Mediaeval times

Regarding the chiefship of the MacDonells of Keppoch, the cian always reserved to themselves the right to have a say in the matter, as witness the case of Iain Aluin, who was deposed, irrespec­tive of the question of succession in the male, or female line. The Brae Lochaber people regarded the late Angus MacDonell XXII, who was doubly related to the hero of Culloden, as head of the house of Keppoch, and representative of the chiefs, and being in possession (though not as a

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roprietor) he was the man whom the cian would ave followed in an emergency. And they were equally emphatic regarding his son Donald, for when he first left home to seek his fortune in a foreign land, the whole of the Braes men went to see him off at five o'clock in the morning, and men of iron frame were shedding tears over the severance of the last link that bound them to the house of Keppoch, a chieftainship that existed for more than five hundred years, and when he visit­ed them for the last time all the people turned out again to receive him, gave him a grand ball, and had bonfires on the hills to welcome him, which they would not have done if they had not considered him " Ceann an taighe." The late chief of Chisholm, and the Macintosh, chief of Cian Chattan, claim through the female line.
ADDITIONAL MATTER REGARDING THE KEPPOCH AND SOME OTHER LOCHABER BARDS.

SILIS NI' MHIC RAONUILL.


* Variously spelt Baldornie or Beldornie, The Rev. Mr John Michie of Dinnet and Mr J. Davidson, Aber­deen, two excellent authorities, say that Baldornie Castle is in Banffshire, and Kildrummie in Aberdeen­shire,

This is the proper place to mention that there has been some confusion with regard to Silis, Cicely, or Juliet MacDonell of Keppoch. On consulting the Keppoch family, I was informed by Miss Josephine MacDonell that she was undoubtedly, according to the family MSS. and tradition, a daughter of Gilleasbuig na Ceapaich, and one of nine daughters, all handsome and highly educated for the time in which they lived, and had all been married to landed proprietors ; Juliet was not married to a Fraser but to Gordon of Baldornie and Kildrummie in Banffshire and Aberdeenshire, and was known as Ban Tighearna Bhaldornie,* ancestress of the Gordons of Wardons who still keep up the relationship with the MacDonells of Keppoch. She suggests that there might have been another Juliet from

Lochaber, a Cameron or a MacDonald, who married Fraser. of Moràgach Mhic Shimidh. If she had been married to a Fraser it must have been a first marriage, of which there is no trace in the family MSS. or tradition. We are bound, therefore, to conclude that the account given of her in MacKenzie's " Beauties of Gaelic Poetry " is incorrect. At the same time it would be interesting to know what evidence MacKenzie had for concluding that she was married to a Fraser.

It was to her husband, Gordon of Baldornie and Kildrummie, that she composed her lament, and on account of whose death she nearly died of grief. It was also about this time that she fell into a trance of some six or seven weeks' duration, some say longer. Her husband is said to have fought at Killiecrankie and Sheriffmuir. The Keppoch family believe that some songs were attributed to her that she never composed. They hold that her tone was a high one from the beginning. Another of her songs is " Oran do Dh' Fheachd Mhorair Mar, 's a' bhliadhna, 1715," in which she sends her compliments to MacDonald of Sleat, and his brothers, James and William, Alastair liath—Alastair dubh of Glengarry— Ailean o'n Chuain—Allan MacDonald of Moy-dart—An Coileach -the Duke of Gordon—the Frasers, Lovat, Donnachadh, Duncan MacPherson of Cluny, MacKenzie, MacLeod of MacLeod, MacKinnon of Strath, Chisholm, and Keppoch, &c, a very fine song of 90 lines with six lines in each verse.

She also composed a song of 8 verses to Alexander MacDonell of Glengarry. It is said that she was living in 1724, the year that Alasdair Dubh of Glengarry died, and that she also survived Lachun Mac Tearlach Oig, who died in 1734.

The following hymn by Silis, composed after she came ont of the trance, was taken down by Miss Josephine MacDonell from Archibald Mac-Arthur, Fort Augustus, in September, 1899.

