Skye Gaelic poetry and song collections: Annie Arnott

Gaelic Literature of the Isle of Skye: an annotated bibliography

Traditional poetry and song: collectors and collections

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ARNOTT, Annie (c. 1888 – c. 1979)

Mrs. Annie Arnott was a native of Kilmuir, Skye. After spending many years in Glasgow she returned to live in Skye and was regarded as one of the foremost exponents of traditional Gaelic song in Kilmuir. She was first recorded in 1950 by Derick Thomson and subsequently by Calum MacLean and other members of the School of Scottish Studies in the University of Edinburgh. She died c. 1979, aged ninety-one years.

(Information from: Tocher 1 (Spring 1971), 5; Tocher 30 (Winter 1978-1979), 406)

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‘Air do shlàinte Mhàiri ‘n dotair’

Tocher, 1 (Spring 1971), 7.

A port-a-beul (mouth music). Transcribed from School of Scottish Studies recording SA 1954/32 A3. Six verse-couplets and a refrain of mixed vocables and text. There is a parallel English translation, with the tune in staff notation.

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‘Air fàill ill éilo’

An Gaidheal, 38 (1942-1943), 143.

Noted from Annie’s singing by Catriona Dhùghlas. An òran-luaidh (waulking song), with five verse-couplets and a refrain of mixed vocables and text.

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‘Cìan fhidheall’

Tocher, 39 (Spring 1985), 154-155

Recorded from Annie’s singing by Calum MacLean and transcribed from School of Scottish Studies recording SA 1953/49 A7. A port-a-beul, with the refrain sung twice at the beginning and then once after each verse. Three

verse-couplets, with a four-line refrain. There is a parallel English translation with the tune in staff notation.

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‘Dhannsamaid le Ailean’

Tocher, 1 (Spring 1971), 6.

Recorded in Glasgow from Annie’s singing by Calum MacLean and transcribed from School of Scottish Studies recording SA 1953/10 A11. A port-a-beul, with two four-line verses and a refrain. There is a parallel English translation with the tune in staff notation.

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‘Gillean mo rùin’

Tocher, 8 (Winter 1972), 266-267.

Recorded from Annie’s singing by Calum MacLean and transcribed from School of Scottish Studies recording SA 1953/10 A8. A popular New Year song, of which there are other published versions from different parts of the

Gaidhealtachd. This version has four verses and the refrain in a strophic metre. There is a parallel English translation with the tune in staff notation.

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‘Iomaraibh eutrom’

Tocher, 1 (Spring 1971), 5-6.

Recorded at a ceilidh organised by Hamish Henderson and transcribed from School of Scottish Studies recording SA 1954/32 B16. According to the notes, this song was used in Kilmuir as a waulking song, although it appears from the

refrain to have originally been a rowing song. There is a parallel English translation with the tune in staff notation.

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‘A nighean nan geug’

Orain an Eilein: Gaelic Songs of Skye. Cairistiona Mhàrtainn. Taigh na Teud: An t-Eilean Sgitheanach, 2001, p. 76

A touching song, in which the spirit of a recently deceased mother speaks to her young daughter out herding the cows.

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‘Oran Leannan-sìdhe’

Tocher, 26 (1977), 112-113.

Recorded from Annie’s singing by Calum MacLean and transcribed from School of Scottish Studies recording SA 1954/8 B6. This version appears to be only a fragment, with vocable refrain beginning ‘Huraibb i …’ and text beginning ‘Chuala mi do ghlaodh …’. There is an English translation and the tune in staff notation. For a longer version of the song from Barra, see Tocher 13:202-205.

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‘Port Beathag Mhór’

Gairm, 25 (Am Foghar 1958), 47-49.

Four verses, beginning with ‘Gur h-e mo ghaol an fireannach …’ Iain Whyte’s arrangement of the tune is given in staff notation. For notes on this and another Kilmuir version of the song, see the entry for the composer, Beathag Mhór in

the section for poetry and song of known authorship.

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‘ ‘S ann tha ‘n còmhradh binn aig an fhitheach’

Tocher, 1 (Spring 1971), 8-9.

Recorded from Annie’s singing by Calum MacLean and transcribed from School of Scottish Studies recording SA 1954/8 B10. The refrain and five verses of Annie’s version are given, along with two additional verses from a Harris version. The tune is given in staff notation.

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‘Seallaibh curaigh Eoghainn’

Music from the Western Isles. Scottish Tradition 2. Edinburgh: School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh, 1971, p. [5].

A booklet accompanying the record produced by Tangent Records of London for the School of Scottish Studies (Mono TNGM 110). Annie’s song is on Side 1, Band 6 of the record and the words are on p. [5] of the booklet along with an English translation. It is a dandling song of two verses. Dr. Seumas Grannd has told me that the name of whichever child was being dandled would be inserted into the lyrics of such a song.

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Abbreviations

Traditional: known authorship

A-C D-Domhnall Domhnallach-Dz E–G H–L M–MacA MacB–MacC MacD MacE-MacK, MacLa-MacLeod MacLeòid A-H MacLeòid I-Z MacM-MacN MacO-MacZ M N O-Q R-Z

Traditional: anonymous

A-B C-D E-K L-N O P-Z

Traditional: collections

Annie Arnott An Cabairneach Carmina Gadelica Catriona Dhùghlas Tormod Domhnallach Marjory Kennedy-Fraser Angus Lamont K. N. MacDonald Johan MacInnes Hugh MacKinnon Calum I. MacLean Sorley MacLean Kenneth MacLeod Niall MacLeòid Màiri Nighean Alasdair

Cairistiona Mhàrtainn Alexander Morison Kenneth Morrison Angus Nicolson Portree HS Magazine Lachlann Robertson Frances Tolmie I Frances Tolmie II

Modern

Somhairle MacGill-Eain The New Poetry

References

Books etc: A-L Books etc: MacA-MacL Books etc: MacM-Z Periodicals, MSS, AV

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