I love the song Sleepie Maggie by Ashley MacIssac, featuring Nova Scotian Gaelic songstress Mary Jane Lamond. Gaelic is a beautiful language, a language I was fortunate to have the opportunity of studying in high school. Did you know that high school students in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island can earn university-prep level credits in Gaelic? Also, NS is adding Gaelic Cultural Studies to it's roster of high school courses.

Here are the lyrics for Sleepy Maggie, with English translation, so you can try your hand at singing in Gaelic.

Dannsa, ruidhle, ruidhle bhoidheach (Dance, reel, a bonny reel)
Ruidhle bhoidheach, dannsa direach (A bonny reel, a tidy dance)
Dannsa, ruidhle, ruidhle bhoidheach ( Dance, reel, a bonny reel)
Ruidhle bhoidheach, dannsa direach (A bonny reel, a tidy dance)

Ciamar a ni mi dannsa direach (How can I make a tidy dance)
Ciamar a ni mi ruidhle bhoidheach (How can I dance a bonny reel)
Ciamar a ni mi dannsa direach How can (I make a tidy dance)
Dh'fhalbh am prionn as bonn mo chota (The pin went from the hem of my coat)

Dannsa, ruidhle, ruidhle bhoidheach (Dance, reel, a bonny reel)
Ruidhle bhoidheach, dannsa direach (A bonny reel, a tidy dance)
Dannsa, ruidhle, ruidhle bhoidheach (Dance, reel, a bonny reel)
Ruidhle bhoidheach, dannsa direach (A bonny reel, a tidy dance)

Ciamar a ni mi dannsa direach ( How can I make a tidy dance)
Ciamar a ni mi ruidhle bhoidheach (How can I dance a bonny reel)
Dh'fhalbh am prionn as bonn mo chota (The pin went from the hem of my coat)
Dannsa (Dance)

O cha bhi mi fo mhulad (Oh I won't be sad)
Nuair thig a' fidhleir, a' fidhleir anochd (When the fiddler, the fiddler comes tonight)

Tha nid na circe-fraoiche (The nest of the grouse)
'S a' mhuilinn dubh, 's a' mhuilinn dubh (In the black mill, in the black mill)
Tha nid na circe-fraoiche (The nest of the grouse)
'S a' mhuilinn dubh o shamhraidh (Is in the black mill since the summer time)
Tha nid na circe-fraoiche (The nest of the grouse)
'S a' mhuilinn dubh, 's a' mhuilinn dubh (In the black mill, in the black mill)
Tha nid na circe-fraoiche (The nest of the grouse)
'S a' mhuilinn dubh o shamhraidh (Is in the black mill since the summer time)

Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
'S e togairt dol a dhannsa (And we expect to go dancing)
Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
'S e togairt dol a dhannsa (And we expect to go dancing)

Tha an crodh a' breith nan laogh
Anns a' mhuilinn dubh, 's a' mhuilinn dubh (In the black mill, in the black mill)
Tha an crodh a' breith nan laogh
Anns a' mhuilinn dubh o shamhradh (In the black mill since the summer time)
Tha an crodh a' breith nan laogh
Anns a' mhuilinn dubh, 's a' mhuilinn dubh (In the black mill, in the black mill)
Tha an crodh a' breith nan laogh
Anns a' mhuilinn dubh o shamhradh (In the black mill since the summer time)

Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
'S e togairt dol a dhannsa (And we expect to go dancing)
Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
Tha 'm muilinn dubh air thuraman (The black mill is moving around)
'S e togairt dol a dhannsa (And we expect to go dancing)

Dannsa, ruidhle, ruidhle bhoidheach (Dance, reel, a bonny reel)
Ruidhle bhoidheach, dannsa direach (A bonny reel, a tidy dance)
Dannsa, ruidhle, ruidhle bhoidheach (Dance, reel, a bonny reel)
Ruidhle bhoidheach, dannsa direach (A bonny reel, a tidy dance)

Ciamar a ni mi dannsa direach (How can I make a tidy dance)
Ciamar a ni mi ruidhle bhoidheach (How can I dance a bonny reel)
Dh'fhalbh am prionn as bonn mo chota (The pin went from the hem of my coat)
Dannsa (Dance)

O cha bhi mi fo mhulad (Oh I won't be sad)
Nuair thig a' fidhleir, a' fidhleir anochd (When the fiddler, the fiddler comes tonight)
Cha bhi mi fo mhulad (I won't be sad)
Nuair thig a' fidhleir, a' fidhleir anochd (When the fiddler, the fiddler comes tonight)