair,
Chluinn mi sgat/cadb nan dù.chlach ri òrd 1
Fhuair mi gunna nach diult mi,
Fhuair mi claidheamh nach Uib ann am dhòrn,
Ach nia ni iad mo mharbhadh.
Clod a feum a ni 'n àrmacb sin dhomh-s'?
Tha mi tinn. %c.
Ged do gheibhinn.sa sealbh.
Air Ian a chaisteal de dh' airgead 's de dh-òr,
Oich ! 'ma ni iad mo mharbhadh !
Ciod a feum a ni 'n t-aiigead sin domh.s'?"
Tha mi tinn, Sjc,
Bbuin an t-eug creach gun toir dbiom
Db' aindeoin oigridb do dhùthcha ;
Dh' fhag e m' aigneadh to dhòruinn,
'S bhuail e bròg air mo cbuinneadh ;
'S trom a dh' fhuasgail e deoir dhomh,
Bu mhor mo choir air an dubladh ;
Mu cheann-uighe nan deoiribh,
Bhi fo bhòrd ann an dùnadh,
Bu deas deile mo shior-ruith,
'S gu 'm bu dionach mo chìàraidh ;
Bha mo cbala gun diobradh,
Ga mo dhion as gach sàradh' ;
Riamh gus 'n tainig an dil orm,
Dh' fhag fo mhighean gu bràth mi;
'S ard a dh' eirich an stailc-s' oim,
Chuir i as domh ma m' àirnean.
Call gun bhuinig gun bhuannacbd,
Bha ga m' ruagadh' o 'n tràth sin ;
Cha b' i 'n iomairt gun fhuathas,
Leis 'u do ghluais mi mar chearrach ;
'N cluich a shaoil mi bhi 'm buannachd,
Dh' fhaoite ghluasad air tàileasg ;
Thainig goin a's cur suas orm,
'S tha fear fuar dhomh na t-àite.
O 'n chaidh maill' air mo fhradharc,
'S nach taoghail mi 'n ard-bheann ;
Chuir mi cul ris an fhiadhach,
Pong cha n' iarr mi air clàrsaich ;
Mo cheol laidhe a's eiridh,
M' osnadh gheur air bheag tàbhachd ;
Fad mo re bidh mi 'g acain,
Mbeud 'sa chleachd mi dheth t-àilleas.
Ach dleasaidh faighidinn furtacbd,
Nach faic thu chuisle ga luaithead ;
Air fear na teasaich 'sa 'n fhiabhrais,
'S gearr mu shioladh a bhruaidlein ;
Muir a dh' eireas ga bhraisead,
Ni fear math beairte dh' i suaineach ;
Ach e dh' iomairt gu tapaidh,
Ceann da shlait thuig a's uaitbe.
'Nuair a bha mi am ghille,
'S mi 'n ciad iomairt Sbir Seumus,
Mar ri comhlan dheth m' chinneadh,
Seoladh air spinneig do dh' Eirinn ;
'S ann aig I Chalum Chille,
Ghabh mi giorrag mu d' dheighinn ;
Chain thu Ian mèise feodair.
Air do shròin do 'n fliuil ghlè dhearg.
Luchd a chaitheadh nan cuaintean,
'S moch a ghluaiseadh gu surdail,
Le 'n àlach chalpannan cruaidhe,
Bu bheag roimh' 'n fhuaradh an curam ;