Gaelic song books

As well as having a solo repertory, from earliest times the Gaelic harp was used to accompany songs. Much of the old Gaelic repertory survives and has been published, but usually in obscure places, and without its significance being indicated. These books offer song lyrics and musical scores that come from or are related to the early Gaelic harp and song repertory. Click on an author's name for pricing and purchasing details of all their books

John Lorne Campbell, ‘Songs Remembered in Exile’
Old Scottish gaelic songs collected from immigrants to Nova Scotia in the 1930s.

Turlough Carolan, 'Amhráin Chearbhalláin: The Poems of Carolan' (Ed Tomás Ó Máille)
A nice hardback facsimile issue of this old edition of Carolan's songs.

Anne Lorne Gillies, 'Songs of Gaelic Scotland'
A super collection of Scottish Gaelic songs, with text, translation and musical scores.

William Matheson, 'The Blind Harper'
An edition of the poems of Rory Dall Morison, the famous harper-singer-poet at Dunvegan in the late 17th century. A good quality hardback.

Colm Ó Baoill, 'Bàrdachd Shìlis na Ceapaich' and 'Gàir nan Clàrsach'
An edition of the poems and songs of Sileas, with texts in Gaelic, and English translation.

Linda Gowans, 'Am Bròn Binn: An Arthurian Ballad in Scottish Gaelic'
A scholarly study of a medieval ballad kept alive in the living song tradition.

Breandán Ó Madagáin, 'Caointe agus Seanceolta Eile'
A study of the Keen and other ancient vocal music. Includes an audio CD with recordings of all of the material.

Derick Thomson, 'An Introduction to Gaelic Poetry'
A useful introduction to historical Scottish Gaelic poetry.

Pádraigín Ní Uallacháin, 'A Hidden Ulster'
A wonderful collection of Gaelic songs, with text translation and musical scores, from one corner of the north of Ireland. With a huge amount of background information about the traditions and people involved. Highly recommended.

'Duanaire na Sracaire: Songbook of the Pillagers'
An anthology of medieval bardic verse with translations.

Frances Tolmie, 'One Hundred and Five Songs of Occupation from the Western Isles of Scotland'
A collection of work-songs.

'The Romance and Prophecies of Thomas of Erceldoune '
Scholarly edition of the medieval poem about Thomas the Rhymer’s trip to Elfland.

John Koch,, 'The Gododdin of Aneirin - Text and Context from Dark Age North Britain'
An edition of this important early medieval poem.