Thrilled to share a collaboration with the amazing Max ZT on hammered dulcimer. 

When I first met Max, he shared that he got in to playing dulcimer through Trad Scottish and Irish tunes, so we decided to collab and with a set of Puirt-à-beul, literally meaning ‘tunes from the mouth’. The specification was to make me dance 💃 and he’s only gone and done it! 
Here is beautiful Loch Etive and Ben Cruachan, Argyll as a backdrop.

Max ZT & Ainsley Hamill Collaboration - Puirt-à-beul - Global Music Match 2021

Traditional Scottish Gaelic Puirt-à-beul
Gheibh Sinn Ribinnean  Mòra, Mòra/ Dhannsamaid Le Ailean

Ainsley Hamill - Main Vocals
Sam Kelly - Bouzouki/ Backing Vocals
Toby Shaer - Fiddle/ Flute
Jack Badcock - Guitar/ Backing Vocals 
Ciaran Ryan - Banjo

Mixed and mastered by Scott Wood of Oak Ridge Studios

The Big Ribbon Puirt - Ainsley Hamill, Sam Kelly, Toby Shaer, Jack Badcock, Ciaran Ryan

Ainsley Hamill & Michelle McManus duet the number 1 hit 'All This Time' live on BBC Radio Scotland for a Celtic Connections special at BBC Pacific Quay. Accompanied by Alistair Iain Paterson and Sam Kelly.

Ainsley Hamill & Michelle McManus - All This Time Duet - BBC Radio Scotland

Ainsley Hamill with Atlantic Seaway singing traditional Gaelic puirt-a-beul (mouth music). 

Track taken from The National Trust for Scotland USA Foundation EP 'We are Scotland'.

Credits:
Ainsley Hamill - puirt-a-beul, backing vocals
Maeve Gilchrist - Clarsach, piano, backing vocals
Hannah Read - fiddle, backing vocals
Lucas Pool - banjo, ac. guitar, lead vocals (My Saro Jane)
Paul Jefferson - upright bass
Maureen McMaullan - backing vocals



Tighinn Air a' Mhuir/  Crathadh 't Aodaich, a Ghaoil/  Ruidlidh na Coilich Dhubha/   My Saro Jane

Performed by Ainsley Hamill & Toby Shaer
Recorded at Noatune Studios London

Latha Dhomh 's mi Buain a Choirce (Lyrics)

1. Latha dhomh 's mi buain a choirce
Gheàrr mi beum 's cha robh e socair 

Hò rò sna hoir ri ri ò
Hi ri ri ri hò rò eile
Hò rò sna hoir ri ri ò

2. Gheàrr mi beum 's cha robh e socair
Gheàrr mi mo ghlùn is leig mi osna

3. Gheàrr mi mo ghlùn is leig mi osna
Shuidh mi air uachdair a’ ghoirtein

4. Shuidh mi air uachdair a’ ghoirtein
Dh'fheuch am faicinn fear do choltais

5. Dh’fheuch am faicinn fear do choltais
Fear a’ chùil duinn 'snan gruaidhean dosrach

6. Fear a'chùil duinn 's nan gruaidhean dosrach
Fhaoilinn bhig a shnàmhas an caolas

7. Fhaoilinn bhig a shnàmhas an caolas
Beir mo shoraidh bhuam gu'm leannan


Translation

One day I was reaping oats
I made a cut which was not even

Ho ro sna hoir ri ri o
Hi ri ri ri ho ro eile
Ho ro sna hoir ri ri o

I made a cut which was not even
I cut my knee and let out a sigh

I cut my knee and let out a sigh
I sat at the top of the field

I sat at the top of the field
Trying to see someone like you

Trying to see someone like you
A brown-haired man with a fair face

A brown-haired man with a fair face
Oh little seagull who swims the straits

Oh little seagull who swims the straits
Take my greeting to my love

Buain a Choirce

Vocals &  Harmonium -  Ainsley Hamill
Guitar - Toby Shaer

Recorded at Noatune, mixed by Kristoffer Rylander

A Song written by Ainsley about the incredible Isabella Moore of Govan, Scotland. 

Govan born Belle Moore is the youngest British woman to win an Olympic gold medal and is the only Scottish woman to win an Olympic gold medal in swimming.

Isabella McAlpine Moore, or Belle learned to swim at school in Govan, more than likely Lorne Street Primary pool, Govan Parish School Board saw the benefits of swimming to the health & wellbeing of children and pioneered the introduction of school swimming pools in Scotland. Some Govan schools had swimming pools before the first public pools opened in Govan at Summertown Road in 1901. Between 1884-1904 Govan Parish School Board built eight schools with pools and 5,300 children were receiving formal swimming lessons from experienced swimming instructors. Four of the schools with pools were within Govan Burgh; Broomloan Road, Greenfield, Bellahouston and Lorne Street, Govan School Board also provided opportunities for children to compete in contests which ranged in standard from inter-class to national events. In 1903 Lorne Street School held an annual intra-school gala at its school pool with schools competing for the "MacLeish Cup", in 1907 a second trophy for girls was added, no doubt Belle then aged 11 would have competed. Bell was encouraged by her instructor to continue training in public pools after school, an article claimed that Belle "was so dedicated she often walked 2 to 3 miles to a pool", however Kinning Park public pool was less than a half-mile from her home and even the Summertown Road pools were less than a mile away.

The first-ever women's Olympic swimming events staged were at the Stockholm Olympic Games of 1912, now a swimming instructor Belle was among the first of these women swimmers to compete at the games. Belle Moore and her British teammates wore "scandalously short woollen swimsuits with completely uncovered arms", USA officials were more prudish and refused to send a female team of swimmers at all, they believed that a woman should not appear in public in such a state of undress.

