Urquhart and Glenmoriston
Olden Times in a Highland Parish
By William Mackay
Appendix E

 

 

[487]

THE following unpublished fragments of songs by Donald refer to localities in our Parish.

Of his retreat he sings:

“Ann an Uamh Ruigh Bhacain,   “In the Cave of Ruigh Bhacain,
Cha bhiodh curam na h-Exercise oirnn.” I had no dread of the Exercise.”

Exercise was applied by the Highlanders to the regular army. Another song runs:

“Nan tigeadh an samhradh,    “If the summer would come,
‘S gu’n sgaoileadh an duileag, And the leaf would open,
Gu’n rachainn a Rusgaich     I would go to Ruiskich
Cho sunndach ri duine; As light-hearted as any man;
Na’n cluinninn droch sgeula,      If evil news reached me,     
Bheirinn leum chun a’ Chuilinn,    I would make for the Cuileann,  
‘S cha ghleidheadh luchd-Beurla mi —      And the English-speaking folk could not find me—
Reisimeid Churraclid!             The hat-wearing regiment!      

An Cuileann—the Holly Grove — is near Donald Donn’s Cave.

[488] ‘S ann agam tha’n caisteal It is I who have the castle
Is treis air an t-saoghal, Which is the strongest on earth,
Aig Inbhir Allt-Saigh                         At the mouth of Alit-Saigh,
Far an taoghal na h-aoidhean;      Where guests will gather;
‘S ged a thigeadh luchd-cburrachd, And, although there come the folk of the hats,
‘Us chasagan caola, And of the tight long coats,
‘Us b/wmbaichean sheila,      And of bomb shells,      
Cha chomhaich iad a cbaoiclh mi !“   They will never bring me to bay!”

The soldiers in Urquhart Castle probably had shells, had shells, which came into general use in Britain about 1634.


Notwithstanding the above reference to guests, Donald in another song complains of the lack of society in his Cave

“Ged a cheannaichinn am buideal,      “Though I should buy the anker,
Cha’n fhaigh mi cuideachd ni ol,      I can get no one to drink it,
Mar tig buachaill an t-seasgaich Ruaig    If the herdsman of the eild cattle
‘am fheasgar o’n t-Sroin.” Takes not a turn in the evening from the Strone!"

The Strone is between Allt-saigh and Invermoriston.

                       

[489] In reference to his capture Donald sang

“Mile mallachd gu bràth “A thousand curses for ever
Air a’ ghunna mar arm,    On the gun as a weapon of defence,
An deigh a mhealladh ‘s an tàire fhuair mi.    After the deception and disgrace I have experienced
Ged a gheibhinn dhom fein,     Although I should get as my own
Lan buaile de spreidh,     A fold full of cattle,
B’annsa claidheamh ‘us sgeith ‘s an uair ud More dear to me would have been a sword and shield in that hour!
Bha tri fichead ‘us triiiir There were sixty and three
Ga mo ruith feadh nan Pursuing me among the bends,
Gus an tug iad mo luthas le luathas uam! Until with their speed they deprived me of my strength.
Dhia! gur ann orms’ bha nàir’   God! but it was I who was ashamed
N uair a ghlachd iad mi sian, When they seized me alive,
‘S nach tug mi fear bàn no ruadh dhiu !“ Without my bringing down one of them, fair-haired or red!”

And of his approaching execution he said:

“Bithidh mi maireach air cnoc gun cheann,     “To-morrow I shall be on a hill, without a head,
‘Us cha bhi baigh aig duine rium – And no one will have sympathy for me —
Nach truagh leat fhein mo chaileag bhrbnach,     Have you no compassion on my sorrowful maiden —
Mo Mhairi bhoidheach, mheall-shuileach!”   My Mary, the fair and tender-eyed !“

 

 
Appendix E