Bealltainn | Marking ancient festivals through song 2023

1 Cèitean 2023: Bealltainn | 1 May 2023: Beltane

Ro-ràdh	Introduction
Am bliadhna, bidh Còisir Lunnainn a’ co-roinneadh òrain bho Charmina Gadelica le Alasdair Gilleasbaig MacGilleMhìcheil a bhios a’ comharrachadh seann làithean fèiste na Gàidhealtachd, a tha air an cò-sheirmeachadh às ùr le Alasdair Camshron.	This year, members of Còisir Lunnainn are sharing songs from Alexander Carmichael’s Carmina Gadelica, marking feast days of the old Gaelic year, set to new arrangements by our own Alasdair Cameron.
An Là Buidhe Bealltainn	Beltane
Bidh a’ chiad latha dhen Chèitean ga chomarrachadh fhathast air feadh an t-saoghail Cheiltich, agus a bharrachd air a shin air feadh an Roinn-Eòrpa bhon Ghrèig chun t-Suain tron Ghearmailt agus Shasainn, agus ’s e Là Buidhe Bealtainn a th’ againn air air a’ Ghàidhealtachd.	The first of May is an important festival marked across Europe, from the floral wreaths hung on doors in Greece, to the maypoles and morris dancers of England, and the Walpurgisnacht celebrations of Scandinavia and German-speaking Europe…not to mention the bank holiday we hope you are all enjoying today!
San leabhar ainmeil aige, Carmina Gadelica, sgrìobh Alasdair Gilleasbaig MacGilleMhìcheil gun robh tòrr chleachdaidhean, bheannachdan agus ùrnaighean aig na seann Ghàidheil a bhiodh iad a’ dèanamh air an latha fhèin.	In Carmina Gadelica, Alexander Carmicheal describes the May Day celebrations of the Highlands and Islands, and gives a series of blessings and prayers recited on the day.
Bithear a’ leugheadh gum biodh gach teine san sgìre air a mhùchta, agus gum b’ àbhaist do dhaoine braidseal ana-mhòr a thogail air cnoc faisg air a’ bhaile. Nuair a bhiodh feum aca air tiene, bhiodh iad a’ toirt dòrn-leus bhon bhreaidseal na cnuic agus ’s e tein’ èigin a chanadh iad ris.	He recounts how all the fires in an area would be put out, and a bonfire built on a knoll. When people needed fire for their homes during the Beltane or May Day period, they would take it from the fire on the knoll, known as the tein’ èigin, the ‘fire of need’.
Dheigheadh an teine a roinn na dhà le slighe chaol eadar an dà phìos agus bhiodh daoine a’ ruith eadarra cho luath ’s a b’ urrainn dhaibh leis an stoc aca, ann an dòchas gum faigheadh rath is àgh agus bum biodh an teine a thoirt dìon dhaibh bhon mhì-àgh is mì-fhortan.	The fire would be divided in two and people would rush through the gap between the two fires with their livestock, for purification and to safeguard against misfortune.
Ann an cuid de bailtean, bhiodh muintir na sgìre a’ gluasad bhon bhaile gu na h-àirighean aca. Bheireadh iad an stoc aca còmhla leotha airson ionaltradh nas fheàrr fhaighinn shuas air na beanntan. Air latha na fèiste fhèin, dheigheadh uan a chasgradh agus ithe air an àirigh air an oidhche agus bhiodh tòrr bheannachdan air an toirt dha na caoraich is dhan chrodh a bha air an toirt dhan àirigh. Anns na sgìrean Pròstanach bhiodh roghainn de shailm ga gabhail agus bha e cumanata gu leòr beannachdan a chluinntinn anns na sgìrean Caitligeach a’ guidhe air Moire an Òigh agus air naomhan eile mar Naomh Mìcheal agus Naomh Calum Cille, torrachas a thoirt dha gach creutair Dhè ’s dhan talamh.	In some places, Beltane marked the migration from the town to the sheiling. The sheep, cattle and goats of all the families in the district would be brought together and driven up to the summer grazing. The occasion was one for merriment. At the sheiling, a lamb would be slaughtered and the people would join together in a feast. A blessing would be sung over the assembled livestock. In protestant areas this usually consisted of selections from the Psalms, while in Catholic areas the blessing included invocations to the Virgin Mary and a range of saints.

An t-òran	The song
Chaidh an t-òran seo a sgrìobhadh le Alasdair Camshron le faclan à Carmina Gadelica le Alasdair Gilleasbaig MacGilleMhìcheil. Seo e ’s e ga ghabail le Raonaid Geddes agus Ciorstaidh Ó Conchobhair. Anns an òran, bidh roghainn de naomhan an ainmeachadh ann an dòchas gun toir iad am beannachd dhan an talamh.​	The words to this song are taken from Alexander Carmichael’s Carmina Gadelica and set to new music by Alasdair Cameron. It is performed here by Rachel Geddes and Kirsty O’ Connor. The words are drawn from several Beltane texts recorded by Carmichael, naming different saints and asking for their blessing.

​Beannachd Bealtainn	Beltane Blessing​
​(Mar a chruinneachadh le Alasdair Gilleasbaig MacGilleMhìcheil)	​(As collected and translated by Alexander Carmichael)
​A Mhoire a mhàthair nan naomh, A Mhìcheil mhil nan steud geala, A Chaluim Chill’, chàirdeil, choimh!	O Mary, mother of the saints, O sweet Michael of the white steed, O Columba, kind and gentle!