SP1519
'S ann an Ile
It's on Islay
Music: Sheena Phillips, Words: Trad. Anon
Voicing: SAA
Performance time approx: 1m 40s
Range S: b – d'' / A1: b – c'' / A2: g – c''
Price code: A
Complexity:
This is a lively piece of Gaelic puirt-a-beul (‘poorsht-a-beel’) or mouth music – the name for songs written to accompany dancing. It’s very well known in Scotland and sings the praises of the Inner Hebridean island of Islay (and of the girl who lived there!)
Traditionally, puirt-a-beul is sung unaccompanied and in unison but the tunes harmonise very well.
The piece has not been marked dynamically. One successful scheme is for the opening chorus to be forte (repeated forte) and subsequent choruses to be: f (repeat p); p (repeat p); f (repeat f).
The recording is of the SATB version of this arrangement.
Chorus:
'S ann an Ile, 'n Ile, 'n Ile, 'S ann an Ile rugadh mi
'S ann an Ile, 'n Ile, 'n Ile, 'S ann an Ile bhoidheach
1. 'S ann an Ile, ghuirm an fheòir, A rugadh mi 's a thogadh mi
'S ann an Ile, ghuirm an fheòir, A rugadh mi 's a bha mi
2. 'S ann an Ile bhoidheach, A rugadh mi 's a thogadh mi
'S ann an Ile bhoidheach, A rugadh mi 's a bha mi
3. Nuair a bha mi ann an Ile, Bha Catriona cuide rium
Nuair a bha mi ann an Ile, Bha Catriona còmhla rium
traditional Gaelic song
Translation
Chorus: It's on Islay I was born, on beautiful Islay
1. It's on Islay with the green-blue grass that I was born and brought up
2. It's on beautiful Islay that I was born and brought up
3. When I was on Islay, Catriona was with me.
Canasg editors