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Gaelic Literature of the Traditional poets and
songmakers: D - Domhnall |
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best viewed on a desktop of laptop PC DOMHNALL GORM
MOR (d. 1616) Domhnall Gorm Mór, eighth Chief of the MacDonalds of Sleat, succeeded
to the chieftainship in 1585 and died in 1616 (Nicolson 1930:80,
121-122). J.G. MacKay recounts several
traditions concerning him in part of his article ‘Social Life in Skye from
Legend and Story’ (TGSI, 30:16-19) (1) [Flyting] i TGSI,
30 (1919-1922), 16. ii TSGI,
41 (1951-1952), 371-372. iii Tocher, 14
(Summer 1974), 237-238 Accounts of how this flyting came to be composed vary as widely as versions of
the flyting itself.
According to J.G. MacKay, the encounter took place between Domhnall
Gorm and a youth near Staffin. He gives two quatrains, of which Domhnall Gorm’s opening line is ‘A bhiatach
sin, ‘s a bhiatach’. The second version is a
transcription from the Dornie MSS, and appears in
Angus Matheson’s article ‘Gleanings from the Dornie
Manuscripts’, (TGSI, 41:310-381). Here, Domhnall Gorm’s
protagonist is one ‘Fear Carrach’. The opening quatrain is Domhnall Gorm’s and begins: ‘S math a chàirich
thu do churran’. The remainder, two quatrains and three couplets, is Am
Fear Carrach’s. The third version is a
transcription made by the Rev. William Matheson from the manuscript of Donald
Nicolson, one time schoolteacher of Kilmuir,
Skye. This time the encounter is between
Domhnall Gorm, here referred to as ‘MacDonald’, and a boy at Earlish. There are
two quatrains from Domhnall Gorm, beginning with ‘A bhiataich
sin ‘s a bhiataich ud’, and two from the boy. There is an English translation. (2) Domhnall
Gorm Mór. ‘Seun
is teasairg thu, bhean’. TGSI, 30 (1919-1922), 16-17. Said to have been composed when
Domhnall Gorm was on a visit to Barra. Four quatrains in reply to a servant girl
who did not take kindly to his attentions, not realising who he was. (3) Domhnall
Gorm Mór. . ‘Leagail bheag,
is togail bhog’. TGSI,
30 (1919-1922), 18. Instructions given to MacNeill of Barra’s boatbuilder in seven lines of verse. (4) Domhnall
Gorm Mór. ‘Fheara, ‘s mithich dhuinn
bhi triall’. TGSI,
30 (1919-1922), 18. A less than complimentary
quatrain, composed upon his leaving Barra. (5) ‘Bha mi am baile Dhuin-eideann an raoir’ i TGSI, 30 (1919-1922), 19. ii Carmina
Gadelica.
Edited by Alexander Carmichael.
Vol. 2. p. 251. 2nd
edition. iii Carmina
Gadelica. Edited
by Angus Matheson. Vol. 6. p. 77. In a note to the eleven lines of
the first version, J.G. MacKay relates how the ghost of Domhnall Gorm Mór
frequently haunted Duntulm, and on one occasion
addressed these pious words of admonition to his son. The Carmina Gadelica versions are of four
lines each, the first one beginning with ‘Bha mi ‘n
Duneidean an de’, and the second one with ‘Bha mi ‘n Dùn Eideann an dé’ The ascription of these lines to a
ghost may serve as a reminder that it is safer to regard all the other
ascriptions to Domhnall Gorm as a matter of tradition rather than historical
fact. ____________ DOMHNALL MAC
IAIN ‘IC SHEUMAIS (16th / 17th Century) Domhnall Mac Iain ‘Ic Sheumais, ancestor of the MacDonalds
of Kingsburgh, belonged to the MacDonalds
of Castle Camus, in Skye who were descended from the MacDonalds
of Sleat. Born in Moidart, Domhnall
Mac Iain ‘Ic Sheumais was
brought up mainly at Castle Camus. He
distinguished himself both as a warrior and a poet. Snatches of his songs survived for a long
time in the oral tradition of Skye and Uist. He was badly wounded at the battle of Carinish in North Uist in 1601. According to a North Uist
tradition his foster mother, Nic Coisean, tended to
his wounds and composed a song which she had several women sing to drown the
sound of her foster son’s groans. For
a composite text of this song, with notes see Hebridean Folksongs III (Campbell
and Collinson 1981 : 94-99, 250-256. In times of peace Domhnall was a drover or cattle
dealer. In his early days he lived on Eriskay. He
afterwards lived at Carinish, the scene of one of
his greatest exploits. There is a
tradition that it was due to the intervention of his fellow-poet, Iain Lom, that he was granted the farm of Cuidreach
in Skye. He spent a good deal of his old age in the
house of his daughter, wife of MacLeod of Gesto. He appears to have been unhappy at Gesto,
where he is said to have died about 1650. (Information mainly from Clan Donald, Vol. III (MacDonald and MacDonald 1904:
499-503). Alasdair MacNeacail has give an account in Gaelic of Domhnall Mac Iain’s life in An Gaidheal,
(22:179-183). All three songs listed below are of the metrical
type described by James Ross as 1A (Éigse, 7:2 20-225). (1) Domhnall
Mac Iain ‘Ic Sheumais. ‘Cò beag, no Iorram Mhor Mhic Iain
‘ic Sheumuis’. The
MacDonald Collection of Gaelic Poetry.
