Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 5, 1897

I'HE CELTIC MONTHLY
29-
OUR MUSICAL PAGE.
,^1?.N readingf over the music section of
^J Donald Campbell's " Treatise of the
— * Language, Poetry, and Music of the
Highland Clans," it struck me that the air
given to " Failte na mor-thir " was familiar to
my ear. On consideration it occurred to me
that I had noticed it previously in ''The
Thistle." On referring to that book, I find
that the melody given under the name " A'
bhanarach a' dannsadh," is practically the
same. Donald Campbell is not an authority
on whom to place much reliance. But in this
instance the fitness of the music to the words is
corroboration of his being right in associating
the melody with the song. The song is in
the style of a labour song, and is the couijJosition
of Alexander MacDonald, best known to High-
landers as .\Jac Mhaifilistir Ala.iil.air. The.
following is the set of the tune given in " The
Thistle." There are only fifty-seven stanzas in
the song ! A selection from these is subjoined.
Malcclji Mac Fahlane.
FAILTE NA MOR-THIR.
Key F. Light and. Gracejiil.
I n : .r : r I r : — : n I 1 : -.t : 1 I 1 : -.s : n | n : -.r : r | r : — : n
CiiORUS — Heitirinn airinn i - u - rinn ohoru, Heitirinn airiiin
D.C.
I s :-: -
: ff) j n : — : n I s : — : f
^'KRSK — F;\ilt' ort flu'in, a
n: — :ri|s: — :s| 1 : - s : f i n : — : r I d : — : — 1 n
Mlii'ir-thir l)hiiidheach, Anns an iig - nihios Bhealltaiim.
Grian-thir bhuidlieach 's uaine ciita,
'S froidhneadh rus ri 'h-alltaibh.
'S cubhraidh suibhean, 's badacli luibhcan,
Ria a' bhruthainn ainnteas.
Le biadh 's le dibh ag cur thairis —
Cha te'id earrach teann oirr'.
'Sfainneach, luracli, slios a tulaicb,
'S duilleach 'm mullach chrann innt'.
Uisge fallain nan clach geala,
Ruitli romh 'baile-geamhraidh.
'S bainneach, bailceacli, braonach, glacach,
Bruachan tacrach Ailleart.
'S aluinn a beinnean 's a sraithean,
'S eibhinn dath a gleannta.
Luisain chiibhraidh mach a' briichdadh,
'S cuid diubh cul-ghorm, baindearg.
'S miosrach, cuachacb, leabach, luachrucb,
Dol gu bnailidh 's t-samhradh.
'S omhnach, uaclidrach, blathacli, ciiiiacacli
Lbn nam buaohaill' annta.
'S imeach, gruthach, mebgacli, sruthnch,
'N imrich shubhach sliambraidb.
'S raithicb dhorahsa dol d^j "n Mhbrtliir
Anns an bg-mhios Bhealltuinn.
An English translation of this Song will be found in Pattison's "Gaelic Bards," page 34.
Edinburgh Sutherland Association. — At the
(>ctober monthly meeting of this Association Captain
W. Morrison delivered a most interesting and
instructive lecture on Rob Donn, the Reay country
bard. The lecturer gave a graphic description of the
poet, tracing his wanderings in various parts of
Sutherland — in the array, and supplementing much
that has been written already by anecdotes and
historical incidents handed down in his own family.
The gallant Captain, although he left his native High-
lands thirty-five years ago, could recite Rob Donn's
poems as well as if he only left Durness yesterday.
The Clan Gregor Society. — The u.sual autuajn
meeting of Council of the Clan Gregor Society was
held on Tuesday in the Royal Hotel, Edinburgh, and
was well attended by Directors from the surrounding
district. Mr. Atholl MacGregor, President, occupied
the chair. The ordinary routine business was
transacted, and a sura of £(>5 was allotted as bursaries
to young male and female students belonging to the
Clan, besides various grants made to necessitious
and deserving members of the Clan. The reports
shewed the Society to be still prosperous in all its
branches.