Irish / Gaeilge Songs For Tin Whistle
Ebook of Irish / Gaeilge Songs For Tin Whistle. Over 40 well known songs with lyrics and finger position sheet music chart for ever song. Ideal for the school classroom as many of the songs are suitable for children of all ages.
The price is €6.90 and you'll be directed to a download page after payment.
Lots of old favorites like : Dílín Ó Deamhas, An Paistin Fionn, Lonraigh Lonraigh [Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,] and Tir na nog.
Also included are Aileen Duinn, Ceol An Phíobaire, Cunnla, Fionnghuala, Gardai an Riogh, Líontar Dúinn an Crúiscín, Sé Fáth mo Bhuartha, Seacht nDolas Na Maighdine Muire, andTeir Abhaile
The price is €6.90 and you'll be directed to a download page after payment.
Lots of old favorites like : Dílín Ó Deamhas, An Paistin Fionn, Lonraigh Lonraigh [Twinkle Twinkle Little Star,] and Tir na nog.
Also included are Aileen Duinn, Ceol An Phíobaire, Cunnla, Fionnghuala, Gardai an Riogh, Líontar Dúinn an Crúiscín, Sé Fáth mo Bhuartha, Seacht nDolas Na Maighdine Muire, andTeir Abhaile
Gaelic songs, often sung in Irish Gaelic (Gaeilge) or Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig), are rich in history, emotion, and storytelling. These traditional songs carry themes that reflect the cultural and historical experiences of the Gaelic-speaking people. Here are some common themes and meanings found in Gaelic songs:
1. Love and Courtship
2. Nature and Landscape
3. Emigration and Exile
4. War and Rebellion
5. Work Songs and Sea Shanties
6. Mythology and Supernatural Themes
7. Religious and Spiritual Themes
8. Lamentation and Grief
SummaryGaelic songs are a reflection of the rich cultural heritage, history, and emotions of Gaelic-speaking communities. Whether celebrating love, nature, home, or historical events, these songs preserve the stories and experiences of past generations and continue to resonate with audiences around the world today. Each song is a window into the soul of the Gaelic people, offering timeless expressions of beauty, sorrow, and resilience.
T
According to Breandán Breathnach so few Irish songs made a successful transition into English that one may deduce a rule that folk songs do not pass from one language to another".
In musical terms the change-over from Irish to English meant adopting the English ballad, and by ballad we mean a narrative song or poem. (Again there are problems of definition, and there are songs which will fall outside this category, e.g. nonsense songs, lullabies, work songs, carols etc.) There are straightforward 'imports from England to Ireland songs like 'Barbara Allen' and 'Little Musgrave'. But folk songs did not die with the demise of Irish, and there also began a tradition of new songs composed in the new language, English.
Often these new songs were written to existing airs which were borrowed from many sources, English,
Scottish, or Irish. This is a practice which has continued down to the present day, as anyone familiar with the songs of Bob Dylan, for example, will know.
Not every singer made so free and easy with Irish airs though. The nineteenth-century Irish writer William Carelton tells in his autobiography how his mother, a fine singer, did not like to sing English songs to Irish airs. When requested to sing such a song she replied: 'I'll sing it for you, but the English words and the air are like quarrelling man and wife; the Irish melts into the tune, but the English doesn't."
Very often these songs in English were printed as 'broad- sheets' to be sold in the streets by itinerant ballad singers and travelling people who also sang at fairs, races and other events. There were local songs, old songs, new songs printed on the broadsheets which by all accounts enjoyed a brisk trade. People bought the broadsheet to learn the song, and thus it passed into the folk song repertoire. Sometimes these songs endured for a very long time and became classics. Sometimes they perished and were forgotten, like the ephemeral pop songs of today.
1. Love and Courtship
- Many Gaelic songs are about romantic love, ranging from joyous courtship to unrequited love and heartbreak. Songs like "Mo Ghile Mear" tin whistle(My Gallant Hero) or "Ailein Duinn" (Brown-Haired Alan) express deep love and longing.
- Some songs may also include themes of separation due to emigration or war, adding an element of sorrow and nostalgia.
