Poem entitled 'A Mhuillearstach' and accompanying notes, 20 October 1871
Scope and Contents
Poem entitled 'A Mhuillearstach' collected from Donald Maclellan or Donl mac Iain bhain ic Neil, aged 84 years S[outh] Hacleit, Benbecula, S[out] Uist [Haclait/Hacklet, Beinn na Faoghla/Benbecula, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist] beginning ''S la dha'n Fheinn eir Tullach Eirinn, 'S i g amharc Eirinn ma timicheall'. The song is composed of two hundred and four lines, two of which have been written in pencil transversely, probably after the whole text had been written. A preamble to the story is given telling how the Muillearstach was the daughter of the King of Lochlan and having heard lots of stoies about the Fenian warriors she wanted to test their reputation. The Fenians happened to be in Ireland on a hunting excursion at the time. Carmichael describes the poem as 'difficult to understand. The reciter is an old man (84) and his ennunciation is low and impaired. I had much difficulty in writing this.' He states that if MacLellan 'is stopped in his recitation he becomes confused and loses the thread of his discourse whereupon he must go back and start anew.' MacLellan stated that he heard the poem from his father who 'had a great deal of old Fenian lore' as MacLellan himself had. He is described as being five feet tall but very lively and industrious 'he is so active...I could hardly keep him in from the cattle while writing this.'
Dates
- Creation: 20 October 1871
Language of Materials
Gaelic,English
Conditions Governing Access
This material is unrestricted.
Extent
From the Series: 1 volume ; 17 x 20.5 cm
Physical Location
5.07
Physical Location
folio 56r, line 3 to folio 61r, line 21
Subject
- MacLellan, Donald, c1787- (Person)
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
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379
heritagecollections@ed.ac.uk