Murchadh Mòr MacCoinnich, Fear Aicheallaidh (c. 1610–c. 1689): Am Bàrd agus a Shaoghal

MacCoinnich, A. (2023) Murchadh Mòr MacCoinnich, Fear Aicheallaidh (c. 1610–c. 1689): Am Bàrd agus a Shaoghal. Aiste, 6, pp. 1-50.

Abstract

Tha sùil às ùr ga toirt air bàrd, Murchadh Mòr MacCoinnich, Fear Aicheallaidh, a bha beò am meadhan na 17mh linn. Thathar an eisimeil chùnntasan luchd-cruinneachaidh dhàn is traidiseanan airson ar fiosrachaidh mun duine agus a chuid bhàrdachd gu ruige seo. Ach, le bhith a’ dùsgadh fianais o thùsan ùra, gabhaidh beachd ùr a thoirt air an duine, mu cho-theacs a shaoghail, agus mu àite na bàrdachd ann am beatha a’ bhàird. B’ e dàn-mara a bh’ anns ‘An Làir Dhonn’ / ‘Iorram na Sgiobaireachd’, a rèir eòlaichean na bàrdachd. Ach le bhith a’ coimeas nan diofar thùsan dhen dàn seo taobh ri taobh — cho math ri fianais ‘ùr’ air eachdraidh a’ bhàird, gabhaidh tuigse nas iomlaine a thogail mu bhàrdachd, mu chaitheamh-beatha agus saoghal a’ bhàird Leòdhasaich seo. B’ e duine dripeil a bh’ ann a bha aig meadhan riaghladh Eilean Leòdhais do Chlann Choinnich, ann an co-luadar ri marsantan Gallda agus uaislean Innse Ghall. Chithear o fhianais an artaigil seo mar a chaidh lìonraidhean teaghlaich a thogail le Clann Choinnich ann an Leòdhas rè na 17mh linn. Agus le bhith a’ coimhead air cruth nas iomlaine dhen dàn aige, ‘An Làir Dhonn’ / ‘Iorram na Sgiobaireachd’, chithear am blas Leòdhasach a bh’ air an dàn seo bho thùs. = This essay, written in Gaelic, explores the world, life and poetry of Murchadh Mòr (Murdo MacKenzie) of Achilty, Gaelic poet and forester of the Isle of Lewis in the mid seventeenth century, whose best known work is ‘An Làir Dhonn’ or ‘Iorram na Sgiobaireachd’ (‘The Brown Mare’ or ‘The Seafaring Song’). Much of our understanding of this poet’s life has rested on terse and vague descriptions supplied by song collectors and from traditions collated by scholars. This study looks anew at the evidence for the poet, focusing on two of his poems in particular, contextualising these with fresh documentary evidence, much of which was previously unknown to scholars. From this, a much fuller picture emerges showing a man of business, as well-connected to Lowland markets as to his own community — someone who was central to the administration of the plantation (or colony) of Lewis, recently acquired by the Clan MacKenzie. A re-examination of the sources for his best-known work, ‘An Làir Dhonn’, restores lost or omitted verses and shows that this poem — usually regarded simply as a seafaring song — originally had a much stronger local focus, showing the connectivity of the poet with his home island of Lewis.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Gàidhlig, bàrdachd, Eilean Leòdhais, fineachan, malairt, iasgach, long, seachdamh linn deug, marachd, Gàidhealtachd, Galldachd, Scottish Gaelic poetry, Isle of Lewis, clanship, trade, fishing, ship, seventeenth century, seafaring, Highlands, Lowlands.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: MacCoinnich, Dr Aonghas
• Authors: MacCoinnich, A.
• College/School: College of Arts & Humanities > School of Humanities > Celtic and Gaelic
• Journal Name: Aiste
• Publisher: Department of Celtic and Gaelic, University of Glasgow
• ISSN: 1754-4270
• ISSN (Online): 2632-8062
• Published Online: 06 November 2023
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2023 The Author; Department of Celtic and Gaelic, University of Glasgow
• First Published: First published in Aiste 6:1-50
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced with the permission of the publisher

Related URLs

• University of Glasgow Library Catalogue