Moladh Locha Chaim
In Praise of Crooked Lake
Faclan le Dan Alex MacDonald of Framboise
Séist O! gur toigh leam, e gur toigh leam,
O! gur toigh leam, féin an t-àite;
'S e Loch Càm a thogadh m'inntinn,
Agus gleanntan Clan an Tòisich.
1 Ged nach bàrd mi air son òran,
Ag cur còmhla mar a b'fhearr leam;
Ni mi dichioll aig an àm seo,
Ged tha mi car fann's a' Ghàidhlig.
2 Bho leabhar na cuimhne ni mi sgriobhadh,
Mu'n Loch Cam a ni mi innseadh;
Mu'n Loch Cam a ni mi sgriobhadh,
Ged nach ann le brigh na bardachd.
3 'N am d'an ghrein' a bhi ag éiridh,
B'e mo speis a bhi 's an àite;
'G éisdeachd langanaich 'nam féidh,
'S iad 'nan treud 'dol chum an t-sàile.
4 Eileanan a mach bho'n chladach,
Tha cur maise air an àite;
Far an deadaich eòin na mara,
'S iad cho snasmhór snàmh le'n àl.
5 Bidh na smeoraich air na craobhan,
Seinn cho sunndach maduinn oirghil;
Agus àrd a' seòladh aotrom,
Bidh na faoileagan cur fàilt' orm.
6 Tha gach crann le duilleach maiseach,
Sgeadachadh le trusgan bòidheach;
Tuinn re buaileadh air a' chladach,
Fuaim a cuan 's e 'gar tàladh.
7 Ge b' e co a chì an duthaich,
Chaid a crunadh an am bhòidhche;
Bidh e toileach tighinn duinn,
'S fuireachd dlùth do'n lochan bhòidheach.
8 'S iomadh coachladh thig air duthaich,
Tha sin dublaicht' anns a chearn seo;
Tha Loch Càm an diugh 'na h-onar,
Bho'n a rinn na daoin' a' fàgail.
9 Ma bhios dùin' air bìth a' feòraich,
Cò rinn striocean do na Ghàidhlig;
Innseadh dhiubh gur e ach Dòmhnull
Dòmhnullach a spliceadh Ghàidhlig.
10 Seo mo shòraidh do ur n-ionnsaidh,
"Ge b' e duthaich anns an tàmh sibh;
Gu ma buan a bhios ur saoghal,
'S tilleadh dlùth rinn mar a b'abhaist."
Chorus Oh I love it, aye I love it.
Oh I love the place so dearly,
It's Loch Cam that makes me happy
And the glens of MacIntosh's
1 Though no bard am I in singing
To compose the song I'd like to;
Still I'll do my best to make one,
Though I'm not a Gaelic scholar.
2 From my mem'ry I'll be writing,
It's Loch Cam that I'll be praising;
Of Loch Cam I shall be singing,
Though I've no renown as poet.
3 When the sun at first is dawning,
It's so pleasant then to be here;
List'ning to the deer that trumpet,
As they travel to the sea-shore.
4 Islands run out from the shore-line,
To bring beauty to the landscape;
Where the sea-birds do their nesting,
Silently they swim with young ones.
5 Robins perched upon the branches,
Sweetly sing on golden morning;
And above there sail so lightly,
Sea-gulls crying welcome to us.
6 And each tree now blooms in beauty,
Dressed in leaves so fresh and pretty;
Seas are pounding on the headlands,
Ocean's lullaby is sounding.
7 Everyone who's seen this country,
That's so richly crowned in beauty;
Will be pleased to come here often,
To be near this lovely lochan.
8 Many changes in the country
Have been doubled in this region;
And Loch Cam today is lonely,
Since the people have been leaving
9 If there's anyone who asks you,
Who's been murdering the Gaelic;
Thell them it was none but Donald,
Domhnullach who was the author.
10 Here's the parting word I'm sending,
It's no matter where you're living;
May good fortune be yours always,
Come again to see us often.
Loch Cam is located close to Mr. MacDonald's residence.
Where the side-road to this pretty loch leaves the main highway from
Gabarus to Framboise a cairn has been erected in remembrance of the early
Gaelic-speaking settlers in this area. They were from the Hebrides,
largely N. Uist and Berneray, Harris. The cairn refers to these emigrants
as follows:
B'iad-san sìol 'nam fear fearail.
and quotes the Gaelic Bible, so well-known by these folk:
Gus am bris an latha
Agus an te/ich na sga\ilean.
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