Mediaeval times
! Probably Major Alexander XVIII. of Keppoch
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- * Mrs Fraser had a large collection of O-sians poems in MSS ; and was an excellent Gae(ic scholar.
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! Probably Major Alexander XVIII. of Keppoch. rrom fho Glenbard Collection, p. 129. Thopainn fonn gun bhi trom Air nighean donn 'bha 'an Cataobh, Gruagach òg a' chuil duinn Dh' ènpadh sunnd orm ri t' fhaicinn. Latha dhomhsa 'bhi siubhal bheinn Falbh gu traing togail creachan, Thachair ormsa an gruagach dhonn, Bun nan torn 'buain nan dearcag. Thèid mi sios's thèid mi suas, Bheir mi magadh do'n chaoil Chataobh, '8 ged bhitheadh taidhe roimhe cheann choill Bheirinn pàirt do'n chrodh bhreac leam. 'S iongatach leam do dhuine còrr 'S mòran stòras a bhi aige Nach robh beurla ann ad cheann Agus dannsa ann ad chasan. There is another version of this song, so it is impossible now-a-days to say which was the original one. Another song of his is, " Moladh a' Phiobaire," to Donald Campbell (" Am Pìobaire mòr"), who was piper to Gilleasbuig na Ceapaich, and a nephew of the poet. Beir an t-soraidh so bhuam Do Ghleann Ruaidh le fear-eigin, Gu buidhinn mo ghaoil, 'S iad nach saoilinn 'mhealladh orm.* Chorus — Hugoran o u e hò, I ri ri hiag o, Hugan o lail o, No no i ri ri hò ro. 48 lines, 4 lines in each verse. Additional verses by Donald Donn, when he was taken prisoner by the Laird of Grant:— Bha Seumas Dubh ann air thùs, Righ ! bu làidir a dhùirn, Chuir e Uilliam ri 'ghlùn 'san fhùran. Bhitheadh am fèileadh glè àrd, Is bhiodh 'osain glè gheàrr, 'S biodag phiollach air àirde na cruachainn. 'S ioma maighdean ghlan ùr, 'Chluinnt' farum a gùin A chuireadh na crùn g'am fhuasgladh. Gu bheil tè dhiubh 'an Strathspey, N'an cluinneadh i mo sgeul Gu'n cuireadh i ceud glè mhath ann. Another song attributed to him is in the form of a " Luinneag," published by Mr William Mac-Kenzie in the "Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness," p. 57, Vol. VII. ; but it's hardly equal to his other songs. Another song also attributed by some to Donald Donn is "Oran an Amadain Bhòidheich," in which he is supposed to have mistaken his lady-love, a beautiful girl, who was dairymaid to his father, for a duck swimming upon the river and shot her by accident, having oeen deceived by his mother, who wished to put a stop to his amour. The girl is said to have been bathing in the river, and_ on his mother informing him that she saw a beautiful duck upon the river, he took his gun and soon turned his love into mourning. Such a thing is possible in the dusk of an evening, but it savours strongly of an improbability. The song, however, is a good and romantic one, as will be seen by the following stanzas:— A Mhairearad òg's tu 'rinn mo leòn, Gur cailin bhòidheach lurach thu. Gur guirm' do shùil na maduinn dhriùchd, An dearc air chùl nan duilleagan. Gur guirm' do shùil na maduinn dhriùchd An dearc air chùl nan duilleagan ; Gur gil' thu 'ghràidh, na'n sneachda bàn, A' cur air àrd nam monaidhean. Och, 's i mo mhàthair 'rinn an call, 'N uair chuir i 'shealg na tunnaig mi! 'S 'n uair a rain' mi 'n linne chaoil, 'S ann bha mo ghaol a' siuthladh innt'. 'S e 'n gunna caol a rinn mo leòn, Cha tèid e òirleach tuillidh leam, 'S a' thè 'rinn dhomh-sa lèine chaoil Cha dean thu, 'ghaoil, gin tuille dhomh. 0 Righ nan dul, cum rium mo chiall. Cha robh mi riamh's a' chunnart so ! 