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Gaelic Literature
of the Traditional Prose: collections and
collectors |
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This page is best viewed on a
desktop or laptop PC MACKINNON,
Hugh (1894-1972) Hugh MacKinnon, Eoghainn MacFhionghuinn was born in
Eigg in 1894 and died there in 1972.
Tribute was paid to this distinguished tradition bearer with the
publication of a memorial issue of Tocher
(10:Summer 1973), the periodical of the School of Scottish studies in the
University of Edinburgh, which carries an appreciation by Fr. Anthony Ross
(pp. 37-39). In his introduction to the first item noted below,
Donald Archie MacDonald writes of Hugh’s remarkable memory and his store of
tales, legends, songs, historical, genealogical and place-name tradition. See also the Hugh MacKinnon
Collection in the section for anonymous poetry and song. ____________ Hugh
MacKinnon. ‘A’ Madadh Ruadh agus a’
Madadh Allaidh’. Scottish Studies, 8 (1964), 218-227. Text (S. S. S. R.L. 2105 A.2). recorded from Hugh
MacKinnon in 1964 by Donald Archie MacDonald who writes that the tale
combines two international tale types: The
Theft of Butter by playing Godfather and the Tail Fisher (Aa.-Th. 15+2), with an element of
a third, The Wolf dives into the Water
for reflected Cheese (Aa.-Th. 34).
References are to the Aarne-Thompson classification (Thompson 1964). The fox and the wolf, who live
together, find a cask of butter on the shore.
Following the fox’s suggestion they bury it, to be retrieved
later. On three different nights the
fox says he has to go to a baptism and disappears. The wolf suspects nothing until the two of
them go to retrieve the butter and the cask is found to be empty. When returning home over a peat moss the
fox again tricks the wolf by telling him that the moon’s reflection in a pool
is a piece of cheese. He advises him
that if he puts his tail into the water it will eventually stick to the
cheese, which he will then be able to pull out. The fox is trapped and is eventually torn
to pieces by the animals of the district. There is an English translation
and notes. For a short version of this
tale, written by a Barra schoolchild, see An
Gaidheal Og, 9 (1977), 3. ____________ Hugh
MacKinnon. ‘A’ Ghobhar Ghlas’. Scottish
Studies, 9 (1965), 108-113. Learnt by Hugh MacKinnon from his
mother and recorded from him by Donald Archie MacDonald in 1964 (S.S.S. R.L. 2105 A.1). Mr. MacDonald had himself heard the story
as a boy in North Uist. Animal tale
type No. 123 in the Aarne-Thompson classification. It is the tale of a mother goat,
whose three kids are eaten by the wily fox while she is away searching for
food. She finds the culprit, lulls him
to sleep and then slits his belly open, whereupon her three kids leap out,
alive and well. Compare with Norman
MacDonald’s ‘An trosg a dh’ ith an
amhag’. There is an English
translation and notes. ____________ Eoghann
MacFhionghuin. ‘Iain Ruadh
Macillfhaolain’. Sruth (2nd. November 1967), p. 12. Some anecdotes of Iain Ruadh,
originally from South Uist, who eventually settled in Eigg. he had been servant to Mac ‘ic Ailein and
fought with him at Culloden. ____________ Eoghainn
MacFhionghuinn. ‘Am Piobaire Mor’. Sruth
(25th July 1968), p. 5; (8th August 1968), p. 5. The story of Domhnall MacGuaire,
Domhnall Mac Dhomhnaill ‘Ic Lachlainn, a famous piper of Eigg, who lived
during the late 17th and early 18th
century. He had been taught
piping by Raghnall Mac Ailein Oig, for an account of whom see Gairm, 49 (An Samhradh 1964), 81-83. The style of this story is
literary rather than traditional and would appear to have been adapted from
the traditional style of the story as heard by Hugh. A different, and unascribed, version of the
second part of ‘Am Piobaire Mor’ is in Sruth (6th February 1969), p. 7. ____________ Hugh
MacKinnon. [‘Niall Mac Lachlainn agus
an Geidseir’]. Tocher, 3 (Autumn 1971), 72-73. The story of Hugh’s
great-grandfather, a noted distiller of illegal whiskey, and how he outwitted
the gauger. Recorded from Hugh by
Donald Archie MacDonald and transcribed from SA 1964/11 B1, with English
translation. For similar tales, see
‘Bodaich Ghleusda nan Laithean a dh’ Aom’ in the Tormod Domhnallach
Collection, and An Cabairneach (An t-Og Mhios 1945). ____________ Hugh
MacKinnon. ‘Domhnallaich Lathaig’; ‘Maighstir Calum MacAsgaill agus a
Theaghlach’. Tocher, 10 (Summer 1973), 40-79. The MacDonalds of Laig were
descended from Raghnall, son of Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair. Maighstir Calum MacAsgaill (1723-1787),
minister of Eigg, was of the family of Rudh’ an Dùnain in Skye. Frances Tolmie, the noted collector of
Gaelic song was descended from him on her mother’s side. Hugh MacKinnon’s account of these
two families forms the greater part of the issue of Tocher devised as a tribute to his memory. It was recorded by Donald Archie MacDonald
in 1964 and what is published here is a transcription of almost all of that
recording on tapes SA 1964/6/A4-7B4. ____________ Hugh
MacKinnon. ‘An Dubh Ghleannach’. Tocher,
15 (Autumn 1974), 250-257. Further lore about the family of
the Rev. Calum MacAsgaill, particularly about the death of Dr. Domhnall
MacAsgaill, who drowned when the ship ‘An Dubh Ghleannach’ foundered off
Eigg. From ____________ Hugh
MacKinnon. [‘The Press Gang’]. Tocher,
29 (Autumn 1978), 310-311. Story of an incident concerning a
press-gang in Eigg. Recorded from Hugh
MacKinnon’s recitation by W. F. H. Nicolaisen and Anthony Ross. In English.
Transcribed from ____________ Hugh
MacKinnon. ‘An Iomain an Eige’. Tocher,
36-37 (1981-1982), 364-378). In a conversation with Donald
Archie MacDonald, recorded in 1965, Hugh describes shinty as it was played in
Eigg before football ousted it in popularity.
Transcription from School of Scottish Studies recording SA 1965/126/7-127/1. |
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© Sabhal Mòr Ostaig 2018