Tarbert Gaelic Choir warms up to bid ‘farewell’ to Kintyre

In the poem, the bard describes his thoughts at the prospect of leaving his beloved Kintyre and Loch Fyne where he once sailed so bravely.

The words have been set to music by Susan Rhodes, a former conductor of the choir, in a setting which enhances the nostalgic tone of the poem.

Christine Johnson, meanwhile, draws upon her long experience of working with Gaelic choirs and solo singers to advise the choir members on the Gaelic sounds and pronunciation. 

In past years, Tarbert Gaelic Choir has successfully competed with other rural choirs for the Sheriff MacMaster Campbell Memorial Quaich, a beautiful silver trophy given in honour of the sheriff by the Campbeltown branch of the An Comunn Gàidhealach. 

This year, however, because of a reduction in its membership, the choir will sing in a competition for smaller groups but under the name of ‘The Dookers’ from the popular nickname for Tarbert people.

At last year’s Mòd in Paisley, one of the adjudicators praised the sweet singing of Tarbert as “ethereal”. 

This year, the singers aim to maintain their high standard and encourage others to support the old and honourable tradition of Gaelic choral singing in Kintyre and Mid Argyll. 

And so, in spite of the words and title of their song, Tarbert Gaelic Choir members have no intention of bidding a sad farewell to Kintyre and Loch Fyne.