Play Gaelic is the first album by the Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig. It was released in 1978 on LP and cassette tape by Neptune Records.Play Gaelic (album liner notes), Runrig, 1978. Neptune Records: NA 105. (Available online at Discogs. Retrieved 1 January 2026.) The album was re-released in 1990 by Lismor Records, Neptune's parent company, with different cover art. This release included a CD version of the album for the first time.Play Gaelic (The First 'Legendary' Recordings) (album liner notes), Runrig, 1990. Lismor Digital: LCOM 9026. (Available online at Discogs. Retrieved 1 January 2026.)
The album is sung entirely in Scottish GaelicSawyers, June (2001) Celtic Music: A Complete Guide, p. 266. Boston: Da Capo Press. and is notable as one of the first contemporary albums to use the language and as an early part of the late 20th century revival in Gaelic language and culture. It is considered important in the development of Gaelic contemporary music, opening the possibility of producing modern music entirely in the language. It is the only one of the band's studio albums to be written exclusively with Gaelic lyrics.
Background Although Runrig were formed in 1973,Runrig, Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved 1 January 2026. brothers Calum and Rory MacDonald had begun writing songs from as early as 1971. Initially their song writing was in English, but a performance by Gaelic vocalist Angus MacLeod in 1972 inspired Calum to write his first Gaelic composition, "Air an Traigh", a song which features on Play Gaelic.Morton, pp. 22–24.Wilson, Brian (2021) The life and times of Runrig – in 90 minutes, Stornoway Gazette, 22 October 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2026. After first performing as a band with accordion player Blair Douglas at a Glasgow cèilidh in early 1973,Morton, pp. 24–25.Calum is Ruaraidh Dòmhnallach, Bliadhna nan Òran, BBC Alba. Retrieved 1 January 2026. the "Run-Rig Dance Band" began playing dances on Skye later in the year. Performing only in English at this point, the band played mainly "Scottish country dance tunes"Donnie Munro, quoted in Morton, p. 28. interspersed with cover versions of songs such as "Whiskey in the Jar" and "Red River Rock".Morton, pp. 27–28.McNeil, Robert (2024) Runrig: Damn critics who took the low road with triumphalist jock rock, The Herald, 2 June 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
Vocalist Donnie Munro joined the band, by then performing as Run Rig, the following summer,Morton, pp. 33–34.Russell, Greg (2021 Documentary gives insight into Scots music legends Runrig – here's how to watch, The National, 1 July 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2026. and when Blair Douglas left the band later in the year accordion player Robert MacDonald joined, playing with the band for the first time in December 1974.Morton, pp. 39–40.Blair Douglas, Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved 1 January 2026. During 1975 and 1976 Campbell Gunn also sung with the band, sometimes replacing Munro during live performances.Morton, pp. 40–41.Gunn, Campbell (2018) Campbell Gunn: I won't be alone in shedding a tear at Runrig's farewell, The Herald, 17 August 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
Despite performing only in English, Calum continued to write some Gaelic lyrics. In October 1975 one of his compositions, "Sguaban Arbhair", won second place in a Gaelic songwriting competition organised by BBC Scotland, although the version performed at the contest by Mary Sandeman was markedly different to the original. The track appears on Play Gaelic, and Calum, now joined by Rory, began to write more Gaelic language material.Morton, p. 41. A demo tape was sent to The Corries but was rejected before being accepted by Lismor Records, with a recording date set for May 1977. Gunn, who had had a contractual dispute with Lismor in the past, left the band before recording began.Morton, pp. 41–42.
Style The band's sound on the album is halfway between traditional cèilidh music and pastoral folk as opposed to the harder rock which would characterise their next album The Highland Connection.Morton, p. 48.Morton, pp. 64–65. With all of the songs written in Scottish Gaelic,Brown, Jamie (1988) Gaels who brought a wind of change, Evening Times, 16 January 1988. (Available online at Google News. Retrieved 2 January 2026.)Fulton, Rick (2016) Runrig release their final album but insist it's not the end of The Story, The Daily Record, 29 January 2016, p. 8. Retrieved 2 January 2026. the playing on the album has been described as combining "plaintive accordion, jangly acoustic guitar and truly Marvinesque electric guitar",Morton, p. 48. and as "gentle, folksy, [and] tentative".Moffat, Alistair (2024) The Highlands and Islands of Scotland: a new history, p. 428. Edinburgh: Birlinn. (Available online at Google Books. Retrieved 4 January 2026.) Despite lacking finesse in terms of both production and playing, the songs are considered to have "a real emotive power", with "memorable" melodies on songs such as the album's opening track "Dùisg Mo Rùn".
The album includes some traditional songs, including the historic "Criogal Cridhe" and a set of dance hall instrumental tunes named as "Ceòl an Dannsa", described on the album liner notes as "Friday night and the lights are on in the village hall".Morton, pp. 48–49. "Dè Nì Mi", written by Finlay Morrison, is described as a "a humorous puirt à beul from North Uist", and "An Ròs" is an adaptation of a poem by Mòrag Montgomery from A' Choille Chiar, a collection of poems Montgomery and her sister Catrìona published in 1974.Mòrag NicGumaraid (Morag Montgomery), Scottish Poetry Library. Retrieved 2 January 2026.An Ròs, Largs Gaelic Choir. Retrieved 2 January 2026. Calum MacDonald's song writing on the album has been described as "excellent",Martin MacDonald, quoted in Morton, p. 49. with the album's final track "Cum 'ur n'Aire" described as "a hypnotic, orchestral whole" with layered vocal harmonies.Morton, p. 49.
