Seumas mac Aonghais 'ic Iain 'ic Uilleim 'ic Mhurchaidh

Jimmy MacKay | Seumas mac Aonghais ’ic Iain ’ic Uilleim ’ic Mhurchaidh was a generous tradition-bearer from Kingsville, Inverness County. He was born on July 23, 1913 to Angus MacKay (1871-1946) and Mary J. MacDonald (1882-1973).

His father’s people came from Kintail in Scotland: his great-great-grandfather, Murdoch, is believed to have emigrated around 1817 with his wife Anna (daughter of Donald) and their six children, one of whom was Jimmy’s great-grandfather William (born in Scotland in 1809). The family settled at MacKay’s Cove near St Peter’s. William and his wife Jessie MacIntosh had eight children, one of whom was John (1836-1886) who married Flora MacEachen from Glendale and bought a farm close to her family in Kingsville. Their son Angus, Jimmy’s father, worked as a blacksmith.

Jimmy had nine siblings and worked the family farm with one of his brothers, Alex Francis, who was a renowned fiddle player. Jimmy himself was a skilled clock repairman, an antique dealer and held a wealth of Gaelic cultural knowledge. Jimmy spoke only Gaelic until he went to school and was eager to help others learn the language.

In the book Sealladh gu Tuath (ed. Watson and Roberston), Jimmy expresses a sadness that many of the young people of his time are not maintaining an interest in the language, but he also makes a strong case for its value and praises those who are working hard to maintain it. He is hopeful that it will be revitalised and return to strength again.

“A dh’aindheoin mar a chaidh a’ Ghàidhlig ás ri m’ linn, tha i beò fhathast anns na chidheachan am measg nan seann fheadhainn. Tha i ’cur duilichinn mhór orm fhaicinn nach eil diù aig a’ chuid ’s motha do’n ògradh dhan a’ Ghàidhlig. Tha iad mar gum biodh eagal orra nach biodh iad anns an stoidhle, ach nam biodh fios aca cho prìseil ’s a tha an cànain sin agus cho blasda ri labhairt. Tha tlachd oirre gu bhith ag innse naidheachd na a’ gabhail òran. Bhiodh e ’na chall mór na rachadh i á fàsan uile gu léir, ach tha dòchas againn nach bàsaich i gu h-iomain air tàilleibh gu bheil grunn do dhaoine thall ’s a-bhos ag obair ri a taobh. Tha cliù ri thoirt dhaibh-san a tha dol dh’ionnsaidh nan saothairean ’ga toirt beò agus a cumail suas.” (p. 31)

Jimmy passed away on December 23, 1992, but if he had lived to the present day it would no doubt have warmed his heart to see today’s youngsters embrace the language and culture and recommit to keeping it alive.

There are around 13 recordings from Jimmy in the Collection, which include a mix of songs, stories, riddles, proverbs and sayings.