British broadcaster Mark Radcliffe hailed her voice and songs as “enchanting, beguiling and as fascinating as songs by Kate Bush and Björk” and KT Tunstall described her voice as "formidable and amazingly rhythmic". She was the BBC Radio 2 Folk Singer of the Year 2008 and has gathered a small army of fans around the world including an impressive list of celebrities including the aforementioned Mark Radcliffe, KT Tunstall plus Ricky Gervais and Phil Selway from Radiohead. In 2007 she was invited to appear on "Later...with Jools Holland" and was a special guest on the critically acclaimed "Transatlantic Sessions" series and has entertained millions of radio listeners around the world with her engaging live sessions and live performances.
She is somewhat of an enigma as she sings in a language only understood by around 60,000 people - which accounts for only approximately 1% of the population of Scotland. She sings in Scottish Gaelic and spends her time touring around the world bringing ancient songs from the Hebridean Islands to new audiences. She is an accomplished musician as well - playing Highland bagpipes, smallpipes, whistles, oboe & cor anglais and three waltzes on the one row melodeon.
She has broadcasting experience, including present two flagship music programmes on BBC Scotland - the traditional music programme "Travelling Folk" and the world music show "Global Gathering". A one hour documentary on her and her musical travels, entitled "Bliadhna Julie/Julie's Year" was broadcast by the BBC in 2007. She was publicly voted Gaelic Singer of the Year 2007 at the Scots Trad Music Awards and her album "cuilidh", produced with husband Eamon Doorley, was voted "Album of the Year" at the same awards. She has a clutch of other awards, including BBC Radio 2 Horizon Award 2006 for Best Emerging Artist (the first ever Gaelic Artist to be nominated for such an award) and was also voted Gaelic Singer of the Year 2005 at the Scots Trad Music Awards. She remains the only singer to have won this prestigious award twice.
Turas san Lochmor
Julie Fowlis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gu falbhainn dh’aindeoin sìde air sgrìob do thìr nan Gall,
Le baga làn de chearcan agus rudan a bha gann –
Gum bithinn aig Bliadhn’ Ùir ann ’s gun chùmhnadh air an dram.
Diciadain dh’fhalbh mi casruisgt’ le mo bhagaichean nam dhòrn,
A’ dol a Loch nam Madadh ghabhail aiseag san Lochmor;
Bha fuachd na mo chasan-sa ’s bha sneachd’ air bhàrr nan lòn ‑
Nuair ràinig mi a’ cheàrdach, àrdach duine chòir
A thug a‑staigh gun dàil mi ’s a nochd dhomh càirdeas mòr,
Thug dhomh tì a b’ fheàirrde mi ri aghaidh bhlàth an stòbh ‑
Gu seasainn fuachd nuair dh’fhàg sinn le mo chaiseart blàth ’s lem chòt’.
Nuair dh’fhalbh an carbad-ola leinn ’s ar n‑aghaidh thoir dhan tuath,
Bha sinn greis an Cearsabhagh a’ blasad air stuth cruaidh;
Gun tàinig Bean na Maise ’s am muir geal oirre mun cuairt,
’S chanainn fhìn gum b’ amadan a rachadh innt’ air chuan.
Nuair thog i mach gu farsainneachd, ’s sinn airsnealach is sgìth,
Nuair thòisich cur na mara oirnn, bu mhath a bhith air tìr;
Bha mise mar bha càch, le spàirn orm a’ strì ‑
An drama dh’òl mi ’n Cearsabhagh, bu duilich dhealaich sinn.
On ear‑dheas bha i sèideadh oirnn, gun choltas tighinn na b’ fheàrr,
Bha sinn uil’, oir b’ fheudar dhuinn, nar sìneadh air an làr;
Nuair readh i sìos dhan chlaisidh leinn ’s am muir a’ sgailceadh àrd,
Bha cùram air gach neach againn nach tilleadh i gu bràth.
B ’e siud an oidhche ànranach a bh’ againn anns a’ bhàt’,
Ach ràinig sinn Loch Baghasdail le dìon an Tì as Àird;
Thug mi leam mo bhagaichean agus thàrr mi às a’ bhàt’ ‑
Chan fhanainn‑sa na b’ fhaid’ innte ged rachainn dhan taigh-gheàrd!
Fhuair mi cadal socair ann an dachaigh dhaoine còir,
Aig Maiseig Ruadh, ’s mo ghràdh oirre, oir nochd i càirdeas dhòmhs’:
Guma fada slàn i, oir ’s bàidheil i na dòigh
Gu gabhail ro aon ànranach a dh’fhàgadh an Lochmor.
Mun crìochnaich mi an t-òran seo, gun inns mi dhuibh an còrr:
A‑màireach thill mi dhachaigh agus botal na mo phòc;
Chruinnich sinn na càirdean gu pàrtaidh dhe gach seòrs’,
Is cha robh h‑aon a thàinig leinn a chàineadh an Lochmor!
The song "Turas san Lochmor" by Julie Fowlis tells the story of a journey to Loch Mor, where the singer is leaving, despite bad weather and scarce resources, to celebrate New Year's Eve on the land of the foreigners. The singer carries a bag full of essence and a firm resolution not to stay in the wilderness for too long. The first verse reveals the singer's thoughts about leaving and emphasizes the importance of the New Year's celebration, which he plans on attending despite the circumstances. The second verse describes the journey itself and the struggle against the cold weather, which can't make the singer forget his intended purpose. The third verse introduces a stranger who welcomes him to his house and shares her warmth, but he knows he has to leave soon. The final verses describe their arrival in Loch Baghasdail and the joy of meeting other friends who came from different places to celebrate. Despite their troubles, they all bond over their shared experience and have nothing bad to say about Loch Mor.
