Books and other items printed in Gaelic from 1871 to 1900 > Sar-obair nam bard Gaelach, or, The beauties of Gaelic poetry, and lives of the Highland bards

NIALL MAC-MHCJIRICH. 65
Badenoch; that it was near as thick as a Bible, but that it was longer and broader,
though not so thick in the cover. That the parchments and the red book were written
in the hand in which the Gaelic used to be written of old both in Scotland and Ireland
before people began to use the English hand in writing Gaelic; and that his father knew
well how to read the old hand. That he himself had some of the parchments after his
father’s death, but that because he had not been taught to read them, and had no reason
to set any value upon them, they were lost. He says that none of his forefathers had the
name of Paul, but that there were two of them who were called Cathal.
He says that the red book was not written by one man, but that it was written from age
to age by the family of Clan Mhuirich, who were preserving and continuing the history
of the Macdonalds, and of other heads of Highland clans.
After the above declaration was taken down, it was read to him, and he acknowledged
it was right, in presence of Donald M‘Donald of Balronald, James M‘Donald of Gary-
helich, Ewan Mac Donald of Griminish, Alexander Mac Lean of Hoster, Mr Alexander
Nicolson, minister of Benbecula, and Mr Allan Mac Queen, minister of North-Uist, who
wrote this declaration.
(Signed) LACHLAN X MAC VUIRICH.
RODERICK MAC NIEL, J.P.
ORAN. DO MHAC-MHIC-AILEIN.*
Naile dhiolainn do bhas,
Dheanainn feolach,
Naile dhiolainn, &c.
Uidhist aighearach, eibhinn,
Dhubhach, ghalanach, dheurach,
Nis o rug ort am beum so,
’S goirt r’a fhulang ni’s eiginn,
Liuthad fear a tha ’n deigh air
Mac-Dhomhnuill.
Liuthad fear, &c.
Cha ’n e ’n Domhnull sin roimhe,
Ach mac sin Dhomhnuill ogh Iain,
Ailean aoibhinn an aigheir,
Urram feile ; rlgh flatha,
Ceannard meaghreach gu caitheamh
Na mor-chuis.
Ceannard, &c.
’Nuair a chiaradh am feasgar,
Gum biodh branndaidh ga losgadb.
Fion Frangach ga chosg leibh,
Gur e naigheachd na c.iadain,
Rinn mo chruitheacbd a shiaradh.
Le liunn-dubh, ’s le bron cianail,
Gu’n dhruidh i trom air mo chriochaibh,
Mo sgeul duilich nach iarr,
Mi ’ur comhradh.
Mo sgeul, &c.
M’ uaildh, m’ aighear, is m’ aiteas,
Tha fo bhinn aig fir shasuinn.
Ar tighearn’ 6g maiseach,
An t-ogh ud larla nam bratach
Mac an fhir thug dhomh fasga
’Nuair b’ 6g mi.
Mac an fhir, &c.
’S truagh gu’n mise bhi lamh ruit,
’Nuair a leagadh’s bhlar thu,
Gu cruaidh curanta laidir,
Agus spionnadh nan Gael,
* The bard composed this song when a very old man, on
hearing that his master was wounded at Shirrififtnuir.