Dith do bheath', a Mhoire Mhaighdean,

'S gile do mhac na 'ghrian,

Rugadh e Mac an aois 'athar,

Oighre fhlathanais g' ar dìon ;

'S iosal an ceum 'thug ar Slànaidhear

'Rinn tearnadh a Pàrras gu talamh,

Gun aon àite dha falamh.

'S aoibhinn an sealladh a fhuair i

'Nuair a thàinig e as a colainn, 'Ga shuanadh ann anartan bàn. Ar Slànair thàinig gu ar fuasgladh; Cha d'iarr Mac Righ na h-uaisle Cusan, no cluasag/'na leubaidh, Ach gu'n a thuit dha mhàthair Cur 'n a " mhangair" e 'na chadal.

Cha d' iarr Banrigh na h-ùmhlachd Uir ach 'na ùrnais 'na seòmar, Cha mhò dh' iarr i mnathan-glnn, Ach Righ nan dùil a bhi g'a còmhnadh, 'Shoillsich rionnag 'san adhar, Rinn e rathad do na trì righean, Thàinig iad 'na ionsuidh Le gaoil, gràdh, 's lo faoilte fìrinn.

Chruinneadh na buachaillean bochd

'Ghabhail fradharc oirre 'san tim sin,

A' cur nàisneachd 'san lag's an làidir,

'S gu bhi cho dàn air an Righ sin ;

'Nuair ghlac Herod 'an àrdan

Air an Slànair thighinn gu talamh,

Cha d' fhàg e mac a bh' aig màthair

Gun a chur gu 'bhàs le 'an-iochd.

Thairs iad e suas anns an teampull

Mar bhitheadh gnàth le chloinn Israel,

Bha e air 'aithnichinn gu'ni b'e ar Slànair

Le Ana agus naomh Shimeon ;

Rinn iad t' àrach, agus t' altrum,

'N àite athair agus màthair,

Theich iad leat do'n Eiphit

Bho Herod 'bh' air do thòir.

'N àm 'bhi tilleadh dhachaidh

'S a bhi caitheamh na slighe

'Nuair a sheall iad mu'n cuairt daibh

Tra dh'ionndraich bhuap' am Messiah,

'S iad a bha brònach duilich

Tra nach b' fhurasda dhaibh 'fhaotainn,

Miad's a rinn iad 'ga thuireadh

Cha robh an gnothach ach faoin leo.

Ach àm dhol deiseal an teampull

Chualas còin gu beathail

Measg nan doctairean teagasg,

'S bu deas a thigeadh a labhairt;

Sin tra thubhairt a mhàthair,

" Ciamar a thàineadh dhuit tighinn ?

'S tursach a rinn thu ar fàgail

Na trì latha 'bha sinn 'g ad shireadh."

A mhàthair, na biodh oirbh mulad Ged a dh' fhuirich mi 'san teampull; Seirbhis m' athar anns na flaitheas, 'S fheudar feitheamh anns gach àm dhi, 'S ioma fuachd agus acras Siubhal is seachran tiam haidh A tha agamsa ri fhulang fhathast Mu'n tèid mo ghnothach gu finid.

Thèid fhathasd mo bhaisteadh,

'S fulangaidh mi traisg anns an fhàsach,

Fulangaidh g'am naimhdean 'gam bhualadh

Ann am buaireadh's am pàisan;

Fulangaidh mi breth agus binn

'S mo dhìteadh le fianuis bhrèige,

Seallaidh mi gu h-umhal iosal

Ged a phian iad mi 'san eucoir.

Rinn e anns a' ghàradh ùrnaigh

'Chuir gu dlùth air fallus fala,

Dh' fhuilig e rithisd a sgiùrsadh

'S an crùn a char air gu daingean,

Chuir iad e bho Philate gu Herod.

Ag innseadh gach sgeul mar a b'àill leo,

'S tra nach d' fhuair iad mar bu mhath leo,

Chuir iad deise do dh' anart bàn air.