Line by Line Meaning
An nì a bha nam inntinn gun inns mi dhuibh an rann:
The thing that was on my mind, let me tell you the story:
Gu falbhainn dh’aindeoin sìde air sgrìob do thìr nan Gall,
I would leave regardless of the weather, to the land of the foreigners,
Le baga làn de chearcan agus rudan a bha gann –
With a bag full of barley and scanty possessions -
Gum bithinn aig Bliadhn’ Ùir ann ’s gun chùmhnadh air an dram.
I would be at New Year there, without concern for the drink.
Diciadain dh’fhalbh mi casruisgt’ le mo bhagaichean nam dhòrn,
I left on Wednesday, armed with my clenched fists,
A’ dol a Loch nam Madadh ghabhail aiseag san Lochmor;
Heading to the Loch of the Dogs, to catch an eel in Loch Mor;
Bha fuachd na mo chasan-sa ’s bha sneachd’ air bhàrr nan lòn ‑
Coldness was in my feet, and snow was on top of the loch -
Cha dìochuimhnich mi ’n t‑allaban cho fad’ ’s a bhios mi beò.
I will never forget the call while I live.
Nuair ràinig mi a’ cheàrdach, àrdach duine chòir
When I reached the smithy, I met an upright man
A thug a‑staigh gun dàil mi ’s a nochd dhomh càirdeas mòr,
Who welcomed and generously showed me great kindness,
Thug dhomh tì a b’ fheàirrde mi ri aghaidh bhlàth an stòbh ‑
Offering the warmest house facing the bloom of the orchard -
Gu seasainn fuachd nuair dh’fhàg sinn le mo chaiseart blàth ’s lem chòt’.
So that I could withstand the cold when I left with my warm coat and woollen hat.
Nuair dh’fhalbh an carbad-ola leinn ’s ar n‑aghaidh thoir dhan tuath,
When the oil-carrying cart left us, heading north,
Bha sinn greis an Cearsabhagh a’ blasad air stuth cruaidh;
We were near Keirsavay, amidst the flavour of hard cheese,
Gun tàinig Bean na Maise ’s am muir geal oirre mun cuairt,
Without the arrival of Lady Machintosh, even though the clear sea was around her,
’S chanainn fhìn gum b’ amadan a rachadh innt’ air chuan.
I would say myself, foolishly to go aboard her boat.
Nuair thog i mach gu farsainneachd, ’s sinn airsnealach is sgìth,
When she sailed forth into the horizon, and we tired and alert,
Nuair thòisich cur na mara oirnn, bu mhath a bhith air tìr;
When the sea began to churn around us, it was good to be on land;
Bha mise mar bha càch, le spàirn orm a’ strì ‑
I was like everybody else, saving my strength for the fight -
An drama dh’òl mi ’n Cearsabhagh, bu duilich dhealaich sinn.
And the dram I drank in Keirsavay, made leaving difficult.
On ear‑dheas bha i sèideadh oirnn, gun choltas tighinn na b’ fheàrr,
From the east, the wind blew right at us, without the better sense to relent,
Bha sinn uil’, oir b’ fheudar dhuinn, nar sìneadh air an làr;
We were all, for we had to lie low on the ground;
Nuair readh i sìos dhan chlaisidh leinn ’s am muir a’ sgailceadh àrd,
When she rode her course into our lee, and the sea showered high,
Bha cùram air gach neach againn nach tilleadh i gu bràth.
Everyone of us was concerned that she would never return.
B ’e siud an oidhche ànranach a bh’ againn anns a’ bhàt’
That was the restless night we had in the boat,
Ach ràinig sinn Loch Baghasdail le dìon an Tì as Àird;
But we reached Loch Bhasdail, under the shelter of the House on High;
Thug mi leam mo bhagaichean agus thàrr mi às a’ bhàt’ ‑
I took my bag with me and leapt out of the boat -
Chan fhanainn‑sa na b’ fhaid’ innte ged rachainn dhan taigh-gheàrd!
I would not stay in it any longer, despite going to the guest house!
Fhuair mi cadal socair ann an dachaigh dhaoine còir,
I got a good rest in the home of decent people,
Aig Maiseig Ruadh, ’s mo ghràdh oirre, oir nochd i càirdeas dhòmhs’:
At Red Maisey's, who showed me kindness, for which I loved her:
Guma fada slàn i, oir ’s bàidheil i na dòigh
May she live long in health, for she was good in every way
Gu gabhail ro aon ànranach a dh’fhàgadh an Lochmor.
To take on any more restless journeys that Loch Mor could bring.
Mun crìochnaich mi an t-òran seo, gun inns mi dhuibh an còrr:
Before I finish this song, let me tell you the rest:
A‑màireach thill mi dhachaigh agus botal na mo phòc;
Tomorrow I will return home and my purse's bottle;
Chruinnich sinn na càirdean gu pàrtaidh dhe gach seòrs’,
We gathered friends from all over for a great party;
Is cha robh h‑aon a thàinig leinn a chàineadh an Lochmor!
And there was not one who came with us to reproach Loch Mor!
Contributed by Wyatt N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.