Ill ù ill ò illean’s ò

[read english version]

Fonn: Ill ù ill ò illean ‘s ò
Ill ù ill ò cha d’fhuair mi ‘n cadal
Ill ù ill ò illean ‘s ò

‘S ann air madainn mhoich Di Dòmhnaich
Dh’òrdaich mi bhi aig a’ bhaile

Far am bitheadh na frolaigean sunndach
‘S fir ‘gan rùsgadh dol a shabaid

‘Illean a chaidil an oidhche
Bithibh taingeil anns a’ mhadainn

Mise seo a’ dìreadh chrann
‘S sibhse ‘tarraing srann fon phlaididh

Nuair a théid mi Bhràigh na h-Aibhneadh
Bidh mo chuimhn’ air oidhche Shathuirn’

A song collected by Goiridh Alasdair Dhùghaill (Jeff MacDonald) from the oral history of Pàdraig Aonghais Sìne (Patrick MacEachern), Glendale, Inverness County. Its composer was Ailean mac Eòghainn (Allan MacEachen) whose antecedents settled in the River Inhabitants area after immigrating from  Arasaig in Scotland. Ailean mac Eòghainn was a sailor. His ship survived the infamous August Gale of 1873 which occurred on a Saturday evening.  In the song he’s saying how anxious he is to return home to Bràigh na  h-Aibhneadh (Glendale). It has a good lift and the children of the area enjoy
singing this infectious chorus.

The Children of Braigh na h-Aighneadh are: Dylan MacDonald, Breanne
MacDonald, Caitlin MacDonald , Maggie MacDonald, Cassie MacDonald, Kathleen MacDonald, Andrea MacDonald, Scott MacGillivray.
Recorded by: Paul MacDonald at the Father John Angus Rankin Community
Center (Taigh an t-Sagairt), Glendale, Nova Scotia.


Ill ù ill ò illean’s ò
Chorus: Ill ù ill ò illean ‘s ò
Ill ù ill ò I didn’t get any sleep
Ill ù ill ò illean ‘s ò

Early Sunday morning I wished to be at home.

Where there were merry frolics and men
stripping off to fight.

Boys who slept through the night, be
thankful in the morning.

I’m here climbing masts while you’re
snoring under the blankets.

When I will reach Bràigh na h-Aibhneadh,
I will remember what it was like on Saturday night.

A song collected by Goiridh Alasdair Dhùghaill
(Jeff MacDonald) from the oral history of Pàdraig
Aonghais Sìne (Patrick MacEachern), Glendale, Inverness
County. Its composer was Ailean mac Eòghainn (Allan
MacEachen) whose antecedents settled in the River
Inhabitants area after immigrating from Arasaig in
Scotland. Ailean mac Eòghainn was a sailor. His ship
survived the infamous August Gale of 1873 which occurred
on a Saturday evening. In the song he’s saying how
anxious he is to return home to Bràigh na h-Aibhneadh
(Glendale). It has a good lift and the children of the
area enjoy singing this infectious chorus.

The Children of Braigh na h-Aighneadh are: Dylan MacDonald, Breanne MacDonald, Caitlin
MacDonald , Maggie MacDonald, Cassie MacDonald, Kathleen
MacDonald, Andrea MacDonald, Scott MacGillivray.
Recorded by: Paul MacDonald at the Father John Angus
Rankin Community Center (Taigh an t-Sagairt), Glendale,
Nova Scotia.