Thilg iad smngaid 'na aodann,

'S bhuail iad e anns gach taobh le'n dòrnaibh,

'S ghiùlain e an Crois air a ghuaillean

Suas gu cnoc Chal vary;

Dh' fhuilig e sleagh chuir 'na thaobh

Tàirnean 'na làimh's 'na chasan,

'S ghlac e an cup's an robh an t-shearbhag

Beagan mu'n d' fhàg an anail e.

Thug e mathanas dha naimhdean

'S liubhair e do'n Ard-Righ 'anam,

Thug iad sin bhar a Crois e

'S liubhair a chorn g'a mhàthair ;

Chaidh a nigheadh s a chàradh

Mar bu ghpàth le 'thìreadh;

Tha dòrainn bàis air dol seachad

Dìth do bheatha, a Mhoire Mhaighdean.

There are other versions of the same hymn. The version given in the Rev. Allan MacDonald's collection, " Laoidhean Spioradail," consists of fourteen stanzas.

The following fragments are from another poem of Silis, after losing her husband and daughter.

A' cheud disathuirne a bha dhiubh Chuir mi Ann anns an ùir, 'N a dhisathuirne 'na dheigh Thug mi liubhairt do Mhac Dhè 'Us m' fhear-an-taighe bhuam. Thug mi liubhart ga mo ghaoil Measg nan aingeal's nan naomh Far an gabhadh iad caomh riut Ann am flaitheanas.

'S tric a shuidhe thu aig mo cheann G' am faicinns' leth bheò, Thu nach cunntadh stòras a Chlòthadh rium, etc.

KEPPOCH SONGS.

" Moladh do Fhear na Ceapaich's do'n phìob," by Iain MacAilein, is a song of 64 lines, the first stanza of which is—

'Ghillcasbuig, mo bheannachd ri m' bheò

Dh'fhear aithris do ghnìomh,

Bhrigh os ceann na chual thu de cheòl,

Thug thu'n t-urram do'n phìob ;

Cha chuala luchd-teud sgainneil do bheòil,

'S tu 'bu ro-mhath g'an dìol;

Ach e ;u'm b' fheàrr leat ealaidh a bhrosnachadh

slòigh Na sochair gach sith.

of Inverness, he had only heen a short time in town when he became an active member of that learned body, to the " transactions " of which he has from time to time contributed interesting papers. Articles on Highland subjects from his pen have also appeared in other Celtic publica­tions, and he contributed largely at one time -and still occasionally—to newspaper literature. Mr MacDonaldis a master of shorthand (Pitman's system). He is the possessor of the National Phonographic Society's teaching diploma, and taught the art successfully for years. He is assistant secretary to the Gaelic Society of Inver­ness, and an active member of the Cian Donald Society also. But he is, perhaps, best known to his countrymen as an enthusiastic lover of High­land music and song. For years past he has cultivated Gaelic poetry, and his compositions frequently appeared in the Gaelic column of the Northern Chronicle, and other Highland publica­tions. As he is still comparatively a young man, we hope to have many more poems from his poetic pen, and this hope is buoyed up by the fact that he has taken some prizes at the Highland Mòd competitions.

Mr MacDonald's laudable object in publishing his " Còinneach 'us Coille" was to popularize and encourage native song-singing among Highlanders at the present day. He very truly observes that " most of the productions of our ancient bards, beautifully poetic as they certainly are, do not lend themselves readily to modern popnlar sing­ing," and the writer quite agrees with him when he says that many of the songs in our standard works are much too long; they are more poems than songs. At the same time, of course, one need not sing all the verses of any song, but there is a heaviness about some for which lighter songs might be substituted. As the demand for Gaelic songs and music increases, no doubt all objection­able featnres will be reduced to a minimum. At anyrate, all the Highland airs should be preserved by everyone who is at all a patriotic Highlander, as it seems much easier to produce a new song to an old air than to compose new music.

In his " Còinneach 'us Coille," a book of 120 pages, Mr MacDonald has given seventy-three poems and songs, exhibiting an intimate and scholarly acquaintance with the Gaelic language.
As he himself says " every piece except a few of the long ones should be sung," and they seem well adapted for that purpose. There is a free flow of language in his love songs that is very refreshing, and " there will be fonnd in them something to awaken sympathy, intensify love, sweeten joy, and to reconcile to sorrow."

