Jim says that most of the known Scottish harp tunes are attributed to Rory Dall (Dall meaning "blind") whose real name was Roderick Morison (about 1660-1713) who became harper to the MacLeods of Dunvegin (Isle of Skye). Contemporary to him (some think) was an Irish harper, Rory Dall O'Cathain (O'Keene) who travelled in Scotland in the first part of the 17th century. It's hard to tell which tunes should be attributed to which man. The tune here is my own; the arrangement is TBM's. (GB)
Was it just last night or long ago
That Rory Dall was here?
Does anyone remember
The evening or the year?
He came in from the darkness
With the shadows in his eyes
And the night was full of yearning
And the wind was full of sighs.
We asked him where he came from
And how far he had to go.
He answered without speaking
That we surely had to know.
He placed his harp before him
In his laughter and his pain
And strings were weeping for the
world
Before he left again.
Does anyone remember
The evening or the year?
Was it just last night or long ago
That Rory Dall was here?