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'N uair theid thu chòir nan àbhachdan, Le feala-dhà gun bheud, 'S i cainnt na Fèinne 's t'heàrr leat— A' Ghàidhlig àluinn reidh ; 'S tha seanchaidhean ri fàistinneachd Gur i bh' aig Adhanih fcin, 'S gur niùirneach rinn e h-àracli dhuinn, Fo dhùbhar sgàil nan geug. 'S tu marcach an eich rùidhleinich Is aotrom shiùbhlas sràid, Le luaths an fhèidh 'cur niiltean delh ; 'S cha ghabh e sgìos gu bràth : 'S cha 'n iar e coirc no innlinn, A's cha phàigh e cìs no càin ; 'S ani fear a dhealbh an innleachd ud, 'S i 'inntinn nach robh 'n tàmh. Ach 's fheudarbhi co-dhùnadh, 'S nach d'fhuair mi iùl fir-dàin ; 'S na 'n robh mi eagnaidh, ionnsaichte, Gu 'ni biodh a' chùis na b' fheàrr ; Tha uaill air sluagh na dùthcha, Gu 'n d' fbuair thu cliù thar chàch;— 'S na 'm faighinn trian mo dhùrachd, Cha bu chùram dhuit gu bràth. The above and other items of information liave reconciled the writer once more to Inverness and its inhabitants. DOMHNULL DOMHNALLACH. (DONALD MACDONALD.) Another of our contemporary bards is Donahl MacDonald, the Barvas bard. He was born at Galson, Lewis, in 1860. At the age of 18 he went to Stornoway to learn the trade of a blacksmith, and subsequently repaired to Inverness to get still farther initiated in the intricacies of his trade. After a time he settled down at Barvas, where he still follows the trade of a blacksmith, and also cultivates his croft. It was while plying his work at Daviot that he made his first attempt at composing songs, the result being " (Jran na Lie"—the song of the Hagstone. He is tall, dark-haired, and handsome, stands .5 feet lOi inches, with a good physique, and has displayed considerable ability in the art of composition. He appears at his best when singing his own songs ; but he does not compose for composing sake, only occasionally when the spirit moves him. His songs are exceedingly popular in Lewis and elsewhere, and amount to about twenty in number. Hitherto he has shown no inclination to publish them, but his friends and admirers hope that this reluctance will soon wear away, and no doubt eventually they will be given in book form for the benefit of his fellow-countrymen and others. Among his more popular songs are " Oran na Parlamaid," " Miirnag," " An Gaidheal 'an Tir Chèin," " lulach na cnamh," " Fàsachadh Ghabhson "—the Galson evictions —and "Nighean donn na buaile." We submit as a specimen of his ability, " Oran air Miirnag " — one of the highest mountains in Lewis. Mr MacDonald is still a young man, and we still hope to see many more able poems from his fertile pen. MURNAG. Seisd.—Mùrnag Leòdhais, Mùrnag àluinn, Mùrnag a' chuil duinn 's a' chàrnaich 'S ann leam bu mhiann a' bhi air t'àiridh Air a' Mhòinlich àird an Leòdhas. Cha tig nasal do an dùthaich Nach bi 'g aniharc air do stùchdaibh, Gloineachan 'gan cur ri 'shùilibh Gus am faic e Mùrnag Leòdhais. Cha'n'eil maraich' air na cuaintibh Nach bi 'g am hare riut air uairibh, Bidh fear 's a' chrann aig am a' chruadail Gus am faic e gruagach Lebdhais. Cha'n'eil culaidh bheag air sàile, Cha'n'eil faoileag bhàn a slieòlas, Cha'n'eil eun air sgeith 'san àite Nach tojr Mùrnag sgàth doibh cònihla. 'S e miann gach eun a bhi air t' fheurach, 'S e miann gach fiadh a bhi le 'chròicibh, A' gabhail fasgaidh air do bheulthaobh 'S iad gun fhiamh a riamh fo d' sgòidibh. Tha gach tulach beag 'us garbhlach, Is beinn a' Bhàrbhais is i fo t' òrdugh, Beanntan Uig th' an sùil gu leir ort Gus am faigh iad fein do chòta. Tha gach beinn fo bhinn do còmhraidh, Tha na glinn a' seinn duit òrain, Na lochan tàinih ag ràdh gur neònach Mar tha 'n sùil air MùrnaigLeòdhais. Is gach fear-seilg a' dh' fhalbhas mòinteach Chi thu le d' chrùn cho bòidheach, Stìileach caoin 'us d' fhraoch fo neòinean Air ceann dualàch gruagach Leòdhais. Bidh coilich choille gu raoch a' triall riut, Bidh a' chearc riabhaeh 's i ri gògail Gus an luidh iad air do chliathaich 'S an àite 'is miannach leò 'bhi còmhnuidh, Tha beanntaichean an Eilein Sgiathaich 'S a' bheinn riabhaeh air a' Mhòrthir Is iad 'g iarraidh tighinn dlùth dhumn Gus am faic iad Mùrnag Leòdhais. Bha mò sheanair trie air t' àiridh Buachailleachd nam bà fo t-ùrdugh. Is thu gach linn' gu t' fhaicinn uaipe 'S a cheann-a-tuath do dh' Eilean Leòdhais.