As a specimen of the sentimental, " Guanag na Duthcha," to the air of "A nighean donn an t-sùgraidh," will convey an idea of his popular style of song :—

Thair dhomhsa 'ghaoil do chaoimhneas, 'Se 'chuireadh fàilt' us loinn orm ; 'S a dh' fhagadh làn mi 'dh' aoibhneas Gach Jà 'us oidhche's maireann mi.

'S mòr a thug thu thaobh mi Le d' mhais' a?us le d' aoidheachd ; Tha ni-eiginn 'nad aoduinn, Nach cuir an saoghal à m' aire-sa.

Tha cridhe fo do chlochan 'Tha 'deanamh nàdur grian domh '8 na'm faodainn 'dhol do t' iarraidh Bhiodh Dia agam ri bheannachadh.

Na'm faighinn thu ri' bhuannachd, Bu deònach leam an uair tighinn, 'S am bithinn's mo ghuanag, 'An gaol bith-bhuan neo-dhealaichte.

And of his patriotic songs, the following stanzas from "Oran do Chomunn-Chlann Dòmhnuill," shows what the author is capableof :—

Thoir tasgaidh bhuain 'us beannachadh A dh' ionnsuidh uasail cheannasach A' chomuinn bhuadhar, fhearalach, Dha'n uil« dhual 'bhi smearalach, A rèir mar 'ghluais an seanairean— 'S e 'thi mi 'luaidh na maithibh 'Tha mu Chomunn glan Chlann Dòmhnuill. 'S e thi mi, etc.

Mac-Dhòmhnuill mòr nan Bileannan,

' Us Mac-'ic-Ailean sheasadh e :

Gleanna Comhann cha chèileadh e:

'S a' Cheapuich cha bhiodh deireadh oirr'

'S Gleann-ttarradh diù's cha theicheadh e,

'Us iomadh fion-fhuil eile

Nach biodh leibideach's a' chòmhlan.

'Us iomadh fion-fhuil, etc.

These specimens are taken at random, and they are not necessarily the best, there are other and many excellent songs throughout the work, which mark our clansman as a contemporary bard of exceptionable ability, and one of whom much more will be expected in the future.

Since the "Còinneach 'us Coille" was pub­lished he has written and published the following additional songs, etc.—(1) " Brosnachadh Chloinn

Dòmhnuill," 1896 (a poem); (2) "Tìr nam Beann, nan Gleann, 's nan Gaisgeach," a song to the air of " E ho rò mo rùn a' chailin," by Wm. Boss; (3) Blàr Allt-a-Bhonnaich, battle of Bannockburn, which took Mr Theodore Napier's prize at the Highland Mòd for the best poem on that subject some two or three years ago (1896 ; (i) " Dunnian," a song on Dunean, Inverness, to the air of—" There grows a bonnie brier bush " ; (5) "An uair is tinne 'n gad cuaille 's ann is dualaich dha bristeadh," a poem illustrating this well-known proverb ; (6) " Coire Lusain," a song to an old air, the melody being very fine ; (7) " Cruinneag a' Chlachain"—the maid of the clachan -a love-song also to a beautiful old air resembling a fairy whisper; (8) "Far a' bheil Loch Nis a' sanais Crònan tairis do Chillionan "— Where Loch Ness whispers to Cill Eonan— (Kilninian), and some love-songs that have not yet been printed.

Considering that Mr MacDonald has had few educational advantages beyond the usual routine of a country school, before the passing of the Education Act, broken by intervals of herding and crofting, his present position as a writer of English and Gaelic is very creditable indeed. Both his father and mother had a particularly wide acquaintance with the song literature of the Highlands, trom whom he inherited that deep love of the music of his native country which he undoubtedly possesses.

