An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volumes 44--45, January 1949--December 1950

describes the chiefs, one by one, to the present
day. Then he gives a brief account of the
leading cadets or off-shoots—the Macleods of
Bernera, Waternish, Gesfo, Tallisker, etc.
This book is not a mere summary of the
late Canon Macleod’s books about the Clan
Macleod or other published works. While
using previously published, work, Mr.
Mackinnon, who is one of our most diligent
and accurate students of records and family
history, here gives us much new information,
the fruit of his own research, sometimes
correcting, sometimes amplifying, previously
published statements.
Mr. Mackinnon is to be congratulated on
a fine piece of work, and we commend this
little book to all who are interested in
Highland history. Following on the lamented
death of Colonel Alasdair Ross, Mr.
Mackinnon has been appointed editor of ihe
Clan Macleod Magazine.
“ Ossian ”
The second issue of Ossian, published by
the Glasgow Uriiversity Ossianic Society—
whose forthcoming publication we announced
in our April number (p. 49)—has now
appeared and makes an attractive one-and-
sixpenoeworth. There are contributions 'in
English and Gaelic, with a Foreword by
Duncan Macrae, of the Citizens’ Theatre.
The previous issue of Ossian appeared in
1933, which is a very long time ago—many
student-generations ago, in fact—but the
Ossianic, for all its hundred-and-eighteen years
of life, abides in strength, and its present
members are (may a former President say it?)
no whit behind their predecessors of seventeen
years ago. There is much good and enter¬
taining reading in this issue, both in Gaelic
and English. The proof-reading of the Gaelic
items might have been done with more care,
but, from bitter personal experience, we can
sympathise with the Gaelic Editor’s vain
efforts to turn out an immaculate text. There
is a Gaelic cross-word and a cartoon. We
hope that for the third issue of Ossian we shall
not have to wait another seventeen years.
EDITOR S POSTBAG (from p. 83)
information about the poet’s period of service
in each of these areas. It would be interesting
to know if local tradition of fifty years ago
mentioned (a) the name of the poet’s father;
(b) the maiden surname of the poet’s mother;
(c) the year of the poet’s marriage; (d) the
name of the poet’s employer in Buachaill
Eite.
J. E. S. states categorically that no cash
payment was made to foresters. In that case
an item like the following from a Breadalbane
estate book (1743) requires explanation :
“Fee to Bendoran forester £13 6 Sd.”"
It would not be profitable to discuss J. E.S.’s
theory that Duncan Macintyre must have
learned to read because he mentions Cupid
in one song and Aeolus in another! The
biographical sketches which I have mentioned,
and on which the article in the Scots Magazine
of October, 1812 is based, State that the poet
“ had received no education.” If Duncan
could read he must have been puzzled by this
sentence. Yours, etc.,
Creag Mhor.
NA CROITEAN
THA talamh-Mtich nan croitean q’ dol ban,
chan e a mhkin air tir-m6r ach anns na
h-eileanan. Chan ’eil fhios agam an e
comharradh a tha sin air adhartas no air
dol-air-ais, ach sin mar tha a’ chilis.
Anns a’ bhaile anns an do rugadh mi tha
leth-cheud croit, no lot (mar a their na
Leddhasaich). Is e aon dhiubh sin a chunnaic
mi an uiridh fo Ikn bhkrr bho cheann gu ceann
is bho thaobh gu taobh—sealladh bu taitniche
a chunnaic mi rfe mo thuruis.
Bha uair gu robh iad uile mar sin. Bha
fearann priseil. B’e toradh an fhearainn am
bedshlainte, agus bha a h-uile slat ag giiilan
birr—buntkta, coirc, is edrna. Tha na
croitean taobh ri taobh, agus cha robh garadh-
eriche no callaid eatorra. Aig amannan
bhiodh trod mu na criochan.
“ Sin,” thubhairt P&draig ris an treabhaiche
a th&inig g’a chuideachadh, “ a’ chrioch eadar
mise agus Tormod Iain—na toir dirleach dha
’s na toir dirleach uaithe.”
Gu trie shaothraicheadh iad bho mhoch gu
dubh ag cur a h-uile h-dirleach gu feum.
Air feasgar na coinneimh-seachdain bha
Padraig aon uair cho anmoch a’ tighinn
dhachaidh o’n chroit agus nach robh tide aige
air son e. fhdin a sgeadachadh cho math 's
a b’dbhaist dha.
“ Mo dhreach !” thubhairt a nighean ris
nuair a thkinig e dhachaidh as a’ choinneamh.
“ Car son a chaidh thu do’n eaglais leis
a’ bhriogais sin?
“ A Mhdiri,” arsa Pkdraig, “ cha do leugh
mi anns an Fhlrinn gun dubhairt Criosd,
‘ Thoir dhomh do bhriogais :’ ’s e a thubhairt
e, ‘Thoir dhomh do chridhe.’”
A.. M.
THE CELTIC CONGRESS
will be held at Truro, Cornwall, from 28
August to 3 September. The Local Secretary
is Mr. Ashley Rowe, Mount Hawke, Truro.
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