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Gaelic Literature of the Traditional poets and
songmakers: MacE
- MacK |
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This page is
best viewed on a desktop or laptop PC MACFARLANE,
Malcolm. See MACPHARLAIN, Calum. ____________ MACFHEARGHAIS,
Fearghas (19th
Century) A native of Skye who removed to Fearghas MacFhearghais. ‘An t-Eilean Sgiathanach’. Mac-Talla (20th February 1897), p.
256. Composed when the poet was living
in There are ten eight-line stanzas
beginning with ‘Tha m’ inntinn
trom ‘s re airsnealach’. The metre is similar, though not identical,
to that of Niall MacLeòid’s ‘An gleann ‘san robh mi
òg’. __________ MACFHEARGHAIS,
Fionnlagh
(20th Century) A native of Skye Fionnlagh MacFhearghais (Eilean a’ Cheò). Orain
Ghàidhlig. Glascho:
Alasdair Mac Labhruinn ‘s a Mhic, [192-]. 7d. According to a notice in Alex. MacLaren’s
1928 catalogue, the three songs in this booklet were specially composed for Ceilidh nan Gaidheal, Glasgow:
a Gaelic cultural association i ‘ Underlines the social function of Ceilidh nan Gaidheal as a meeting
place for exiled Gaels. There are ten
four-line strophic stanzas and a refrain, beginning ‘Is toigh
leam còmhlan a’ chéilidh’. ii ‘ An interesting little piece of
social history with the poet expressing strong disapproval of the new women’s
fashions. There are twelve quatrains
and a refrain, beginning ‘A chaileag ghreanmhor o hì’. iii ‘Moladh na Gruaige (In praise of the Un-Bobbed)’, pp. 6-7 Here the poet praises those women
who do not adopt the new fashions.
There are nine four-line stanzas and a refrain, beginning ‘A mhaighdean bhòidheach, mheall-shuileach’. ____________ MACFHIONGHAIN,
Aonghas (1885 – 1957) The Rev. Angus MacKinnon, An t.Urr.
Aonghas MacFhionghain, was born in Galtrigil, Borreraig, Duirinish, in Skye.
His mother Rachel MacPherson was a native of
(Information from An Tuil:
Anthology of 20th Century Gaelic Verse (Black 1999: 734-736) Ronald M.
Black (ed.). An Tuil: Anthology of 20th Century Gaelic Verse. i Aonghas
MacFhionghain.
‘Deireadh Òrdugh Ghleann Dail’, pp. 110-113. A moving poem on the end of the
Glendale Communion. Ten four-line
stanzas, beginning ‘O tha mi muladach’. There is a parallel English translation. ii Aonghas
MacFhionghain.
‘Am Mac Stròdhail’, pp. 112-115. As if composed by the Prodigal
Son. Five four-line verses beginning
‘Se dhol do thìr na fàdachd …’ There
is a parallel English translation. ____________ MACFHIONGHUIN,
Domhnall (19th / 20th
Century) Domhnall MacFhionghuin, Domhnall Fidhleir,
belonged to Elgol. Domhnall MacFhionghuin. ‘Is ann a Sgarbhaig, uchd na fairge’. TGSI, 52 (1980-1982), 192-193. This song occurs in Neil J.
MacKinnon’s article ‘Strath, Skye – the End of the
Nineteenth Century’, (TGSI,
52:155-197). The song was composed for
the poet’s friend Uisdein, recounting some of his
adventures as a soldier. There are
three eight-line stanzas in an amhran metre. ____________ MAC
FHIONGHAIN, Lachlann. See LACHLANN Mac Theàrlaich Oig ____________ MAC
FHIONGHAIN, Teàrlach Of Kilmuir, Skye. ‘Ho-ró cha bhi mulad
òirnn’ i TGSI,
49 (1974-1976), 344-345 From Donald Meek’s article ‘Gaelic
Poets of the Land Agitation’ (TGSI,
49:309-376) ii [Fàilte a’ Choimisein]. Tuath is Tighearna : Tenants and Landlords. Edited by Donald E. Meek. A song of hope that the Napier
Commission would right the wrongs suffered by the crofters. This song was recorded by Miss Jo MacDonald
in Kilmuir in 1973.
