| Reference Number | 298 |
| Title | Smeorach nan Cnoc ’s nan Gleann: comh-chruinneachadh bàrdachd a chaidh a dhèanamh am Màrgairi an Iar-dheas, Ceap Breatainn |
| Author | Gillis, Bernard; Nicholson, Patrick Joseph |
| Editor | MacDougall, Hector |
| Date Of Edition | 1939 |
| Date Of Language | early 20c |
| Date Of Language Ed | 1900-1949 |
| DateMacro | Early 20th c. |
| Date Of Language Notes | |
| Publisher | A. MacLaren (A. MacLabhruinn) |
| Place Published | Glasgow |
| Volume | N/A |
| Location | |
| Geographical Origins | Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Geographical Origins Ed | Canada |
| GeoMacro | Canada |
| GeoX | -62.0101 |
| GeoY | 45.6218 |
| Geographical Origins Notes | |
| Register | Literature, Prose, Verse (Oral) |
| Register Ed | Prose and Verse |
| Genre | Literature |
| Medium | Verse |
| Rating | B (TBC) A collection of poetry and song from Margaree, Inverness County, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Contains the poetic output of Malcolm Hugh Gillis, a notable bard and musician. Gaelic dialects from Moidart and Morar may be reflected in a New World scenario. |
| Alternative Author Name | N/A |
| Manuscript Or Edition | Ed. |
| Size And Condition | 19cm x 13cm |
| Short Title | Smeòrach nan Cnoc ‘s nan Gleann |
| Reference Details | NLS: T.85.e |
| Number Of Pages | xii, 148 |
| Gaelic Text By | N/A |
| Illustrator | N/A |
| Social Context | Angus Bernard Gillis (1905-1966) was a son of Malcolm Hugh Gillis and was also an accomplished fiddle player. He married Margaret Routher with issue. He emigrated to Upstate New York and later died in a car accident. Monsignor Dr Patrick Joseph Nicholson (1887-1965) was born in Beaver Cove, Cape Breton, to George Nicholson and Catherine Johnston. He received his early education at St Joseph’s School in North Sydney, after which he attended Gaelic classes at St Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia. After graduation, Nicholson then went on to study physics at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, where he graduated with a Master’s degree and a doctorate by 1912. He then returned to St Francis Xavier University for a year in which he taught physics, after which he attended St Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto, where he was ordained as a priest on 29 June 1916. After ordination, Nicholson returned to StFx as a lecturer in physics. Nicholson contributed Gaelic columns to various Canadian newspapers, such as the Casket and the Catholic journal Mosgladh, and he also wrote the introduction to Archibald J. MacKenzie’s History of Christmas Island (1926). He would later take up the position of Professor of Physics at St Francis Xavier University. He became the University President in September 1944, a position which he held for a decade until retirement. Nicholson, aged seventy-three, died on 4 November 1965. For information on the editor, Hector MacDougall (1881-1954), see Text 66. |
| Contents | After a photographic portrait of Malcolm Hugh Gillis (p. ii), bi-lingual title pages (pp. iii-v), and contents (p. vi-vii), there appears an introduction (pp. ix-xii). The bulk of the text is divided into sections arranged by the various composers, as follows: Malcolm Gillis / Calum MacGill-Iosa (pp. 1-62), contains 28 items; Donald MacFarlane / Dòmhnall MacPhàrlain (pp. 64-108), contains 29 items; Duncan MacLellan / Donnchadh MacGhill-Fhaolain (pp. 110-12), contains 1 item; Donald MacDonald / Dòmhnall MacDhòmhnaill (pp. 113-22), contains 4 items; Angus MacFarlane / Aonghas MacPhàrlain (p. 123), contains 1 item; Allan MacDonald / Ailean MacDhòmhnaill (pp. 124-27), contains 2 items; Angus MacDonald / Aonghas Òg MacDhòmhnaill (pp. 127-28), contains 1 item; Archibald MacDougall / Gilleasbuig MacDhùghaill (pp. 129-33), contains 3 items; Angus MacLellan / Aonghas MacGhill-Fhaolain (pp. 137-44), contains 4 items; John Gillis / Iain MacGill-Iosa (pp. 145-46), contains 1 item; and Duncan MacLellan / Donnchadh MacGill-Fhaolain (pp. 147-48), contains 1 item. This volume contains 75 items in total. The various songs/poems that make up this volume share common themes that were and still are the preserve of so-called village bards, such as songs in praise of nature and locality: ‘Am Bràighe’ (pp. 1-2; ‘Orain do Cheap Breatuinn’ (pp. 2-4); ‘Margairi’ (pp. 66-67); ‘Orain a’ Mhathain’ (pp. 126-27); ‘Am Pasgan Fraoich’ (pp. 104-05); praise songs of tobacco, newspapers and letters: ‘An Litir Ghaidhlig’ (pp. 13-14), (p. 78); ‘Oran do’n Mhac-Talla’ (pp. 42-43); and of people, in particular musicians: ‘Oran do Dhonnchadh MacGill-Iosa, am Mira, Fear a tha deanamh Phioban Ciuil (pp. 5-7); ‘Moladh a’ Chuil’ (pp. 36-37); and of dispraise: ‘Oran nam Maitseachan’ (pp. 118-19); ‘Freagairt do dh’Oran an Tombaca’ (p. 142); local events and memorable occasions: ‘Oran a’ Bhata’ (pp. 15-17); ‘Oran do Chruinneachadh Gaidhealach a bha an Inbhir Nis, Ceap Breatoin’ (p. 24); elegies: ‘Cumha’ (pp. 19-21); ‘Cumha do dh’Aonghas MacGill-Iosa, a dh’eug am Port Hood anns a’ bhliadhna 1885’ (pp. 25-27); love and separation: ‘Fein-labhairt an t-Seann Duine’ (pp. 10-13); ‘Moladh Moire’ (pp. 17-18); ‘Nigh’n Donn a’ Chuil Reidh’ (pp. 22-23); satire: ‘Leisgeul’ (pp. 120-22); and politics and war: ‘Oran an Taghaidh’ (pp. 54-55); and ‘Saighdearan Cheap Breatuinn’ (pp. 58-59). Many, though not all, of the items have an associated tune. |
| Sources | No indication is given in the introduction by any of the editors of the volume from which source the various items originated. Presumably many, if not all, may well have been taken down from the composers themselves or were recorded and transcribed by various reciters who were familiar with the contributors’ compositions. Malcolm Hugh Gillis (Calum Eòghain ’ic Aonghais ’ic Chaluim ’ic Dhòmhnaill ’ic Dhonnchaidh, 1856-1929) was born in Margaree, Inverness County, Cape Breton, on 5 September 1856, to Hugh and Mary Gillis (née Gillis). He was a descendant of immigrants from Morar, West Highlands. He was an extremely talented individual and was a poet, pipe, fiddle and organ player. He not only composed tunes but also composed poetry in English. He was school-teacher and is remembered for walking to and from a school in Cheticamp from his home in Gillisdale each weekend, to visit his large family. He is best remembered however, for his songs and poetry which often praise the beauties of the Margaree region. His best known works were “Nighean Donn a’ Chùil Rèidh and “Na Cnuic ’s na Glinn” (also called “Am Bràighe”). He died, aged seventy-three, on 23 September 1929. Donald Dougal MacFarlane (1861-1950) was a graduate of St Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, and became a merchant in southwest Margaree. He was also a school-teacher and Gaelic bard, having many published poems, notably “Smeòrach nan Cnoc ’s nan Gleann.” Donald MacDonald (Dòmhnall Thormaid ’ic Ruairidh ’ic Mhìcheil) died 1 July 1910, aged eighty. Duncan MacLellan (Donnchadh Chaluim ’ic Aonghais ’ic Chaluim), died 2 January 1916, aged fifty-seven. Angus MacFarlane (Aonghas mac Aonghais ’ic Ghilleasbuig ’ic Dhùghaill ’ic Phàdruig), died 8 March 1931, aged ninety. Allan MacDonald (Ailean Aonghais ’ic Ailein ’ic Ruairidh) from Margaree and of Moidart stock, died 21 November 1903, aged thirty-seven. Angus MacDonald, Archibald MacDougall, and Bean Alasdair MhicGill-Iosa were all still alive when the volume was published in 1939. |
