8 Far Am Bi Sinn Fhìn Is Ann a Bhios na h-Òrain
Robert Pringle
Activity Summary
This activity uses the well-known puirt-à-beul “Far Am Bi Mi Fhìn” as a starting point to develop a variety of language skills, including rhyming in Gaelic, the future tense, and different tenses of “to be,” as well as enunciation. Students start by swapping out a few words and gradually create whole new lines and verses for the song. These exercises will take creativity, courage, and above all a sense of fun.
Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- Practice singing and songwriting in Gaelic;
- Identify rhyming words in Gaelic;
- Develop facility with the future tense;
- Develop facility with different tenses of “to be.”
Gaelic Level
This exercise is best for advanced students with the required vocabulary to riff off the familiar song. It can be used with intermediate students if some advanced students are available to support the class.
Preparation for Lesson
- Choose an online recording of the song to familiarize the students with the melody and words.
- Provide this recording a week before meeting for the lesson so that the students have a chance to become familiar with the song and rhythm.
- Ask the students to start by listening to the song a few times without looking at the words; ask them to identify words or parts of words that are familiar to them.
- Next encourage students to become familiar with the song by using the lyrics and the recording together.
Resources Required
Required resources:
- Digital recording of the song, such as:
- Each student needs access to a laptop or other device, preferably with headphones;
- Lyrics
Optional Resources:
- Paper and pen for jotting down ideas
Lesson Structure (1.5 – 2 hrs)
| Time | Activity | Resources |
| 20 |
Provide the lyrics. Introduce some of the ideas around Gaelic rhyme such as matching long vowel sounds and initial and final stress. |
To learn more about puirt-à-beul: |
| 20-30 | Spend time singing the song together. Work through verse by verse going through pronunciation and emphasis. Start with switching out a single word, e.g., brògan for dòchas.
Switch out other words as confidence grows. Students will remain challenged as they repeat the familiar song with new words. For example: (Original) (Example 1) (Example 2) |
|
| 20 |
Improve knowledge of the future tense by substituting the song’s verbs, e.g.:
|
|
| 30-60 | Improve knowledge of different forms of “to be” by changing the verbs from the future to the past, or even into the conditional, for example:
|
Variations
- The activity can be as a virtual activity in real-time by using a shared Google document;
- When singing, increase the speed of the verses as they become repeated. This exercise is fun, develops enunciation, and is a great way to end the class.
- Invite the students to each take a verse and try their own variations upon it (individually, in pairs, or in small groups), and collect them all at the end to have a huge, rollicking version.
Preparing for Challenges
Seinn co-dhiubh! Sing anyway! There are many reasons why a student or instructor might feel hesitant to actually sing out the song, from shyness to hesitation around ideas of “competence” as a singer. It is important to emphasize the communal nature of Gaelic singing, and that music is sung for its own sake and not necessarily as a performance, and to approach the exercise with a light-hearted and fun attitude.
Lyrics
Sèist:
Far am bi mi fhìn is ann a bhios mo dhòchas (x3)
Far am bi mi fhìn bidh mo dhòchas ann
Théid mi fhìn is Sìne null gu taigh a’ phìobair (x3)
‘S nì sinn brod an ruidhle leinn fhìn air an làr
’S mur toir am pìobair port dhuinn airson ruidhle (x3)
’S ann a bheir sinn sgrìob chun an fhìdhlear bhàn
Siubhal air na cladaichean ’s a’ coiseachd air a’ ghainmhich (x3)
Far am bi mi fhìn bidh mo dhòchas ann
English Translation
Chorus:
Wherever I will be tis there lies my hope, (x3)
Wherever I will be my hope is therein.
Sheena and I will go yon to the piper’s house, (x3)
We’ll dance the best part of the reel ourselves on the floor.
And if the piper doesn’t give a tune for a reel, (x3)
Then we’ll take a jaunt to the fair fiddler’s.
Traveling on the shores and walking on the sand, (x3)
Wherever I will be my hope is therein.
About the author
name: Robert Pringle
Robert Pringle is an electrician from Cape Breton whose grandmother sang Gaelic songs to him at bedtime. He is currently teaching Gaelic part time for Daily Gaelic and is also a researcher for Cree8ive Advisory. He graduated from StFX in 2005 with a joint major in Celtic Studies, and then left to teach English in Korea. In 2011 he moved to Alberta and was there until 2021 when he moved back to Cape Breton.