Two women's races were staged at the 1912 Olympics, a 100 metres individual freestyle and a 4 x 100m relay, Belle competed in both, she made it to the semi-final of the 100 metres individual freestyle but was eliminated. On the 15th July 1912 Belle competed in the 4 x 100m relay alongside her British team mates Jennie Fletcher, Annie Speirs and Irene Steer, in the final Great Britain competed against Germany, Austria and Sweden, Belle lead off and the team won easily, breaking a world record and setting an Olympic record. The team received their gold medals and laurel wreaths from King Gustav V of Sweden, Belle just 17 years and 226 days old was and still is the youngest British woman to win an Olympic gold medal, she is also the only Scottish woman to win an Olympic gold medal in swimming.

Belle returned home to Govan with little celebration and continued to work as a swimming instructor, in 1913, she set a 200m freestyle record which stood unbroken for many years.

In 1919, Belle married George Cameron at Kinning Park Parish Church, George was a shipyard manager who was born and brought up at 4 White (Golspie) Street, Govan, that same year Belle and George emigrated to Dundalk, Maryland, USA and had two children. Belle continued to swim and teach swimming until she died in Dundalk, Maryland, USA on the 7th March 1975 aged 81.
In 1989, Belle was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an “Honor Pioneer Swimmer”, she was also inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

Notes by Colin Quigley of the Govan Reminiscence Group 2018

Belle Of The Ball

Ainsley Hamill's first solo release 'Belle of the Ball' comprising of her own self-penned songs inspired by her home surroundings of Scotland and Traditional Scottish Gaelic Songs

05 - The Green Woods Back Home

04 - Ailein Duinn

03 - Runaways

02 - Belle Of The Ball

01 - Buain A' Choirce

The Lyceum

The Lyceum 
Written by Ainsley Hamill

Ainsley Hamill - Vocals 
Chris Gray -Piano

Featured on 'The Spirit of the Quaich' by Keepers of the Quaich
Listen to the full album here:
https://soundcloud.com/user-40098137-243751524

The new 2,600 seat cinema was designed by Charles J. McNair and cinema architect Henry F. Elder in a "streamline modem" design which emphasised the curving forms and long horizontal lines of the art deco style, a striking contrast to the surrounding sandstone tenements with its five tall back-lit, glass-block windows and a wide curved corner entrance, with five broad doors that stand on both McKechnie Street and Govan Road. The interior was no less impressive with a mural running around a circular entrance hall, at the centre of which hung a striking light fitting above an island ticket box, from which art deco patterns radiated in the terrazzo floor. The auditorium with its stalls and balcony was decorated in blue, pink and lilac and the screen was fronted by a 40ft wide proscenium and 12ft deep stage.

The Lyceum, Govan's latest suburban cinema was opened in the 19th December 1938 by the then Lord Provost Paddy Dollan who said that it was "a magnificent resurrection". The cost of a ticket ranged from 5d to 1s and the booking of the movies were performed by A. B. King, who chose on the first night to run the comedy movie "We're Going To Be Rich" starring Gracie Fields & Victor McLagen.

The Lyceum also supported a large number of staff, all of whom were fabulously dresses in uniforms which were similar to those worn by staff of the grand hotels of the 30s and 40s, many generations of Govanites will remember Mr Morris dressed in his doorman's uniform. Part of his job was to ensure that no one brought sweets inside, however Mr Morris was often seen to turn a blind eye. Again overseeing the staff and the running of the cinema was manager of the old Lyceum before it was destroyed by the fire, he was often noticeable in evening dress with bow tie.

 The Lyceum for decades was one of Glasgow's most popular cinemas, a place that still holds warm memories for many people in Govan, whether it be as kids, skipping in through the fire escape to the Saturday matinees or as adults, crying at the latest weepies such as; 'Madame X' and 'Imitation of Life' or watching the latest Summer blockbusters, such as the movie 'Grease', so popular with Govan's teenagers it ran for nine weeks.

In 1974 after the death of owner A. B. King, the Lyceum was sold to County Properties who converted it to cine-bingo. The stalls became the County Bingo Social Club and the balcony area a 480 seat cinema, the circular art-deco entrance hall was partitioned by a wall providing separate entrances for the cinema and the bingo, the circular island ticket box was pulled over to the cinema side where the art-deco mural was replaces by a mural of Disney characters and the mural on the bingo side was just painted over.

Ian Bryson continued on as manager of the cinema until he retired in 1981 after 50 long years of service to the Lyceum. 1981 also heralded the end of cinema in Govan and sadly at the end of December that year, the cinema portion of the Lyceum closed down. Among the last of the films shown was the Israeli teen comedy 'Hot Bubblegum'. With the cinema portion now mothballed, the bingo hall carried on operating until 2006 when Gala Bingo bought over the properties of County, Gala announced that they would rebrand and refurbish all the properties, however, after more than 100 years of the Lyceum entertaining the people of Govan, Gala closed it down later that year.

Colin Quigley - Govan Reminiscence Group

The Spirit of the Quaich

The Lyceum

The Lyceum - by Ainsley Hamill

Ainsley Hamill's Not Just Ship Land

Written by Ainsley Hamill
Arranged & Produced by Malcolm Lindsay
Featuring Czech Studio Orchestra

01 Not Just Ship Land

“Ainsley Hamill’s stirring voice could compete with anyone at Celtic Connections” - Pat Byrne *The Voice of Ireland*

Ainsley is a Scottish songwriter and singer and is quickly becoming one of the UK’s leading and most diverse folk singers, after various nominations at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards.

Ainsley Hamill

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