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Gaelic Literature of the Traditional poetry and song: collectors and collections |
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This page is
best viewed on a desktop or laptop PC TOLMIE, See also: Frances Tolmie I
(Introductory essay and items A – G). I thought that it might be useful to list here in a
single alphabetical sequence all those of Miss Tolmie’s
published songs which I have been able to trace, indicating in each case the
printed sources and using the following abbreviations:
Items which are not ascribed to Miss Tolmie in the
publications concerned are marked ‘N.ascr’. My own
ascriptions in some of these cases are tenuous and might be more properly
described as suggestions that Miss Tolmie might
have been the source. The most
reliable authority is of course Miss Tolmie herself. When items in her 1911 collection have also
been contributed by her to Keith Norman MacDonald’s Gesto Collection and Puirt-a-Beul, this is usually indicated in her notes. For material listed below, the titles of the songs
as they appear in Miss Tolmie’s 1911 collection are
used as headings, and those few songs which are not of Skye or Eigg origin
are included. In all the publications,
apart from the MacDonald Collection (MacDonald
and MacDonald 1911), tunes are given, all of these being in staff notation,
with the exception of those in Puirt-a-Beul (MacDonald
1901), which are in tonic sol-fa notation. Most items have English translations, but
any reference which I make may be taken to refer to Gaelic textual material,
unless otherwise indicated. ____________ For songs
A – G, see Frances
Tolmie 1 ____________
‘Hé, mannd’ thu!’ i T.C., pp. 215-216. A vocable refrain
and six verses to be sung in continuation form. ii F.T.H., pp. 70-71. Song entitled ‘To Iona’ uses Frances Tolmie’s tune for ‘Hé, mannd’ thu!’ in a noticeably
altered form. ____________ ‘Hill-ean is ó hug ù’ i P.B., p. 11. Entitled ‘Hilen
is Hogu’.
Three single-line verses and a vocable
refrain. N.ascr ii T.C., pp. 223-224. Four single-line verses and a vocable refrain.
Frances Tolmie notes that she contributed the P.B. version iii S.H. 3, pp. 36-39. Song entitled ‘Uist
Cattle Croon’ uses Frances Tolmie’s tune for ‘Hill-ean is ó hug ù’. ____________ ‘Hó, fiream forum’ i T.C., p. 228. Two bars of music, with a refrain. ii S.H. 3, pp. 120-122. Entitled ‘Birds at the Fairy Fulling’. Uses
Frances Tolmie’s two bars of music
repetitively. The text consists of her
refrain and words collected by Kenneth MacLeod. ____________ ‘Hó leib-a chall
ó’ i T.C., pp. 217-218. Three couplets, to be sung in continuation
form. ii F.T.H., pp. 6-7. Entitled ‘The uncanny Mannikin
of the Cattle Fold’. Text the same as
Frances Tolmie’s, but the continuation
form is not used; tune the same, but the value of each note is
doubled. ____________ ‘Hó Mhórag bheag’ T.C., p. 179.
Three verses of a nurse’s song. ____________ ‘Hó rionn éile’ i T.C., p. 204. Vocable refrain
and fifteen lines, beginning with ‘Ailein duinn beul a’ mhànrain’. ii S.H. 1, pp. 84-87. Entitled ‘The Seagull of the
Land-under-Waves’, with new words by Kenneth MacLeod. What happened to this song in the hands of
Marjory Kennedy-Fraser and Kenneth MacLeod is discussed by Ethel Bassin in The Old Songs of Skye (Bassin 1977: 131-137), where
she concludes that the song has been “utterly transformed”. Miss Bassin also refers to missing verses
mentioned by Frances Tolmie (op. cit.,
131, 173) and suggests that a song quoted by Sorley MacLean (TGSI 37:91ff.) may include these
missing verses. ____________ ‘Hó ró, hùg
o, húg o’ i G.C. App., p. 15. A heroic lay. Six stanzas and a refrain of mixed vocables and text.