There are four stanzas in quatrain form with a refrain. ____________ MAC
FHIONGHAIN, Teàrlach Og (17th Century) Father of the poet Lachlann
Mac Theàrlaich Oig. Teàrlach Og may have been the author of a poem beginning ‘Gun tug
mi ionnsaidh bhearraideach’
attributed by John Gillies to ‘An Aigeannach
Nighean Domhnaill Ghuirm (Gillies
1786:128-132; Ó Baoill 1978:103-111). ____________ MACFHIONNLAIGH,
Donnchadh
(early 20th Century) Donnchadh MacFhionnlaigh. ‘ Amusing song of six six-line
verses, beginning ‘Chualas feadh
na duthcha’. Words from Donny MacKinnon of Bernisdale; tune, in staff notation, from K. C.
MacKinnon. ____________ MACGHILL’EATHAIN,
Domhnall (1883 - ?) Domhnall MacGhill’eathain
was born in Camus Tianavaig, Skye in 1883. He worked on the land in his youth, then
moved to Domhnall MacGhill’eathain. ‘Do ‘n Chuilitheann’. Bàird a’ Chomuinn. Deasaichte le Lachlann
MacFhionghuin. Glaschu:
An Comunn Gàidhealach,
1953, dd. 16-17. This poem won for its composer the
Bardic Crown at the National Mod of 1947. A typical example of the exile song genre:
gentle, sentimental and with much description of natural beauty. There are six eight-line stanzas,
beginning ‘A Dhùthaich nam
bruach ‘s a Chuilitheann àrd chruach’. It could be described as strophic, with
four strophes to the stanza. ____________ MACGILLEATHAIN,
Iain (d. 1878) John MacLean, Iain MacGilleathain, was a sailor of Waternish
and, according to Magnus MacLean, he composed several songs. Magnus MacLean ascribes the two songs
listed below to him, although both are unascribed
in An t-Oranaiche. (Information from p. 687 of Magnus
MacLean’s ‘Skye Bards: Part 1’ (Highland Monthly 4:686-700) and pp.
34-36 of ‘Skye Bards: Part 3’ (Highland Monthly, 5:33-45).) (1) ‘Thug
mi gaol do ‘n t-seòladair’ i An
t-Oranaiche.
Deasaichte le Gilleasbuig
Mac-na-Ceardadh. ii Orain an
Eilein. Cairistiona
Mhàrtainn. An t-Eilean
Sgiatheanach: Taigh
nan Teud, 2001, p.64 As if composed by the poet’s
sweetheart. The first version has
eight eight-line verses beginning ‘Air Feasgar Samhraidh Sabaid dhomh’. For the
tune see Celtic Monthly, 1
(1892-1893), 23; and A’ Choisir-Chiùil ( The second version has six
eight-line verses and its source is A’ Choisir-Chiùil (2) ‘A
ho ró, mo Mhàiri lurach’ i An
t-Oranaiche.
Deasaichte le Gilleasbuig
Mac-na-Ceardadh. ii Orain an
Eilein. Cairistiona
Mhàrtainn. An t-Eilean Sgiatheanach: Taigh nan Teud, 2001, p.64 An answer to the previous
song. The first version has nine
stanzas and a refrain in a strophic metre.
