Storm-bound on Mingulay

Ruairidh an Rùma / Roderick MacNeil

A topic and a name mentioned previously in this blog is that of Carmichael’s visit to  Mingulay and also that of the tradition bearer Roderick MacNeil, styled Ruairidh an Rùma (c. 1790–1875), so-called ‘from a hogshead of rum he found on the shore and from the contents of which he nearly died’. Alexander Carmichael visited the remote island of Mingulay on more than one occasion and in September 1871 he found himself there in company of his folklore mentor, John Francis Campbell. Whilst storm-bound for a three whole days, Campbell took the opportunity to sketch MacNeil and Carmichael wrote down some traditions from this excellent tradition bearer. An account written by Campbell says ‘Rory Rum the story man about 85 the best climber in Minglay till he got past work…He never wore shoes or stockings, never had a bonnet on his head till some years ago and how is crippled by the Rheumatism and stoops over a longs stick.’ MacNeil’s knowledge of birds, their habitats and behaviour must have been phenomenal given his many years of actively taking part in bird-fowling. Here is but one example that Carmichael noted down from MacNeil’s recitation about the langaid or guillemot:

Incident in Langai[d] – bird life. A Lang[aid] came
with a siolag and herring and left these with its
peite and left. Another came with the same
to its own peite which was young. The big
pet did not con[sume] what was given it and the
parent bird of the little pet with [went] over
and took the siol[ag] and the her[ring] over to its own pet
and left. The par[ent] bird of the big pet re[turned] and
foun[d] that its pet had nothing. The pet and
bird chattered for a moment after
which the pa[rent] bird went over to the small pet
took it up in its bill gave it a fierce shake
and threw it with the pre[cipice]! An old wom[an]
in Miulay has a pet gull 7 ye[ars] It goes am[ong]
all the house[s] in the place can un[derstand]
all said to it – and do what is said to it.

Reference:

CW114/41, f. 67v.

Image: Ruairidh an Rùma as sketched by John Francis Campbell. Courtesy of the Trustees of the National Library of Scotland (NLS Adv.MS.50.4.6, f. 119v).

Rain-Goose: A Weather Forecaster

Rain-goose or Red-throated diver or loon

Reflecting perhaps the eclectic mixture of items to be found in Alexander Carmichael’s fieldwork notebooks is an example of a verse about a rain-goose, so-called for its ability to predict weather patterns. There is, however, no indication from whom Carmichael got this item but he may have heard it at different times from a variety of reciters and also in various localities. Rain-goose is the name given to the bird in the Western Isles as well as in Orkney and Shetland but perhaps it is better known and perhaps even more familiar as a red-throated diver or loon. It may also be of interest to note that Forbes in his book Gaelic Names of Beasts (1905) does not give the same name (bir-ghia or perhaps better understood as biorra-ghiadh) as Carmichael which may or may not indicate that it is in fact a ghost-word. In the final volume of Carmina, however, rain-goose is mentioned but with an alternative name: giadh gob, and also in the second volume of Carmina with a slightly different spelling: giadh gaob.

Bir-ghia Birghia = Rain Goose
from bir = water and geadh = goose
Bir! bir! bir!
An lin[n] a traghadh
Bir! bir! bir!
An lin[n] a traghadh
Bir! bir! bir!
An lin[n] a traghadh
M’ urlagann {muirlagan {muragan
M’ eoneagan
M’ uibheanagan
M’ ulaidh agus
M’ auradh

To this Carmichael appended a close translation which eventually found its way into print in the second volume of Carmina:

Rain! rain! rain!
The lake drying
Rain! rain! rain
The lake drying
Rain! rain! rain!
My little gifts / presents
My little cheeks
My little eggs
My treasures
thy troubles!

In a fairly long note Carmichael states that ‘‘giadh gaob, rain goose…is in reference to the belief that certain peculiarities in the cry and flight of the bird indicate rain. The bird is familiar in the West of Scotland, although rare or unknown in other parts of Britain.’ Carmichael then provides a version of the above making a general statement about its origin:

Should draught occur, and the water subside below her reach, the bird flies about hither and thither uttering cries of concern. The people have rendered these utterances of the bird in human language:–

‘Deoch! deoch! deoch!
An loch a traghadh!
Deoch! deoch! deoch!
An loch a traghadh!
Burn! burn! burn!
Mo luth ’m fhagail!
Burn! burn! burn!
Mo luth ’m fhagail!’


Drink! drink! drink!
The loch is drying!
Drink! drink! drink!
The loch is drying!
Water! water! water!
My strength failing me!
Water! water! water!
My strength is failing me!

Not content with giving only one version Carmichael then proceeds to give one more with particular relevance to Harris and Lewis than the immediate one above which prevailed in North and South Uist:

‘Bir! bir! bir!
An lir [sic] a deabhadh!
Bir! bir! bir!
An lir [sic] a deabhadh!
Burn! burn! burn!
Burn! burn! burn!
Burn! burn! burn!
Mo luth ’m threigsinn.’


Rain! rain! rain!
The lake is drying!
Rain! rain! rain!
The lake is drying!
Water! water! water!
Water! water! water!
Water! water! water!
My strength’s failing me!

As can be readily seen the manuscript version differs slightly from that which Carmichael based his printed long note with regard to the rain-goose and if that is the case then this is but one example of his editorial method by which he wished to improve things and so to present his fieldwork notes as more a literary endeavour than a literal rendition.

References:
CW122/89, ff. 17r–17v.
Carmina Gadelica, ii, pp. 336–37.
Image: A red-throated diver or loon as known as a rain goose.