Blair Collection > Celtic monthly > Volume 1, 1893

THE CELTIC MONTHLY.
Conducted by Mr. Arc;
MUSICAL
ill Ferguson, Lead
COLUMN.
r, St. Colamba Oadl
Choir, Glasgow.
^T?||HE song which we give this month is
Vf"? selected mote on account of its quaint
"^ 4 melody, and the peculiar circumstances
under which it was composed, than for any
poetical merit which it may possess.
Duncan Campbell, who was laird of Glenlyon
towards the end of the sixteenth century, had
a daughter whom he intended to bestow in
marriage upon the Baron of Dall, Lochtayside.
Miss Campbell, however, had already become
the betrothed of Glregor MacGregor, and she
refused to become the bride of any other. .She
decided the matter by leaving her father's
house, and the marriage with MacGregor
immediately took place. Tins union gave
offence not only to her father, but also to the
whole of the Breadalbane Campbells, who had
no special love for the MacGregors. The result
was that the unfortunate couple were persecuted
in every possible way, until at last they became
fugitives, and had to seek shelter in the hills
and glens. For some time they eluded their
persecutors, but one day, after partaking of a
scanty meal, they were surprised by their
enemies, and Gregor was taken prisoner to
Tay mouth, where he was tried, and afterwards
beheaded, it is said, at Kenmore, The heart
broken wife was cruelly forced to witness the
execution of her beloved husband. She was
ruthlessly driven from house and home, and it
was while an outcast, when crooning over her
fatherless babe, that she composed the lullaby,
which we give below.
Pattison, in his "Gaelic Bards," maintains
that this unfortunate lady was a daughter of
Sir Colin Campbell, of Glenorehy, and that
Black Duncan, or as he was called •■ Donnachadh
Dubh a' Churraichd " (Duncan of the Cowl),
was her brother.
Note. — We shall be pleased if any of our
readers will kindly favour us with the words
of the following song —
"Mo rial's gaeh lallia do'n nigh' n bhi'iin,
D'a bheil mo ghradhsa meudachadh."
CUM HA GHRiOGA
(Lament for (
Key F. Slowly, with feeling.
Chohus.
f : s, .,1, I d .,r : f .,m I n, r.-
I Ochain, | Ochain, Ochain, 1 uiridh,
Ochan, Ochan, Ochan, uiri,
f : pi „ri If .,s : 1 .,t I d 1 .
{Acli mu'n (d'thainig meadhon | latha
But my heart got sorely wounde
Mallachd aig maithibh 's aig cairdean,
Rinn mo chradh air an doigh ;
Thainig gun fhios air mo ghradhsa,
'S a thug fo smachd e le foill.
'S truagh nach robh mi 'n riochd na h-uiseig,
'Spionnadh Ghriogair aim am lamh,
'S i chlach a' b' aiide anus a' chaisteal,
'Chlach a V fhaisge do 'n bhlar.
'S ged tha mnaithibh chaich aig baile,
Na'n luidhe 's na 'n cadal seimh,
'S aim bhios mis' aig bruaich mo leapa
A' bualadh mo dim laimh.
fell, )
Ighradh, }
d
chradh.
day.
Malison on judge and kindred,
They have wrought me mickle woe ;
Willi deceit they came about us —
Through deceit they laid him low.
O ! could I fly up with the skylark ;
Had I Gregorys strength in hand ;
The highest stone that's in yon castle
Should lie lowest on the land.
While all other wives the night time
Pass in slumber's balmy hands,
1, upon my bedside weary,
Never cease to wring my hands.