The second version has four stanzas and a refrain. This second version is from Catriona Dhùghlas’s collection with the tune as Annie Arnott sang
it. Although this second version has ‘Mhàiri’ in the title and one of the verses it has ‘phàisde’ in the refrain. ____________ MAC GILLE
EATHAIN, Iain (20th
Century) A brother of Somhairle MacGill-Eain, q.v. Iain Mac Gille Eathain. ‘Dàn éibhinn’. An Gaidheal, 59 (1964), 14. ____________ MACGILL-EAIN,
Somhairle. See: Somhairle MacGill-Eain ____________ MACGHILL-IOSA,
Domhnall (20th Century) Domhnall MacGhill-Iosa was
born in Snizort, Skye and worked for many years
with the Domhnall MacGhilliosa. ‘Cuireadh
do na Gaidheil’.
Bàird a’ Chomuinn. Deasaichte le Lachlann MacFhionghuin.
Glaschu: An Comunn
Gaidhealach, 1953, dd. 51-55. An invitation to exiled Gaels to
return to the Gaidhealtachd, this poem won for its composer the Bardic Crown at the National Mod of 1932. There are twenty-eight-line stanzas
beginning with ‘A Ghàidheal’ caomh
‘s a dhaoine còir’ in an amhran metre. ____________ MACGHILL-IOSA,
Gilleasbuig (19th Century) Gilleasbuig MacGhill-Iosa
was an elder of the Free Church in Snizort. As well as the laments noted below, he
apparently composed many hymns which were noted down by the Rev. Roderick
MacCowan with a view to publication.
Unfortunately the Rev. MacCowan died before this could be done (Gairm, 53:39). (1) ‘Marbhrann do Mhr. Ruaraidh MacLeòid, Ministear an
t-soisgeul a bha ann a’ Sniosart’. i Marbh-Rann do Dhomhnull Munro, le Iain Morastan,
maille ri Marbh-Roinn do Mhr. Ruaraidh MacLeoid, agus do Aonghas Munro, le Gilleasbuig Mac-Gill’-Iosa. Glaschu: Gilleasbuig Mac-na-Ceardadh, 1874, dd. 22-32. ii Skye:
Iochdar-Trotternish and District. William
MacKenzie. The Rev. Roderick MacLeod, Maighstir Ruaraidh was the most
famous of Skye’s Free Church ministers in the nineteenth century. It is interesting to compare this lament
for a religious leader with secular elegies for chiefs and leaders. The values expressed are of course
different, but there is the same sense of dependence upon a father-figure,
and of a people bereft by his death. The first version has thirty-seven
stanzas, beginning ‘Tha Sgìre
Shnisort fuidh bhròn’. The second
version has eight stanzas, beginning ‘Tha sgir Shniseart an diugh fo bhròn. The metre is cumha. (2) ‘Marbhrann do Aonghas Munro’ Marbh-Rann do Dhomhnull
Munro, le
Iain Morastan, maille ri Marbh-Roinn do Mhr. Ruaraidh MacLeoid, agus do Aonghas Munro, le Gilleasbuig Mac-Gill’-Iosa. Glaschu: Gilleasbuig Mac-na-Ceardadh, 1874, dd. 33-39. After an apparently wild youth
Angus Munro became converted and he and Maighstir Ruaraidh were great friends. This lament has twenty-one stanzas,
beginning with ‘Anns an ochdamh
ceud deug dhuinn / Trì fichead bliadhn’ ‘s a trì’. The metre is cumha. ____________ MACGHILL-
IOSA, Iain (19th Century) On pp. 38-40 of his ‘Skye Bards: Part III’ (Highland Monthly, 5:33-45, 92-101)
Magnus MacLean quotes in full the poem noted below, preceded by a note to the
effect that John Gillies had been a partner in the printing firm of Archibald
Sinclair in Iain
Mac-Gil’-Ios’.
