Biography

Angus Campbell, Aonghas mac Dhòmhnaill 'ic Eòghainn, or Am Bàrd Sgallach, lived sometime from the second half of the seventeenth century and around the start of the eighteenth century. He was a tailor who often served the Uist nobility and the MacDonalds, especially the people of Benbecula. He was famous in his day for his wit, always playing tricks on others and causing mischief.

He wrote the song Marbhrann do dh'Fhear Àirigh a' Mhuilinn after a man was drowned in an accident in Loch Eynort around January 1809. Fear Àirigh a' Mhuilinn was Captain Angus Young Donaldson, son of the brother of Flora MacDonald who helped Prince Charles when he was in hiding after the Battle of Culloden. According to the story, three men were together in a boat going with a large amount of kelp to another boat anchored in the loch. The weather was stormy and although Angus asked his companions to throw part of the catch overboard, they refused. Eventually the boat sank. Angus was a strong swimmer and saved his companions, as the bard relates:

Thug thu ràimh do na gillean,
Cha robh tuilleadh a dhìth ort;
Bha thu 'n dùil mar a b' àbhaist
Gun robh do shnàmh mar an fhaoileag;
Gun robh do shnàmh mar an eala,
A dh'fhalbhadh aigeannach, aotrom;
Pearsa dhìreach, dheas, dhealbhach,
'S bochd a dh'fhalbh thu gun aois uainn.

Angus began to swim ashore but because he intended to hunt after offloading, there were several dogs in the boat as well. They got hold of their master, in an effort to save him, but this made things worse, and he was drowned.

Am Bàrd Sgallach left us a view of Angus in another song:

Gheibhte siud am beul feasgair
Ann ad fhàrdaich-sa beadradh is mùirn;
Bùird mhòra gan leagadh
Is an àirneis bu deis os an cionn;
Bhiodh na deochanna brasa
Gam brosnacha seachad air thùs,
Anns na cupanna breaca
Is fir òga gan aiseag gu dlùth.

Gheibhte siud ann ad fhàrdaich
Ceòl fìdhl' agus dàna cur leis;
Taigh nan uinneagan clàraidh
Far am faigheadh na h-àraidhean meas.
Dhòmhsa b' fhurasta ràdhtainn
Gum b' e siud mo cheòl-gàire car greis,
Cha biodh cuideachd mar dhàimh ort
Bhiodh tu fhèin nad cheòl-gàire nam measg.

List of compositions

Marbhrann do dh'Fhear Àirigh Mhuilinn