University of Edinburgh Archive and Manuscript Collections

Scope and Contents

Fragment of a song [Buain nan Dearcan ris an Sprèidh or Plucking Berries by the Fold] beginning 'Cait an ro thu 'n diugh 's an de, Mhic Iain Ghasdain! Mhic Iain Ghasdain!'. There are only three lines to the fragment with three blank lines between the first two lines and the third line. The text has been written in ink.

Scope and Contents

Quern song beginning 'Beil a bhrath chail[leag]'.

Scope and Contents

Song beginning 'Chunna Brianein Don[u]l du' and accompanying story about a Dòmhnall Dubh who was struck deaf and dumb having worked on La Naomh Bhrianain [Latha Naomh Bhrianain or St Brendan's Day].

Scope and Contents Song collected from Roderick MacNeil, Miùghlaigh/Mingulay beginning 'Mara m ath[air] s mo mhath[air], Mara mo phiu[th]ar s mo bhr[ath]air'. The song is composed of twenty-four lines, which contain amendments in pencil. The text has been scored through in ink and written transversely across it is 'B[ook] 3 P[age] [-] Trans[cribed] June 16 1869'. The accompanying story tells how the song was composed to a girl who met a fairy who wanted to keep her in his fairy hill. The story continues with...

Scope and Contents Song entitled 'Oran Alastair ic Colla', collected from Seonaid Churrai [Janet Currie], aged 70 years, Staonebrig [Staoinebrig/Stoneybridge, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist] beginning 'Hile inn o ho, a, huill o ro han, Hilleirin ho, Mul[adach] Mul[adach] tha mi, Dire[adh] na bein[ne] sga tearnad[h]'. The song is composed of forty-two lines. The accompanying note reads 'Aoine is a for[tunate] day many per[sons] will not do anything on Friday - cut not peats corn or lift pot[atoes]'. The text has...

Scope and Contents

Work song entitled 'Beil a Chailleach Bhra' [or Òran na Bràth], beginning 'Beil a chaoil[leach] a bhrath'. The text has been scored through and a note reads 'Transcribed into Book No III page 53 30 Sept[ember] 1875 A[lexander] A[rchibald] C[armichael]'.