Litir bho Iain Mac-Gil’-Ios’ á The title-poem, beginning ‘ ‘N uair dh’ fhàg mi Albainn thuathach’, offers no
clue as to what the poet’s connection with Skye may have been. ____________ MACGUAIRE,
Domhnall (17th / 18th
Century) Domhnall MacGuaire, Domhnall
Mac Dhomhnaill ‘ic Lachluinn,
a famous piper of Eigg, flourished during the latter seventeenth and early
eighteenth century. Domhnall MacGuaire. ‘Chaitriona
nach till thu idir’. Sruth (25th July 1968), p. 5 The piper’s wife, a native of the
Isle of Muck, frequently returned there to visit her family. Each time she left, her husband would play
a lament. Eoghainn MacFhionghuin (Hugh
MacKinnon) relates the story in his article on the piper and gives two stanzas of the song
associated with the tune. ____________ MACGUTHAIN,
Am Bard. See MACCUITHEIN, Iain ____________ MACGUTHAIN,
Domhnall (c. 1830 – c. 1909) Domhnall MacGuthain of Garos
was related to Iain MacCuithein of Kilmuir,
q.v. He was known for his quickness of
tongue and keen mind. (Information from the Rev. Tormod
Domhnallach’s introductory notes to the songs Listed below. See also An Gaidheal, 62 (1967), 26-27) (1) Domhnall
MacGuthain. ‘Chuir
thu na h-eich chaol a tharraing’. Gairm, 51 (An Samhradh 1965), 276-277. Composed for Lachlann
MacCuinn of Valtos, who
had given the poet a day’s ploughing.
A fine song, simple and expressive. There are six four-line stanzas,
in a strophic metre. Both this and the
following two songs are from the Rev. Tormod Domhnallach’s ‘Dioghlum bho Achaidhean na
Bàrdachd’ (Gairm, 51:270-278, 53:29-42). (2) Domhnall
MacGuthain. ‘ ‘S toigh leam fhìn an duine gasda’. Gairm, 51 (An Samhradh 1965), 277-278. A praise song for Teàrlach MacArtair of Eilishader, a descendant of the MacArthur family of
pipers. There are seven stanzas in a
strophic metre. (3) Domhnall
MacGuthain. ‘ ‘Se ‘m fuachd a dh’ fhairich mi ‘n diugh’. Gairm, 53 (An Geamhradh
1965), 41-42. A gently satirical song about
another Garos man who was continually talking about
going away to work, but never getting round to it. Six four-line stanzas in a strophic metre. ____________ MACILLEATHAIN,
Alasdair (19th Century) Alasdair MacIlleathain, Alasdair Dhòmhnaill,
belonged to (Information from Donald Meek’s Tuath is Tighearna (Meek 1995:315) (1) ‘A’
Chreag Mhòr’. ‘MacThàbhais
an t-Sumanaidh’.
Tuath is Tighearna:
Tenants and Landlords. About an encounter in 1883 between
the crofters of (2) Alasdair
MacIlleathain. ‘Duanag don Triùir Ghàidheal a th’ ann am Prìosan Dhun Eideann’. Tuath is Tighearna: Tenants and Landlords. About John MacPherson,
the ‘Glendale Martyr’, and his companions imprisoned in ____________ MACILLEATHAIN,
Am Bard (Early 19th
Century) This song first appeared in print in Mac-Talla in 1898. The composer belonged to Raasay and
emigrated to Am Bard
MacIlleathain. ‘Gearain
air A song with a mood of loneliness
and disillusionment. There are ten eight-line
stanzas beginning ‘ ‘S muladach a tha mi / ‘ ____________ MACILLEATHAIN,
Iain (20th Century?) Iain (Kaid) MacIlleathain
was born in Portree to parents from (Information from Orain an Eilein (Mhàrtainn 2001:131) (1) Iain
(Kaid) MacIlleathain. ‘Eilean mo Chrìdh’. Orain an
Eilein. Cairistiona
Mhàrtainn. An t-Eilean Sgiatheanach: Taigh nan Teud, 2002, p. 33. A pleasant exile song. Three four-line verses and a refrain
beginning ‘ ‘S truagh nach
robh mise’. The music is given in staff notation. (2) Iain (Kaid) MacIlleathain. ‘A’ fàgail a’
bhàt’ aig Port
Rìgh’. Orain an Eilein. Cairistiona Mhàrtainn. An t-Eilean Sgiatheanach: Taigh nan Teud, 2002, p. 33. Another exile song. Six four-line verses beginning ‘ ‘S ann an Eilean a’ Cheò’. The music is given in staff notation. ____________ MACILLEATHAIN,
Murchadh (19th
Century) This poet belonged to Waternish
in Skye. He might possibly be the same
Murdoch MacLean (q.v.)
