Journey through the Celtic year with the Sufi mystic Rumi through spoken word and music. This audiobook features original poems for the Gaelic seasons and holidays of Nova Scotia, and Scottish Gaelic translations of poems by the renowned 13th-century Persian poet Rumi.

Gaelic and English poetry, read aloud by the author, intertwines beautifully with Persian and Celtic traditional & spiritual music by Wayne MacIntyre on acoustic guitar and Saeed Foroughi on hammered dulcimer, setar, flute, and Celtic harp.

This is Lewis MacKinnon’s fourth Scottish Gaelic poetry collection and his first audiobook. The poems of Rumi were interpreted into English by best-selling US poet Coleman Barks. Coleman Barks's poems were translated into Gaelic by MacKinnon.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
For a table of contents with poem titles and Gaelic tune titles, visit our website at www.bradanpress.com/raithean-audiobook.

BONUS TRACKS:
The digital download version contains a Gaelic-only version with no music, for Gaelic speakers and learners. This is provided in tracks 14-27.

ARTIST BIO:
Lewis MacKinnon (Lodaidh MacFhionghain) was born in Cape Breton and raised on the Nova Scotia mainland in Antigonish County. In 2011, he was named the poet laureate to the Royal National Mòd in Scotland. He works to advance Gaels' language, culture and identity in Nova Scotia, Canada, and internationally. He lives with his family in Middle Sackville near Halifax.

REVIEWS:
“Tha an leabhar grinn seo a’ toirt ri chèile bàrdachd bho dhiofar linntean is dùthchannan ach uile air tòir na h-aon ceann-uidhe—gliocas. […] Tha e na thlachd mhòr sgrìobhadh cudromach ùr mar seo a leughadh à Canada. Thillear dhan leabhar seo iomadach ùr gus cèilidh a-rithist air cuid de na dàin. […T]ha feadhainn a dh’fheumar cnuasachd is cuid eile a tha goirid, grinn is a bhualas nad inntinn mar ghath grèine. Gun teagamh bheir e ort meòrachadh air ioma chuspair, is thig tlachd an cois sin.” —An Dr. Aonghas MacLeòid

This elegant book brings together poetry from different eras and countries but all in pursuit of the same objective—wisdom. […] It’s a great delight to read important new writing like this from Canada. One will return to this book many times to visit some of the poems. […S]ome must be pondered and others are short, neat and strike your mind like a sunbeam. Without doubt it will make you ponder many subjects, which will itself be a joy to the reader.
 —Dr. Angus MacLeod

Tha MacFhionghuin a’ toirt dhuinn sealladh air cuid de bhàrdachd agus smuaintean cumhachdach is cudromach bho inntinn fìor iongantach, o dhuine bho linn fad air ais an eachdraidh agus o àite fad’ air falbh, ach fear le faclan a bhios fhathast buntainneach do ‘r beatha làitheil an-diugh. Obair mhath, air a cur gu math, agus airidh air aire farsaing. Molaidh mi dhan t-saoghal i. Ach bithibh faiceallach—faodaidh i smaoineachadh domhain a thoirt oirbh! —Aonghas MacLeòid, Còbh Anndra, Ceap Breatainn, AN

MacKinnon gives us an insight into some powerful and important poetry and thoughts from a truly remarkable mind, that of a man from a distant past and a far away place, but one whose words still resonate with everyday life today. A fine and well put together piece of work, worthy of widespread attention. I recommend it to the world. Beware—it will make you think. —Angus MacLeod, Goose Cove, Cape Breton, NS

Chuidich Comhairle nan Leabhraichean am foillsichear le cosgaisean an leabhair-èisteachd seo.
The Gaelic Books Council assisted the publisher with the costs of publishing this audiobook.