N.ascr ii T.C., pp. 253-254. Refrain and one stanza beginning ‘Là chaidh Ridire
a dh’ òl’.
Miss Tolmie notes that she contributed the G.C. version ____________ ‘Hó ró, lail
ó’ i T.C., pp. 213-214. Seven line-verses, beginning with ‘Thàine tus’ a Chuilein rùnaich’, and a vocable refrain. ii S.H. 3, pp. 78-79. Entitled ‘The Return from the Fairy Hill’,
with tune from Frances Tolmie and words by Kenneth MacLeod. Frances Tolmie’s
tune is used in the refrain, with some rhythmical alterations. Her vocables are
used, with some alteration. The verse
is a distortion of Frances Tolmie’s version; tune,
structure and length have been altered to fit Kenneth MacLeod’s words. ____________ ‘Hó ró,, thògaibh
i’ T.C., pp. 233-234.
A waulking song from Barra.
Sixteen line-verses and a refrain. ____________ ‘Hug ó rionn ó’ i G.C. App., p. 50. Entitled ‘Hug ó rionn
ó, cha taobh mi chlann‘. Six verses and a refrain. ii T.C., pp. 214-215. One verse and a refrain. ____________ ‘ ‘Illean ò, ro mhaith
ho!’ T.C., pp. 218-219.
Twelve lines, to be sung in couplet continuation form, and a refrain. ____________ ‘Ill iù, hill ó, illean is ó’ T.C., p. 203.
Vocable refrain and six couplets beginning
with ‘Cha d’ fhuair mi ‘n cadal an
raoir’. ____________ ‘Iùraibh o-hì, iùraibh o-hù’ i P.B., p. 47. Twenty-seven line-verses and a vocable refrain. N.ascr ii T.C., p. 236. Vocable refrain
and one line, ‘Chì mi ‘n t-àit’ ‘s an robh mi ‘n uiridh’. Miss Tolmie notes that she contributed the
P.B. version. iii S.H. 1, pp. 124-127. Entitled ‘Sea-Sounds (Gàir
na Mara)’. Only a small part of the
original text has been used. Ethel
Bassin describes how the original lament has been transformed into a
“sentimental … drawing-room song” (Bassin 1977:138-139). iv O.S.S., pp. 34-35. Reproduction of T.C. version. ____________ ‘Iù ri ribh
ó!’ T.C., pp. 228-229.
Four verses, beginning with ‘Fire faire, ruagaire!’, and a vocable refrain. ____________ ‘Là Millegàraidh’ i T.C., pp. 200-201. Fifteen verses and a vocable
refrain. ii O.S.S., p. 30. Verses one, three, four and twelve to
fifteen, with tune, of T.C., version ____________ ‘Laoidh
Dhiarmaid’ i G.C. App., p. 12. Tune only.
N.ascr ii T.C., pp. 245-246. Three stanzas. Miss Tolmie notes that she contributed the
tune to G.C. iii O.S.S., p. 48. Reproduction of T.C. version. See also individual
entry for ‘Laoidh
Dhiarmaid’. ____________ ‘Laoidh
Fhraoich’ i G.C. App., p. 12. Tune only.
N.ascr ii T.C., pp. 246-247. Four stanzas. Miss Tolmie notes that she contributed the
tune to G.C. iii S.T., pp. 24-31. Entitled ‘The Daughter of Maeve’. Frances Tolmie’s
tune; words from Kenneth MacLeod. iv O.S.S., p. 50. Reproduction of T.C. version. See also individual
entry for ‘Laoidh
Fhraoich’. ____________ ‘Laoidh Oscair’ i G.C. App., p. 12. Tune only.
N.ascr ii T.C., p. 248. Two stanzas. Miss Tolmie notes that she contributed the
tune to G.C. ____________ ‘An Long Eireannach’ i T.C., p. 230. Refrain and two verses of an improvisatory waulking song.
Improvisation would be based upon the refrain ‘Hó,
cò bheir mi leam air an luing Eireannaich …’ ii O.S.S., p. 89. Reproduction of T.C. version. ____________ ‘Maolruainidh Ghlinneachain’ T.C., pp. 184-185.
Six lines, to be sung in couplet continuation form, and a refrain. ____________ ‘ ‘Mhnàthan a’ ghlinne so!’ T.C., p. 171.
Two verses and a refrain. ____________ ‘Na creid iad’ T.C., p. 165.
Fragment of a cradle song. ____________ ‘ ‘N uair theid thu
dh’ Airigh-Bhuachain’ T.C., pp. 268-269.
Tune only. From North Uist. ____________ ‘ ‘N uair thig mo Bhodach-sa dhachaidh’ T.C., pp. 187-188.
A vocable refrain and seven lines to be sung
in couplet continuation form. Ethel
Bassin notes that Frances Tolmie’s version of this
song appears in both G.C. and P.B. (Bassin 1977:181). However, Miss Tolmie does not claim the
P.B. version, which is textually very different from that in T.C., and I
cannot trace the song in G.C. ____________ ‘O hi, ibh o!’ i P.B., p. 46. Twelve half-lines and a vocable
refrain. N.ascr ii T.C., p. 238. Twelve half-lines and a vocable
refrain. Ethel Bassin indicates
Frances Tolmie to be the source of the P.B. version (Bassin 1977:181). ____________ ‘ i T.C., pp. 269-270. One verse. ii O.S.S., p. 16. Reproduction of T.C. version This song was composed by Major Neil MacLeod of Waternish. See his entry in the section for poetry and song
of known authorship. ____________ ‘ i G.C. App., p. 53. Entitled ‘Lath’ Leathaig’. Seventy-five half-lines, with vocable refrain ii T.C., pp. 234-235. Two half-lines and a vocable
refrain. iii M.C., pp. 378-380. Seventy-six half-lines and a vocable refrain. N.ascr. J. L. Campbell writes that this
version appears, apart from a few minor alterations, to be a copy of the
version in G.C. and that the notes on the song on pages lxv-lxvi
appear to derive from Miss Tolmie’s notes in T.C. (Campbell and Collinson 1977:247-248). iv S.H. 3, p. xiii. N.ascr. Same as
T.C. version. Ethel Bassin indicates
that Frances Tolmie is the source of this version. ‘Oran Arabhaig’
is a flyting song, a poetic duel between a
MacDonald and a MacLeod poetess. J. L.
Campbell has demonstrated the close relationship between Frances Tolmie’s ‘Oran Arabhaig’ and a
poem, ‘Pòsadh Mhic Leòid’,
originally published
in D. C. MacPherson’s Duanaire (MacMhuirich 1868:140) and wrongly ascribed to Màiri
Nighean Alasdair Ruaidh (Campbell 1968: 174-184). ____________ ‘ i T.C., pp. 238-239. ii M.C., pp. 35-39 iii B.G., pp. 246-249. See individual entry
for this song under title ‘Taladh Dhomhnaill Ghuirm’. ____________ ‘ T.C., pp. 258-259.
Eleven verses and a vocable refrain beginning with ‘Ho-ro o
hug hoirionn o’. ____________ ‘ i G.C. App., p. 25. Tune only. ii T.C., pp. 261-262. Two stanzas. ____________ ‘ i G.C. App., pp. 58-59. ii T.C., pp. 255-257. Ten couplets, beginning with ‘A Mhic-Iain-‘ic Sheumais, Tha do sgeul air m’ aire’, to be sung in quatrain continuation form. Miss Tolmie notes that she contributed the
tune only to the G.C. version. This song is traditionally
ascribed to of Domhnall Mac Iain ‘ic Sheumai’s foster mother, who is said to have composed it
after the Battle of Carinish, North Uist, about 1601. ____________ ‘ T.C., pp. 259-260.
Two versions, one from a period of emigration from
the island in 1860. ____________ ‘ i G.C. App., p. 19. Five verses and vocable
refrain. N.ascr ii T.C., pp. 197-198. Five verses, beginning with ‘Chaorain nach dean thu solus dhomh’, and a vocable refrain.
Text same as that in the G.C. version, which Miss Tolmie notes she
contributed. iii O.S.S., p. 29. One verse and refrain of T.C. version ____________ ‘ i P.B., pp. 45-46. Twelve lines and a vocable
refrain. N.ascr ii T.C., pp. 219-220. One half-line, ‘ ‘S
mis’ a chunnaic!’, and a vocable refrain.
Miss Tolmie notes that she contributed the P.B. version. iii F.T.H., pp. 110-113. Entitled ‘The Seal-Maiden (Gruagach-mhara)’.
Text, which is unascribed, is the same as
that in P.B., apart from the omission of two half-lines and some variations
in the vocables.
Uses a Barra tune as well as Miss Tolmie’s. iv O.S.S., p. 37. Reproduction of T.C. version. ____________ ‘ T.C., pp. 160-161.
Two verses and a refrain, beginning with ‘O-hó!
bà a Leinibh,
hó!’. ____________
‘ T.C., pp174-177.
See individual entry for ‘Tàladh Mhic Leòid’. ____________ ‘ T.C., pp. 227-228. A song for the final part of the waulking process.
A vocable refrain and sixteen lines,
beginning with ‘Chaidh mi ‘na Ghleannan
a’s t-Fhoghair’. ____________ ‘O
Rionn o, hó-ró, ‘m bàta!’ i
G.C. App., p. 52. Tune
only. N.ascr ii O.S.S., p. 77. Reproduction
of G.C. version, attributed by Miss Bassin to Frances Tolmie. ____________ ‘
‘Phiuthrag nam Piuthar’ T.C., pp. 177-178. Tune from the notation of the Rev. John
MacDonald of Harris. ____________ ‘Poca sìl an t-sealgair’ i
P.B., p. 12. Entitled ‘H-Eadaraibh a h-uinn O’. Three
couplets and a vocable refrain. N.ascr ii T.C., pp. 194-195. Text same as that in P.B. version, which
Miss Tolmie notes she contributed. The Rev. Tormod
Domhnallach attributes composition of this song to Bean Fhearchair Domhnallach. See her entry
in section for poetry and song of known authorship. ____________ ‘
‘S aighearach mi’ T.C., pp. 179-180. Two lines and a refrain. A nurse’s song. ____________ ‘
‘S fad’ tha mi ‘m ònaran’ G.C. App., p. 23. Tune only from Frances Tolmie. ____________ ‘Shibeag, Shibeag!’ i
T.C., pp. 264-265. Three verses
and a refrain. ii S.H. 2, pp. 15-18.. Text same as in T.C., but the tune is given
in a higher key and in different time. ____________ ‘Shiùbhlainn,
Shiùbhlainn’ i
P.B., pp. 27-28. One verse and
a vocable refrain.
N.ascr ii T.C., pp. 224-226. Seventeen verses and a vocable
refrain. Miss Tolmie notes that she
contributed the P.B. version. ____________ ‘Siud a leinibh’ T.C., p. 172. Fragment of a lullaby. ____________ ‘Slan gu ‘n tig
Aonachan’ T.C., pp. 169-170.
Miss Tolmie notes that this tune was formerly chanted at funerals, but
was latterly used as a lullaby! ____________ ‘ ‘S milis Mórag’ T.C., p. 169.
See individual entry
for this song. ____________ ‘ ‘S tràth chuir a’ ghrian’ T.C., p. 242.
Fragment of a milking song. ____________ ‘Tha Chu’ag is “gug-gùg” aice’ i T.C., pp. 190-191. Five verses and a refrain. ii M.C., p. 284. Seven verses and a refrain. Not attributed to Frances Tolmie, but very
close to the T.C. version. Frances
Tolmie may be the source. iii O.S.S., pp. 59-60. Reproduction of the T.C. version. ____________ ‘Tha na féidh, o-ho!’ T.C., pp. 168-169.
