Tobar an Dualchais - Kist O Riches

Title - Alasair MacColla
Contributors - Michael MacIntyre
Reporters - Donald Archie MacDonald
Item Person - Alasdair MacColla; Colla Dòmhnallach

Summary - Alasdair MacColla

There was a farmer in Argyll called Coll MacDonald. His wife and all his children, except Alasdair, died. Coll did not think that Alasdair was as strong as his other children. He stayed with the servants and his father neglected him.

Alasdair had grown up when a bull kept coming into the stackyard each night and causing damage. One night, Alasdair offered to keep watch for it. He took the four legs off it. Alasdair's father was proud of him and he regretted that he had neglected him. He took him into the big house. He taught him swordfighting and archery.

The Duke of Argyll's son and Alasdair went to war in Ireland. Coll was an old man and went to stay with the Duke. Alasdair made a great name for himself in Ireland.

Coll was a skilled hunter. The Duke's second son planned to kill him because he was a better hunter than himself. Coll realised this so he turned on the Duke's son and killed him. Coll escaped to an island but the Duke and his men found him and killed him. Alasdair got news in Ireland of his father's death. He also got a letter which should have gone to the Duke's son in Ireland. The letter requested that the Duke's son would kill Alasdair, so that the Campbells could get their land. Alasdair confronted the Duke's son about this. A big landlord from Ireland offered Alasdair an army to help him fight the Campbells. Alasdair also asked some of the MacDonalds of Clan Ranald to join his army. They all sailed to Corpach. First they met the lord of 'Baile Breac' who was a Campbell. Alasdair killed him. Then they met the Campbell army and defeated them. Alasdair MacColla got all his father's land back and the Campbells were all killed or scattered.

The contributor heard this story from his father.

Track Duration (h:m:s) - 00:23:45
Date Recorded - 1968.08
Language - Gaelic
Genre - Story
Collection - School of Scottish Studies

Track ID - 50922
Original Tape ID - SA1968.147
Original Track ID - SA1968.147.A+B1
Audio Quality - Good
Audio Format - R2R



Item Location:
  County - Argyllshire

Item Notes -

Permanent Link - http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/fullrecord/50922/1

Segments:
Play part 1 (00:23:45)
Play part 2 (00:03:11)


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