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Music Memory Store - Rob Gibson

Published: 29 Jun 2010

MusicMemory Store – Rob Gibson

Rob was elected Highlands & Islands MSP in 2003. He is a member of the Parliament’s Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee as well as the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee. Rob is also a historian, musician, author and traditional music festival organiser. Scots, Gaelic and the Traditional Arts are core interests as are nuclear disarmament, affordable housing and saving consultant led services in the NHS. He was born and educated in Glasgow, and attended Dundee University and Education College. As a former Modern Studies teacher much of his professional life was spent teaching at the Invergordon and Alness Academies as the Principal Teacher of Guidance. Since early retirement, or early ‘relifement’ as he would like to call it, he has developed his historical training and skills by writing the book ‘Plaids and Bandanas’. Rob has been a long time SNP activist and was a former District Councillor in Ross and Cromarty. He joined the SNP in 1966, was FSN President from 1970-1973 and has been a member of the SNP’s National Council, Executive and Cabinet.

Folk who know my musical tastes would expect me to choose a big Gaelic song of love and loss, but so many fine singers to choose from. So here’s an Irish love song ‘Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór’ in which no one dies. I first heard Dolores Keane’s version in her fine album from 1983 ‘Sail Óg Rua’ from which she sang at the Inverness Folk Festival. Those in the know from around the north were present and were aghast that she wasn’t afforded an encore! It tells of a lassie’s praise for her young man. But ‘A year ago my heart’s love left me/for faraway places/he’ll never return/until he sees the wide world around….’ (maybe). Fast forward to the 20^th Highland Traditional Music Festival – Fleadh Ciùil Bhaile Chàil in 2001 in the National Hotel, Dingwall. Iain MacDonald, Glenuig and Ian MacFarlane, Glenfinann mounted a special ‘and friends’ band for the main concert spot. What a surprise, a stunning new Gaelic voice came to the stage. Kathleen MacInnes from South Uist starred in ‘The Interrogation of a Highland Lassie’ as Kay Matheson, one of the four students who liberated the Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey at Christmas 1950. She sant two songs in the play. However, in Dingwall the unmistakable husky catch in her throat delivered an arresting and very fresh vocal sound to an outstanding band that special night. Imagine the thrill on hearing Kathleen’s first album Òg-Mhadainn Shamhraidh – Summer Dawn released in Spring 2006. She covered ‘Jimmy Mo Mhíle Stór’ in a Scots Gaelic translation by her friend Seonag Monk making a lovely bridge from the original Irish into our own branch of Gaelic. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. It’s a gem in our inter-celtic musical heritage.

Bidh dùil aig mo luchd-eòlais ri òran mòr Gàidhlig mu ghaol agus call, ach tha uimhir a sheinneadearan ann airson taghadh a dheanamh. Seo òran gaoil Eireannach ‘Jimmy Mo Mhile Stór’, far nach eil neach a’ bàsachadh. Chuala mi Dolores Keane a’ seinn an òrain an toiseach air a’ chlàr sgoinneil aice ‘ Sail Óg Rua’ an 1983. Sheinn i an t-òran aig Fèis Inbhir Nis. Bha iomadach neach an làthair a ghabh uabhas nach d’fhuair i encore!Tha an t-òran mu nighinn a’ moladh a leannain. Ach ‘Bliadhna air ais dh’fhalbh leannan mo chrìdh airson tìrean cèin/ cha till e tuilleadh/ gus am faic e an saoghal fad is farsainn gu lèir…...’ ( is dòcha)Air adhart gu grad chun an 20^amhFèis Ciùil Traidiseanta na Gàidhealtachd – Fleadh Ciùil Bhaile Chàil an 2001 san taigh-òsta an National an Inbhir Pheofharain. Chuir Iain Dòmhnallach, Gleann Ùige, Iain MacPhàrlain, Gleann Fhionnan, còmhlan ‘lè caraidean’ air chois airson prìomh-cluich na h-oidhche.. Thàinig an guth Gàidhlig ùr seo oirnn gun fhiosta - Kathleen NicAonghais - bho Uibhist a Deas. Bha i ann an ‘Interrogation of a Highland Lassie’ an riochd Kay Nic Mhathain, aon den cheathrar oileanach a leig mu sgaoil Clach Sgàin bho Abbey Westminster aig am na Nollaig 1950. Sheinn i dà òran san dealbh-chluich. Ach cò-dhiù, an oidhche ud an Inbhir Pheofhairean, sheinn i leis a’ ghuth shònraichte aice, fuaim ùrail, glan a dh’fhàg oidhche nach dì-chuimhnich mi, cuide ri còmhlan air leth math.Smaoinich an toileachas nuair a chualas a’ chiad chlàr aig Kathleen - Òg-Mhadainn Shamhraidh - san Earrach 2006. Sheinn I ‘Jimmy Mo Mhile Stór’, air eadar-theangachadh gu Gàidhlig Alba le Seonag Mhonk, a caraid, ceangal àlainn bho

This is a beautiful love song from the Irish Gaelic tradition

Jimmy Mo Mhile Stor; Kathleen MacInnes - Og Mhadainn Shamhraidh (Summer Dawn) (CD)

Released May 2006 on the Greentrax Label. Catalogue CDTRAX294

Jimmy Mo Mhile Stor; Dolores Keane and John Faulkner - Sail Og Rua [CD]Released 1983 on the Shanachie label. Catalogue SHA-CD-78027Copies of this CD are available to borrow, at no cost, from the collection of CD’s selected as MusicMemory Store, from Wick and Thurso Libraries. It can be heard on Mondays 7-8pm on Caithness FM as a part of the Scottish Show with Hughie Manson and on Radio nan Gàidheal.Music Memory Store is a partnership between the Mòd Ghallaibh Fringe and the Highland Libraries – Caithness branches, Wick & Thurso.Contact The Mòd Ghallaibh Fringe: northtuath@yahoo.co.uk

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