Two verses of a lullaby. ____________ ‘Tha ‘n crodh air na lòin’ T.C., p. 240.
See individual entry for ‘Bràigh Uige’. ____________ ‘Tha ‘n crodh-laoigh ‘s an fhraoch’ T.C., p. 241.
Fragment of a milking song. ____________ ‘Tha sìor chaoineadh
an Beinn-Dorain’ i P.B., pp. 46-47. Three verses. N.ascr ii T.C., p. 166. Two verses.
Miss Tolmie notes that she contributed the P.B. version. ____________ ‘Tha sneachd air na beannaibh Diùrach’ G.C. App., p. 15.
Seventeen single-line verses and a vocable
refrain. It is unclear whether this is
among those songs to which Keith Norman MacDonald refers in a footnote on
p.15 as having been received from Frances Tolmie. I think it likely that it is. There is a very similar version of nineteen
lines in the Tolmie MSS in the National Library of Scotland (Acc. 4863, MS
14902), where there is a note to the effect that it was heard at a waulking in Rudh’ an Dùnain. For a ____________ ‘Thog am bàta na siùil’ i G.C. App., p. 19. Thirteen lines and a vocable
refrain. N.ascr ii T.C., pp. 220-221. Six couplets and a vocable
refrain. Miss Tolmie notes that she
contributed the G.C. version. ____________ ‘Till an crodh Dhonnachaidh’ T.C., pp. 182-183.
A nurse’s song. The late Nan MacKinnon
of Vatersay had a version as a milking song (Collinson 1966:85). ____________ ‘Togaibh è, togaibh è’ T.C., pp. 181-183.
A nurse’s song. Five lines and
a refrain. ____________ ‘Na Trì Eòin’ i T.C.,
pp. 185-186. One verse and a refrain. ii M.C., pp. 332-333. Nine verses and a refrain. In her notes to the T.C. version, Miss
Tolmie refers to this M.C. version without actually claiming that she had
contributed it. The two refrains are
identical, but the one verse in T.C. does not occur in M.C. ____________ ‘Uamh ‘n Oir’ Miss Tolmie notes that she contributed four versions
of ‘Uamh ‘n Oir’ to G.C.
and P.B. (T.C., pp. 157-158). ____________ ‘Uamh ‘n Oir’ (1) i P.B., pp. 47-48. Four verses. N.ascr ii T.C., pp. 157-158. One verse: ‘Mu ‘n till mise,
mu ‘n ruig mise; Mu ‘n
till mise a Uamh ‘n Oir’. iii O.S.S., p. 4. Reproduction of T.C. version, with the
addition of the P.B. text. For another version, see Skye: Iochdar-Trotternish and District (MacKenzie 1930:73). ____________ ‘Uamh an Oir’ (2) i P.B., p. 47 (tune on p.
54). One verse, appended to another
version. N.ascr ii T.C., pp. 158-159. One verse, beginning with ‘Chaill mo làmh a lùths’ ____________ ‘Uamh an Oir’ (3) i P.B., p. 47. Two verses.
N.ascr ii T.C., p. 159. One verse, beginning with ‘Mo dhìth, mo dhìth, gun trì làmhan’. ____________ ‘Uamh an Oir’ (4) i G.C. App., p. 23. Two verses.
N.ascr ii P.B., p. 48. One verse.
N.ascr iii T.C., pp. 159-160. One verse, beginning with ‘ ‘S ioma mhaighdean
òg fo ceud bhearr’. |
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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 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 Somhairle
MacGill-Eain The New Poetry Books
etc: A-L Books etc: MacA-MacL Books etc: MacM-Z Periodicals, MSS, AV |
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© Sabhal Mòr Ostaig 2018