Ossian Collection > Macdonald bards from mediaeval times

of Inverness, he had only been a short time in
town when he became an active member of that
learned body, to the " transactions" of which he
has from time to time contributed interesting
papers. Articles on Highland subjects from his
pen have also appeared in other C si tic publica-
tions, and he contributed largely at one time —
and still occasionally — to newspaper literature.
Mr MacDonaldis a master of shorthand (Pitman's
system). He is the possessor of the National
Phonographic Society's teaching diploma, and
taught the art successfully for years. He is
assistant secretary to the Gaelic Society of Inver-
ness, and an active member of the Clan Donald
Society also. But he is, perhaps, best known to
his countrymen as an enthusiastic lover of High-
land music and song. For years past he has
cultivated Gaelic poetry, and his compositions
frequently appeared in the Gaelic column of the
Northern Chronicle, and other Highland publica-
tions. As he is still comparatively a young man,
we hope to have many more poems from his poetic
pen, and this liope is buoyed up by the fact tliat
he has taken some prizes at the Highland Mod
competitions.
Mr MacDonald's laudable object in publishing
his " Còinneach 'us Coille " was to popularize and
encourage native song-singing among Highlanders
at the present day. He very truly observes that
" most of the productions of our ancient bards,
beautifully poetic as they certainly are, do not
lend themselves readily to modern popular sing-
ing," and the writer quite agrees with him when
he says that many of the songs in our standard
works are much too long ; they are more poems
than songs. At the same time, of course, one
need not sing all the verses of any song, but there
is a heaviness about some for which lighter songs
might be substituted. As the demand for Gaelic
songs and music increases, no doubt all objection-
able features will be reduced to a minimum. At
anyrate, all the Highland airs should be preserved
by everyone who is at all a patriotic Highlander,
as it seems much easier to produce a new song to
an old air than to compose new music.
In his " Còinneach 'us Coille," a book of 120
pages, Mr MacDonald has given seventy-three
poems and songs, exhibiting an intimate and
scholarly acquaintance with the Gaelic language.
As he himself says " every piece except a few of
the long ones should be sung," and they seem
well adapted for that purpose. There is a free
flow of language in his love songs that is very
refreshing, and "there will be found in them
something to awaken sympathy, intensify love,
sweeten joy, and to reconcile to sorrow."
As a specimen of the sentimental, " Guanag
na Diithcha," to the air of " A nighean donn an
t-siigraidh," will convey an idea of his popular
style of song : —
Thair dhomh-sa 'ghaoil do chaoimhneas,
'Se 'chuireadh fàilt' us loinn onn ;
'S a dli' fhàgadh làn mi 'dh' aoibhneas
Gach la 'us oidhche 's maireann mi.
'S mòr a thug thu thaobh mi
Le d' mhais' a^us le d' aoidheachd ;
Tha ni-eiginn 'nad aoduinn,
Nach cuir an saoghal a m' aire-sa.
Tha cridhe fo do chiochan
'Tha 'deanamh nàdurgrian domh
'S na 'm faodainn 'dhol do t' iarraidh
Bhiodh Dia agam ri bheannachadh.
Na 'm faighinn thu ri' bhuannachd,
Bu deònach leam an uair tighinn,
'S am bithinn 's mo ghuanag,
'An gaol bith-bhuan neo-dhealaichte.
And of his patriotic songs, the following stanzas
from "Oran do Chomunn-Chlann Dòmhnuill,"
shows what the author is capable of : —
Thoir tasgaidh bhuain 'us beannachadh
A dh' ionrsuidh uasail cheannasach
A' ehomuinn bhuadhar, fhearalach,
Dha'n uile dhual 'bhi smearalach,
A leir mar 'ghluais an seanairean—
'S 6 'thi mi 'luaidh na maithibh
'Tha mu Chomunn glan Chlann Dòmhnuill.
'S e thi mi, etc.
Mac-Dhòmhnuill mòr nan Eileannan,
'Us Mac-'ic-Ailean sheasadh e ;
Gleanna Comhann cha cheileadh e :
'S a' Cheapuich cha bhiodh deireadh oirr'
'S Gleann-Garradh dlù 's cha theicheadh e,
'Us iomadh fion-fhuil eile
Nach biodh leibideaeh 's a' chomhlan.
'Us iomadh fion-fhuil, etc.
These specimens are taken at random, and
they are not necessarily the best, there are other
and many excellent songs throughout the work,
which niark our clansman as a contemporary
bard of excejitionable ability, and one of whom
much more will be expected in the future.
Since the " Coinneach 'us Coille" was pub-
lished he ha« written and published the following
additional songs, etc. — (1) " Brosnachadh Chloinn