who composed a poem in praise of Fasach. Murchadh
MacIlleathain. ‘Do Dhòmhnall
MacCaluim’. Tuath is Tighearna:
Tenants and Landlords. A song in praise of the Rev.
Donald MacCallum, a Church of Scotland minister who
was a strong supporter of the crofters during the Land Agitation. There are ten four-line verses and a
refrain beginning ‘ ‘S e Dòmhnall MacCaluim / An t-urramach còir’. ____________ MACINNES,
Donald (Early 19th Century) This poet belonged to Diuirinish. Donald
MacInnes. ‘Mhac
Leoid chaidh air thurus uainn’. Men
of Skye. Roderick MacCowan. The poem is headed ‘Fragments of a
Poem by Donald MacInnes, Diuirinish, on Norman
MacLeod, ‘Tormod Saighdear’, longing for his return
from Uist. Norman MacLeod was a noted nineteenth
century evangelist and also a poet. There are four four-line stanzas
in a strophic metre. The four lines of
the refrain have irregular rhyme. __________ MACINNES,
Malcolm (1871 – 1951) Malcolm MacInnes was born in Sleat,
Skye and emigrated to (Information from Companion to Gaelic Scotland (Thomson 1983:174) ) (1) Maolcalum MacAonghais. ‘Bruadar
Oisein’. Celtic Monthly, 1 (1892-1893), 77. A long ballad of twenty-three
quatrains, beginning ‘Chì mi slìochd
an dream tha làmh rium’, in which Ossian dreams of the future military
exploits of the Gael. It ends by
predicting the triumph of the Gaelic language. (2) Maolcalum MacAonghuis. ‘Duan nan Gillean-Culaig’. An Rosarnach, 4 (1930), 102-104. A light-hearted New Year’s
song. There are seven eight-line
stanzas, beginning with ‘Thainig sinne seo s’ chulaig’. I am not entirely sure that this
poem and the previous one were composed by the author of the works listed
below, but I think it likely that they were. (3) Malcolm MacInnes. Songs of the These six songs are based on the
whole upon traditional metrical models.
The last one is based on the model of ‘Thoir
mo shoraidh do ‘n taobh-tuath’
by Tormod Domhnallach of Dunhallin, q.v. i ‘Do ghruaidh tha mar na ròsan’, pp. 1-3 ii ‘Tha ‘n
t-Eilean fo mhulad’, pp. 4-6 iii ‘Caidil u o’,
pp. 7-8 iv ‘So deòch-slàinte
Phrionnsa Teàrlach’, pp. 9-13 v ‘Mo mhac a thuit ‘s a bhlàr’, pp. 14-16 vi ‘Soraidh le
Eilean a’ Cheò’,
pp. 17-18 (4) Malcolm
MacInnes. Iseabail na h-Airigh: Ishebel
of the Sheiling.
I have not seen this
publication. It is listed by Donald
John MacLeod (MacLeod 1980:104). ‘Iseabail
na h-Airigh’ is a musical play, with thirty-three
songs and melodies. The words are in
both Gaelic and English and the music is in both staff and sol-fa
notations. It was originally published
in Am Bard (1901-1902). (5) Malcolm MacInnes. Traditional Airs of Skye and the
West. With Gaelic and English
Words. As far as the words of the songs
in this and Malcolm MacInnes’ other collections are concerned, the question
of the authorship of the Gaelic words is somewhat ambiguous. Malcolm MacInnes does not specifically
claim or disclaim authorship, but I believe that in most cases he is the
author or has freely adapted existing material. The lyrics are pleasant but are closer in
style and sentiment to a romantic, non-Gaelic idea of what Gaelic song should
be, rather than to traditional Gaelic song. i ‘The Clan Foray: A’ Chreach’,
pp. 1-3 ii ‘My Love is True: Tha
m’ leannan dileas’, pp. 4-5 (modelled upon ‘Mo rùn geal dileas) iii ‘Every Day Brings Joy to Me: Ged tha mi gun chrodh gun aighean’, pp. 6-7 iv ‘Long and Dreary: Hilleanu’,
pp. 8-9 v ‘The Farewell: Dia
biodh maille riut’, pp.
