History of the Clan MacLean from its first settlement at Duard Castle, in the Isle of Mull, to the present period

406 Appendix.
NOTE C-
POETRY ON OR ABOUT THE MacLEANS.
Gifted with poesy as are the Highlanders, and given to the praise of their country and
their leaders, it would be expected that many poems would still be extant concerning the
MacLeans and their ancestral dominions. To present this question pioperly requires a
wide acquaintance with Gaelic poetry, both published and unpublished manuscripts. The
probability is that the greater part of this literature has never been published. In Rev.
A. MacLean Sinclair's manuscript collection, entitled Clarsach nan Eileinean, are sixty-six
poems either by or else about the MacLeans, only seven of which have ever been in
print. I find others exist in volumes which I do not have access to. I enumerate the
following known to me: first, from the Ghnhard Collection, published in 1888. This con-
tains two by Iain Lom, eleven by Iain MacAilein, five by Mairerad nighean Lachairm,
one by Mairi Nic-Phail, and one by Domhnall MacGillemhoire.
Iain Lom, or John MacDonald, born about 1620 and died in 1709, was one of the
most celebrated of Gaelic poets. His poems are numerous, but have never been pub-
lished in a collected form. On page 18 is his poem on SirLachlan MacLean, first Bai-onet
of Duard, containing 15 verses of three lines each; followed on page '20 by one on "Mac-
Lean of Duard," of twelve verses, each also containing three lines. This appears to have
been composed when Brolass was guardian of Sir John. It mentions Sir Lachlan Mor,
Hector Roy, and MacLean of Brolass. This poem also occurs in Clarsach na Coille, on
page 244.
Of the poems of Iain MacAilein, given under notices of the poets, the first occurs on
page 55, and is on Sir John MacLean of Duard. It contains six verses of four lines each.
This is followed by another on Sir John (p. 57), of nineteen verses of four lines each;
followed immediately by two others on Sir John, one containing eleven verses of eight
lines each, and the other fifteen verses of seven lines each. The next is the " Battle of
Alfort," a dialogue of seventeen verses of four lines each. This is founded on a six
weeks' session of a court of justice held at Aros, Mull. The following MacLeans figure
in the poem: Murdoch Og of Lochbuie, Donald of Coll, MacLean of Brolass, Doidim
Dana of Ardgour, and Lachlan of Calgary. On page 89, thirty-two lines of the poem on
Colonel Charles MacLean of Drimnin (who fell at Culloden) are given. It is found in
Stewart's Highland Bards and in Beauties of Gaelic Poetry. This is followed by three moi'e,
on Charles of Drimnin: the first containing six verses of eight lines each, the second,
five verses of eight lines each, and the last (j). 97) eight lines. On page 101 is a poem of
three verses of eight lines on the "Blessing of a House," which belonged to a MacLean
who is called the "grandson of Charles the son of Allan." On page 102 is a poem of
sixteen verses, entitled "The Migration of MacLean of 'J'reshnish."
Mairearad, mentioned among the poets on page 105, has a lament of twenty verses
of eight lines each on Allan, brother of Donald, third MacLean of Brolass. This Allan
was an officer in the army, and died in Stirling, in 1722. The next (p. 110) is a lament
for Lachlan MacLean, containing eleven vei'ses of five lines each. Just who this Lach-
lan is, the poem does not clearly reveal. This is followed by two poems on Sir John,
and one on Sir Allan MacLean. The first (p. 112) contains nine verses of four lines
each ; the second, six verses of eight lines each ; and the third, eight of four lines each.
Mairi Nic-Phail, or Mary Mac-Phail, whose history I am ignorant of, on page ] 17 has
a lament on Hector MacLean, consisting of nine verses of five lines each. The poem
does not reveal what Hector this was.
Domhnall MacGillemhoire, or Donald Morrison, appears to have been a native of