BARDS AND PIPERS.
The Celtic inhabitants of the north-west Highlands have always been
enthusiastic votaries of poetry and music; indeed in time past they
perhaps paid more attention to these than to the less sentimental arts
of everyday life. Their bards and musicians, encouraged by the sympathy
and appreciation of chiefs and clansmen alike, became an illustrious, as
they ever were a privileged class.
The bards date back to the days of the Druids; among them was Ossian,
the Homer of the Fingalian heroes. There is no specific connection
between the Ossianic poems and the parish of Gairloch, but these poems
are still reverenced in Gairloch, and some traces of poetic Fingalian
legends are still to be met with (Part I., chap. i.).
The great contest which has so long raged over Macpherson's "Ossian"
does not concern us here. The unwritten poems of Ossian have been handed
down by the bards through many generations. Possibly Macpherson's were
partly fictitious; they do not correspond to the actual traditional
forms of the poems, as published by Mr John F. Campbell of Islay
(brother of the present Lady Mackenzie of Gairloch), who has passed to
his rest whilst I write; he took down the poems from the mouths of the
old men who had become the receptacles of them, and collected them in a
book entitled "Leabhar na Feinne," perhaps the most valuable
contribution to the Ossianic controversy.
The bard of old was called the "seannachie," properly
"seannachaidh,"--almost synonymous with "antiquarian" or "historian,"--a
name appropriately signifying that he was the repository and
remembrancer of the history, achievements, and genealogy of his clan or
sept. It was the bard's office to sing or recite the valorous deeds of
the chiefs and heroes, and to cheer on his kinsmen in battle by
inspiring songs or war cries, chaunted, shouted, or sung.
Later on, when clan contests became less frequent, some of the bards
found congenial berths as family retainers of the great chiefs and
proprietors, who generously rewarded their poetic talents. These family
bards recited or sang in the halls of their patrons songs of their own
or others' composition, and frequently repeated some of the poems of
Ossian. They were also the poets-laureate of the great families,
composing poems to celebrate their chief events and personages.
Captain Burt gives a list of the officers who in his day (1730) attended
every chief when he went a journey or paid a formal visit. Among them
are the bard, the piper, and the piper's gillie. The last bard of the
Gairloch family was Alexander Campbell, who died in the first half of
the present century. A short memoir of him is given further on.
Other bards and poets were found in the more private walks of life, and
they are even now to be met with, still the receptacles of the treasured
traditions and legends of their ancestors and country, still the
composers of Gaelic songs and poems, and still the reciters or singers
of their own compositions or of those of other bards, ancient or modern.
Family traditions and genealogies possess more historical value in the
Highlands than in other parts of Britain, from their having been
preserved and handed down by means of the trained memories of the bards.
In most cases, every word put in the mouths of the traditional heroes is
accurately repeated on each occasion of the story being told.
Meetings, called "ceilidh," used to be frequently held during the long
winter nights of this northern region, when the people gathered in each
others' houses to be entertained by songs, poems, traditions, legends,
and tales of all kinds. At the "ceilidh" the bards, in their character
of "seannachaidhean," were in much request, and we can well imagine how
the popular applause fostered the spirit of the bards and helped to
preserve the old traditions of the Highlands. They say these "ceilidh"
are not yet altogether given up in Gairloch parish.
Pipe music dates back at least as far as the fourteenth century, and
probably much farther. Mr Robertson Macdonald of Kinloch-moidart wrote
to the _Scotsman_ a few years ago, stating that he had the chanter and
blowpipe of bagpipes which he believed to be older than a bagpipe
reported at a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland to bear
the date of 1409. Mr Macdonald's relics were given in the end of last
century to his maternal uncle, Donald Macdonald of Kinloch-moidart, by
the Macintyres, who were the hereditary pipers to the Clanranald branch
of the Macdonalds, as they were on the point of emigrating to America;
they said the Macdonalds had followed the inspiring strains of these
bagpipes into the battle of Bannockburn, 24th June 1314.
The vocation of the pipers, who had gradually displaced the more ancient
harpers, corresponded very closely with that of the bards. Like the
bards, they accompanied their clansmen to battle. On all social
occasions they played their stately pibrochs, or thrilling marches, or
lively reels and jigs; weddings and funerals were always attended by
pipers, who moved the assembled companies with their stirring strains.
Most of the chiefs had their family pipers, and the office was often
hereditary. The Mackays were the hereditary pipers of the lairds of
Gairloch (see next chapter) during the seventeenth and eighteenth
centuries, and were well rewarded by their patrons. The MacCrimmons of
Dunvegan, Skye, were the great teachers of pipe music in the north up to
a recent period; they held their lands from Macleod of Macleod, in
return for their attendance on his person and family.
In these modern days pipers are still numerous in Gairloch, and still
enliven many a wedding party with their music. The Gairloch volunteers
have their efficient pipers, who in tartan array play many a lively air
as their comrades move in column, and who accompany the march-past on
review days to the favourite tune of "Highland Laddie." Highlanders
march with lighter tread, more spirited step, and more accurate time, to
the music of the bagpipes than to any other.
