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Home | Guides | ‘S ann an Ìle: introducing a Gaelic port à beul, led by Joy Dunlop

Download: ‘S ann an Ìle: introducing a Gaelic port à beul, led by Joy Dunlop or read below

 

Luminate@Home: ‘S ann an Ìle: introducing a Gaelic port à beul – song lyrics, sheet music and piano track

We have launched an online programme of creative activities called Luminate@Home.

There are lots of older people at home or in care homes right now who are isolated because of the coronavirus outbreak. We hope you will enjoy trying the activities in the films at this difficult time, and also afterwards when the outbreak is over.

The activities are designed to be done at home or in a care home. They are led by professional artists, and feature different artforms including crafts, poetry, music and dance.

You will find all the short films on Luminate’s website, Luminate’s facebook page and on our YouTube and Vimeo channels. Once we have uploaded them, we will leave them online for you to enjoy when it is convenient.

On Friday 29th May, we released a film of Gaelic singer Joy Dunlop taking you through her arrangement of the traditional Gaelic song, ‘S ann an Ìle. You can watch the film on the Films page of this website. This port à beul is accessible for both Gaelic and non-Gaelic speakers, so you can enjoy learning it together with your household or online with family and friends. 

As an accompaniment to this film, we’ve provided the song lyrics with their English and phonetic translations, along with sheet music for the melody and harmony parts which you can download by clicking on the download button at the top of this page. You can also read the lyrics and translations below. There is a piano accompaniment track arranged and recorded by Andrew Dunlop which you can listen to and sing along with once you’ve learned the song. This is available below and on our Vimeo or YouTube channels.

Luminate@Home is supported by Baillie Gifford and presented in partnership with Scottish Care. The films are co-produced by Graeme Roger.

‘S ann an Ìle – piano accompaniment track

‘S ann an Ìle: introducing a Gaelic port à beul

Traditional, Arrangement by Joy Dunlop www.joydunlop.com

Gaelic Song Lyrics

Chorus

‘S ann an Ìle, ‘n Ìle, ‘n Ìle
‘S ann an Ìle, rugadh mi
‘S ann an Ìle, ‘n Ìle, ‘n Ìle
‘S ann an Ìle bhòidheach

‘S ann an Ìle, ‘n Ìle, ‘n Ìle
‘S ann an Ìle, rugadh mi
‘S ann an Ìle, ‘n Ìle, ‘n Ìle
‘S ann an Ìle bhòidheach

Verse 1

‘S ann an Ìle bhòidheach
A rugadh mi ‘s a thogadh mi
‘S ann an Ìle bhòidheach
A rugadh mi ‘s a bha mi

‘S ann an Ìle bhòidheach
A rugadh mi ‘s a thogadh mi
‘S ann an Ìle bhòidheach
A rugadh mi ‘s a bha mi

Verse 2

‘S ann an Ìle ghorm an fheòir
A rugadh mi ‘s a thogadh mi
‘S ann an Ìle ghorm an fheòir
A rugadh mi ‘s a bha mi

‘S ann an Ìle ghorm an fheòir
A rugadh mi ‘s a thogadh mi
‘S ann an Ìle ghorm an fheòir
A rugadh mi ‘s a bha mi

Phonetic Translation

Chorus

Sawn an nyee-lih, nyee-lih, nyee-lih
Sawn an nyee-lih roo-kugh me
Sawn an nyee-lih, nyee-lih, nyee-lih
Sawn an nyee-lih vaww-yuch

Sawn an nyee-lih, nyee-lih, nyee-lih
Sawn an nyee-lih roo-kugh me
Sawn an nyee-lih, nyee-lih, nyee-lih
Sawn an nyee-lih vaww-yuch

Verse 1

Sawn an nyee-lih vaww-yuch
Uh roo-kugh me suh hoe-kugh me
Sawn an nyee-lih vaww-yuch
A roo-kugh me suh vah me

Sawn an nyee-lih vaww-yuch
Uh roo-kugh me suh hoe-kugh me
Sawn an nyee-lih vaww-yuch
A roo-kugh me suh vah me

Verse 2

Sawn an nyee-liheen ghor-um un ny-awwr
Uh roo-kugh me suh hoe-kugh me
Sawn an nyee-liheen ghor-um un ny-awwr
A roo-kugh me suh vah me

Sawn an nyee-liheen ghor-um un ny-awwr
Uh roo-kugh me suh hoe-kugh me
Sawn an nyee-liheen ghor-um un ny-awwr
A roo-kugh me suh vah me

English Translation

Chorus

It’s in Islay, Islay, Islay
It’s in Islay that I was born
It’s in Islay, Islay, Islay
It’s in beautiful Islay

It’s in Islay, Islay, Islay
It’s in Islay that I was born
It’s in Islay, Islay, Islay
It’s in beautiful Islay

Verse 1

It’s in beautiful Islay
That I was born and raised
It’s in beautiful Islay
That I was born, that I was

It’s in beautiful Islay
That I was born and raised
It’s in beautiful Islay
That I was born, that I was

Verse 2

It’s in green Islay of the grass
That I was born and raised
It’s in green Islay of the grass
That I was born, that I was

It’s in green Islay of the grass
That I was born and raised
It’s in green Islay of the grass
That I was born, that I was

This strathspey is an example of Scottish Gaelic ‘puirt à beul’ or mouth music. In puirt à beul, the rhythm and sound of the song often have more importance than the depth, or even sense of, the lyrics. These songs were sung for dancing and hopefully, this will get your toes tapping!

 
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