This beautiful collection of 15 songs -- from the Ness region of Lewis, other Hebridean islands and one song from Donegal -- has finally allowed me to hear Mary Smith's voice; fellow Lewiswoman Alyth McCormack has mentioned that she learned songs from her. It seems only right to use Smith's Gaelic name -- Mairi Nic a' Ghobhainn -- in this review -- so I shall.

This is, unbelievably, Nic a' Ghobhainn's first album. I'm very pleased that she recorded it. The fact that she's selected little known, but very beautiful songs will strike many listeners -- she's enriched the store of Gaelic songs available commercially in releasing this collection, and her vocal clarity does much to enhance the original songs' beauty. The sleeve notes and translations are helpful, too. The input of the guest musicians is unfailingly sensitive, and fits the very traditional "feel" of the material perfectly -- just a couple of the songs are sung unaccompanied. If I quote the musician lineup you'll get the picture immediately: Malcolm Stitt (guitar, cittern), Ingrid Henderson (clarsach, keys), Aidan O'Rourke (fiddle) and Iain MacDonald (pipes, flute, whistle, percussion). Backing vocals are by Allan MacDonald, Kathleen MacInnes and Catriona Mackinnon.

The more rousing tunes are wonderful. There's a lively fishing song from Barra, "Bata Dhomhnaill a Chrogain." There are some excellent waulking songs, including "He Na Filibhig," where Henderson's clarsach playing glistens. There's a very fine rowing song from Ness ("An t'Iorram Niseach"), which we're told was heard right up to the mid-20th century. A Hebridean way of life long gone, it seems -- there's progress for you! A splendid song from Morag Macleod's collection, "Ill a Bho Dhubh," is also included here.

There are many beautiful love songs, too, including the 19th-century "Cul Do Chinn," where the singer pines for her long-emigrated Angus. There's "A Fhleasgaich Ghuanaich," sung unaccompanied. The lyrics, when I read them in translation, are full of the usual moments of parting, longing and sorrow, and yet still offer humorous touches. In "Cul Do Chinn," the singer is relieved "that peats are incapable of speech, on that cold Christmas night when we sat by the peatstack"! Iain MacDonald leads in on plaintive pipes on "'Marbhrann do Mhacleoid," a powerful lament from a sister to a brother killed during the reign of Charles II.

If you enjoy Scottish Gaelic songs, this is an album to treasure.

- Rambles
written by Debbie Koritsas
published 27 November 2004