The Flower of Scotland

(The Flower of Scotland is the title given in the Corries songbook, not "Flower of Scotland"). This song was adopted as the official football anthem by the SFA in 1997. It was already the official rugby anthem.

Flower of Scotland was composed at 69 Northumberland Street, Edinburgh

The Flower of Scotland

1.
O flower of Scotland
When will we see
Your like again
That fought and died for
Your wee bit hill and glen
And stood against him
Proud Edward's army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again

2.
The hills are bare now
And autumn leaves lie thick and still
O'er land that is lost now
Which those so dearly held
And stood against him
Proud Edward's army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again

3.
Those days are passed now
And in the past they must remain
But we can still rise now
And be the nation again
And stood against him
Proud Edward's army
And sent him homeward
Tae think again

Words and music: Roy Williamson. (c) The Corries (Music) Ltd.
Website: http://www.corries.com/

The Flower of Scotland (Gaelic translation)

Here is an authorised Gaelic translation

FLOWER OF SCOTLAND
(translation by John Angus Macleod)

O Fhlùir na h-Albann,
cuin a chì sinn
an seòrsa laoich
a sheas gu bàs 'son
am bileag feòir is fraoich,
a sheas an aghaidh
feachd uailleil Iomhair
's a ruaig e dhachaidh
air chaochladh smaoin?

Na cnuic tha lomnochd
's tha duilleach Foghair
mar bhrat air làr,
am fearann caillte
dan tug na seòid ud gràdh,
a sheas an aghaidh
feachd uailleil Iomhair
's a ruaig e dhachaigh
air chaochladh smaoin.

Tha 'n eachdraidh dùinte
ach air dìochuimhne
chan fheum i bhith,
is faodaidh sinn èirigh
gu bhith nar Rìoghachd a-rìs
a sheas an aghaidh
feachd uailleil Iomhair
's a ruaig e dhachaidh
air chaochladh smaoin.

This is "Flower of Scotland", the unofficial national anthem of Scotland (written in the 1960's by the Corries) translated into Scottish Gaelic.

Story behind the song:
Aig cèilidh ann an Dùn Dèagh sheinn Anna NicGillEathain a' Bheurla de seo. Thuirt i rium, "'S bochd nach robh Gàidhlig air an òran." Fichead mionaid an dèidh sin dh'eirich i is sheinn i na facail seo, a chuir mi ris fhad 's a bha sinn ag òl cupan tì!

<At a ceilidh in Dundee, Anna MacLean sang the English version of this. She said to me "It's too bad that there isn't a Gaelic version of the song." Twenty minutes after that she got up and sang these words which I put to the song while we were drinking cups of tea!>

John Angus Macleod, from his book "Na freumhan thug dhomh cothrom fàs". The book also contains Gaelic versions of "Bridge over troubled water", "Mull of Kintyre", "A red red rose" and "The Dark Island". Available from the author John Angus MacLeod, 76 Brisbane Street, Largs, Scotland, KA30 8QN

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