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| This poem is found in a MS. given to the
Highland Society by Lord Bannatyne, and now in the archives of the Advocates' Library. The
date of the MS. is 1238, but there is every reason to believe that the poem is of much
higher antiquity. The preserved copy bears to have been written at Glenmasan, a mountain
valley in the parish of Dunoon, in Cowal. The MS. contains other fragments of tales in
prose, but we shall refer only to the poetical story of Deirdre, or, as it is usually
called in Gaelic, "Dàn Chloinn Uisneachain". The tale is a famous one in the
Highlands, and the heroes of it, the sons of Usnoth, have given name to Dun Mhac
Uisneachain, or Dun Mac Sniochain, said to be the Roman Beregonium, in the parish
of Ardchattan in Argyleshire. We give the following
version of the poem as it appears in the Report of the Highland Society on the Poems of
Ossian. |
| Do dech Deardir ar a heise ar
crichibh Alban, agus ro chan an Laoidh :- Inmain
tir in tir ud thoir
Alba cona lingantaibh
Nocha ticfuinn eisdi ille
Mana tisain le Naise.
Inmain Dun Fidhgha is Dun Finn
Inmain in Dun os a cinn
Inmain Inis Draignde
Is inmain Dun Suibnei.
Caill cuan gar tigeadh Ainnle mo nuar
Fagair lim ab bitan
Is Naise an oirear Alban.
Glend Laidh do chollain fan mboirmin caoimh
Iasg is sieng is saill bruich
Fa hi mo chuid an Glend laigh.
Glend masain ard a crimh geal a gasain
Do nimais colladh corrach
Os Inbhar mungach Masain.
Glend Eitchi ann do togbhus mo ched tigh
Alaind a fidh iar neirghe
Buaile grene Ghlind eitchi
Mo chen Glend Urchaidh
Ba hedh in Glend direach dromchain
Uallcha feara aoisi ma Naise
An Glend Urchaidh.
Glend da ruadh
Mo chen gach fear da na dual
Is binn guth cuach
Ar craeib chruim
Ar in mbinn os Glenndaruadh
Inmain Draighen is tren traigh
Inmain Auichd in ghainimh glain
Nocha ticfuin eisde anoir
Mana tisuinn lem Inmain. |
Deirdre looked back on the
land of Alban, and sung this lay :- Beloved is
that eastern land,
Alba(Scotland), with its lakes.
Oh that I might not depart from it,
Unless I were to go with Naos!
Beloved is Dunfigha and Dunfin.
Beloved is the Dun above it.
Beloved is Inisdraiyen (Imstrynich?),
And beloved is Dun Sween.
The forest of the sea to which Ainnle would come, alas!
I leave for ever,
And Naos, on the seacoast of Alban.
Glen Lay (Glen Luy?), I would sleep by its gentle murmur.
Fish and venison, and the fat of meat boiled,
Such would be my food in Glen Lay.
Glenmassan! High is its wild garlic, fair its branches
I would sleep wakefully
Over the shaggy Invermasan.
Glen Etive! in which I raised my first house,
Delightful were its groves on rising
When the sun struck on Glen Etive.
My delight was Glen Urchay;
It is the straight vale of many ridges.
Joyful were his fellows around Naos
In Glen Urchay.
Glendaruadh (Glendaruel?)
My delight in every man who belongs to it.
Sweet is the voice of the cuckoo
On the bending tree,
Sweet it is above Glendaruadh.
Beloved is Drayen of the sounding shore!
Beloved is Avich (Dalavich?) of the pure sand.
Oh that I might not leave the east
Unless it were to come along with me! Beloved |
| There is some change in the translation as
compared with that given in the Highland Society's Report, the meaning, however, being
nearly identical in both. The tale to which this mournful lyric is attached,- the story of
the children of Usnoth and their sad fate, bears that Conor was king of Ulster. Visiting
on one occasion the house of Feilim, his seanachie, Feilim's wife, was delivered of
a daughter while the king was in the house. Cathbad the Druid, who was present, prophesied
that many disasters should befal Ulster on account of the child then born. The king
resolved to bring her up as his own future wife, and for this end enclosed her in a tower
where she was excluded from all intercourse with men, except her tutor, her nurse, and an
attendant called Lavarcam. It happened that in the course of time, by means of this
Lavarcam, she came to see Naos, the son of Usnoth. She at once formed a warm affection for
him; the affection was reciprocated, and Naos and Deirdre, by which name the young woman
was called, fled to Scotland, accompanied by Ainle and Ardan, the brothers of Naos. Here
they were kindly received by the king, and had lands given them for their support. It is
not unlikely that these lands were in the neighbourhood of Dun Mhac Uisneachain in Lorn.
Here they lived long and happily. At length Conor desired their return, and sent a
messenger to Scotland, promising them welcome and security in Ireland if they would but
return. Deirdre strongly objected, fearing the treachery of Conor, but she was overruled
by the urgency of her husband and his brothers. They left Scotland, Deirdre composing and
singing the above mournful lay. In Ireland they were at first received with apparent
kindness, but soon after the house in which they dwelt was surrounded by Conor and his
men, and after deeds of matchless valour the three brothers were put to death, in defiance
of Conor's pledge. The broken hearted Deirdre cast herself on the grave of Naos and died,
having first composed and sung a lament for his death. This is one of the most touching in
the catalogue of Celtic tales; and it is interesting to observe the influence it exerted
upon the topographical nomenclature of the country. There are several Dun Deirdres to be
found still. One is prominent in the vale of the Nevis, near Fortwilliam, and another
occupies the summit of a magnificent rock overhanging Loch Ness in Stratherrick. Naos,
too, has given his name to rocks and woods, and lakes ranging from Ayrshire to
Inverness-shire, but the most signal of all is the great lake which fills the eastern
portion of the Caledonian valley, Loch Ness. The old Statistical Account of Inverness
states that the name of this lake was understood to be derived from some mythical person
among the old Celts; and there can be little doubt that the person was Naos. The lake of
Naos (Naise in the genitive), lies below, and over-hanging it is the Tower of
Deirdre. The propinquity is natural, and the fact is evidence of the great antiquity of
the tale. There are other MSS. of high antiquity in
existence said to be Scotch ; but it is sufficient to refer for an account of these to the
Appendix to the Report of the Highland Society on the Poems of Ossian, an account written
by an admirable Celtic scholar, Dr Donald Smith, the brother of Dr John Smith of
Campbeltown, so distinguished in the same field. |
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