this is the barra version of a beautiful and tender song of unrequited love.
john of glen cuaich is thought to have belonged to the perthshire glen of
that name.
o iain ghlinn\' cuaich, fear do choltais cha dual da fas,
cul bachlach nan dual \'s e gu camlubach suas gu bharr,
\'s i do phearsa dheas ghrinn a dh\'fhag mi cho tinn le gradh,
\'s nach\' eil cron ort ri inns\' o mhullach do chinn gu d\'sail.
ach an trian dhe do chliu cha chuir mise, a ruin an ceill,
\'s caoimh\' faiteal dhe d\'ghnuis na ur choille fo dhruchd ri grein,
gum b\' e miann mo dha shuil a bhith sealltainn gu dluth ad dheidh,
\'s math a b\'airidh mo run-s\' air ban-oighre a\' chruin fo sgeith.
iain, iain, a ghaoil, cuim\' a leig thu me faoin air chul,
gun ghuth cuimhn\' air a\' ghaol a bh\'againn araon air tus?
cha tug mise mo speis do dh\'fhear eile fo\'n ghrein ach thu,
is cha toir as do dheidh gus an cairear mo chre \'san uir.
ged a chinn thu rium fuar, bheil thu, iain, gun truas \'s mi \'m chas,
\'s a liuthad la agus uair chuir thu \'n ceill gum bu bhuan do ghradh?
ach ma chaochail mi buaidh, \'s gun do choisinn mi t\'fhuath na t-fhearg,
tha mo bheannachd ad dheidh, \'s feuch an tagh thu dhuit fhein nas fhearr.
