
In Season 1 of 'Outlander' we hear the beautiful lilting music of Gwyllyn the Bard in the Great Hall at Castle Leoch.
While entertaining the gathering there, he plays a beautiful 17-string Celtic 'knee harp' as he sings softly to the lyre.
One of the songs he sings there catches the attention of the newly arrived Claire Beauchamp Randall. His song recounts the tale of a woman who had traveled through mysterious ancient stones to another place and time.
Lyrics: 'Woman of Balnain', Bear McCreary
I am a woman of Balnain,
The folk have stolen me over again,
the stones seemed to say
I stood upon the hill, and wind did rise,
and the sound of thunder rolled across the land,
I placed my hands upon the tallest stone
and traveled to a far, distant land,
where I lived for a time among strangers
who became lovers and friends
But one day, I saw the moon came out
and the wind rose once more,
so I touched the stones
and travelled back to my own land
and took up again with the man I had left behind
This haunting song helps Claire realize that this must truly be the way she has come to be in 18th century Scotland, and that others too may have traveled through giant Celtic stones such as the ones at Craigh Na Dun as she has done.
Gwyllyn the Bard is highly prized by the Laird of the MacKenzie Clan and the court of Castle Leoch for his skill and talent in both song and musicianship.
Gwyllin is played by real-life bard, Gaelic singer, songmaker, poet and writer Gillebride MacMillan. Gillebride is a fluent, first language Gaelic speaker who hails from from South Uist in the Outer Hebrides.
Shown below is one of the Audio CD albums, 'Thogainn Ort Fonn' (I'd Sing You a Song) by Gillebride MacMillan featuring original songs in his native Gaelic tongue.
Also available is his CD album, Freumhan Falaichte (Hidden Roots) as well as the Soundtrack CD for 'Outlander' Season 1 featuring 'The Woman of Balnain' sung by Gillebride.
The Season 1 Soundtrack by Bear McCreary, also includes songs sung by Raya Yarbrough (The Skye Boat Song; Dance of the Druids).
Click on a photo below to see a larger image, and to find out how to get a CD of Gillebride's music or a Celtic knee harp to make music of your very own: