Alexander MacDonald, better known as Alasdair mac Mhaighstir Alasdair , belonged to the Clanranald heartland of Moidart. A character larger than life, he was a heroic figure, inspirational and visionary, his heartbeat in tune with the events of his time. Hailed as the most original and innovative poet of the 18th century, Alasdair successfully integrated ancient bardic tradition, classical themes and Scots literature. His verve, acute powers of observation and wealth of vocabulary brought new life and vitality to Gaelic poetry. Alasdair was born around 1698 in Dalilea on the shore of Loch S hiel. His parents were from Benbecula and Morvern, and he had ancestra l links with the Clanranalds and Islay MacDonalds . Flora MacDonald was his first cousin. Sliochd nan eun bho ‘n Chaisteal Thioram ‘S bho Eilean Fhìonnain nan gallan Moch is feasgar togar m’iolach Seinn gu bileach, milis, mealach Offspring of the birds of Castle Tirrim And from Islandfinnan of the saplings, Morning and evening my cry is raised Singing billed, sweet and honeylike. Smeòrach Clanraghnaill, - The Mavis of Clanranald Tr Ronald Black Alasdair’s father, Maighstir Alasdair, was the Episcopalian min ister of Islandfinnan, a huge parish which extended from Kilchoan to Arisaig. University educated, he was famed for his strength of character as well as his physical strength - he would walk the 50 miles round from Dalilea to Kilchoan every Sunday. Loch Shiel from Island Finnan RefusingRefusing toto convertconvert toto Presbyterianism,Presbyterianism, MaighstirMaighstir AAlasdairlasdair lostlost hishis stipend,stipend, butbut keptkept hishis parishionersparishioners whowho wouwouldld notnot entertainentertain thethe thoughtthought ofof anotheranother minister.minister. HeHe isis buburiedried onon IslandIsland Finnan,Finnan, “the“the GreenGreen IsleIsle ”,”, onon LochLoch Shiel.Shiel. Maighstir Alasdair’s tombstone AlasdairAlasdair learnedlearned thethe classicsclassics asas wellwell asas thethe ancienancientt GaelicGaelic scriptscript fromfrom hishis father.father. HeHe waswas alsoalso taughttaught thethe artart ofof bardicbardic compositioncomposition byby thethe MacMac MhuirichMhuirich poetspoets inin SouthSouth Uist.Uist. “He is a very smart, acute man, remarkably well - skilled in Erse, for he can both read and write the Irish language in its original character - a piece of knowledge almost quite lost in the Highlands, there being exceedingly few that have any at all that way”. Bishop Robert Forbes, The Lyon in Mourning One of Alasdair’s poems written in the Hiberno-saxon script Alasdair’sAlasdair’s abilitiesabilities fittedfitted himhim forfor anyany calling:calling: hihiss fatherfather favoredfavored thethe ChurchChurch whilstwhilst hishis chiefchief wantedwanted himhim toto sstudytudy LawLaw andand becomebecome hishis notary.notary. AfterAfter studyingstudying thethe ClassicsClassics inin Glasgow,Glasgow, AlasdairAlasdair wawass thenthen apprenticedapprenticed toto aa lawyer’slawyer’s chamberchamber inin EdinburghEdinburgh underunder thethe patronagepatronage ofof LadyLady Clanranald.Clanranald. A reference to Alasdair’s brandy account in Lady Penelope’s papers… InIn Edinburgh,Edinburgh, AlasdairAlasdair discovereddiscovered taverntavern culture,culture, withwith itsits emphasisemphasis onon wit,wit, drinkingdrinking andand musicmusic --makingmaking .. There,There, amongstamongst thethe literatiliterati ofof thethe buddingbudding ScottishScottish Enlightenment,Enlightenment, AlasdairAlasdair metmet AllanAllan Ramsay,Ramsay, authorauthor ofof aa veryvery successfulsuccessful vernacularvernacular poetrypoetry anthology,anthology, thethe TeaTea --tabletable Miscellany.Miscellany. Allan Ramsay —Ailean Bàrd— was a wigmaker turned playwright, bookseller, editor and founder member of the Jacobite and Nationalist “Easy Club” , “where men of pairt s recited their own verses, sang jovially and drank copiously.” AlasdairAlasdair waswas alsoalso influencedinfluenced byby Ramsay’sRamsay’s pastoralpastoral play,play, “The“The GentleGentle ShepherdShepherd ”,”, whichwhich transposedtransposed fashionablefashionable ItalianItalian pastoralpastoral characterscharacters fromfrom UmbriaUmbria toto thethe ScottishScottish countryside.countryside. Another major influence was Thomson’s “Seasons” poems in the classical style, which were published in London and imported to Edinburgh by Ramsay. Alasdair decided to follow the muses in his turn and to compose songs in Gaelic that would rival Thomson’s and Ramsay’s collections. In one of his first poems, Alasdair asks the nine muses to “make his mind pliable like a withy, and spells out his ambition to write poetry that would not be empty of meaning, “ like nuts without kernels”. My vigour and range are small enough, Though ambition’s great to build a wall on so large a base Lacking chiseled stone I have no polished words, Though I tear my will I am empty of skill A thing of no substance is art that’s unschooled, Though the subject were sweet. Guidhe no Urnaigh an Ughdair don Cheòlraigh, “Address to the Muses,” tr. Derick Thomson AlasdairAlasdair soonsoon startedstarted toto workwork Song of Summer onon hishis ownown ”S”S easoneason ”” poems,poems, usingusing bardicbardic alliterationalliteration May, with soft showers and techniquestechniques toto makemake wordswords lielie sunshine, neatlyneatly likelike tilestiles overlappingoverlapping Meadows, grass-fields I love, eacheach other.other. Milky, whey-white and creamy, Frothing, whisked up in pails Time for crowdie and milk-curds, Time for firkins and kits, Lambs, goatkids and roe-deer. Bucks — a rich time for flocks. Oran an -t- Samhraidh, tr. Derick Thomson MeanwhileMeanwhile hehe actedacted asas Clanranald’sClanranald’s notarynotary onon aa numbernumber ofof documents.documents. InIn 1727,1727, hehe hadhad aa spellspell asas groundground officerofficer onon thethe isleisle ofof CannaCanna .. LaterLater onon thatthat year,year, hehe marriedmarried JaneJane MacDonaldMacDonald ofof DalnessDalness inin Glencoe,Glencoe, andand tooktook herher homehome toto DalileaDalilea wherewhere theirtheir sonson RanaldRanald waswas bornborn inin 1728.1728. TeachingTeaching nownow seemedseemed thethe bestbest wayway forfor AlasdairAlasdair toto supportsupport hishis youngyoung family,family, andand inin 1730,1730, hehe enrolledenrolled asas catechistcatechist forfor thethe ArdnamuchanArdnamuchan ParishParish withwith thethe SocieSocietyty forfor thethe PropagationPropagation ofof ChristianChristian KnowledgeKnowledge (SPCK).(SPCK). AtAt thatthat time,time, thethe hugehuge parishparish ofof ArdnamuchanArdnamuchan waswas experiencingexperiencing anan unprecedentedunprecedented populationpopulation boomboom withwith thethe openingopening ofof leadlead minesmines atat Strontian.Strontian. The people there were “ exceeding poor, but very much inclined to have their Children taught English because of the English & low Country Scotch which are daily coming among them, ” reported the SPCK, a Presbyterian organisation which promoted an English medium education as the best way to “root out” Catholicism and Gaelic superstitious beliefs. DespiteDespite hishis EpiscopalianEpiscopalian upbringing,upbringing, AlasdairAlasdair waswas sseeneen asas aa choicechoice recruitrecruit becausebecause ofof hishis educationeducation andand hishis ClanranaldClanranald connections.connections. AlasdairAlasdair tooktook hishis teachingteaching workwork seriously,seriously, successfsuccessfullyully establishingestablishing aa schoolschool atat Kilmory,Kilmory, wherewhere hehe taughttaught ““SeventeenSeventeen BoyesBoyes && OneOne Girle,Girle, OneOne LearningLearning thethe BibleBible,, ThreeThree thethe NewNew Testament,Testament, TheThe restrest thethe ProverbsProverbs && Catechism.”Catechism.” He also compiled a very comprehensive Gaelic/English vocabulary for the SPCK, which was published in 1741. Teaching allowedallowed AlasdairAlasdair enoughenough timetime toto writewrite poetry:poetry: hishis famousfamous MMòòlaidhlaidh MoragMorag composedcomposed inin imitationimitation ofof aa ceòlceòl --mòrmòr pipepipe tune,tune, andand hishis praisepraise ofof naturenature inin AlltAllt anan SiSi ùùcair,cair, aa burnburn inin CorrivulinnCorrivulinn ,, datedate fromfrom thatthat period.period. Mòlaidh Morag Just as though we were Buck and doe in pair, We’d strike up our tune Eagerly in chase In bright morning, Among saplings; Laughing till we’re weak, While Phoebus dyes the waves Losing all our strength to an orange hue With youth’s joy that’s Not confined by prudent sense Urgent and vehement. In shade of grove and knoll, Heavily entwined In our dizziness In praise of Morag, Mòlaidh Morag tr. Derick Thomson Nature’s work of graving Is neatly done on your banks Wild garlic growing freely Trees with their tops like scarlet Fair nut gall up above, With rowan berries there Shamrock, daisy, red berry And golden nuts in clusters Freckling your meadow’s floor Bursting over your heads Like stars through frost, the twinkling Blackcurrants and rapsberries bend their branches down: Of the fresh and lovely flowers. Smooth, ripe, sweet and fragrant, Moisture dried off by the sun. Allt an Siùcair - The Sugar Brook tr. Derick Thomson AlasdairAlasdair soonsoon foundfound outout aa catechist’scatechist’s lifelife waswas notnot anan easyeasy living:living: hishis salarysalary waswas smallsmall -- £18£18 aa yearyear -- paidpaid inin twotwo instalments,instalments, alwaysalways late.late. HeHe lackedlacked paper,paper, inkink andand books,books, andand