Scope and Contents

Fragment of a piobaireachd song beginning 'Thainig cait thainig cait, ris an droch uair thainig iad' [Thàinig Na Cait Oirnn or The Cat Are Come On Us]. The song is composed of eight lines.

Scope and Contents

Newspaper cuttings relating to various subjects including: Scottish place names, clan history, topography, the Inneses of Caithness and pipe tunes. The cuttings were taken from the following publications, Oban Times, Glasgow Herald, Peoples Journal, Northern Chronicle, Perthshire Advertiser, Northern Ensign and the Highland News.

The cuttings are contained in three envelopes, addressed to the Rev Charles M. Robertson, Jura, Islay and Ullapool.

Scope and Contents

Note about funeral customs including that in Barra [Barraigh] corpses were left above ground for forty-eight hours, while in Uist [Uibhist] it would be three, four or five days; that 'an t-seisig' was 'the tuirream after the corpse'; and that John MacDonald of Strombane's father [Srom Bàn, Uibhist a Tuath/North Uist] used to pipe after the funeral. Text has been scored through as if transcribed elsewhere and a small addition has been made in ink.

Scope and Contents

Note probably collected from Donald MacColl, foxhunter, Glencreran, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire, about Rathad Mòr nam Marbh, Appin, Argyll [Earra Ghàidheal] along which the corpses are carried to get to the graveyard. A day or two before the funeral, twigs are trimmed away and stones levelled along this road. The note mentions that every piper started their pipes at Bun an Fheadain near the graveyard.

Scope and Contents Note about the bird 'An t-Ian Bùchain' [pin-tail duck]. Carmichael describes how the bird is plentiful on Harris [Na Hearadh] and Barra [Barraigh] and that as with other birds, tunes have been written to mimic its call. He describes its migration pattern and habits when in the Western Isles as well as its call, writing, 'Each bird is supposed to sing over and over, singly and in convert:– “Clann-ac anndaidh, Clann-ac-anndaidh” There was a tribe of people in Bearnary [Beàrnaraigh/Bernaray]...

Scope and Contents

Piping song beginning 'Cha till cha till Mac Criuimein, ga do thig shith (sith)'. The song was probably collected on the Isle of Barra [Barraigh].

Scope and Contents Song entitled 'Port Dho'null Mhoir 'ic Raoil Na Ceapaich' collected from Donald MacDonald, crofter, Griminish, Benbecula [Griminis, Beinn na Faoghla] beginning 'Marchaibh (Marsaibh?) gu h-eutrom, Togaibhidh air fraochaibh ri'. The accompanying story which tells how Donll [Domhnall] Mor Mac Raoil [Raghnaill] went to ask MacIntosh's daughter to marry him and he took twelve men with him. En route he met MacIntosh returning with a 'creach' [loot] which had been stolen from him so MacDonald...

Scope and Contents

Story about the Steocairean [cliar sheanachain or itinerant band/sorners] on Islay [Ìle] collected from Donald MacPhail, grocer, Quay, Oban [An t-Òban, Earra Ghàidheal/Argyllshire], in which a group demanded and were reluctantly given hospitality in an Islay farm house. Amongst them was a young man learning but who 'could only play the first "car" of the port [tune]'. The head of the steocairean 'ceann-snaodh nan steocairen' recited a poem or song beginning 'Piobaireach[hd] is aran tur'.

Scope and Contents Story entitled 'Sithein a Phiobaire' [Sìthein a' Phìobaire] collected from Kilpheadair S Uist [Cille Pheadair/Kilpheder, Uibhist a Deas/South Uist]. The story relates to Clann an t saoir Smearcleit [MacIntyres of Smeircleit/Smerclate] who were a talented family. One of their sons was a 'lecheallach' [leth-chiallach or half-wit] who was not fit to be a piper so was sent to watch cattle. He saw the light in the fairy hill and went in remembering to place a knife or nail in the door and said to...