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In 192 the lawful price of the clothing of an
"oUamh" and of an"anra" or second poet in
Ireland, was fixed at five milch cows. In very
ancient times the bards sang the praises of the
good and valiant, and the Seanachies Avere the
registrars of events and custodians of family
history.
The Caledonian bards officiated as sort of
aides-de-camp to the chief, communicating his
orders to the chieftains and tlieir followers.
"When Fingal retired to view the battle, three
bards attended liim to bear his words to the
chiefs." In later limes tlie offices of bard and
seanachie were often held by one person, and one
of the duties was to preserve the genealogies and
descent of the chiefs and the trilie, which were
solemnly repeated at marriages, baptisms, and
burials. The last purpose for which they were
retained by the Highlanders was to preserve a
faithful history of their respective clans. The
office was also a hereditary one, which received
its death-blow by the Government Act of 1748.
Lachlan MacNeil, Mhic Lachlan, Mhic Domhnuill,
Mhic Lachlan, Mhic Neil ]\Ior, Mhic Domhnuill,
of the surname of MacVurich, declared before Mr
Roderick MacLeod, J. P., in presence of six
clergymen and gentlemen, that he was the
eighteenth in descent from " Muireadhach
Albanich," who flourished in 1180 to 1222, whose
posterity had officiated as bards to Clan Ranald,
and thac they had as salaiy for their office the
farm of Staoiligary and four pennies of Drimisdale
during fifteen generations.
Lachlan Mor MacVurich accompanied Donald,
Lord of the Isles, at the battle of Haarlaw in
1411, and rehearsed his great poem to animate
the followers of the Islay chief. This war song
consists of 338 lines. The theme is - " children
of Conn of the hundred fights, remember hardihood
in the time of battle." Round this subject
Lachlan Mor had gathered some six hundred and
fifty adverbial adjecti\-es arranged alphabetically,
and every one of them bearing specially and
martially on the great theme of the song. It is
altogether one of the most wonderful productions
in the Gaelic language.
That poems of great antiquity existed at the
period when Ossian sang, is evident from the
frequent allusions he made to the " songs of old "
and "bards of other years." "Thou shalt phdure,"
said the bard of ancient days, " after the
moss of time shall grow in Temora, after the blast
of years shall roar in Selma." The Tain-bo or
cattle spoil of Cualgne, commemorating an event
that occurred about 1905 years ago, is believed to
be the oldest poem in the Gaelic language. The
" Albanic Duan," a poem recited at the coronation
of Malcolm III. about 1056, and which is an
undisputed relic, must have been composed from
poems much anterior to its own age.
Hugh MacDonald, the seanachie of Sleat, has
left on record an account of the crowning of
the Lords of the Isles, as well as of the Council
of Finlaggan of Isia, Avith its gradation of social
rank. The proclamation of the Kings of Innse
Gall was attended with much pomp and ceremony,
at which the chief bard performed a
rhetorical panegyric setting forth tlie ancient
pedigree, valour, and liberality of tiie family
as incentives to the young chieftain and fit for
his imitation. The Bishop of Argyle and the
Isles gave tiie benediction of the Church, while
the chieftains of all the families and a ruler of
the Isles were also present.
The newly-proclaimed king stood on a square
stone 7 or 8 feet long, with a foot-mark cut in
it, and this gave symbolic expression to the
duty of walking uprightly and in the footsteps
of his predecessors. He Avas clothed in a white
habit as a sign of innocence and integrity, that he
would be a light to his people, and maintain the
true religion. Then a white rod was placed in his
hand, indicating that he was to rule his people
witii discretion and sincerity ; and, after the
ceremony was over, mass was said and the blessing
of the bishop and of priest given, and Avhen they
were dismissed the Lord of the Isles feasted tliem
for a week, and gave liberally to the monks,
poets, bards, and musicians.
Hugh MacDonald does not inform us Avhere
the coronation of the Lords of the Isles took
place, but the inference to be draAvn from his
description is that " Eilean na comhairle," the
island of council, Avas the scene of the ceremony.
Donald of HaarlaAv Avas croAvned at Kildonan in
Eigg, but it is more than probable that the islet
on Loch Finlaggan, Avith its table of stone and its
place of judgment, close by the larger isle, on