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Updated
11/01/2019 |
Mairi nighean Alasdair
When Mary Mackenzie (Mairi nighean Alisdair) died, her widowed
husband William MacKenzie (1856 - 1908) went to join his only
remaining family who had all left for Canada but he died within
a year of arriving in Canada and was buried in Mountain View
Cemetery in Thunder Bay. Before leaving Lewis he pulled out one
of his teeth and buried it with his wife so at least part of him
remained there. William also composed many other Gaelic songs
and poems.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
August 31,
1998
Relatives
will gather at Cladh na h-Aoidhe, a cemetery in Point, Isle of
Lewis, at the end of the week to lay a head-stone at the grave
of Màiri nighean Alasdair. Rhoda MacLeod explains that Mary
MacKay, from Garrabost, was married to William MacKenzie from
Shader for twenty years. She died in 1904 and William then wrote
the famous song. William went to Canada in 1907, and died the
following year.
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Lyrics
Faca sibh Màiri nighean
Alasdair? |
Have you seen Mary,
daughter of Alasdair? |
Faca sibh Màiri nighean
Sheumais? |
Have you seen Mary,
daughter of James? |
Faca sibh Màiri nighean
Alasdair? |
Have you seen Mary,
daughter of Alasdair? |
Bidh iad a' mire ri
chèile |
They often make merry
together |
Faca sibh Màiri nighean
Alasdair? |
Have you seen Mary,
daughter of Alasdair? |
Faca sibh Màiri nighean
Sheumais? |
Have you seen Mary,
daughter of James? |
Faca sibh Màiri nighean
Alasdair? |
Have you seen Mary,
daughter of Alasdair? |
Bidh iad a' mire ri
chèile |
They often make merry
together |
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Cruinn, geàrr, sgiobalta |
Neat, trim, tidy |
Cruinn, sgiobalta,
gleusda |
Neat, tidy, deft |
Cruinn, geàrr, sgiobalta |
Neat, trim, tidy |
Bidh iad a' mire ri
chèile |
They often make merry
together |
Cruinn, geàrr, sgiobalta |
Neat, trim, tidy |
Cruinn, sgiobalta,
gleusda |
Neat, tidy, deft |
Cruinn, geàrr, sgiobalta |
Neat, trim, tidy |
Bidh iad a' mire ri
chèile |
They often make merry
together |
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