An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Bardachd Ghaidhlig

Notes.
319
5767 Alasdair .i. mac Colla.
5769 coil each Shrath Bhalgaidh, “the Cock of Strathbogie,
the Marquis of Huntly, often called “the Cock of
the North.” Elsewhere Iain Lorn says (T., 53)—
Mi ag amharc nan gleanntan
An robh an camp aig lari Einne,
Bis an goirte an t-Eun Tuathach,
Nach d’fhuaradh ri brein-chirc.
Leagadh leis coileach Shrath Bhalgaidh: the
reference is not clear to me.
5772 ite a curt na sgeithe, a feather from the (inner) corner
of the wing; and therefore worthless. The prized
feather was “earr-ite an eoin,” the tail feather
of the eagle.
5794 Murchadh Mor was son of Alasdair, son of Murchadh,
third of Achilty in Contin. The Mackenzies of
Achilty were descended from Kenneth VII. of
Kintail, and several of them, including Alasdair
and Murchadh, acted as representatives of Seaforth
in Lewis. Of Alasdair mac Mhurchaidh it is
recorded, with reference to certain doings in Apple-
cross, that “though otherwise a very pretty man, he
was so heavy that he was not able to bear up with
his company; whereupon John Dubh MacCoinnich
drew his sword and vowed to kill him before the
enemy would have to say that they killed him. At
last, by throwing of cold water upon him, they
carried him with them.”—Highland Papers, Sec.
Series, Vol. II. 44. His son Murchadh was present
at the reading of an edict in the Kirk of Contin,
on July 13, 1651.—Dingwall Pres. Becords. The
New Stat. Account states that “Mac Mhic
Mhoruchi” was the first factor sent to Lewis by
Mackenzie, and that he resided on the Isle of St.
Colm in the mouth of Loch Erisort (p. 163). The
poems by these two gentlemen indicate the Gaelic
culture of the North in their day.
5811 bhiodh gillean ag cur bhbd: laying wagers about feats
of agility and skill; compare 5121.