The strains of the great Highland bagpipes, when played indoors, often
sound harsh and shrill to the unaccustomed ear, but they never do to the
Highlander, who to this day prefers the pipes to all other music. Their
effect on the Highland soldier, in the presence of the foe, is too well
known to need description here.
The love of pipe music, and of songs in their native tongue, is as
powerful to-day with the Highlanders of Gairloch as it can ever have
been. At a dinner of the Gairloch volunteers, on 8th May 1884, the
thrilling music of the pipers, and the Gaelic songs exquisitely rendered
by Mr Alexander Macpherson of Opinan, one of the volunteer sergeants,
seemed to arouse the enthusiasm and stir the feelings of all present to
an extent it would have been difficult, if not impossible, to effect by
any other means.
Some of the bards and pipers of Gairloch attained great eminence.
Amongst the memoirs of them which follow is a short account of John
Mackenzie, the author of the "Beauties of Gaelic Poetry," who was
himself somewhat of a poet, and an excellent piper.
There were many less eminent bards and pipers in Gairloch. Three of the
old bards are mentioned in Part I. of this book, viz., Ruaridh Breac,
"the English bard," and Duncan M'Rae.
Ruaridh Breac, son of fair Duncan, lived at Cromasaig, near Kenlochewe,
in the first half of the seventeenth century. He composed a celebrated
song to the "Guard of the Black Corrie."
The English bard called in Gaelic "Am Bard Sasunnach," was a Cross, son
or descendant of one of the Letterewe ironworkers. He was living at the
time of the "Forty-five" at a house he had built at Kernsary, called to
this day Innis a Bhaird, or the "place of the bard."
Duncan M'Rae, of Isle Ewe, mentioned in Part II., chap. xiv., as the
composer of "Oran na Feannaige," was also a bard.
Of past Gairloch pipers, other than the Mackays, I have no account,
except of three who belong to recent times.
Roderick Campbell, a celebrated piper and fiddler, lived at Cuilchonich,
above Aird House, near Aultbea, in the latter part of the eighteenth
century. Ruaridh Mac Iamhair, as he was called in Gaelic, was descended
from the Campbells of Leckmelm, on Lochbroom. His father was Norman
Campbell; he had four sons, viz., Kenneth, Donald, Roderick (the piper),
and John. Donald was also a great fiddler. John Mackenzie (Iain or John
Glas) of Mossbank, Poolewe, is a grandson of Kenneth. John, the youngest
brother of Roderick, emigrated to America. Roderick was a pupil of Angus
Mackay (one of the Gairloch hereditary pipers), and it is said that
Roderick made such progress, that when his term of apprenticeship to
Angus had but half expired he had learned all that his accomplished
master could impart. Roderick attained great fame as a piper, and was
much respected through the country for his talents and agreeable
manners. He lived in a day when the young men laid themselves out to
amuse and interest others. While still young he was drowned in the Old
Cruive Pool, on the River Ewe, when attempting to cross the river by
means of the Cruive dyke, there being no bridge at Poolewe till long
after. The musical reputation of the family is sustained by Alexander
Mackenzie, the present senior piper of the Gairloch volunteers, who is
the son of John Glas above-named.
Iain Mac Coinnich (John Mackenzie), known as Piobaire Bhan, or the "fair
piper," was a first-rate performer during the present century. He lived
at Leac nan Saighead, and was blind. He died about 1870, an old man.
William Maclean, formerly of Ormiscaig, must be reckoned as a past piper
of Gairloch; the excellent music he discoursed is still remembered; the
origin of his talents is related in Part II., chap. xii.
The following is an alphabetical list (probably imperfect) of Gairloch
pipers now living:--
Murdo Bain, Charleston.
William Boa, {Inveran; one of the pipers to the
{volunteer corps.
Duncan Fraser, Talladale.
Kenneth Fraser, Leac nan Saighead.
Alexander Gunn, Isle Ewe.
Alexander Mackenzie, {Poolewe; senior Piper to the volunteer
{corps.
Angus Mackenzie, Strath.
Malcolm Mackenzie, Big Sand.
Murdo Mackenzie, Peterburn.
Kenneth M'Leay, Londubh.
Alexander Maclean, Mellon Udrigil.
Donald Maclean, } {Ormiscaig; brothers, young and excellent
Alexander Maclean,} {pipers; nephews of William
Hector Maclean, } {Maclean (Part II., chap. xxiii.).
Alexander Maclennan, Inveran.
Angus Maclennan, Cove.
John Maclennan, Mellon Charles.
William Maclennan, {Poolewe; one of the pipers to the volunteer
{corps.
John MacRae, North Erradale.
John MacRae, Altgrishan.
Murdo MacRae, Melvaig.
William Morrison, Ardlair.
James Watson, Badachro.