I haven’t shared anything from any of my fazas for a while so time to change it! And because I’ve just shared with you Brian Boru by Alan Stivell, here is another great song about another great Celt. Owain Lawgoch (or Owain Red Hand in English) was a Welsh hero and a soldier, a very important figure for Welsh people. What he’s probably most known for is that he fought for the French against the English in the hundred years’ war. This song comes from Gwilym’s debut album “O Groth Y Ddaear” (From The Earth’s Womb) and both the lyrics and the music are his own (I love how much genuine feeling and involvement there is in them as well as in his performance of it). Below is a translation of the song from
Seven centuries went by since you came to this world,
And your destiny was to travel far and wide
Yes, you sailed to foreign lands
And fought against the English
And your name became famous, from the lineage of princes
You led your company of Welshmen to arms
In many a battle, in many a country
But your intent was to return
To your rightful land and to save it
And to take back your nation from the claws of a forgotten past,
Owain Red Hand
With your path calling to you, you set sail
With your brave band of warriors at your side
But before reaching that fateful shore
There came the frustrating news
Calling you back to the battlefield in a far away land
Owain Red Hand, Owain Red Hand
Your killer was appointed by the English king
To bring your life to an end in a deceitful and violent way
Yes, you were killed with a blade in your back
And thus our hope was also killed
In one traitorous moment our son of destiny was taken
Seven centuries passed on this earth
And it’s witness to the fact that we’re still here
So we’ll remember your cause and your sacrifice
And we’ll rise up in unity and strength
And now, Owain, we need you
To unsheathe your rebellious sword
On your patriotic spirit we call, let’s loudly cry in unison
Owain Red Hand, Owain Red Hand, Owain Red Hand.
My Inner MishMash 