Hello,

I need some help. We love Celtic music and the sound of the Gaelic language. We do not, however, know the language. My daughter is planning to perform a traditional Gaelic song called "Ho Ro Mo Nighean Donn Bhoidheach" at our local music festival. The arrangement she has chosen is by a Canadian music group called The Rankin Family. We have the written music, Gaelic lyrics, and the Rankin Family CD "North Country" with their version of this song on it. However, none of these provides the English translation so that my daughter knows what it is she is singing, what she is expressing to her audience. We have no Gaelic contacts to do the translation. Is there any way you can help us? The music festival is very soon and time is of the essence. If you require the Gaelic lyrics in order to help us, I would be happy to email them to you.

We would appreciate anything you could do for us.

Hi Valerie --
That song is in Gaelic (or Scots Gaelic, if you will) rather than Irish, and after some searching I have found partial translation in the archives of the Gaelic-L list. here is one and here is another and here is a third.

I was able to find this information by entering the entire name of the song as search criteria, and can report that the Gaelic lyric is in at least three different places on the web without translation. Mary Jane Lamond has recorded what appears to be a version of this song.

I hope this helps, and best of luck to your daughter.

Dear Sáfach,

Thank you so much for your help in obtaining the English translation for this song - and for your best wishes!