Old Photograph Dalswinton Loch Scotland

Old photograph of Dalswinton Loch near Dumfries, Scotland. Beside this Scottish loch is Dalswinton Tower, a former stronghold of the Comyn family. The banker Patrick Miller of Dalswinton had experimented with double hulled pleasure boats propelled by cranked paddle wheels placed between the hulls, and he got William Symington to build the patent steam engine with its drive into a pleasure boat built in 1785 which was successfully tried out on Dalswinton Loch near Miller's house on 14 October 1788. Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.

Old Photograph Sligachan Hotel Isle Of Skye Scotland

Old photograph of the Sligachan Hotel on the Isle Of Skye, Scotland. This Scottish hotel was built around 1830. Many early climbers chose this as a spot to start ascents of the Cuillin mountains. Blog post of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.



All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.

Tour Scotland Video Illean Bithibh Sunndach Gaelic Song Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland travel video of the Illean Bithibh Sunndach gaelic song on ancestry, genealogy history visit and trip to Perth, Perthshire. Emigration occurred at various times from Scotland to places in North America, Australia and New Zealand. The destination in this song is Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, Canada. This was at one time a popular destination for Gaels, and Cape Breton still has strong ties to Gaelic culture. The author of the song is looking forward to a new life in the new world but there’s also a hint of sadness about leaving the homeland

O 'illean bithibh sunndach
A-null air a bhòidse,
A' fàgail ar dùthcha
'S gun dùil ri tighinn beo innt'.
O ' illean bithibh sunndach
A-null air a bhòidse.

Gur mise tha fo ghruaimean
Bhith dol a shiubhal chuantan,
'S i soitheach dubh a' ghuail
Tha 'gam fhuadach thar m' eòlas.

Tha sinn dol dh' Aimeireaga
Far nach bi curam eil' oirnn'
Cho fad's a mhaireas coille dhuinn
An eilean Nòbha Scòtia.

'Illean cridheil togarrach
A nì an t-òl 's nach obadh e,
'S ann an Tobar Mhoire
Nì sinn coinneamh 's an tigh-òsta.

An gleann a' bharraich uaine
'S an lag am biodh an luachair,
Far 'm bi crodh-laoigh air bhuaile
'S na gruagaichean dol fòdhpa.

Tha sinn dol Cheap Breatainn
Gu taobh na h-abhainn Mhira,
Far am bi na smeòraich
A' seinn ruinn fad an t-samhraidh

Boys be in good spirits
Across on the voyage,
Leaving our country
Without hope of returning alive.
Boys be in good spirits
Across on the voyage.

I am despondent
To be about to travel oceans;
It is the black coal-fired vessel
That is banishing me from familiar territory.

We are going to America,
Where we shall have no more worry
As long as forests remain for us
In the isle of Nova Scotia.

Hearty enthusiastic lads
Who can take a drink and not refuse one,
It's in Tobermory
That we shall meet in the pub.

In the glen of the green branches,
In the hollow of the rushes,
Where dairy cows are in the fold
Being milked by young maidens.

We are going to Cape Breton,
Beside the Mira River
Where the thrushes will sing for us
All summer long.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.

Tour Scotland Video O Horo 'Ille Dhuinn Gaelic Song St Andrew's Day Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland travel video of O Horo 'Ille Dhuinn gaelic song on St Andrew's Day ancestry, genealogy, family history visit and trip to Perth, Perthshire. This is a waulking song about a man going to battle in Holland at the time of the Napoleonic Wars.

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.

Tour Scotland Video Abu Chuibhl' Gaelic Song St Andrew's Day Perth Perthshire

Tour Scotland video of Abu Chuibhl' gaelic song on St Andrew's Day on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit and trip to Perth, Perthshire.
Abu chuibhl', abu chuibhl'
Abu, abu chuibhl' i
Abu chuibhl', abu chuibhl'
Abu, abu chuibhl' i

O cha téid mi fhìn a Ghlaschu
O cha'n fhalbh mi fhìn gu bràth
O cha téid mi fhìn a Ghlaschu
Leam bu ghasda Ceann a' Bhàigh

Sud far 'eil na balaich mhaiseach
Sud far 'eil na gaisgich threun
Sud far 'eil na balaich mhaiseach
A 'Sanndabhaig 's an Cul-ri-gréin

Ach cha ghabh mi fhìn na fearaibh
O cha ghabh mi duine chàch
Is mo leannan fhìn aig baile
Fear á Pabuil 's as an Aird

Spin the wheel, spin the wheel
Spin, oh spin the wheel
Spin the wheel, spin the wheel
Spin, oh spin the wheel

Oh I'll never go to Glasgow
Oh I'll never go away
Oh I'll never go to Glasgow
For me it's Bayhead, Stornoway

That's where you'll find the handsome fellows
They're the boys who're very brave
That's where you'll find the handsome fellows
In Sandwick and in Culrigrein

I'll not take just any fellow
For the rest I just don't care
Since my darling is at home
He comes from Bayble and from Aird

All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.