2. The Clanna Breogan, under the Fathads, sons of Lugad Mac Con, King
of Ireland, in the third century, from whom the Campbells are said to
be descended.
3. Eremonians, under Colla Uais, King of Ireland, in the fourth
century, from whom the M’Donalds are said to be descended.
4. Eberians, under Cairbre Cruithnechan and Maine Leamhna, sons of Corc
mac Lughadh, in the fourth century, from whom the Maormers of Marr and
Lennox are said to be descended.
The second of these colonies, under Fatha Canann, is here connected
with the legends of the Feinne.
Dr. Smith states that this poem agrees, with some variation in words
and arrangement, with one transmitted by Mr. Maclagan from oral recital.
The poem on the battle of Gabhra, attributed to Fergus, is obviously
the older piece, and some of the stanzas are the same with those in the
Irish poems. It also refers to the Feinne of Britain and of Lochlan.
There is an edition of this poem in Kennedy’s Collection, p. 148; and
another, taken down from recitation, was communicated to the Highland
Society by Mr. Malcolm M’Donald.
The first stanza of this poem, with the corresponding stanza in the
Irish poem, is given for the purpose of comparison:--
DEAN.
Innis donn a earris
Ille feynni errin
Kynis tarle zevin
In gath zawrych ni beymin.
IRISH.
Innis duinn a Oisin
Re h’anam Fhianna Eirionn
Cia agaibh ba threise
I g-cath Gabhra na m-beimionn.
It will be again observed that the eclipsis is only partially
recognised. The Dean seems rarely to employ it in the genitive plural,
where it is rigorously demanded by the rules of Irish grammar.
_Poem_, p. 50.
Dr. Smith remarks that this poem agrees very much with one got from
Isla by recitation, and communicated to the Society by Robert Campbell,
Esq., Advocate.
_Poem_, p. 54.
Dr. Smith states that this poem, on the death of Fraoch, differs
very little from Mr. Jerome Stone’s edition, and still less from Mr.
Gillies’ Collection, page 107.
_Poem_, p. 58.
Dr. Smith remarks that this poem nearly agrees with one in Kennedy’s
Collection, p. 69. Some of the names are different, and the stanzas not
all in the same order.
The same poem appears, with a few lines more or less, and a slight
variation of words and arrangement, in one of the MSS. deposited in the
Faculty Library; and two editions were communicated to the Highland
Society taken down from oral recitation, one from an old man in Isla,
the other from Donald M’Callum in Kilcalmonell, in Kintyre.
_Poem_, p. 72.
The idea which forms the subject of this poem is common to the Gael and
the Welsh.
_Poem by Gilchrist Taylor_, p. 93.
This poem certainly refers to the taking of the murderers of James I.,
by Robert Reoch Duncanson of Strowan, and John Gorme Stewart of Garth.
Robert Reoch bears on his seal two greyhounds, and on 15th August
1451 received a charter from James II. of the barony of Strowan “pro
zelo, favore et amore quos gerimus erga dictum Robertum Duncanson pro
captione iniquissimi proditoris quondam Roberti de Graham.”
John Gorme Stewart receives in the Exchequer Rolls a payment “pro
arrestatione Roberti Grahame traditoris et suorum complicium.”
_Poem by John of Knoydart_, p. 99.
In the Annals of Ulster there is the following notice of the murder of
Angus Og, son of John, Lord of the Isles:--
Aois Criost 1490, Mac mic Domnaill na h-Alpan,.i. Aengus, .i. nec
da n-gairti an Tigerna Aacc do marbad a fill le ferted Erennac,.i.
Diarmidt h-ua Cairpri, 7 a n Inhernis do marbad h-e. That is,--Year of
Christ 1490, Angus, son of Macdonald of Scotland, who was called the
young Lord, was murdered by his Irish harper, Dermed O’Cairbre, and at
Inverness he was slain.
The Annals of Ulster are cotemporary authority for the event.
_Poem by Finlay M’Nab_, p. 125.
The Dougall, son of John, who is here reproached as a sluggard, and
exhorted to write in the Book of Poems, was no doubt the Dean’s
father, Dougall Johnson. It would appear from this that the taste for
collecting Gaelic poetry was a family quality.
The genealogical poems relating to the M’Gregors, M’Dougalls, and
M’Donalds, are curious, but it would be out of place to enter here upon
the family history of these clans.