History

Mairi's Wedding (also known as Marie's Wedding, the Lewis Bridal Song, or Mairi Bhan) is a
Scottish folk song originally written in Gaelic by John Roderick Bannerman (1865–1938) for
Mary C. MacNiven (1905–1997) on the occasion of her winning the gold medal at the National
Mod in 1934. Her wedding did not in fact take place until some six years later when she married
Captain John Campbell of Glendale, Skye.

She continued to sing at Gaelic concerts and céilidhs for most of her life, and died at 91
at her native Portnahaven, Islay in 1997.

The Gaelic version begins:

"S i mo ghaol-sa Màiri Bhàn
Màiri bhòidheach sgeul mo dhàin,
Gaol mo chridh'-sa Màiri Bhàn,
S tha mi 'dol 'ga pòsadh."

A literal translation into English would be:

She's my darling, Fair Mary
Pretty Mary, story of my song,
Darling of my heart, Fair Mary,
And I'm going to her wedding''

Sir Hugh Roberton's version in English is:

Step we gaily on we go
Heel for heel and toe for toe
Arm and arm and row on row
All for Mairi's wedding

Full Lyrics

Chorus
Step we gaily on we go
Heel for heel and toe for toe
Arm in arm and row and row
All for Mairi' s wedding

  1. Over hill-way up and down
    Myrtle green and bracken brown
    Past the shieling through the town
    All for Mairi's wedding
    Chorus
  2. Plenty herring plenty meal
    Plenty peat tae fill her creel
    Plenty bonny bairns as weel
    That's the toast for Mairi
    Chorus
  3. Cheeks as bright as rowans are
    Brighter far than any star
    Fairest of them all by far is my darling Mairi
    Chorus
  4. Over hill-ways up and down
    Myrtle green and bracken brown
    Past the sheiling through the town
    All for sake of Mairi
    Chorus