IAIN DOMHNALLACH AN BALL, OBAN. (BLIND JOHN MACDONALD.) John MacDonalil, Oban, was born at Lochclonhead, Mull, about 1812, and died in Oban in 1884. For the following particulars regarding our poet I am indebted to Mr Duncan M' Isaac, Oban. His parents and grandparents were crofters at Lochdonhead, where his grandfatiier, Alexander MacDonald, and his father, Duncan MacDonald worked as blacksmiths. His mother's maiden name was Mary Campbell ; his paternal grandmother's was Betsj' Stewart. He was married to Catherine MacQuarrie, Bunessan, and a few years after marriage they removed to Oban, where they resided for the remainder of their lives. They aie survived by two daughters and one son. For a number of years the bard earned a comfortable livelihood by coast fishing. When fifty-six years of age he lost the sight of one of his eyes through an accident in the nutwood, and the other eye became blind about five years afterwards, and so he was called Iain Dòmhnullach an Dall (blind John MacDonald). In his youth he composed some Gaelic songs of a secular cast, but in later years, prefering religious themes, he composed a number of Gaelic hymns, a list of which is appended. These the bard's family hope to get printed soon in booklet form. Our poet used to tell some wonderful stories abouc the Lochdonhead MacDonalds. His paternal grandfather— "An Gobhainn Mòr"— belonged to Glengarry. He was a very strong man, over six feet in height, and he always wore the kilt in the smithy, and elsewhere. Miss Betsy Stewart, of Athol, eloped with him when he was a young man, and on their way to Morven, when the young lady became tired walking, he wrapped her in his tartan plaid, and carried her on his back for nine miles (worthy couple ; it is to be hoped they lived happy for ever after. Few swains at the present day would undertake such a loving honeymoon). On arriving in Morven they were kindly received by a friend there who was a blacksmith, and they were married in his house, where MacDonald learned his trade. They then went to Lochdonhead in Mull. He occupied a croft there, -ind earned on his trade as a blacksmith as well. Some of Iheir descendants continued to act as blacksmiths there for several generations ; the last of them left the place about thirty years ago. A father with three sons, all blacksmiths. Upon one occasion the laird, Lachunn Mor, ordered a son of the Gobiiainn Mor to become one of his fighting men, but the young man refused to obey, and he along with others, were by order of the laird locked up in a barn. The Gobhainn Mor then sent word of the affair to Glengarrj , who sent the following message to Lachunn Mor, " Ged is leatsa an fheòil is leamsa an cnàindi-leig an Dòmhnullach mar sgaoil " (though the flesh is thine, the bone is mine, set MacDonald free). Upon receipt of Glengarry's message Lachunn Mor after some enquiry set young MacDonald free, and invited the Gobhainn Mor and his wife to the Castle, where he entertained them hospitably on account of their connection with Glengarry and Athol. A measure of the bardic faculty wedded to music appears to have been preserved among the descendants of the Gobhainn Mor ; some of them composed Gaelic poetry, and most of the men played the bagpipes. Iain Dall, the subject of these notes, once made a set of bagpipes for him- self, and he used to play them with great glee, and one of his brothers, by trade a turner, earned some fame as a maker of bagpipes in Skye. There is a story to the effect that Iain Dall was once sent for in order that he might try to cure a sick cow by the power of some charm said to be in his possession. A young girl from Mull who was employed in the house of the owners of the cow advised them to send for Iain Dall in order that he might try the efiect of the charm ; they gave their consent, and the lassie soon took Iain into the byre, where, perhaps mostly with the object of pleasing the Mull girl, he quietly walked up to the side of the sick cow and muttered something into one of its ears. Happily the cow soon recovered its health, and the Mull lassie always maintained that the recovery was due to Iain's occult spell. The bard's sister Betsy (Mrs Stewart) composed a Gaelic poem upon tlie death of two of her boys who died young. The following are three stanzas from it : — 0, nis gabh truas dhiom 'S mi so 's an fhàsach chruaidh, Mi smuaintinn a bhi gluasad Fo d' bhrataich luachnhor fhein.
