Ossian Collection > Waifs and strays of Celtic tradition > Volume 1

McLarty of Aird.
MacLabhartaich na h-Airde (McLarty
of Aird).
This man lived on the farm of Aird in Craig-
nish. His house overlooked the bay on the
right-hand side of Loch Beg. He was a brave
man and a famous archer. He followed
Campbell of Craignish, by whom he was re-
garded as one of his most trusty dependents.
Once in his time Craignish was left in a de-
fenceless state in consequence of his absence
and that of his acknowledo-ed chief on some
o
important expedition.
McKay, or McGhee, of the Rhinns in Islay
(Mac Aoidh na Ranna), having heard of this,
launched his galley and made for Craignish,
with the intention of burning the houses and
harrying the lands of Aird and the neighbour-
hood.
He and his men arrived at their destination
in the night, and landed on a rock still known
as "Sgeir-nan-Ileach", or the Islaymen's Rock,
at the west point of the bay already mentioned.
That same night another person arrived at
Aird quite as unexpectedly as the McGhee.
This was McLarty. His family hastened to cele-
brate the event with a substantial, if somewhat