"Alasdair Mhic Cholla Ghasda" - "Alasdair Son Of Gallant Colla" - Scots Gaelic Waulking Song

This traditional Scots Gaelic waulking song is in praise of Alasdair MacDonald, who was the Marquis of Montrose's second-in-command during the War of the Three Kingdoms in Scotland, 1644-45. He was a man of tremendous courage and endurance, and together with Montrose won a series of spectacular victories over the Covenanters and Parliamentarians. He was eventually killed at the battle of Cnoc na nDos near Cork in Ireland in 1647. Very detailed notes of this song can be found in Campbell and Collinson's Hebridean Folksongs volume 2. As in many similar songs, the last part of one verse forms the first of the next.
Performed by Capercaillie, 1988 (The Blood Is Strong).

[@aguy6771]

God bless Montrose
and God bless Alasdair MacColla
and His Majesty Charles I, King of Scots, English and Irish

[@veryunwisethewise]

Bros name is literally Alastair MacDonald.
Imagine if Alastair McDonald sung this.

[@isaweesaw]

He's still alive and all. he probably knows the song exists atleast, and he's got a couple songs anns a Gaidhlig already

[@LivingCrusader]

I loved this song from the moment I first heard it. But I never understood what it was saying. Thank you so much for the English translation and lyrics!

[@Michael-sk4fj]

The sweet sounding langauge of home

[@tiarnacais9656]

Interesting point about the difference of scots gaelic and Irish, is when they mention the killing of the lord of achnambreac, it sounds to an Irish speaker as "Lord Achnambreac was killed WITH you, as leat is the combination of the prepostion "le",(with) and tú (you)

[@user-iv3gd2lu9i]

Alba Saorsa!

[@davidetienne9404]

I am familiar with this song because of the woman that went by "Aneka" (known for the song, "Japanese Boy"). I knew it was a Gaelic song, but could not figure out any of the words.

[@j.d.1856]

So catchy

[@globe0147]

Is this about Montrose’s campaign?

[@balladsofhistory]

Yes. Particularly, it’s about the feats of Alasdair Mac Colla, one of Montrose’s commanders who hailed from Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg. Alasdair, who spent a considerable portion of his life in Ireland, was the commander of the Irish Brigade, a force composed of around 2,000 Confederate volunteers which joined Montrose in the highlands. He notably perfected the highland charge tactic through the course of the campaign. Alasdair fought valiantly against the parliamentarians in Ireland, where he ultimately fell in a last stand at Knocknanuss. Truly a fascinating figure from that era.
The lyrics mention how he executed the Lord of Auchinbreck, Sir Duncan Campbell, of a rivaling Covenanter-aligned clan. This was done in retribution to a massacre Campbell conducted on Rathlin island in Ireland, where many of Alasdair’s compatriots were slain. Just a minor detail.

[@globe0147]

@@balladsofhistory yeah I figured. Wonder if there are any other ballads from the Royalist Rebellion against the Covenantors

[@lucario2188]

So he was a royalist?

[@osvetlosvetla]

De jure, in fact, he pursued his goals. When James Graham ordered him to march on England in 1645, he refused and went to plunder the lands of the Campbell clan. Then he was defeated and fled to Ireland