For the Feast of the Holy Family, a traditional Celtic folk Christmas carol from the Hebrides Islands; The Christ Child’s Lullaby or Taladh Chroisda in the original Scottish Gaelic. This version is from the gorgeous Celtic Christmas album by Crimson Ensemble I discovered on YouTube right before Christmas. Vocals: Mae McKenna & Mairi Macinnes
Wire Strung Harp, Whistles, Uilleann Pipes: William Jackson
Acoustic Guitars: Tony McManus
Violin & Viola: John Martin
Also very lovely – John Doyle, Karine Polwart, and Christy O’Leary sing the Christ Child Lullaby From “A Christmas Celtic Sojourn”, recorded live at the Cutler Majestic Theater in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 19, 2009.
Here’s the O’Reilly Consort’s ethereal version of Taladh Chroisda.
Lyrics
Christ Child’s Lullaby
This hymn was written by Father Ranald Rankin in about 1855 and is sung at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve on Barra, South Uist and Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides. It was written in Scottish Gaelic and originally had 29 verses. There are now many other versions of it in Gaelic and English.
My love my pride my treasure oh
My wonder new and pleasure oh
My son, my beauty ever you
Who am I to bear you here?
Alleluia x4
The cause of talk and tale am I
The cause of greatest fame am I
The cause of proudest care on high
To have for mine the king of all
And though you are the King of all
They sent you to a manger stall
Then at your feet they all should fall
And glorify my child the King
Alleluia x4
There shone a star above three kings
To guide them to the King of Kings
They held you in their humble arms
And knelt before you until dawn
They gave you myrrh, they gave you gold
Frankincense and gifts untold
They travelled far these gifts to bring
And kneel before their newborn King
Alleluia x4
Tàladh Chriosta (Scottish Gaelic version)
Mo ghaol, mo ghràdh is m’eudail thu
M’iunntas ùr is m’èibhneas thu
Mo mhacan àluinn, ceutach thu
Chan fhiù mi fhèin bhi ‘d dhàil
Alelùia x4
Ge mòr an t-adhbhar clìu dhomh e
‘s mòr an t-adhbhar cùraim e
‘S mòr an t-adhbhar ùmhlachd e
Rìgh nan Dùl bhith am làimh
Ged as Rìgh na Glòrach Thu
Dhiùlt iad an taigh-òsda dhut
Ach chualas ainglean sòlasach
Toirt glòir don Tì as àird
Alelùia x4
Dh’fhoillsich realta dha na Rìghrean
Lean iad i mar iùil gu dìleas
Fhuair iad ann am achlais fhin Thu
Is rinn iad ùmhlachd dhut gu làr
Thairg iad òr dhut, mirr is tùis
Thug iad adhradh dhut is cliù
B’e tuars an àigh don triùir
Thàinig a shealltainn mo rùin
Alelùia x4