An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Deo-gréine > Volume 9, October 1913-September 1914

AH DEO-GRKTNE.
54
bheag; bha an Caisean Oalluinn an sin, air
a thabhairt air bonir, ag'u.s prabadh dath-
aidh air a thabhairt air arms an teine, ag-us
air a thabhairt do’n mhnaoi a bu shine
bha ’san tigh.
Chuireadh ise ri a sroin an Caisean leth-
dhaite, agus rachadh a chur mu ’n cuairt
air na bha ’san tigh.
Bha herd na cuirme an sin air a chuairt-
eachadh le muinntir na Calluinn; bha rogha
gacha bidh agus dighe air a’ bhord, agus
bha cairdeas, greadhnachas agus toil-inn-
inn ri ’m faicinn am measg na cuideachd.
A reir a’ chleachdaidh so, dh’ fhalbh tuath
MhicFhionghain, Tighearna Mhisnis, a bha
chomhnuidh ’san am sin ’ san Eiridh, baile a
tha beagan tuath air Tobar-Mhuire, air
Challuinn, gu MacGrillEathain, Tighearna
Thorloisg, agus thainig tuath Fear Thorloisg
g-u MacFhionghain.
Rinn MacGillEathain fiughantas agus suil-
bhearachd nach bu bheag- a nochdadh do
ehuideachd MhicFhionghain; thug e dhoibh
rogha gacha bidh agus dighe, agus cunntas
sonruichte de chrodh a bheireadh iad led
an am pillidh.
Cha d’ fhuair tuath MhicGillEathain bho
MhacFhionghain, ach a mhain na dh’ ith ’s
na dh’ 61 iad.
An uair a bha an da chuideachd a’ pill-
eadh, choinnich iad ann an. gleann a tha
eadar Dearbhaig agus Tobar-Mhuire, troimh
am bheil abhuinn a’ ruith bho dheas gu
tuath ris an abrar “Abhainn-tuil-Ghall.”
Ri taobh na h-aibhne so, (thoisich an't-sab-
aid,—cuideachd MhicGillEathain a’ tdlleadh
a’ chruidh a fhuair tuath MhicFhionghain.
Anns a’ bhlar so, mharbhadh seachd fichead
MacMhoirein de nach tugadh feusag.
Is e ainm a’ bhlair-^“B]ar na Dunach.”
She put the half-singed Breast Stripe to
her nose, and it was then sent round to all
who were in the house.
After that the banqueting table was sur¬
rounded by the Hogmanay mummers; the
choicest of food and drink of all kinds was
placed on the table, and friendliness, con¬
viviality and cheerfulness were to be seen
amongst the company.
In accordance with this custom, the ten¬
antry of MacKinnon, the Lord of Mishnish,
who was dwelling at the time in Eiridh, a
village a little to the north of Tobermory,
went on a Hogmanay expedition to Mac-
Lean, Lord of Torloisk, and the tenantry
of Torloisk, on their part, came to Mac¬
Kinnon.
MacLean caused no small liberality and
good cheer to be shown to MacKinnon’s
company; he gave them the best of every
food and drink, and a certain number of
cattle which they were to take with them
when returning-.
But MacLean’s tenantry received nothing
from MacKinnon save only what they ate
and drank.
When the two companies were returning,
they met in a glen that lies between Dear¬
bhaig and Tobermory, through which glen a
river runs from south to north called “Abh¬
ainn-tuil-Ghall.”
By the side of this river, lighting began
—MacLean’s people driving back the cattle
that MacKinnon’s tenantry had received. In
this battle, seven score MacMorrans (or
Morrisons), were killed, from whom no beard
had ever been removed.
This battle was called—“The Field of
Disaster.”
Notes.—The Gaelic of the foregoing and of
the five preceding stories of this series were lall
sent in 1873 by J. F. Campbell of Islay, Iain
Og He, to An Gaidheal, and they appeared in
that magazine in Vol. II., 135. Campbell had
them from John Macdonald of Tobermory. He
calls the tales “a sample of my collections fresh
from the quarry ; untouched, genuine folk-lore, a
bit of the popular mind.”
The Calluinn festival spoken of in our story
has been sung by several bards. Of these, Eogh-
ann MacLachainn, seems to have fairly earned
pride of place. In his. “ Duan Calluinne^” a
splendid composition, there are three styles or
metres""; the urlar' or fundamental theme, stately
and dignified : the sittbhcdy or more rapid move-'
ment,-with its--rolling dancing rhythm ; aikL the
crun-luath, -very- - rapid,• crisp, and ^rattling; the
whole constituting a very happy effort of the
Gaelic muse. The mummers seem to be outside
the house, and in singing their good wishes to
those within, they hope that their tribe may in-
’ crease, and be blest with plenty. Upon going in,
they are suitably entertained by the goodman
and goodwife. Blessings are showered upon those
who observe the festival with adequate hospi-,
tality, but curses, the most quaint and curious
conceivable, are the portion of any niggard who
grudges a bite to the needy. In concluding, the
reciter claims a glass of whisky as a reward for
his labours. The hope of plenty is mosf graphic¬
ally expressed in some lines in Sgeulaiche nan
Gaol, 164-5, where there is a very good de¬
scription of the festival. A still better descrip¬
tion as well as an account of some ancient dances
that used to be danced at the festival, ajid of
the feasting and shinty playing that took ’place
- on the day after, are to be found in Cafaid nan
. Gaidheal, 394.
Festivals similar to. the .Calluinn have been
traced all over the world, among peoples of all
stages of culture. The critical study of these