On 18mh linn, tha còrr air 25,000 soitheach air a thogail ann an Glaschu air bruachan Abhainn Chluaidh. Bha seo a’ tarraing dhaoine bho fhada is farsaing a bha a’ sireadh cosnaidh, mòran dhiubh a bha nan Gàidheil a’ fàgail na Gàidhealtachd ’s iad air tòir chothroman nas fheàrr.

Since the 18th century, over 25,000 ships have been built in Glasgow on the banks of the River Clyde. This drew people from far and wide who were seeking employment, many of them Gaels who were leaving the Highlands in search of greater opportunities.

Air a sgrìobhadh anns na 1870an le Iain MacAonghais, tha an t-òran mu dheidhinn bàta-airm a chaidh a thogail ann an Gàrradh-iarainn Fairfield am Baile Ghobhainn. Thàinig Iain MacAonghais a Ghlaschu à eilean Lios Mòr agus bha e ag obair mar ghobha ann an làithean tràth ghàrraidhean-iarainn Bhaile Ghobhainn. Na neach-taic dìoghrasach de chultar nan Gàidheal, sgrìobh e mòran òrain mu raon de chuspairean agus bha e ainmeil mar sheinneadair air na h-òrain aige aig cruinneachaidhean sòisealta ann an saoghal na Gàidhlig an Glaschu. Chaidh cruinneachadh de na h-òrain a sgrìobh e fhoillseachadh ann an Duain agus Òrain ann an 1875 leis a’ chlò-bhualadair is foillsichear ainmeil, Gilleasbaig Mac Na Ceàrdaich, ann an Glaschu. Tha e iongantach a thaobh na h-àireimh de dh’òrain mu chuspairean gnìomhachais (togail-shoithichean, obair-iarainn, an rèile, tramaichean, is eile).  Tha an t-òran seo mar mholadh air soitheach, ’s dòcha tè a chuidich MacAonghais fhèin a thogail. Ged nach eil an t-soitheach air a h-ainmeachadh, tha an t-iomradh ga dèanamh soilleir mar shoitheach-cogaidh, ’s dòcha HMS Invincible, a chuireadh air bhog le Raibeart Napier ann an 1869. Tha an t-òran a’ cleachdadh an ainm Ghàidhlig air Fairfield, ‘An t-Achadh Bàn’ ann am Baile Ghobhainn.

Chaidh ceòl ùr a chur air an òran ann an 2015 le Ailean Dòmhnallach, mar urram don 15mh Còmhdhail Eadar-nàiseanta Eòlas Ceiltis ann an Glaschu agus a chluich e aig an t-seirbheis fosglaidh.

Composed in the 1870s, Mu bhàta arm a chaidh a thogail anns an acha-bhàn, ann an govan is a song about a warship produced at the Fairfield Yard in Govan by Iain MacAonghais (John MacInnes). Iain MacAonghais came to Glasgow from the island of Lismore and worked as an industrial blacksmith in the early days of the Govan shipyards. An enthusiastic supporter of Highland culture, he composed many songs on a range of topics and was noted on the Glasgow Gaelic scene for singing them at social gatherings. A collection of his compositions was published as Duain agus Orain in 1875 by the well-known Glasgow printer and publisher, Archibald Sinclair. It is remarkable for including a number of songs on industrial themes (ship-building, iron-working, the railway, horse-drawn trams, etc.). This song is in praise of a ship, perhaps one which MacAonghais himself helped make. Although the vessel is not named the description given makes it clearly recognisable as a warship, perhaps HMS Invincible, launched by Robert Napier in 1869. The song uses the Gaelic name ‘An t-Achadh Bàn’ of ‘Fair Field’ in Govan.

The song was set to new music in 2015 by Alan MacDonald in honour of the 15th International Congress of Celtic Studies in Glasgow and performed by him at the opening ceremony.

‘S ann ort tha sròn na muice-bioraich,

‘S toll mar uamh os cionn do shlinnein,

‘S bho’n is uabheist thu nach crionaich,

Dh’innis mi mu’n d’fhalbh thu.

 

Gun deachaidh t-àrach ann an Geibhin

Le ùird stàlinnean a’s geinnean,

Tuaigh a’s tail, a’s lochdair bheaga,

‘S gheir iad thu le farachan. ‘S ann ort etc.

 

Cha chuir tàirneineach ort eagal,

Tha do chnàmhan mar an eithe,

‘S thug iad stàilinn dhuit mar eidinn,

Seasaidh tu air fairge.

 

Cnàimh do bhroilich ‘s d’ite dheiridh,

Theid roimh sgeirean mar a bheithir,

Sgàineadh e gu làr na creagan,

An teine tha’n eanchainn.

 

So an seòrsa tha’n a d’mhaodal,

Uisge sàile, ‘s tàirnean caola,

‘S clàran iaruinn air gach taobh dhi,

‘S thig  roimh d’chaolain deàrsach.

 

‘Se tha’d mhiann bhi ann ‘ad chuairtear,

‘S gunn mòr a suas ri d’ghualainn,

‘Losgadh fùdar agus luaidh ás,

‘Faotainn buaidh do dh’Albainn.

 

Chì mi fhathast ann ‘ad rìgh thu,

Air a’ chuan ‘s gach àit’ am bi thu,

‘S bheir thu air an Fhraing gun strìochd i,

‘S nì thu sìth ‘sa Ghearmailt.

 

You have the nose of a porpose and a hole like a cave above your shoulder-blades,

since you are a beast that will not decay,

I told it before you left

 

You were raised in Govan,

with steel hammers, wedges,

hammers adzes and small planes and they tallowed you with a mallet

 

Thunder will not frighten you,

your bones are like ice and they gave you steel like a suit,

you will withstand the sea

 

The bones of your breast and your rear feather

that will go through rocks like a thunderbolt

splitting to their fundament the rocks,

in the fire the brain

 

This is the kind in your belly,

salt water and thin nails,

and iron plates on each side of her

that will go through the resplendent guts

 

Your desire is to be a wanderer

and a great gown up to your shoulders

firing powder and lead

from it giving victory to Scotland

 

I see you yet as a king on the ocean

and wherever you may be

and you will take her to France without submission

and you will make peace in Germany