Bàrdachd nan Gàidheal

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I'm Micheal MacThómhais (michealt) aka Tom Thomson
This is my Gaelic Song and Poetry page.

The Celts have a long tradition of poetry, and there is a surprisingly large amount of poetry available in the main Celtic languages. That tradition is as strong amongst the Scottish Gaels as amongst any other Celtic nation. Some of the early poetry is rather difficult to understand - the language has changed over the centuries - but there is a vast quantity of modern poetry written in the last four hundred years which is easily understood by modern speakers of the language. This includes some of the most beautiful poetry in the world, and some of the funniest poetry too (as well as some of the most awful doggerel).

Over the years, I've posted a lot of Gaelic poetry to various lists, along with translations, word lists, notes, and so on to help learners of the language. Some of this is still available from various places like the Gaelic-l library at heanet.ie. But I thought it would be nice to build a collection that's accessible through a browser instead of by ftp or a mail bot, and at the same time tidy it up a bit (and keep it under my own control).

Of course this is never going to be finished. In fact right now it's barely started! Enjoy what's here, and remember to come back for more in the future - there will be more! If you want to see a particular song or poem here, send me a request by email and I'll add it if I can.

Thanks are due to An Comunn Gàidhealach (Stornoway branch) and to The Stornoway Gazette for permission to reproduce some poetry to which they own the rights (I believe everything else here is public domain - if anyone knows anything to the contrary, please let me know so that I can get in touch with the owners of the rights). Thanks are also due to Marion Gunn of University College, Dublin, and to Caoimhín Ó Donnaíle for reviving my interest in Gaelic after I'd spent a long time am measg Sasunnaich is Goill; and to Prof John Dumbreck and other members of An Comunn (Manchester branch) for providing a Gaelic refuge in this English wilderness!

On to the poetry
Vocabulary - words used in the songs and poems
About me
links to Gaelic connected sites

You can email me at [email protected]

Bàrdachd Gàidhlig

Mairidh gaol is ceòl

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