"Mairis Wedding"

No personal notes.

This song was originally written in Gaelic (hence the Gaelic version of Mary in the title) by Johnny Bannerman of Glasgow in 1935 for his friend Mary McNiven, just a year after she had won the 'Mod'* gold medal for singing. The tune was the traditional 'Lewis Bridal Song', named after the Hebridean 'Isle of Lewis'. It was translated into english the following year by Sir Hugh Robertson. Apparently she wasn't getting married at the time - it was just a song... she wasn't actually married until 6 years later - to Skye-born sea captain John Campbell.

*The Mod (actually, the "Royal National Mod" is Scotland's Gaelic festival, held every October since 1892, at a different location each time. It is competition-based, celebrating the Gaelic language through music, dance, drama, art and literature.

Some defintitions; a 'sheiling' is the name given to a country dwelling, usually of the single-level thatched type, in the Scottish highlands and Islands. Such buildings were typically used by shepherds while their flock was in the upper pastures during the summer months. 'Rowans' are, of course, berries from the Rowan tree (Mountain Ash in N. America).

The original Gaelic Lyrics;

Màiri Bhàn
Fonn: Mairi's Wedding

Séist   'S i mo ghaol-sa Màiri Bhàn
        Màiri bhòidheach sgeul mo bhain
        Gaol mo chridh'-sa Màiri Bhàn
        'S tha mi 'dol 'ga pòsadh
 
1   Thuit mi ann an gaol an raoir
    Bha mo chridhe shuas air beinn
    Màiri Bhàn ri m' thaobh a' seinn
    Tha mi 'dol 'ga pòsadh
 
2   Cuailean òir is suilean tlàth,
    Mala chaol is gruaidh an àigh,
    Beul as binne sheinneas dàn,
    'S tha mi dol 'ga pòsadh
	3   'S ann aig céilidh aig a' Mhòd
    Fhuair mi eòla air an òigh'
    'S ise choisinn am Bonn Òir
    'S tha mi dol 'ga pòsadh
 
4   Bi mo ghaol do Mhàiri Bhàn
    Dìleas, dùrachach gu bràth
    Seinnidh sinn d'a chéil' ar gràdh
    'S tha mi dol 'ga pòsadh

...and the lyrics we know;

MAIRI'S WEDDING
(Johnny Bannerman, trans. Sir Hugh Robertson)

cho: 
Step we gaily, off we go
Heel for heel and toe for toe,
Arm in arm and row on row,
All for Mairi's wedding.

Over hillways up and down
Myrtle green and bracken brown,
Past the sheiling through the town
All for sake of Mairi.

Red her cheeks as rowans are,
Bright her eyes as any star,
Fairest o' them all by far
Is our darling Mairi.

Plenty herring, plenty meal,
Plenty peat to fill her creel,
Plenty bonnie bairns as weel
That's the toast for Mairi.