The Sun Dances

The Sun Dances: Prayers and Blessings from the Gaelic

No one can say when or by whom, the Gaelic originals were composed; they were handed down by oral tradition to the men and women from whom Alexander Carmichael received them during his long life (1832-1912).

Those who made and used these verses felt the presence of God and his messengers in all concerns of their lives : in their human relationships, in birth and death, in waking and sleeping, in their work, at home, in the fields, and on the sea.

About the Author

Alexander Carmichael was born in 1832 on the island of Lismore. His work as a civil servant took him all over the Scottish Highlands and the Hebrides. During his travels he recorded these poems and prayers. Two volumes of the collection appeared before his death in 1912. The remaining volumes appeared later, edited by his daughter and grandson.