Gur lionmhar stuth uaibhreach, Tha direadh ri do ghruaidhean gu h' ard, Leis an eireadh na gaisgich san spairn, Ach gur mor mo chuid artail, 'S mi bhi cluinntinn 's a faicinn mar tha, Deth 'n t-seann linn de na chinneadh a b'fhearr, Crion a n 'ionad nan saoidhean, Mac a Ghoill thigh 'n an taobh so na d' ait'. Gum b'e 'n caraiche an saoghal, Le chuid faileasan faoine gun sta, Le lotan lan chreuchdan gu bhas, An deigh chuid cloinne agus fheudal, A sgrios bhuaidh mu 'n d'eirich sud dha. Nuair bhiodht 's tigh-osda, Cha ba sgrubaire poit thu bha crion, 'S olar as i mu'n deonaich sinn triall, 'S tusa a b'urrainn a paidheadh sa diol. 'S goirt a ghaoir aig na feumnaich, Fhuair enodach gun éis air do sgà, Rud a bheireadh na feumnaich a cas, 'S cridhe farsuinn na ceille Ga thoirt seachad gun eis air a laimh. Gu tur meadhrach do bhaile le muirn, 'Nuair thilleadh tu dhachaidh, Bhiodh mnai oga lan aiteas, Na dc sheomraichean dait le surd, Ann an uinneagan glainne gun smuid, Gheibht am Biobull ga leughadh, Cur an ceill daibh mar dh-fheumadh a chuis, An àm dhaibh eiridh sa mhaduinn, Agus sleuchdadh roi' chadal na h'oidhche, Mar ri laoidh agus leadan ga 'n seinn. 24th APRIL, 1889. At this meeting the following gentlemen were elected members of the Society, viz.:-Major Randle Jackson of Swordale, Evanton, Ross-shire, a life member; Mr Cecil Kenard, Sconser Lodge, Skye; Mr David Todd, Kingsburgh; Mr Gilbert Matheson, draper. Inverness; and Mr Peter Macintyre, of the Crofter's Commission, 6 Parliament Square, Edinburgh, ordinary members. Thereafter Mr John Whyte read a paper contributed by the Rev. Archibald Macdonald, Greenock, entitled "Some Hebridean Singers and their Songs." Mr Macdonald's paper was as follows: SOME HEBRIDEAN SINGERS AND THEIR SONGS. John MacCodrum, popularly known in his own day as Iain Mac Fhearchair," was undoubtedly the greatest of our Hebridean bards. The MacCodrums were, I believe, a sept of the Macdonald clan, but the origin of the name is unknown, and the family seems to be extinct. John MacCodrum has immortalised his birthplace in a verse of "Smeorach Chloinn Domhnuill," a song composed in honour of his favourite clan, and published in Mackenzie's "Beauties" "An Cladh Chothain rugadh mise 'N Aird-a-Runnair chaidh mo thogail, Nan stuadh guanach, cluaineach, cluicheach." The works of this bard have never been published in a separate form, though the most famous of them have appeared in the collections of Stewart and Mackenzie. Since then, and within the last few years, two of his other songs, "Taladh Iain Mhuideartaich" and "Oran na h-Oige," have appeared in print for the first time, the former having been contributed by the Rev. John Macrury, Snizort, to Mr Sinclair's "Oranaiche," and the other by myself to the Celtic Magazine. "Oran na h-Oige" was taken down from the recitation of Donald Laing, Howmore, in South Uist, who died a few years ago, and who was really a marvellous repository of poetical lore. Though already in print, it is not out of place that it should be reproduced here, along with other effusions by the same bard, obtained from the same reciter. The Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness will thus possess a complete record of all that has been rescued from oblivion of the productions of a bard of whom his countrymen are justly proud. These poems, with one exception, published for the first time, are an interesting illustration of the length of time the works of a great, though untutored bard may be handed down by oral tradition. ORAN NA H-OIGE. An toiseach nam bliadhnaichean ur, 'S is lionmhoire 'shileas an sneachd ; Bi gach leanabh, gach naoidhean bochd, maoth, Ach geiread an fhailidh 's an fhuachd, 'N toiseach Earraich thig Gearran fliuch, garbh, Bi gach leanabh gach naoidhean bochd maoth, Mart tioram ri todhar nan crann, A' sughadh gach allt 'us gach eas, Bi turadh fuar fionnar gun bhlaths', A' crubadh gach ail a thig ris, Bi gach creutair 'n robh aiceid 's a' Mhart, Mios grianach ur feurach an aigh, Le eirbheirt, le coiscachd, 's le cainnt, 'N deigh gach bochdainn 's gach sgraing chur air chul. 'S nam measraichean mora lom-lan, Iad gun leth-trom, gun airtneul, gun sgios, Mios dubharrach bruthainneach blath, Iad gun stamhnadh gun mhunadh 'nan ceill, 'N duil nach 'eil e 's nach robh e fo 'n ghrein, 'N tusa 'n duine 'n robh iomadaidh bòsd, Bailc-Bhealltuinn.-The word baile is a good deal out of use in the sense in which the bard uses it in "Oran na h-Oige." In the Highland Society's Dictionary the word bailceach is found meaning rainy-pluviosus. Macleod & Dewar's Dictionary gives baile among other meanings that of a flood--a mountain torrent. In this sense also it is found in "Mac Mhaighistir Alasdair's" "Marbhrann do Pheata Columain," signifying the flood, in allusion to the service done by the dove to Noah after his long imprisonment in the ark. MacCodrum, in his use of the word, gives the idea of the soft, dewy weather so desirable in May, and so productive of the fertility depicted in "Oran na h-Oige." 'N tigh creadha so 'm bheil thu 'n ad thamh, Cia mar dh'eireas do n choluinn 'n robh 'm bosd, n; No do uinneagan buairidh nam miann, 'S grannada sloc anns an robh iad a' d' cheann, 'N deigh a stopadh le poll 'us le uir 'Nuair a dh' fhalbhas an Samhradh ciuin blath, Ris an abair iad farmad 'us tnu; 'Nuair nach foghainn na dh'fhoghnadh de'n bhiadh, Cha robh bheairteas aig Solamh 's aig Iob, Gur e 'n gaisgeach nach gealtach am bas, * Ma 's droch dheaghad a bh' agad 's an fheoil. The word deaghad is not uncommonly employed in North Uist in the sense of living, or morals. It appears to be a corruption of the English word diet, though never used in Gaelic in the original sense of that word, |