| Language | Copula is realised as, for example, ’S ann (p. 1), ’S e (p. 3), Gur e (p. 34). Epenthetic vowels occasionally make an appearance, e.g. an t-seannachais (p. 7), seanachais (p. 74), seanagarra (p. 83). Tendency to use ia rather than eu in some spellings, e.g. fiachainn (p. ix and p. 8), briagha (p. 9). Occasionally the dative plural appears, e.g., air uairibh (p. ix), blàraibh (p. 6). Occasional use of the second plural imperative, e.g., cumaibh (p. 39), togaibh (p. 103), seasaibh (p. 103). Caducous schwa occasionally appears, e.g., àit’ (p. 1), crìdh’ (p. 2), shid’ (p. 3). Prepositions tend to retain the apostrophe, e.g. O ’m (p. 1), do’n (p. 10). Passive voice occasionally appears, e.g., faighte (p. 1), faighear (p. 3). Occasionally ellipsis occurs, indicated by an apostrophe such as, ràth’dean (p. 1), tigh’nn (p. 1), maighd’nan (p. 4). Inconsistent use of t and d to indicate possession, e.g. t’ ainm (p. 7) but d’ fhaicinn (p. 7). Occasionally there appear rare or unusual words, froilig (p. 1) but also froilic (p. 129), còmhradh-céin (p. 36) meaning ‘telegraphy’. Apostrophes usually are retained but not consistently to indicate the possessive determiner, e.g, ’n ad mhuinntir (p. 2), ’n an deann (p. 3), ’nan gluasad (p. 6), ad dhàil (p 7). Occasional inconsistent lack of accent, e.g. eolach (p. 2), criochan (p. 4), laimh (p. 5), da (p. 11). Occasionally typographical errors appear but they do not affect the comprehension of the text, e.g. Riomh-Radh (p. x), sìnn (p. 1), ruim (p. 6). Loan words: stòidhir (p. 40) for ‘store’, dollair (p. 42) for ‘dollar’, fàbhair (p. 41) for ‘favour’, frogan (p. 73) for ‘frocks’, tùrn (p. 80) for ‘turn’, Geancaich (p. 105) for ‘Yanks’, sgafallan (p. 108) for ‘scaffolds’, clirichean (p. 116) for ‘clearings’, suamp (p. 116) for ‘swamps’, sòbhran (p. 139). Occasional use of English and French, usually italicised, appears, e.g. Exhibition (p. 6), Bon jour (p. 9). It may also be noted the occasional appearance of a macaronic verse (p. 18) and (p. 70). Other spellings of note include: co dhiubh (p. ix), daibh (p. x), gu’m biodh (p. ix), chan ’eil (p. ix), nach ’eil (p. ix), air-son (p. ix), oidheirp (p. ix). All the compositions which form the contents of the volume were recorded from composers whose antecedents settled in Margaree, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, and who originated from the Rough Bounds (Na Garbh Crìochan) of the West Highlands, mainly from Morar and Moidart. |
| Orthography | The orthography conforms to the mid-twentieth century, whereby the grave and acute accents are retained. Accents are shown very occasionally on capital letters. |
| Edition | First edition. |
| Other Sources | |
| Further Reading | Gillis, Malcolm H., The Songster of the Hills and Glens: A Collection of Gaelic Poetry / compiled by Bernard Gillis and the Rev. P. J. Nicholson edited by Hector MacDougall [edited and compiled by Rannie Gillis; poems translated by Effie Rankin] (North Sydney, N.S., 2004: Northside Printers). MacCalmain, T. M., ‘Eachann MacDhughaill, beagan mu dheidhinn agus cunntas air na sgrìobh e an Gàidhlig’, Gairm, vol. 8 (1954), 362-68 (reprinted in D. E. Meek, (ed.), Os cionn gleadhraich nan sràidean ([Edinburgh], 2010: Scottish Gaelic Texts Society), 276-81). Nilsen, Kenneth, ‘P. J. Nicholson and ‘Achadh nan Gaidheal’, in Wilson McLeod, Abigail Burnyeat, Domhnall Uilleam Stùbhart, Thomas Owen Clancy & Roibeard Ó Maolalaigh (eds.), Bile ós Chrannaibh: A Festschrift for William Gillies (Ceann Drochaid, Perthshire, 2010: Clann Tuirc, 2010), 315-28. Watson Seumas, ‘Seinn fo Sgàil nan Geugan Uaine/Songs from the Greenwood’, An Rubha: The Highland Village Gaelic Folklife Magazine, no. 2 (An t-Earrach/Spring, 2008), 7. |
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| Link | |
| Download File | 298.pdf |
| NumWords | 29438 |
