Song entitled 'Fail in ocha - Iomarbhaigh' and accompanying story, 19 October 1870 and 12 December 1883
Scope and Contents
Song entitled 'Fail in ocha - Iomarbhaigh' [A Spaidearachd Bharrach] collected from Seonaid Churrai [Janet Currie], Staonabrig [Staoinebrig/Stoneybridge, Uibhist A Deas/South Uist] beginning 'Dhia s gaolach liom an gille, Gha bheil deiread agus gill-dhuinnead'. The song is composed of twenty six lines and has been scored through in ink with a transverse note reading 'Transcribed 12/12 1883 Book III 241 page A[lexander] C[armichael].' The accompanying story tells how MacNeill of Barra, possibly Ruarai an tartair [Ruaraidh an Tartair], married a daughter of Raol nan raol [Raghnaill nan Raghnall or Ronald MacDonald of Clanranald] who brought a daughter of Mac Vuirich [MacMhuirich] of Staoligearry [Stadhlaigearraidh/Stilligarry] to Barraigh/Isle of Barra as her nurse and confidant. The nurse raised MacNeil's son and one day on attending her luadh [waulking] Lady MacNeil and MacNeil himself found the nurse with the son on her shoulder. The ladies at the luadh insisted that the nurse sang a song 'Cha robh ni[gh]ean Mhic Mhuir[ich] riamh gun oran' and so she sat down with them handing the baby to his father and sang this song with the Barra women giving their reply.
Dates
- Creation: 19 October 1870 and 12 December 1883
Language of Materials
Gaelic English
Conditions Governing Access
This material is unrestricted.
Extent
From the Series: 64 folios ; 19.5 x 23 cm
Physical Location
5.07
Physical Location
folio 39r, line 8 to folio 40r, line 3
Bibliography
Campbell, J. L., and Collinson, Francis (eds.), Hebridean Folksongs, vol. II (Oxford, 1977), pp. 124-129
Subject
- MacIsaac, Janet, c1798-1882 (Person)
- MacNeil, Roderick, -c1634 (of Barra | Ruairidh an Tartair | Rory the Turbulent | Isle of Barra | Inverness-shire) (Person)
- MacMhuirich (hereditary bards of Clanranald) (Family)
- MacNeil (of Barra) (Family)
Creator
- From the Fonds: Carmichael, Alexander, 1832-1912 (Excise officer | folklorist and antiquarian | Edinburgh | Scotland) (Person)
- From the Fonds: Watson, William John, 1865-1948 (Professor of Celtic) (Person)
Repository Details
Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
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Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk