MacGregor of Roro

Of all the clans, the MacGregors are perhaps the most romantic, especially given that their very name was proscribed by 1603. The background to this was that in Balquidder, Perthshire, in 1589, was the scene of a heinous crime committed by a band of Glencoe MacDonalds, when John Drummond of Drummond-Ernoch, the king’s forester in Glenartney, was murdered while out hunting in order to supply venison for King James VI’s wedding feast.

Earlier that year, the king’s servant had cropped the ears from MacDonald poachers who had been caught red-handed stealing the king’s deer. Needless to say, they had not forgiven the king’s forester, and when the opportunity arose they descended into Breadalbane, caught and summarily executed him and took away his head. They then, allegedly, headed to Glen Vorlich where they showed their gruesome trophy to Stewart of Ardvorlich’s wife, the royal forester’s sister, which, so the tale goes, broke her mind. The MacDonalds then made for Balquidder safe in the knowledge that they would get shelter and protection from the MacGregors. Led by their chief, Alasdair of Glenstrae, the MacGregors marched along with the fugitive MacDonalds to Balquidder kirk, where the head was set up and each one passed by laying their hands upon it and swore an oath to take the guilt of Drummond’s murder upon themselves and to defend the Glencoe men from all comers. The personal affront to King James earned the MacGregors, who, it would seem, were found guilty by association—and on whom the blame for the murder was firmly pinned, despite the fact that they had not taken any part in it—the extreme displeasure of the Privy Council, as their proceedings, leaving but little to the imagination, relates:

The Lordis of Secrete Counsaill being credibillie informeit of the cruell and mischievous procedings of the wicked Clan Gregour, sa lang continewing in blude, slauchtaris, heirshippis, manifest reiffis and stouthis, commit upoun his Hienes peceable and gude subjectis inhabiting the cuntreyis ewest the Brayis of the Hielandis[…]the cruell murthour of umquhile Johnne Drummond of Drummanerynoch, his Majesteis propir tennent and ane of his fosteris of Glenartnay[…]be certane of the said Clan, be the counsale and determinatioun of the haill, avowand to defend the authouris thairof quhaevir wald persew for revenge of the same, quhen the said Johnne wes occupiit in seiking vennysoun to his Hienes at command of Patrik, Lord Dummond, stewart of Stratharne and principall forrester of Glenartnay[…]eftir the murthour committit, the authouris thairof cuttit of the said umquhile Johnne Drummondis heid, and caryed the same to the Laird M^cGregour; quha and the haill surename of M^ckgregour purposlie convenit, upoun the nixt Sonday thaireftir, at the kirk of Buchquhidder, quhair thay causit the said umquhile Johnis heid be presentit to thame, and thair, avowing the said murthour to haif bene committit be thair commoun counsale and determinatioun, layed thair handis upoun the pow, and, in eithnik and barbarous maner, sweir to defend the authouris of the said murthour, in maist proude contempt of oure Soveranne Lord and his authoritie, and in evill example to utheris wicked lymmaris to do the like, giff this salbe sufferit to remane unpunist.

This episode reveals that the MacDonalds and MacGregors were prepared to protect one another in the face of a common enemy. Due to their contempt for central government, both clans were to suffer a series of proclamations made against them. The ‘wicked Clan Gregour’, following the Battle of Glenfruin, suffered a political disaster: not only were they outlawed, but their name very name was proscribed and under such conditions they became a broken clan, many of whom were reduced to being caterans. Later, the MacDonalds of Glencoe became scapegoats in the infamous Massacre of Glencoe which the Williamite government saw as ‘a proper vindication of the publick justice to extirpate that sept of thieves.’

Such is the probable background to the following anecdote recorded by Calum Maclean and transcribed shortly thereafter on the 10th of June 1951 from the recitation of John MacDonald of Highbridge, Brae Lochaber:

MacGriogair à Ruadh-shruth

Nuair a bha an ruaig air na Griogaraich, thàinig iad gu taigh seann-chailleach agus chum i am falach iad. Is bha an ruaig gan leanachd gu math dlùth agus thàinig an tòir chun an doraist. Agus mar sin mar a labhair i an t-òran, smaoinich iad gun robh na Griogaraich an deaghaidh falbh. Thuirt i:

A bheil sgeul air Cloinn Ghriogair,

Na am bheil fhios dè ’n taobh ghabh iad?

’S iad bu chuideachda dhomh-sa

Didòmhnaich seo chàidh.

’S iad bu chuideachda dhomh-sa, 7rl.

Bha Griogair mòr ruadh ann,

Làmh chruaidh air cùl claidheamh.

Bha Griogair mòr ruadh ann, 7rl.

Gam bu shuicheantas giuthas

Ri bruthach ga dhìreadh;

Gam bu shuicheantas giuthas, 7rl.

Crann caol air dheagh-locradh,

Iteag dhosrach an fhìrein;

Crann caol air dheagh-locradh, 7rl.

Iteag dhosrach an fhìrein,

Is ma thèid thu ’n taigh-òsta,

Na òl ach a h-aon ann.

Ma thèid thu ’n taigh-òsda, 7rl.

Gabh do dhram na do sheasamh,

Bi freasdlach dha d’ dhaoine.

Gabh do dhram na do sheasamh, 7rl.

Air eagal ’s gun tig iad

Is gu faigh iad leat fhèin thu.

Air eagal ’s gun tig iad, 7rl.

Ged is luaineach an seabhag,

Nì iad seòl air a fhaotainn.

Ged is luaineach an seabhag, 7rl.

Is ged is carach an fheòrag,

Gun glac iad le foil i.

And the translation goes something like the following:

MacGregor of Roro

When the MacGregors were on the run they arrived at the house of an old woman who hid them. And they were being pursued closely and the pose arrived at the door. And it was in this way she said the song, they thought that the MacGregors had fed. She said:

Is there any sign of the MacGregors

Or which way did the go?

They were in my company

This Sunday last.

This Sunday last, etc.

Big Red-haired Gregor was here,

A strong hand with a sword.

Big Red-haired Gregor was here, etc.

Whose emblem was a pine tree

Rising up from the brae.

Rising up from the brae, etc.

Smooth shafts well shaped

Set with the eagle’s fine plumage.

Smooth shafts well shaped, etc.

Set with the eagle’s fine plumage.

And if you go to the tavern,

Only have one dram.

If you go to the tavern, etc.

Have your dram standing,

And be watchful to your men.

Have your dram standing, etc.

In case they come

And capture you.

In case they come, etc.

Although the hawk is flighty

A way is found to capture it.

Although the hawk is flighty, etc.

And though the squirrel is cunning

It may be caught be stealth.

For good measure on the very last page of The Highlands (1959), Calum Maclean writes the following, including a verse translation of a variant of the above song:

Almost all Highland Gaels know the three lovely songs about Clan Gregor; the poignant lament of the widow of Gregor Roy MacGregor, who was beheaded at Taymouth in 1570; the song of Clan Gregor and the song to MacGregor of Roro in Glen Lyon. In all these songs there is stark intensity and sincerity and burning words have been wedded to wistful and enchanting melodies. To MacGregor of Roro, “whose heritage it was to be in Glen Lyon”, the advice is given:

 
When you go to the tavern, drink only one drink. Drink your dram without sitting and be attentive to your men. Spurn not any vessel but accept even a ladle or baler. Turn winter into autumn and stormy spring into summer. Make your bed among the crags and let your sleep be light. Though rare is the squirrel, a way can be found to capture it. Noble as is the hawk, often it is caught by stealth.

References:

SSS NB 11, pp. 992–93

Charles Fergusson, ‘The Macgregors of Roro’, The Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, vol. XXIV (1899–1901), pp. 413–28

Calum I. Maclean, The Highlands (London: B. T. Batsford, 1959)

Colm Ó Baoill (ed.) Meg Bateman (transl.), Gàir nan Clàrsach: The Harps’ Cry (Edinburgh: Birlinn, 1994), pp. 54–59, 218.

Image: 
A romanticised depiction of a MacGregor by R. R. McIain, reproduced from The Clans of the Scottish Highlands (1845)

Four Famous Fiddlers from Lochaber

Fiddles and bagpipes have long been the instruments of choice for musicians from the Highlands and Lochaber is no exception. Doubtless every single district or township would have had famous musicians and here is an anecdote as recorded and later transcribed by Calum Maclean on the 29th of January 1951 from John MacDonald of Highbridge, Brae Lochaber, concerning four famous fiddlers all of whom belonged to Brae Lochaber:

Fìdhleirean Ainmeil

Bha ceithir fìdhleirean ainmeil anns an dùthaich seo. ’S e Iain Stiùbhart a bh’ air fear dhiubh. Bha e a’ fuireach ann am Bun Ruaidh, Gilleasbui’ Dòmhnallach a bha air fear eile is a bha e a’ fuireach ann an Inbhir Ruaidh. Agus Alasdair MacCuaraig a bh’ air an fhear eile agus bha e a’ fuireach an Lianachan. Agus bha iad uilidh ag ionnsachadh dannsa agus iad a’ cumail sgoiltean dannsa. Ach chan eil cuimhne agam c’ ainm a bh’ air a’ cheathramh fear. Ach dh’fhalbh iad le crodh a’ cheathrar dhiubh agus stad iad ann am Peairt air an oidhche. Is dè thachair a bhith aig an taigh ’s bha sin ach Deire Bhuana, cridhealas glè mhòr ann. Agus ’s ann an sin a chuir iad an sprèidh gu taobh agus fhuair iad fuireach ann an taigh an tuathanaich. Bha iad nan suidhe leotha fhèi’ ann an seòmbar agus luchd na Deire Bhuana a’ dannsa is a’ fìdhleireachd an ceann eile an taighe:

“Ma-tà,” thuirt fear dhiubh, “tha e a’ coimhead glè mhosach dhuinn a bhith a’ fàgail nan coigreach air chùl. Nach fheàrra dhuinn an toirt a-nuas nur cuideachda.”

Seo a chaidh a dhèanadh. Bha iad nan suidhe ann an sin a’ gabhail beachd air a h-uile rud a bha a’ dol. Ach thuirt am fìdhlear a bha a’ cluich:

“Nam biodh duine ann a chuideachda an fhìdheall, bhithinn fhìn air an ùrlar agus bheirinn car air an dannsa.”

“Ghabhaidh mise i,” thuirt fear dhiubh seo.

Is nuair a ghabh am fìdhlear i ’s ann a sin a chuala iad an fhìdhlearachd ceart. Bha cho math dhaibh a bhith ag èisdeachd ris an fhear a bha an toiseach ann ri duine a’ slaodadh bata air fence. Agus chaidh na dannsairean eile a dhannsa an uair seo. ’S ann a sin a chunnaic iad an dannsa. Nuair a bha am fear sin, thug e tacan oirre, shìn e don fhear eile i gus an deach i seachad air a’ cheathrar aca. Bha e an uair seo a’ tighinn teann air a’ mhadainn. ’S ann a thuirt muinntir Pheairt an uair sin:

“Feumaidh gur h-e dannsairean agus fìdhleirean a tha an Loch Abar uile gu lèir.”

Tha fear dhiubh air a thìodhlacadh am Blàr Odhar agus tha e sgrìobhte air an leac-cinn aige Maighstir Dannsair. Agus chaochail e anns na h-ochd ceud deug agus a cheithir fichead.

And the translation goes something like the following:

Famous Fiddlers

There were four famous fiddlers in this locality: John Stewart was one of the them and he stayed in Bunroy, Archibald MacDonald was another one and he stayed in Inverroy. And Alexander Kennedy was another one who stayed in Lianachan. And they all taught dancing and kept dance schools. But I don’t recollect the name of the fourth man. But they set off with cattle the four of them and they stopped in Perth for the night. And what happened to be on in the house but a Harvest Feast and they was a great big celebration. And they put the cattle to one side and they got accommodation at the farmer’s house. They were sitting apart by themselves in a room and the folk celebrating the Harvest Feast were dancing and playing the fiddle at the other end of the house.

“Well,” said one of them, “it looks really mean of us leaving the strangers there at the back. Wouldn’t it be better if we invited them into our company.”

This was done. They all sat and took note of what was going on. And the fiddler who was playing said:

“If someone knows how to play the fiddle, then I’d get on the floor so that I could spend a while dancing.”

“I’ll have a go,” said this man.

When he took hold of the fiddle it was only then that they heard proper fiddle music. They may have just as well have been listening to a man who played at first as if scraping a stick on a fence. Then all the dancers began dancing. It was only then that the saw real dancing. Once the man had been playing a while, he handed it over to another man until all four of them had played. By now it was getting near to the morning. That is when the Perth folk exclaimed:

“You must all be dancers and fiddlers from Lochaber.”

One of them is buried in Blarour and it is written on his gravestone that he was a Dance Master. And he died in 1880.

Further research could yet reveal which one of these famous fiddlers was buried in Blarour and perhaps even some more background details to the fiddlers named by John MacDonald could also be unveiled. Calum Maclean was also fortunate to have recorded fiddling and piping in Brae Lochaber when he and his colleague visited Brae Lochaber in 1954. They recorded quite a bit of material from James Alexander MacDonald (1881–1962), known as Jimmie Bohenie, who was born and brought up in Bohenie, Glenroy, Brae Lochaber; and also from Donald MacDonald (1919–1975), known as Dòmhnall Mòr (‘Big Donald’) who was born and raised in Keppoch, Brae Lochaber, and was reckoned to be the findest player of the fiddle in the district. He also played the pipes very well. Collinson would later recollect their fieldwork trip together in the following terms:

Our first expedition was to Lochaber and Fort William. At Glenroy we found and recorded a fine traditional fiddler, James MacDonald. At Keppoch, we called on Donald MacDonald who played a fine rendering on the pipes of the slow march Lord Lovat’s Lament.

Some of these recordings are available to listen to on the Tobar an Dualchais / Kist o Riches website such as the lament above mentioned (http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/54202/1).

An entry kept by Calum Maclean in his diary notes that he visited Jimmie Bohenie on the 13th of June 1954:

In the evening Mrs MacDonell, John  [[the late Ann MacDonell and her husband] and I went up to Bohenie to record some tunes on the fiddle from James MacDonald. He was given no warning that we were on our way, but he welcomed us kindly. I played some records and then Jimmie got his fiddle and played a selection of tunes. He played well, but was not in top form. His sons each sung a ballad. One sang the ballad of MacCallum, the poacher, the other a song called “The Miles and the Road to the Town of Dundee.” I had heard the latter sung in Irish in Connemara many years ago. It was strange hearing it there again.

Reference:

SSS NB 9, pp. 872–73

Images:

Fiddle scroll

Jimmie Bohenie, c. 1950