About Me

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Isle of Canna, Scottish Highlands, Highlands, United Kingdom
I am a Gaelic singer living in the Highlands.I have produced 4 CDs - the most recent being "Archipelago- Songs of the Scottish Islands in Scots 7 gaelic""released on the Greentrax label. The other Cds are " A Good Suit of Clothes- emigrant Songs" "Duan Nollaig" - a unique Gaelic Christmas double CD( also on Greentrax, 2007) and "Orain nan Rosach" ( 2006). Since May 2015, I have been lucky enough to be working as the Canna House archivist on the Isle of canna, for the Nationl Trust for Scotland, looking after the incredible folklore archives fo John Lorne and Margaret Campbell.I look forward to keeping you up to date with my music, gigs, news www.fionamackenzie.org Tapadh leibhs! Thank you!

Wednesday, 5 August 2009

Oran an Latha- Gaelic Song of the Day- Dean Cadalan Samhach/Sleep Peacefully

Dèan Cadalan Sàmhach- Sleep Peacefully. A lullaby from Kintail, reputed to be the first Gaelic Song written in the Americas. By John Macrae, written in North carolina around 1763. Sound clip at my own website-


Dèan cadalan sàmhach, a chuilein mo rùin
Dèan fuireach mar tha thu‘s tu ‘n dràst’ an àit’ ùr
Bidh òigearan againn làn beàirteis is cliù
‘S ma bhios tu ‘nad airidh, s leat feareigin dhiù

Gur h-ann an Ameireaga tha sinn an dràst’
Fo dhubhar na coille nach teirig gu brach
Nuair dh’fhalbhas an dùbhlachd,‘s a thionndas am blàths
Bidh cnothan is ùbhlan is siùcar a fàs

Tha sinne ‘n ar n-Innseanaich cinnteach gu leòr
Fo dhubhar nan craobh cha bhidh h-aon againn beò
Coin-allaidh is bèistean ag èigheach‘s gach fròig
Gu bheil sinn ‘n ar n-èiginn bho’n thrèig sinn Righ Deòrs’

Mo shoraidh le fàilte Chinn t-Sàile nam bò
Far an d’fhuair mi greis àrach, s mi’m phàisde beag, òg
Bhiodh fleasgaichean donna air am bonnaibh ri ceòl
Is nionagan dualach,‘s an gruaidh mar an ròs

An toiseach an fhoghair bu chridheil ar sunnd
Gheibht’ fiadh às an fhireach,is bradan à grunnd,
Bhiodh luingeas an sgadain a’ tighinn fo shiùil
Le’n lasgairean tapaidh nach faicte fo mhuig







Sleep quietly, my beloved child
Stay where you are, you’re in a new land
We will have youths now full of wealth and renown
And if you are worthy, you’ll have one of them too.


Though now it is in America we are now
In the everlasting darkness of the woods
When the winter is over and warmth returns
Nuts and apples and sugar will grow

We are like Indians surely enough
In the gloom of the forest no-one will survive
With wolves and beasts crying in each cranny
We are in trouble since we deserted King George


My best wishes and welcome to Kintail of the cows
Where I was brought up through my childhood when I was young
There were brown haired youths on their feet to sing
And curly haired girls, with cheeks like the rose

At the beginning of autumn we were heartily glad
Deer were got on the moor and salmon
Boats fishing herring came under sail
With able young men, none of them were churlish


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