Lyrics Capercaillie

Capercaillie

Eilean a'Cheo

Ged tha mo cheann air liathadh,

Le deuchainnean is bron,

Is grian mo leth-cheud bliadhna

Air ciaradh fo na neoil;

Tha m' aigne air an lionadh

Le iarrtas tha ro mhor,

A dh'fhaicinn Eilean Sgiathach

Na siantanan 's a' cheo.

Tha corr 's da fhichead bliadhna

Bho'n thriall mi uait gam' dheoin.

'S a chuir mi sios mo lion

Ann am meadhon baile mhoir;

Is ged a fhuair mi iasgair

A lion mo thaigh le stor,

Bu chuimhneachail mi riamh ort

'S bu mhiann leam bhi 'nad choir.

Ach co aig a bheil cluasan

No cridh' tha gluasad beo,

Nach seinneadh leam an duan seo

Mu'n truaigh' a thainig oirnn?

Na milltean a chaidh fhuadach

Thar chuain gun chuid, 's gun choir,

Tha miann an cridh' 's an smuaintean

Air Eilean uain' a' Cheo.

Nis, cuimhnichibh ur cruadal,

Is cumaibh suas ur srol;

Gu'n teid an roth mu'n cuairt duibh

Le neart is cruas nan dorn;

Gum bi bhur crodh air buailtean

'S gach tuathanach air doigh;

'S na Sas'nnaich air am fuadach

A Eilean uain' a' Cheo.

The Misty Isle (Skye)

Although my head has greyed

With forgetfulness and sadness,

And the sun of my fifty years

Has darkened under the clouds;

My thoughts are filled

With a great desire,

To see the Isle of Skye

The elements and the mist.

It is more than forty years

Since I left you willingly,

And I put down my roots

In the middle of the city;

And although I married a fisherman

Who filled my house with wealth,

You are forever in my mind

And I long to be in your shelter.

But who has ears,

Or a heart which beats with life

Who will not sing this song with me

About the hardship which has befallen us?

The thousands who were cleared

Deprived of their belongings and their rights,

The desires of their hearts and their thoughts

Are on the "Green Isle of the Mist".

Now remember your hardship,

And keep your banner flying;

For the wheel (of change) will not go round for you

Without strength and hardness of fist;

Your cattle will be in their folds,

And every farmer will be happy -

And the English would be ousted

From the "Green Isle of the Mist".