'S a Mhairearad òg's tu rinn mo leòn, 'S tu 'dh' fhàg fo Shròn's fo mhulad mi. The writer is of opinion that this song must have been confounded with his song to the laird of Grant's daughter, composed the night before his execution, or by some other person who copied Donald Donn's style. Another "Moladh a' Phìobaire," to Donald Campbell, piper to Gilleasbuig na Ceapaich, by Donald Donn:— Slàn iomradh do m' ghoistidh, Beul nach loisgeach 'an cainnt. Slàn iomradh, &c. Mo rùn air Caimbeulach suairc, A thèid air ruaig thar a' mhàim. Mo rùn air Caimbeulach sìobhalta Nach cosnaicheadh càrn. Gura math 'thig dhuit triubhas Gun bhi cumhan no gann. 'S cha mhiosa 'thig dhuit osan 'S bròg shocair bhuinn sheang. Bròg bhileach nan cluaisein Air a fuaigheal gu teann. Nàile dh' aithnichinn thu romham Dol an dòmhaltas blàir. Bhiodh do phìob mhòr gu spreigeadh, 'S cuid de h-eagal air càch. 'N uair a chluinnion toirm t' fheadain Nàile ghreasainn mo làmh. Thugadh bean leat bho'n Bhengieh 'S an cluinnt' beucadaich mhang. 'S ro-mhath 'b' aithne dhomh 'n nighean A bha 'cridh' ort 'an geall. Anns a' ghleannan bheag laghach 'S ann 'bhiodh tu taoghal os n-àird. DONALD GRUAMACH. (grim donald.) It is mentioned in the Glenbard collection that John MacDonald of Bohuntin had three sons, viz., —Alastair, Donald Donn, and Donald Gruamach. It would thus appear that Donald Gruamach was a brother of Dhe famous Donald Donn. As a poet he was considered not much inferior to his better known brother. He and Iain Lom were on bad terms, and frequent passage of arms in the poetical line passed between them. Very few of his popms have been preserved, but those that have show him to have been no mean hand at versification. On one occasion at least he managed to make the famous bare John lose his temper badly, as shall be seen presently. The following was a dialogue in verse that passed between them :— DOMHNULL GRUAMACH AGUS IAIN LOM. DONALD GRUAMACH. A bhean nam pòg meala, 'S nan gorm-shùilean meallach, 'S ann a tha mo ehion-faliich Fo m' bhannan do m' ghràdh. A bhean, etc. Cha'n'eil mi 'gad lèirsinn, Ach mar gu 'ni biodh reul ann An taic ris a' ghrèin so Tha 'g èirigh gach là. IAIN LOM. Air leatsa gur reul i, 'S gur coltach ri grèin i, 'S og a chaill thu do lèirsinn Ma thug thu 'n èisg ud do ghràdh. Boladh ùilleadh an sgadain, De dh' ùrluinn na h-apa, 'S i's cùbaiche faicinn A tha 'n taice ri tràigh. DONALD GRUAMACH. Fios bhuam gu Iain Mapach, Do'm bu chèird a bhi 'gadachd, Nach co-ion da 'bhi 'caig rium Is ri cabaire bàird. Am busaire ronnach, Fear nam brusg-shùìlean musach, Cha 'n fhasa do thuigsinn Na plubartaiah càil. Ged tha thu 'ni fhuil dhìrich, Nàile, cumaidh mi sìos thu, Cha bhi coille gun chrìonaich Gu dìlinn a' fàs. Fuigheal fìor dheireadh feachd thu, Cha 'n fhiach le càch ae' thu : Chaill thu d' ingnean's a' Cheapaich 'Sgrìobadh prais' agus chlàr. IAIN LOM. Fios bhuamsa dhuit, 'Ille, Chaill thu dualchas do chinnidh, Gu bheil thu air ni'aire Làn de dh' inisgean bàird. Mi cho saor de na ronnan Ri aon beò dhe do shloinneadh ; Nàile, rinn thu breug shoilleir Ann am follais do chàch. Ma's ann ormsa mar dhìmeas, 'Ghabh thu 'choill as a crìonaich, Iarr an doire na's ìsle Bho iochdar do chlàir. Mur bhi dhomhsa mac d' athar, Is ann da 'tha mi 'g athadh, Nàile, chuirinn ort athais A tha fàisgte 'nad chàil. In the next encounter with Iain Lom, Donald Gruamach seems to have had the best of it, as the former descended to abusing his adversary. Donald Gruamach spoke as follows of the famous John :— Thugadh greis air Greumaich leat Gu'n euchdan a chur suas; Is thugadh greis air Duibhnich leat, 'S air muinntir an taoibh tuath, Cha'n fheil feum do Dhòmhnallach Ri 'bheò 'bhi ort a' luaidh, '8 e donnal a' choin bhadhailf ud 'Dh' fhàg bodhar mo dhà chluais. Iain Loni's reply has not been recorded in full, but the first line of it shows that his feelings must have been very bitter ; it runs thus :— A shean chràidhneach mhòr nan smugaidean !