Is e an t-ionnsachadh òg An t-ionnsachadh bòidheach

Someof thebestpoemsin "Còinneach 'usCoilleare " Mo Dhachaidh Gàidhealach," " Mo chaileag Ghàidhealach," "Am Fear-Fuadain," "Air cùl Achleagan Bàidheanach," " Tom-an-t-sheòmair," "Cumha Màthair," etc., besides those already quoted. Our promising bard is still singing away, not later than a few weeks ago lie composed the following " Luinneag " on finding a small twig of heather under his feet in the office :— Ged thàinig tu g' am ionnsuidh Gun fhios a'm ciamar, 'S mise rinn an surd riut A fhlùrain chamaieh.

Ged thàinig, &c. Fhuair mi'm badan bòidheach Anns an ofig bhòrdach, 'S rinn mo chridhe sòlas— Bha mi òg feadh bheannaibh. Ged thàinig, Sec.

Ma's ann a' togar càirdeas Air fear cinnidh 'thà thu, Cha'n'eil sin ro dhàn duit 'S fuil nan àrmuinn annam. Ged thàinig, &c.

Fuil Chlann Dòmhnuill uasal D' am bu ghnàth 'bhi uaibhreach, 'S iomadh t>làr a bhuadhaich Iad fo uaill do chaithream.

Ged thàinig, &c. Chuir thu mis' a bhruadar Air an làmh a bhuain thu, 'S shaoil leam gu'ni bu ghruagach, A bh'air chuairt's a' mhaduinn.

Ged thàinig, &c. 'S shaoil leam bhi le m' eudail Mach a' cuallach sprèidhe 'Nuair bha 'ghrian ag èirigh, Air na slèibhtean fallain.

Ged thàinig, &c S cinnteach mi nach d'fhàs thu Am measg pheann 'us phaipeir, 'S ann a fhuair thu t' àrach Air an àrd chnoc ghreannach.

Ged thàinig, &c. 'S ged bu gheal 'us dearg thu Tha thu nise 'seargadh, 'S tha do ghnùis a' dearbhadh Gur a searbh leat t' aineal.

Ged thàinig, &c. Cha b'e so an t-àite 'S am bu mhiann leat bàsachd, 'S cinnteach mi gu'm b'fhearr leat Glacaig àrd a' chanaich.

Ged thàinig, &c. 'S iomadh de chlann daoine Tha mar sin's an t-saoghal, Là 'us là air faontradh Fad o'n gaol's an aithne. Ged thàinig, &c.
TOMAS DONULLACH.

(thomas macdonald).

I am indebted to Mr Alister MacDonald, the Inverness poet, for drawing my attention to the works of the subject of the present sketch, viz., Thomas MacDonald, the bard of Abriachan, commonly called " Tòmas an Todhair." My information concerning him is derived from a paper contributed by Mr Alister MacDonald and read before the Gaelic Society of Inverness last spring, 1899. Our poet was descended from a family of MacDonalds, who, it is said, migrated at one time from Glen Urquhart and settled at Abriachan.

From the same MacDonalds it is believed the famous Bishop John MacDonald of Alvie sprung. His father, John MacDonald, resided on his croit, called Balintore, in Abriachan, during his life time, and was married to Helen MacLachlan, the daughter of Rev. Mr MacLachlan, who laboured, at anyrate, for a time in the neighbourhood of Inverness. This Helen MacLachlan, the mother of our bard, was an aunt of the distinguished Celtic scholar, Dr. Thomas MacLauchlan of Edinburgh. The MacLachlans were well-known about Inverness. Another member of the same family was a teacher in Abriachan, and a sister, who kept house for him, also married in the same place. Mr Alister MacDonald's informant is married to a descendant of this marriage, so our bard inherited some talent from both sides of the house. He was born about 1822, and died in 1888. He composed a number ol songs and poems, mostly on local subjects. He was evidently a poet of considerable ability as will be seen by the poems which have been preserved. One of the most prominent features of his compositions is their sarcastic wit, which he could use with con­siderable freedom. His descriptive power will be seen from the following song in praise of Glen Urquhart, from which some stanzas are quoted—

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