2. Nature and Landscape
- The natural world plays a vital role in Gaelic culture, and many songs celebrate the beauty of the land, seas, and mountains. Songs like "An Mhaighdean Mhara" (The Mermaid) and "The Skye Boat Song" tin whistle use nature as a symbol of freedom, escape, or longing.
- References to landscapes often evoke deep emotional connections to home and heritage.
3. Emigration and Exile
- The theme of emigration and longing for home is common due to the historical mass emigration of Irish and Scottish people. Songs like "Carrickfergus" and "Caledonia" reflect the sorrow and nostalgia felt by those who left their homelands behind.
- These songs often express homesickness, loss, and hope for a reunion with loved ones.
4. War and Rebellion
- Gaelic songs often reflect the history of political struggle and resistance, particularly in the context of English rule in Ireland or clan conflicts in Scotland. Songs like "Óró, Sé do Bheatha 'Bhaile" and "The Bold Fenian Men" celebrate rebellion and national pride.
- Many of these songs also honor fallen heroes and commemorate significant events in Irish and Scottish history.
5. Work Songs and Sea Shanties
- Traditional Gaelic work songs, such as waulking songs in Scotland (used during the process of softening tweed), often have rhythmic, repetitive structures to accompany labor. These songs provided a sense of unity and purpose during work.
- Sea shanties and fishing songs reflect the maritime traditions of coastal Gaelic communities and the hardships of life at sea.
6. Mythology and Supernatural Themes
- Gaelic songs are deeply rooted in folklore and often include stories of fairies, mermaids, selkies, and supernatural events. Songs like "An Mhaighdean Mhara" (The Mermaid) and "Buain na Rainich" (Cutting the Bracken) draw on ancient myths and legends.
- These songs often express awe and reverence for the unseen world, highlighting the spiritual and mystical aspects of Gaelic culture.
7. Religious and Spiritual Themes
- Gaelic religious songs often focus on Christian devotion, especially in traditional hymns and laments. However, some also reflect pre-Christian spirituality and nature worship.
- Songs like "Silent O Moyle" blend spiritual themes with mythological storytelling.
8. Lamentation and Grief
- Laments are a significant part of Gaelic music, often expressing grief over personal loss, exile, or political oppression. "Ailein Duinn" is a famous Scottish Gaelic lament mourning a drowned lover, while many Irish laments mourn fallen warriors or loved ones lost to emigration.
SummaryGaelic songs are a reflection of the rich cultural heritage, history, and emotions of Gaelic-speaking communities. Whether celebrating love, nature, home, or historical events, these songs preserve the stories and experiences of past generations and continue to resonate with audiences around the world today. Each song is a window into the soul of the Gaelic people, offering timeless expressions of beauty, sorrow, and resilience.
T
According to Breandán Breathnach so few Irish songs made a successful transition into English that one may deduce a rule that folk songs do not pass from one language to another".
In musical terms the change-over from Irish to English meant adopting the English ballad, and by ballad we mean a narrative song or poem. (Again there are problems of definition, and there are songs which will fall outside this category, e.g. nonsense songs, lullabies, work songs, carols etc.) There are straightforward 'imports from England to Ireland songs like 'Barbara Allen' and 'Little Musgrave'. But folk songs did not die with the demise of Irish, and there also began a tradition of new songs composed in the new language, English.
Often these new songs were written to existing airs which were borrowed from many sources, English,
Scottish, or Irish. This is a practice which has continued down to the present day, as anyone familiar with the songs of Bob Dylan, for example, will know.
Not every singer made so free and easy with Irish airs though. The nineteenth-century Irish writer William Carelton tells in his autobiography how his mother, a fine singer, did not like to sing English songs to Irish airs. When requested to sing such a song she replied: 'I'll sing it for you, but the English words and the air are like quarrelling man and wife; the Irish melts into the tune, but the English doesn't."
Very often these songs in English were printed as 'broad- sheets' to be sold in the streets by itinerant ballad singers and travelling people who also sang at fairs, races and other events. There were local songs, old songs, new songs printed on the broadsheets which by all accounts enjoyed a brisk trade. People bought the broadsheet to learn the song, and thus it passed into the folk song repertoire. Sometimes these songs endured for a very long time and became classics. Sometimes they perished and were forgotten, like the ephemeral pop songs of today.