The rest would have been equally bitter and fully as offensive. RESIDENCES OF ALASTAIR CARRACH, IAIN LOM, AND DOMHNULL BAN A' BHOCAIN. The first residence of Alastair Carrach was at a place near Torlundy and Inverlochy, still called Tom-a-Charrich. There is a small hamlet there now ; it is on Lord Abinger's property. Iain Lom's home was at a place called " Clachaig," between Tulloch and Moy, between the burn of Allt-a'-Chaorunn and Urachar, a short distance above the present high road. Old Mr MacArthur of Fort Augustus asserts that the charge of cowardice always preferred against Iain Lom was quite untrue. The reason that he never drew a sword in battle was because in his early youth he had the misfortune to kill his brother in a fray near Loch Tay, where the two brothers were on different sides, without either being aware of it. And when Iain Lom found his sword had pierced his brother's heart lie vowed he would never again draw a sword in battle, and his refusal to do so on later occasions has been the only motive for ascribing cowardice to him, and the following verse of a song is quoted as proof of the correctness of the story :— Mo sgrìob do thaobh Loch Taigh. Ged a dh' fhàg mi ann m' athair Cha b'e sid 'rinn mo sgaradh Ach an ailt 'rinn mo chlaidheamh 'am bràthair. (" Ad armean" another version says.) In consequence of his activity in getting the Keppoch murderers brought to justice he made many enemies among their partizans, and was so much persecuted that he had to leave Lochaber and take refuge in Kiutail, as already mentioned ; and when on his way back to his native country, he took ill and died at Càrn - a - Dhotaidh, now called Auchteraw, near Fort Augustus, and was taken to Lochaber and buried at Cille Chaorrill on Tom Aingeal, not in the place where Fraser Macintosh placed his monument, which the Lochaber people say is the tomb of Domhnull MacFhionnlaidh, the author of the "Comhachag." In Rev. A. MacLean Sinclair's edition of John Lom's poems it is stated, p. 10, that he viewed the battle from an elevated spot that overlooked the castle of Inverlochy, which was occupied by fifty of Argyll's musketeers, and in a letter to me he remarks that— Dhìrich mi moch maduinn cheòraieh Gu bràigh, caisteal Inbhir-Lòchaidh, * Mrs Fraser had a large collection of O-sian's poems in MSS ; and was an excellent Gae(ic scholar. Does not necessarily mean "gu mullach caisteal Inbhir-Lòchaidh," and refers to the memoirs of Montrose by Grant (London : Eoutledge & Co., 1858), page 221, wherein the following passage occurs :—" The castle of Inverlochy, &c, was occupied by fifty musketeers of the Stirlingshire Regiment. These were some of Argyll's men already mentioned." DONALD BAN A' BHOCAIN'S RESIDENCE. The site of Domhnull Bàn a' Bhòcain's house is just beside the burn called Allt-Laire on the Inverlair side of it, and a few yards from where the present Inverlair keeper's house now is, the site is quite plain there. It seems that he did not live at Monesie. It was another Bòean that haunted Monesie, and the two seemed to get mixed in people's memories. Mrs MacDonell, Keppoch, had often heard the story from her husband, Angus MacDonell XXII. of Keppoch, who had it direct from his own grandfather, Angus Bàn, Inch, who was present many times when the Bòean molested Domhnull Bàn. Some people in Lochaber assert that Domhnuill Mac Fhionnlaidh the author of the Comhachag, who lived at Loch-Treig, was a MacKillop; but all his descendants fought under the Keppoehs. The Keppoch old gamekeeper, Archibald MacKillop, Achluachroch, maintains that he is descended from the poet. He says he got his information from Donald Macintosh, a noted herbalist, who lived at Bohenie, and was considered a most reliable Seanachie. He was generally known as Domhnull Mac Eoghan, and had a fund of old lore and songs which were unfortunately allowed to die with him. Donald MacPherson of the Advocates' library, and author of "An Duanaire" got a good deal of his information from this Donald Macintosh. . Mr MacKillop says in corroboration of his assertion that Domhnull Mac Fhionnlaidh the poet was a MacKillop, that in Cille Chaorrill he was buried in the graves of the MacKillops. I do not know what truth may be in the above story, but it is believed, Miss Josephine MacDonell of Keppoch tells me, by some of the Brae Lochaber people. The writer, however, does not accept this story. Stronger evidence would be necessary, but it is only fair to record that some of the Brae Lochaber people believe in it. MRS FRASER, CULBOKIE.