Biography

Calum MacKay (Calum Ruairidh Bhàin 'ic Chaluim) was born in 1866. He was the youngest son of Ruairidh MacKay, born in 1822 at 49 South Bragar, and Catriona MacAulay from 57 South Bragar. They had three other children: Catriona, Mary and Iain. Calum's wife, Catriona MacDonald, was from Lower Barvas and they lived at 49 South Bragar.

There are four examples of Calum's poetry in the book Bàrdachd Leòdhais, first published in 1916, of which the editor, John N. MacLeod, wrote:

"We have received many well-written Gaelic letters from Lewis since we began to collect the poetry of that island, but we gave the honour for the brevity of writing in Gaelic to the person we are referring to in this account - Calum MacKay. A stranger to the resources which the island's children have today, he is to be highly commended for his efforts both in poetry and in the lengths that he has gone to in order to be able to write and read the language itself."

Calum's skill can be clearly seen in Òran na Muille, which he composed for Muileann nan Gobhaichean in South Shawbost, a mill restored by the Shawbost Norse Mill Society:

A' mhuileann a dh'fhàgadh na tàmh bho chionn fhada,
'S ann a chithear gu h-aithghearr bhith tarraing a' ghràin thuic';
Cha tèid muinntir Àrnoil gu bràth chun a' Chaiseil,
'S gu faicear na cairtean bhon Chachaileith Bhàin aic'.

Toiseach na bliadhna gu faighear fir-iasgaich,
A' cruinneach' na dh'iarras i dh'iarann don cheàrdaich,
Bidh mise le m' chliabh a' toirt thuice na crèadhadh,
'S mun sguir iad ga liacradh chan iarradh tu sgàthan.

Nuair thèid an roth ùr innt', gu meil i co-dhiù dhuinn,
Le sailean is cùb a rèir tùr nam fear-ceàirde,
Tha tè air gach taobh dhith a thèid chun a' bhùbaidh,
Mur bi iad cho siùbhlach gu smùideadh na càthaidh.

Mur freagair an dam aic' gun cuir sinn roth-gaoith innt',
Sin pàtaran grinn far na Galltachd a thàinig.
Chan fhada gu seall sinn nach eil sinn cho millte
An eanchainn ar cinn 's a tha muinntir ag ràitinn.

Calum was a crofter all his life and it is clear from his poetry that he had strong views about crofters' rights:

Bha dùil aig Lord Lòbhat
Gum faigheadh e òigridh
Bha tapaidh gun fhòtas
Fo chòmhdach nam beann;
Ach fhuair e chuid mhòr dhiubh
Bhon dachaigh air fògradh
A' cosnadh am beòshlaint
'S a' còmhnaidh measg Ghall.

Mi 'n dòchas nach fhada
Gum faicear an latha
Gun fèidh air na beannaibh
'S na srathan fo bhàrr.
'S na h-uile fear againn
Na thuathanach fearainn
'S gun uibhir ga cheannach
Leinn thairis air sàl.

Again, his views on such matters are made clear in Òran nan Coitearan:

Carson a rugadh sinn a-riamh
Mur d' ullaich Dia bith-suas dhuinn,
'S am fearann fàs fo chaoraich bhàn
A dh'àithn' E thoirt don t-sluagh seo.

Chan fhaigh iad fois no sìth gu bràth
Gun tàrr iad thar a' chuain sinn,
A-null don dùthaich a dh'fhàg mòr thùrs'
Air iomadh fiùran buadhach.

Gun cuir iad sinn a-null thar sàil
Bho thìr na màthair uasail
An tìr a dh'àraich na fir threun
Nach gèilleadh anns a' chruadal.

An tìr a dh'àraich sinn nan dèidh
An trèig sinn i cho suarach?
Is ged a thigeadh arm an rìgh
Cha strìochd sinn am fuil fhuar dhaibh.

It is also evident in songs such as Òran a' Mhargarine and Òran a' Bhiuthagain that Calum was full of fun:

Dh'fhalbh mi mach feadh na h-oidhche
Gun solas gun soills' ach rionnagan;
Shaoil leam gum faca mi taibhs',
Gu dè bha ann ach biuthagan!

Though he had no family of his own, the gift of poetry continued through his relatives. His sister Catriona was married to Aonghas a' Chaiptein, and their son, Ruairidh Smith, spent years with the police in Glasgow and wrote the song Tom an t-Searraich. His other sister, Mary, was married to Cailean Chaluim from Bragar, and their son, also Ruairidh, spent many years as a policeman in London and wrote the song Bràgar an Taobh Siar.

It appears that Calum Ruairidh Bhàin had the last home with a fire in the middle of the floor in South Bragar. He died in 1949.

With many thanks to Angus MacLeod from Brue and Donald A. Smith for their help with this information.

List of compositions

Òran a' Mhagarine