Several of the songs are now part of the Gaelic songbook: "Tillidh Mi" is a fixture at fèisean and has been recorded by bands such as SkipinnishLive from the Ceilidh House (album liner notes), Skipinnish, 2009. Skipinnish Records: SKIPCD18. (Available online at Discogs. Retrieved 1 January 2026.) and MànranThe Test (album liner notes), Mànran, 2013. Mànran Records: MAN03. (Available online at Discogs. Retrieved 1 January 2026.), "Air an Tràigh", which Calum MacDonald had considered offering to Na h-Òganaich during the 1970s,Morton, p. 25. has been recorded by Trail West and is a staple of the band's live performances,Countless Isles And Endless Miles, Trail West, 2020. TW Records: TW02CD. (Available online at Discogs. Retrieved 10 January 2026.) "Cum 'ur n'Aire" is a favourite at the National Mòd, and "Chì Mi'n Geamhradh" was the title track of a 1991 Cathy-Ann MacPhee albumChi Mi'n Geamhradh – I See Winter (album liner notes), Catherine-Ann MacPhee, 1991. Greentrax: CDTRAX 038. (Available online at Discogs. Retrieved 1 January 2026.)Chi Mi 'N Geamhradh, Bliadhna nan Òran, BBC Alba. Retrieved 1 January 2026. and has been recorded by artists such as Rura, Duncan Chisholm, and, in Manx, by Ruth Keggin.Our Voices Echo (album liner notes), Rura, 2022. Rura Music: RURACD004. (Available online at Discogs. Retrieved 10 January 2026.)The Door of Saints (album liner notes), Duncan Chisholm, 2001. Copperfish Records: CPFCD002. (Available online at Discogs. Retrieved 10 January 2026.)Turrys (album liner notes), Ruth Keggin, 2016. Purt Sheearan Records: PSRCD002. ( Available online at Discogs. Retrieved 10 January 2026.)McMillian, Robert (2017) Trad/roots: Adventures in Manx with Ruth Keggin's album Turrys, Irish News, 3 February 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2026.
"Tillidh Mi" was a finalist in the Celtavision song contest at the 1977 Pan Celtic Festival in Killarney and Runrig performed some of material which would go on to feature on Play Gaelic on BBC One Scotland's Se Ur Beatha light entertainment programme during the same year.1977, On TV, Runrig Rocks. Retrieved 4 January 2026. During 1978 and 1979 the band featured in Grampian Television children's series Cuir Car, playing a number of the songs from the album as well as other material and featuring in sketches.Morton, pp. 53–56.1979, On TV, Runrig Rocks. Retrieved 4 January 2026. A version of "Dè Nì Mi" provided the opening theme music for Can Seo, a programme for Gaelic learners produced by BBC One Scotland in 1979.Gu leòr ri thighinn bho Runrig, Naidheachdan, BBC News, 10 February 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
Recording Lismor Records, which was run by Peter Hamilton, were known for recording traditional music and pipe bands. These records were usually produced quickly, often in a single day. Runrig were offered six days to record Play Gaelic but, after a series of difficult negotiations, this was increased to 12 days, the longest recording session Lismor had used to this point.Morton, p. 42.
The album was recorded in May 1977 at Black Gold Studios in Kirkintilloch where it was produced by owners Ken Andrew and Ian McCredie, both members of Middle of the Road. The band had suggested that Chris Harley produce the album, but this was rejected by Lismor; Harley produced a number of the band's albums in the 1980s and 90s.Tributes paid to Skye musician and producer, West Highland Free Press, 9 March 2015. Archived copy 15 July 2019, retrieved 1 January 2026. The album was released the following April on Neptune Records, a subsidiary of Lismor.Morton, p. 45.
Critical reception Runrig first played a number of the songs recorded for Play Gaelic during their summer 1977 concerts. Audiences, which had been used to the band playing dance music and cover versions, did not initially respond well to the Gaelic songs.Morton, pp. 43–44. Gradually the new songs grew more popular. The BBC had launched Radio Highland in 1976, broadcasting a series of opt-outs from BBC Radio Scotland aimed at both English and Gaelic language listeners. Play Gaelic was played regularly by the station, presenter Iain MacDonald recalling that "Runrig were the only people in [the Gaelic music] market who were appealing to anything like a youth audience" and that, as a result, the album "got battered to death", so much so that vinyl copies became unplayable.Quoted in Morton, p. 45.Play Gaelic: Runrig Album, scoteire.de. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
Although the head of Radio Highland, Bill Kerracher, disliked the album, referring to it as "American music with Gaelic words", contemporary Scottish reviews of Play Gaelic were generally positive. Writing in The Scotsman, critic Alistair Clark felt the album provided an example of how Gaelic music could become contemporary "without losing either its significance or dignity" and found the album "irresistible".Quoted in Morton, pp. 45–46. Aonghas MacNeacail of the West Highland Free Press gave the album a "rave review",Morton, p. 47. writing that he felt the album "thoroughly contemporary" and the band "the first Gaelic rock band".Quoted in Morton, p. 47. Writing a year later in the Glasgow Herald, Douglas Lowe described the album simply as "good",Lowe, Douglas (1979) Gaels turning Mods into Rockers with these new 'hatesome' reels, Glasgow Herald, 26 October 1979, p. 2. (Available online at Google Books. Retrieved 3 January 2026.) although others, including Jim Hardie and Neil Campbell of The Electric Ceilidh Band, reacted less positively to the album.Morton, pp. 48–51.