* Miss MacDonell of Ardnabie, near Ardachy, Fort Augustus, afterwards Mrs Fraser of Giùsachan and Culbokie, when a lassie in her teens astonished her lady companions by composing a merry song commencing thus:— Cò chì, cò chì, Cò chì mi tighinn ? Cò chì ach Mac Phàdraig 'Stigh le braidh Ardnabie. Cò chì. cò chì, Cò chì, cò chì, Cò chì ach Mac Uistean, Lùb air a chùil bhuidhe. Cò chì, cò chì, Cò chì mi tighinn? 'Shàr mac an duin'-uasail, Teann suas is dean suidhe ! Some years after, she became the wife of Mac Uistean, the Laird of Giùsachan. There is also in Ranald MacDonald of Eigg's book an " Oran le fear Ardnabidh do dh' Alastair Mac Dhomhn-uill," song by Ardnabie to Alastair MacDonald, of which the following is a stanza:— A' cheud diluain do'n bhliadhna so, Gu riaraichte 'bha m' inntinn deth, 'N ti mu'n robh mi iargaineaeh, Bha iarrtas ro chinnteach dha; Do shlàinte 'bhi gun deireas Bho'n là 'dhealaich mi 'san tìr so riut, An deigh gach cùis a bhuadhachadh, Do m' chluasaibh's duais ro fhìrinneach. It consists of 11 verses, 88 lines, and is evidently a fairly good song. Then there is a marbhrann—death-bed elegy, " le mac fir Ardnabie ann an leabaidh a bhàis,'' by a son of MacDonell, Ardnabie, which runs :— Dùisg, a choluinn, o do chadal. Is fhad an oidhche dhuit do shuain, Gun chuimhn' air an t-slighe mu'd choinne, 'S olc dhuit an comunn a fhuair ; Comunn eadar thu's an saoghal, Cha bhaoghala chumail ceart, Ma gheibh a' cholunn a sàth, Bidh aithreachas 'an là nan leachd. In this elegy there are 13 verses, or 110 lines ; the poem, complete, is also in Ranald MacDonald of Eigg's book. There is also a song entitled " Deoch-slàinte 'n oighre," to a member of the Glengarry family, composed by a local poet named John Kennedy. It is to be found in the Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, vol. ix., beginning :— Fonn (Chorus). Olaidh mi deoch-slàinte 'n oighre, S toigh leam fhìn e là's a dh' oidhche Struidh an eòrna, fear mo chaoimhneis, S cha tèid fheighneachd ciod ì 'phrìs. '8 mi gu'n òladh i's gu'm pàidheadh, Do 'n stuth chruaidh à cuach nan Gaidheal, Olaidh sinn deoch-slàinte 'n àrmuinn, Gu seasamh 'an àite 'linn. Gur deas an Gàidheal an t-oighre, Dòmhnullach cho àrd's a sloinnte, 'S 'nuair gheibh e gu 'làmh an oighreachd Thèid na Goill a chur fo chìs ! There are other 9 verses in it equally good. iain dubh mac iain mhic ailein. IainDubhMac Iain Mhic Ailein, the bard, fought at the battle of Sheriffmuir and composed the following songs besides those already mentioned. Oran do Mhac Shimidh Lord Lovat, who was beheaded in 1746 when in France, after 1715. Oran do Mhac Mhic Ailein a Mharbhadh 'sa bhliadhna 1715. Marbhrann do'n Mac Mhic Ailein, of 15 verses, 5 lines in each verse, 75 lines. Cumha Chlann Domhnuill, 12 verses, 96 lines. All in Ranald MacDonald's book. He also composed " Oran do dh' Aonghas Bhaile Fhionnlaidh." " Am Bruadar, oran air cor na rioghachd 'sa bhliadhna 1715. "t There is another song that may be mentioned here for want of a more suitable place. " bean Oran a rinn bana-chombanach do Dhonull gorm Mac Raonuill Mhic Ailein's a leannan." Dhonuil Mhic Neill Mhic Iain Bhuidhe, Chaidh do shaothair ort am mudha, Leig thu 'ghruagach uait air shiubhal, Le fear àrd na gruaige duibhe Cruinn chas dhireadh. Fonn (Chorus). 'Se mo leannan th' ann ho ro gheallaidh Cò sheinneadh ealaidh mur sin. 6 verses, 24 lines. t In Glenbard Collection, o a lochaber jacobite song. The following stanzas were also taken down from Mr MacArthur, Fort Augustus, by Miss Josephine MacDonell, who did not know the ] author's name, but being himself a descendant of I a scion of the House of Keppoch, and the song being a Jacobite one, it deserves mention. The author was probably a prisoner in England after the " forty-five." Ged tha mise so ann Sasunn, Cha 'n 'eil a fasan tighinn 'am chàileachd ; 'S mòr gu'm b' fheàrr 'bhith measg nan gruagaich Far an cluinninn fuaim na Gàidhlig. 