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Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Dhòmhnall Phàil, Dòmhnall Caimbeul, Bàrd Cheann a’ Ghiùthsaich. Sgrìobh e an t-òran ainmeil Guma Slàn do na Fearaibh. Rugadh Dòmhnall ann an Dail na Spideil ann an seachd ceud deug naochad ʼs a h-ochd (1798). B’ e Pàl – no Paul – ainm athar.

Bha Dòmhnall ag obair mar chìobair. Bha e a’ fuireach ann an Gleann Gòineig, faisg air Ceann a’ Ghiùthsaich, airson còrr is ceathrad bliadhna. Bha Dòmhnall ainmeil airson òrain a ghabhail. Ach tha e coltach nach deach mòran de na chruthaich e a sgrìobhadh. ʼS e òran eile a rinn e, a tha againn fhathast, Duanag a’ Chìobair. Tha e a’ comharrachadh mar a dh’fhàg e an dachaigh aige airson fuireach ann am Bàideanach. Bha a leannan ann an Raineach. Seo agaibh trì rannan dheth:

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Gu bheil mulad air m’ inntinn, On thàinig mi ʼn tìr seo, ʼS nach fhaic mi mo nìghneag dhonn òg, ʼS nach fhaic mi mo nìghneag dhonn òg...

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ʼS ged a chruinn’cheadh an dùthaich, Gu fèill Chinn a’ Ghiùthsaich, Cha bhiodh tè ann don dùraiginn pòg, Cha bhiodh tè ann don dùraiginn pòg.

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Chan e siud ʼrinn mo chiùrradh, On thàinig mi ʼn dùthaich, Ach nach fhaod mi dhol null air do thòir, Ach nach fhaod mi dhol null air do thòir.

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Fàgaidh mi sibh le criomagan às òran eile aig Dòmhnall Phàil. Bha searbhant air an tac far an robh e ag obair. ʼS e Peigi Stiùbhart an t-ainm a bha oirre. ʼS iomadh fear òg a bha measail air Peigi. Bha iad ag amas air a pòsadh, mar a tha Dòmhnall ag ràdh anns an òran:

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý A Pheigi Bhàn, on tha thu laghach, ʼPheigi Bhàn, on tha thu grinn, ʼPheigi Bhàn on tha thu brèagha, Bidh tu ʼm-bliadhna ann ad mhnaoi.

Ìý

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Am feasgar Sàbaid bha sinn còmhladh, Chuir iad ʼn òrdugh dhòmhs’ na suinn, Gun robh ochdnar dhiubh gad iarraidh, ʼS ar leam fhìn gur brèagh’ an t-sùim.

I was telling you about Dòmhnall Phàil, Donald Campbell, the Kingussie Bard. He wrote the famous song Guma Slan do na Fearaibh. Donald was born in Dalnaspidal in 1798. Pàl – or Paul – was his father’s name.

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ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Donald was working as a shepherd. He was living in Glen Gynack, near Kingussuie, for more than forty years. Donald was famous for singing songs. But it appears that not many of his creations were written down. Another song he wrote, which we still have, is Duanag a’ Chìobair ‘the shepherd’s ditty’. It marks how he left his home to live in Badenoch. His sweetheart was in Rannoch. Here are three verses of it.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Sadness inflicts my mind, since I came to this land, and that I won’t see my young brown-haired maiden, and that I won’t see my young brown-haired maiden.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý And though the people of the country would gather, at the Kingussie fair, there would not be a woman I’d want to kiss, there would not be a woman I’d want to kiss.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌýThat’s not what tortured me, since I came to this country, but that I can’t come over in pursuit of you, but that I can’t come over in pursuit of you.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý I’ll leave you with fragments from another song by Dòmhnall Phàil. There was a servant at a farm where he worked. Her name was Peggy Stewart. Many a lad was keen on Peggy. They wanted to marry her, as Donald says in the song.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Fair-haired Peggy, since you are nice, fair-haired Peggy since you are neat, fair-haired Peggy since you are beautiful, you will become a wife this year.

ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý On the Sabbath evening we were together, they put the champions in order for me, eight of them were wanting you, and I reckon that’s a good number.