Page 2 and 3:
O^ ^^l
Page 5:
MACDONALD BARDS MEDIEVAL TIMES. KEI
Page 8 and 9:
INDEX. Page. Alexander MacDonald, B
Page 10 and 11:
Donald Donn p. 12, see also p. 95.
Page 13 and 14:
MacDonald Bards from Mediaeval Time
Page 15 and 16:
which stood the chapel and palace o
Page 17 and 18:
Ann I was ever since I was born, In
Page 19 and 20:
ander and Ronald. Alexander—Alasd
Page 21 and 22:
ilaughter of the Earl of Gowrie. He
Page 23 and 24:
nighean donn." poem, " 'S truagh, a
Page 25 and 26:
GILLEASBUIG NA CEAPAICH. (ARCHIBALD
Page 27 and 28:
Fonn (Chorus). 0, 'chruinneag, e 'c
Page 29 and 30:
— 'S daingeann a bhuail iad às g
Page 31 and 32:
Some of our minor Scotch poets take
Page 33 and 34:
— ! — Bha Iain gun teagaibh Gu
Page 35 and 36:
— went down with her and took awa
Page 37 and 38: 'S mairg a mhol a' Mhòrthir robach
Page 39 and 40: — The late Thomas Pattison of Isl
Page 41 and 42: so is " Tearlach Mac Sheumais " (Ch
Page 43 and 44: Ma chaidh thu nunn thar linntichean
Page 45 and 46: — Mhac Mhic Alastair," and said t
Page 47 and 48: Latin Verses. Verses written by Sir
Page 49 and 50: — after bidding farewell to the R
Page 51 and 52: Translation by Mr L. MacBean of som
Page 53 and 54: The Alex. MacDonald above referred
Page 55 and 56: t Mrs Grant translates the verse as
Page 57 and 58: Och, aluchd-àiteacluiidli iia h-ua
Page 59 and 60: He ultimately married a young girl
Page 61 and 62: Here the merry lark ascends on dewy
Page 63 and 64: 'Mhuintir dh' an suaicheantas fraoc
Page 65 and 66: KAONAILD NIUHEAN MHIC NEIL. (RACHEL
Page 67 and 68: Yet 'mid the drift, wert thou but n
Page 69 and 70: Donald swept onward, spreading havo
Page 71 and 72: MAIRI NIGHEAN IAIN BHAIN (MARY, DAU
Page 73 and 74: Tha ùrnuigh nam bochdan, Do 'n a n
Page 75 and 76: Loch Moidart, Loch-nan-uanih, Loch
Page 77 and 78: His pibroch is a long one, and, I t
Page 79 and 80: Bhagair ar eascaird eitidh borb, Ma
Page 81 and 82: Another fine hymn of tMenty-nine ve
Page 83 and 84: Oir thàinig oirnn naigheachd 'bha
Page 85 and 86: Dòmhnuill," 1896 (a poem); (2) " T
Page 87: Lo ])rasgan de Ghaidheil, Làn àrd
Page 91 and 92: who was a grand-danghter of Charlot
Page 93 and 94: all subsequent documents the name a
Page 95 and 96: Maidens ! softly touch the clàrsac
Page 97 and 98: Let, the free-born sons of the moun
Page 99 and 100: — fought with his brother Donald
Page 101 and 102: Ach gu'n caisg an Righ Mor e, Hi ha
Page 103 and 104: 'Nuair a thàinig e as a colainn, '
Page 105 and 106: — NIGHEAN MHIC AONGHUIS OIG. Besi
Page 107 and 108: Nach co-ion da 'blii 'caig rium Is
Page 109 and 110: In this elegy there are 13 verses,
Page 111 and 112: Gur a binn leam 'bhi leughadh Mu'n
Page 113 and 114: Latha Sliabh-an-t-siona, Bu churaid
Page 115 and 116: the silver-hilted sword—the windo
Page 117 and 118: and imprisoned. His papers were car
Page 119 and 120: On what she did, now many look, Won
Page 121 and 122: IAIN DOMHNULLACH (John MacDonald).
Page 123 and 124: 10. " Spaidsearachd Dlionuill Ghrua
Page 125 and 126: personal danger ; certainly not, fo
Page 127 and 128: Another beautiful poem by " Fear Gh
Page 129 and 130: De Chlann DòmhnuiU tlo-rireaclli,
Page 131 and 132: 9.—Because the great majority of
Page 133 and 134: tional form, and as those who cheri
Page 135 and 136: landers were accustomed to sing at
Page 137: -^/
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