Edited by The Revs. A. and A. MacDonald. In their notes (p. xi), the
editors do not suggest as does Alexander Nicolson, that this song appears to
make a reference to the Massacre of Isay, which took
place about 1568 (Nicolson 1930:435)
and in which Roderick MacLeod, Ruairidh Nimheach, of Gairloch murdered several of the MacLeods
of Raasay. The last four lines given by the MacDonalds
are: ‘N tulgadh so go Eilein Isaidh! Far an d’ rinn MacLeoid a dhìnneir. ‘S far an d’ rinn
Mac Colla ‘n diobhail. Dhoirt e fuil ‘s gun d’ chaisg
e iotadh Alexander Nicolson’s version of
these four lines is as follows: ‘N tulgadh so gu
Eilean Iosaidh, Far ‘n d’ rinn MacLeòid an dinear, Far ‘n d’ rinn MacAilein
diobairt; Dhoirt e fuil, ‘s gu ‘n chaisg e ìotadh. The third line is crucial to
Nicolson’s contention that the reference is to the Massacre of Isay, for ‘Mac Ailein’ could
refer to Ruairidh Nimheach,
who was the son of Allan MacLeod of Gairloch,
whereas the style ‘MacLeòid’ belonged to the MacLeod chiefs of Harris and
Dunvegan. The MacDonald Collection
version would seem to refer to an event other than the massacre perpetrated
by Ruairidh Nimheach. There could possibly be a connection
between it and the subject of the anonymous lament ‘ ‘S
ann mu ‘n taca so ‘n dé’ (MacLeòid
1811:2 37-239 ; Sinclair 1901: 107-108; Creighton and MacLeod 1964: 90-92). There are eight single-line
verses, beginning with ‘Luchd tighe
dheanadh mo fhreagairt’,
and a refrain of mixed vocables and text. (2) Domhnall
Mac Iain ‘Ic Sheumais. ‘Creagag, no Iorram Bheag Mhic Iain ‘ic Sheumais’. The
MacDonald Collection of Gaelic Poetry.
Edited by the Revs. A. and A. MacDonald. Here the poet recalls two of the
great events of his youth, Blar a’ Chuilthionn, or the Battle of Coire
na Creiche, and the raid made on Dunvegan by
Domhnall Gorm and his brother.
According to Alexander Nicolson, the battle of Coire
na Creiche took place in 1601 (Nicolson 1930:110). There are ten single-line verses,
and a refrain of mixed text and vocables. (3) Domhnall
Mac iain ‘Ic Sheumais. ‘ In their notes (pp. xi-xii) the
editors write of the tradition that this song had been an ex tempore composition, composed upon
an existing refrain when Domhnall was living as an old man in his daughter’s
house. Commenting upon this, Dr. John MacInnes (1969-70) writes
that, taken at face value, the tradition could imply the existence of freely
circulating vocable refrains to which a text was fitted whenever
the need arose (TGSI, 46: 63). There are thirteen single-line
verses, with a vocable refrain ‘Hu-ò
hi rithibh ò’. ________ DOMHNALL NAN ___________ |
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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