Download Volume 12 here

—
118 Gaelic Society of Inverness.
C.M.G. (of the Afghan Fionticr Commission), OrnockcMioch,
Gatehouse, Kirkciuli)right, honorary members ; Mr John INIaclennan,
teacher, Inverasdale, Gairloch ; Mr Alexander INIitchell,
The Dispensary, Inverness; and Mr Alexander Macdonald,
master carpenter, 62 Tomnahurich Street, Inverness, ordinary
members ; and IMr Roderick MacCorquodale, 42 Union Street,
Inverness, as an apprentice member.
3rd February 1886.
At the meeting on this date the following new members were
elected, viz.: Mr James E. B. Baillie of Doehfour, and Mr
Edward Herbert Wood of Raasay, both life memljers ; Dr F. F.
M. Moir, Aberdeen, honorary; and Mr Ralph Erskine Macdonald,
Corindah, Queensland ; Mr James Cook, commission agent,
Inverness ; Mr Hugh Macplierson, merchant, Castle Street, Inverness
; Mr Wm. Eraser of Elgin, Illinoio, U.S.A.; Dr Sinclair Macdonald,
Inverness ; and Mr William Mackay, Argyle Street,
Inverness, ordinary members. Some routine business ha\ing been
transacted, Mr Colin Chisholm, Inverness, read the following
series of
UNPUBLISHED OLD GAELIC SONGS
Our worthy secretary, Mr William Mackenzie, arranged that
I should read a few old songs for you this evening.
So far as I am aware, the most of these songs never appeared
as yet in print, but some of them have been partially published.
For instance :—There are only thirteen verses of " Oran mor Mhic-
Leoid," given in Mackenzie's " Beauties of Gaelic Poetry," whereas
I give twenty-seven verses of it. The same remark may also
apply to two or three others, which have been printed in part
only, and which I give as full as I ever heard them sung. Every
song on my list for tliis evening I used to hear, and could recite
parts of them before T left Strathglass, over tifty years ago. Last
Autumn, when I was in Kintail, Captain Alexander Matheson,
shipowner, Dornie, generously placed his large collection of Gaelic
songs in manuscript at my disposal. It is through his kindness
that I was enabled to renew my acquaintance with the most of
the songs I now give to this Society. If any other person will
give us better versions of these songs, no one will be more
pleased than I will.
The first song I will give you is one composed by Roderick
Mackenzie, who is said to have been the heir apparent of Apple-