10-11 vi ‘Ho! my blue eyed maiden: Ho mo nigh’n donn bhoidheach’,
pp. 12-13 vii ‘O’er the sundering ocean: Nunn thar farsuinneachd chuantan’, pp.
14-15 viii ‘Away in the Isles: An
Eilean mu thuath’, pp. 16-17 ix ‘Once I loved a lassie: Uair bha agam
leannan’, pp. 18-19 x ‘O sleep you my babe: O caidil gu laghach’,
pp. 20-21 xi ‘Sweet the maid of hazel grove: ‘S toigh leam cruinneag
dhonn nan bo’, pp. 22-24 xii ‘Quick rise the spring breezes: Bras sgriob air gaoith faiollich’, pp.
25-26 ____________ MACINTOSH,
Alexander. See MAC AN TOISICH, Alasdair ____________ MACINTOSH, Farquahar. See MAC AN TOISICH, Fearchar ____________ MACINTYRE,
Angus. See MAC AN T-SAOIR, Aonghas ____________ MACINTYRE,
John (19th Century) A missionary in Sconser,
Skye. John MacIntyre. ‘Marbhrann’. Life
and Work: Na Duilleagan Gàidhlig (1888: Aireamh 3), 11. An elegy for the Rev. Donald
MacKinnon, who died in 1888. The Rev.
MacKinnon was the last of a famous hereditary succession of ministers of the
parish of Strath, Skye, the first being his
grandfather, a grandson of the poet, Lachlann Mac Theàrlaich Oig (Lamont 1913:96; Nicolson 1930:358). There are seven four-line stanzas,
beginning with ‘Tha srath
Mhic Fhionghain an diugh
fo bhròn’.
This elegy was reprinted in Na Duilleagan Gàidhlig of 1938 (1:11-12) along with an
anonymous elegy for the Rev. Donald MacKinnon beginning ‘Fhuair mi naigheachd a chràidh mi’. ____________ MACKAY,
Donald. See MACAOIDH, Domhnall ____________ MACKILLOP,
Donald. See MACPHILLIP, Domhnall ____________ MACKINLEY,
Duncan. See MACFHIONNLAIGH, Donnchadh ____________ MACKINNON,
Angus. See MACFHIONGHAIN, Aonghas ____________ MACKINNON,
Charles. See MACFHIONGHAIN, Teàrlach ____________ MACKINNON,
Donald. See MACFHIONGHUIN, Domhnall __________ MACKINNON,
Hugh (1894 – 1972) Hugh MacKinnon, Eoghainn MacFhionghuin, belonged to Cleadale in Eigg and was a distinguished tradition
bearer. Hugh
MacKinnon. ‘’S ó tha
mi ‘n diugh trom fo lionn-dubh’. Tocher, 10 (Summer 1973), 78-80. This song, composed in the early
1960’s, has a theme frequently found in traditional poetry of the nineteenth
and twentieth centuries. The poet
visits a spot which reminds him of the joys of youth and friends long
vanished. In this case, the friends
who never returned had gone to fight in the First World War. There are eight stanzas in
quatrain form, with a three-line refrain.
There is an English translation and the tune is given in staff notation. See also entries for Hugh
MacKinnon in Collectors and Collections (Poetry) and Prose. ____________ MACKINNON, |
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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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