Biography

Charlie Matheson, Teàrlach a' Phosta, was from Braes, Portree, on the Isle of Skye. In his day, he would fill halls all over Skye with people coming to listen to his latest songs.

Not only were his songs captivating, he was also known for his wit. We can get a glimpse of his eloquence in a story written by Alasdair Nicholson:

"One time when Armadale pier was being developed, Charlie was there as commander. In the winter, ceilidhs were held in the town hall and the company was hearty with songs and music, especially when Charlie sang. Naturally, young lads and lassies often attended the ceilidhs with the workforce, but a certain minister belonging to one of the churches in the area was not at all pleased to hear of this. This minister met Charles one day and greeted him with the words: 'How is the bard today?' Charlie pretended not to understand and asked what he wanted. The minister replied, 'Oh, don't they call you the Bard?' 'The Bard?' said Charles. 'That's just a nickname they gave me, just like they called you the Minister.'"

Charles's father, Donald Mòr Matheson, was for many years a postman, serving the six villages in Braes. He lived in Ollach. Charles himself spent some time as a postman but spent most of his life at sea.

It was in his own neighbourhood, in the small townships of Braes, that Charles mostly found subjects for his poems – Gillean Callainn, a sheep called Bruingeall, a ghost he called Bodach an t-Saidhbhir, Marbhadh nan Uan, Gillean Suirghe, Coileach a' Chìrein, women who would read the tea leaves to foresee their fate.

He wrote more than one song about Lachlan Fraser, "tàcharan de chìobair".

On one occasion it seems that word spread throughout the township that Lachlan was missing. Young and old gathered, and for two days they searched for him until he was seen, on the morning of the third day, descending the north side of Glamaig, herding a wether. Charles composed a mock elegy for him:

'S beag an t-iongnadh san dùthaich
Ged a bhiodh iad ga ionndrainn,
Fear cho deas ris o chùlaibh
Bhith ga mhùchadh am poll.
Gun robh bròn air a chàirdean
'S gach caileag thug gràdh dha,
Fear cho foinnidh air blàr ris,
Mar chaidh a bhàthadh fon steall.

Fear nan gorm-shùilean meallach
Shealladh ciùin fo chaoil-mhala,
Cas gu dìreadh a' bhealaich
'S aotrom fallain a chom;
'N àm nan uan thoirt gu baile
'S tu gan teàrnadh gu baile
Nuair a reigheadh tu don Ghleannan
Cha bhiodh dad dhiubh air chall.

Fear a dhìreadh a' chruadhlach
Ann an creagan ro-uaibhreach
Ann an cas-cheuman gruamach
Cha tèid tuaineal na cheann;
Fear na h-inntinne as treise
Fear gun ghìomh no gun eagal
Reigheadh gu sunndach a chleasachd
Far nach seasadh am meann.
Fear a b' aotroma ceumaibh

Dol ri aodann na beinne
Fear a chluicheadh 's a sheinneadh
Fear a leumadh sa Mheall;
Fear san iomain bu luaithe
Fear nam buillean bu chruaidhe
Bhiomaid cinnteach a buannachd
Nuair a bhuaileadh e bhall.

He composed a genuine lament on the death of John Nicholson, who lost his life in the First World War:

Nach duilich gun d' sheòl thu à Cluaidh
Air iùbhraich nach gluais gu cheò;
Cur cùlaibh ri d' chàirdean 's do shluagh
'S tu gabhail a' chuain fo d' shròin.
'S tu 'n dòchas gun tachradh riut buaidh
San dùthaich san d' fhuaradh òr;
An àite sin uile, 's e fhuair sinn
Achmhasan cruaidh a bhròin.

Dh'fhàg thu sinn uile ad dhèidh
Mar aiteal den ghrèin air tràigh
Bu tùrsach do chàirdean gu lèir
Bu tùrsach mi fèin thar chàich.

Although Charlie's compositions were mostly humorous songs teasing the people of Braes, a few love songs exist, although it is not always clear whether they were genuine or not:

Nighean ghrinn òg don tugainn mo rùn,
Don tugainn mo ghealladh 's cha b' aithreachas leam:
A rìbhinn òig is clannaiche cùl,
Tha mise gun shunnd on dhealaich sinn.

Charles the Post never married and died in 1936.

List of compositions

Banais Ghleann Bhairigil