'S mòr gu'm b' fheàrr bhi measg nan gruagaich Far an cluinninn fuaim na Gàidhlig Bleodhainn a' chruidh air na buailtean 'S na laoigh òg mu'n cuairt ri bàraich. Mo mhallachd air na casaig ìùighseach, 'Si thug sgrios air tìr nan àrd-bheinn ; Cha chan mi gur Gàidheal dìleas 'Chuireas air a dhruim gu bràth i. 'S mòr gu'm b' fheàrr am breacan rìomhach Fèileadh, 's bonaid grinn's cocàd innt', Biodag chraigneach s lann chinn ileach, 'Se 'thogadh inntinn chlann nan Gàidheal. 'S ioma òig fhear 'bha deas dìreach 'Sheasadh dìleas ri uchd a' chatha 'Tha ann Culodair dhiubh 'na shìneadh 'Chuir sìol na muic gu tìr nan laoich. 'S ioma tè a bha gun annsachd Agus bantrach 'bha dheth cràiteach, Agus mhàthair 'bha gun mhac ann, Och mo chreach, 's mi 'g acain pàirt diubh. Thearlaich òig an fhìor-fhuil rìoghail, 'Sheasadh dìleas cùis nan Gàidheal, Chuir na cùlanan fo chìs thu, Sìol na muic 'nan rìghre't' àite. 'S ho na'n tigeadh t'oighre, a Thearlaich, 'S ho na'n tigeadh t'oighre, a Thearlaich, Dh' fhalbhamaid gu aotrom sunndach Dìleas dlùth ri cùl a shàlach. ALEXANDER MACDONALD, RIDGE, N.S. Mr Alexander MacDonald, Ridge, or rather of Upper South River, Nova Scotia, writes me some interesting details about the Lochaber bards. " With regard to Iain Lom's " Marbhrann do dh' Alasdair Dubh Ghlinne Garaidh," to the air of " 'S ann aig taobh Beinne Buidhe," he says that neither Dr MacNicol nor Dr Maclntyre, Kil-monivaig, could know more or give a better account of Iain Lom than his forefathers, because they were good seanachaidhean, and of the same branch of MacDonalds as Iain was (the Keppoehs), and he is sure that they would keep a correct account of such a remarkable man of their own family, and as to his not being fit to compose the elegy in his old age, he remarks—" "We have at present in this country two persons who have reached the advanced age of 103 years. They are Mr Angus Campbell and Mrs MacLean, of Antigonish town. Mrs MacLean possesses all her faculties, as you will see from the enclosed slip, cut from the Antigonish Casket. Mr Campbell is also as bright as ever, and let me tell you there never was a Campbell or MacLean on earth who possessed better faculties than Iain Lom. My father's story about him was that he was in his fifteenth year at the battle of Sronachlachain in 1640, and was among the boys who drove the "Creach" when the battle was fought between the Lochaber and Breadalbane men. He died at the age of 105. When his grave was closed on the day of his funeral, Alexander MacDonald of Keppoch, who fell at Culloden, asked Alasdair Mac Aonghuis, i.e., Alasdair Ruadh of Glencoe, to say something about the deceased; so he recited the following verses (which have already been mentioned under the head of Iain Lom, with slight variation, as having been asked for by Coll of Keppoch) :— Chunna mi crìoch air m'fhear-cinnidh Air a phasgadh 'an Tom Aingeal ; 'Ughdair, 's a righ nam filidh, Gu'n deanadh Dia sith ri t'anam ! An righ mòr 'thoirt mathanas dhuit Air son mar dhìoladh tu an t-olc ; Tha gaol an leòghainn's fuath an tuirc Anns an uaigh's a bheil do chorp. B' fhuath leat Uilleam, b' fuath leat Màiri, B' fhuath leat na thàinig bho Dhiarmod, B' fhuath leat gach neach nach biodh rioghail, 'S dh' innseadh tu fèin e gun iarraidh. " 'S mise Alasdair Mac Ailein 'ic Alasdair 'ic Aonghais 'ic Alasdair Bhàin 'ic Alasdair Mhòir, 'ic Aonghuis a' bhòchdain, 'ic Aonghuis Mhòir Bhothiunntin, 'ic Alasdair, 'ic Iain Duibh 'ic Raonuill Mhòir na Ceapaich."!
" There are two branches of tigh-Bhothiunntin: —Sliochd Alasdair and Sliochd Aonghuis. Both branches are known as ' Sliochd an taighe,' and also as Sliochd Iain Duibh 'ic Raonuill. In 1746 the two sons of Fear Bhothiunntin (Iain Og and Download 4.23 Mb. Share with your friends:
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