© ericdentinger.com
2008-2025
Eric Maclewis
Benbecula, the dark or black island (gaél. Beinn na Faoghla) is located in the Outer Hebrides, south of the island of Lewis & Harris, between the islands of North Uist and South Uist.
Unfortunately, she did not inspire the cartoonist Hergé for his seventh album "L'Île Noire" (1938): the creator of Tintin had little documented - at least in the first editions - on Scotland and its landscapes.
The interest in this island has partly its origin in a British television series entitled The Dark Island broadcast from 1963 and whose action is supposed to take place on Benbecula (although filmed on the island of Uist).
The melody that accompanied this series would have been composed in 1958 in the form of a Lament for a doctor of the island: Dr Mackay's Farewell To Creagorry or Dr McInnes's Farewell To South Uist.
The author would be Iain McLachlan (1927-1995), piper, violinist and accordionist native of the island.
He could have been inspired by older tunes that he would have arranged.
However, he is currently credited with it.
Another version attributes the authorship of the air called The Dark Isle to Allan MacCormack, son of another piper on the island.
The most used lyrics today were written by David Silver in 1963 to serve, supported by McLachlan's air, on the television series in question.
Another text was in use in the past, first written the same year by Stewart Ross of Inverness.
This text, also widely interpreted in its time, was somewhat erased behind the "official" version of David Silver: I chose to (re-) highlight it here.
The bagpipe score I wrote is inspired by Iain McLachlan's interpretation, which will be found in the video sequence.
This magnificent tune, played at a very contained tempo, has been taken up by many performers of the Celtic musical sphere.
The Dark Island
(Stewart Ross of Inverness ©1963)
In the years long gone by when I first left my home
I was young and I wanted the wide world to roam
But now I am older and wiser you see
For that lovely Dark Island is calling to me
Though I've wandered away from the land of my birth
And been roaming around to the ends of the earth
Still my heart is at home in that land far away
That lovely Dark Island where memories stray
One day I'll return to that far distant shore
And from that dear island I'll wander no more
Till the day that I die I will no longer roam
For that lovely Dark Island will be my last home
Though I've wandered away from the land of my birth
And been roaming around to the ends of the earth
Still my heart is at home in that land far away
That lovely Dark Island where memories stray
On the album - 1st tune :
THE DARK ISLAND
LAMENT
- score by Eric Maclewis with CelticPipes
