Margaret Stewart - Togaidh Mi Mo Sheolta

Old Gaelic songs superbly sung by Gaelic Singer of The Year, 2008 - one of Scotland's finest Gaelic singers. The songs on this album are mainly old gems of the tradition discovered in her searches through the archives at the School Of Scottish Studies.

"A CD which should be in the collection of anyone who is interested in Gaelic". The Scotsman.

A Phiuthrag 'S A Phiuthar; An Domhnallach Urramach; Chaidh An Dileag Ud Nam Cheann; Tha Mi Sgith 'N Fhogar Sea; Feill Nan Crann; Blar Na h-Eaglaise Brice; A' Bhanis A Bha 'N Ciostal Odhar; Saoil An Till Mi Chaoidh; Oran An t-Seasganaich; Co Leis An Crodh Druin-fhionn Ud Thall; 'S Fheudar Dhomh Bhi Beo; Cumha Aonghais Mhic Raghnaill Oig Na Ceapaich; Oran Twinkle; Laoidh A Chon Duibh; O Thug 'Ad Bhuam Thu; Clann Domhnaill An Cogadh Righ Tearlach; Togaidh Me Mo Sheolta.

“Margaret Stewart has a long established reputation as one of the finest of Gaelic singers. A native of the Island of Lewis she grew up in a community of singers and appreciative audiences, including her own family. Her rich inheritance of song ranged from lullabies, laments and waulking songs to the compositions of local bards and songs of far-travelled sailors who often expressed their longing for their native island and their love for the girl they left behind.

Margaret has never deserted her heritage but has gone on to extend her repertoire with songs from other areas and, in addition, entered the world of professional music. Her success there was crowned by her winning the Gold Medal at the National Mod, where singers are assessed by adjudicators whose criteria are on the whole quite different from the conventions of traditional singers. Few have succeeded in moving with such apparent ease from one musical environment to another.

Margaret’s singing style draws its quality from those different areas. She retains the verbal dexterity and natural ornamentation of a native speaker of Gaelic while never becoming over precise or artificial in her diction, nor are the underlying rhythms of the language ever distorted. Margaret sings her songs sensitively, intimately and with unfailing dignity.”
Dr. John MacInnes

This long awaited album - “Togaidh mì mo Sheòlta” - “Along The Road Less Travelled” - offers a variety of Gaelic songs from various parts of Gaelic Scotland – an ancient waulking song, an Ossianic ballad, a Jacobite epic, humorous songs from Lewis and Uist, love songs, a MacDonald praise song, a lullaby, two emigrant songs and much more. The album features material from some of the great Gaelic bards – Ian Lom, Duncan Ban Macintyre, The Blind Harper, Iain Mac Mhurchaidh and some songs which are rarely heard, some indeed which have never been commercially recorded, and as such are of considerable cultural importance.

Helped throughout the recording process by her producer and great friend Iain MacDonald and an array of ‘A’ list Scottish and Irish traditional musicians such as Allan Henderson, Iain MacFarlane, Ingrid Henderson, Kathleen MacInnes, Griogair Labhruidh, Ian Hardie, D James Ross and Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, this recording  promises to be an instant classic.

Margaret also pays tribute to her close relationship with the Irish Gaeltacht, and as a mark of respect for their support and encouragement during her many visits, and in particular from Muiris O’Rochain of the Willie Clancy Summer School, she has included translations for all songs in Irish Gaelige as well as English – four of the tracks on the album were recorded in Ireland accompanied by such musical friends as Uillean piper Mick O’Brien and daughter Aoife, guitarist Mark Kelly of Altan and sean nos singer Peadar O’Ceannabhain of Conemara with whom she sings a duet.

Check out our full collection of Gaelic Singing CDs.

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