Biography

Archibald 'Ruadh' MacDonald was the brother of Sir James MacDonald, Lord MacDonald of Sleat in the Isle of Skye, and was the poet known as An Ciaran Mabach. His father was Donald Gorm Òg.

He was born in the early seventeenth century and, in 1654, he acquired land in Bornesketaig in the Isle of Skye, but it seems he also had land in North Uist. That is where he was in 1665, working on behalf of his brother to ensure the murderers of the two brothers, Alasdair and Ronald of Keppoch, were punished. In a struggle for leadership of the MacDonnells of Keppoch, the brothers were murdered in September 1663. Seven men were arrested for these crimes and were executed. Tobar nan Ceann, where their heads were washed before being displayed to MacDonnell of Glengarry, can still be seen near Invergarry today.

Little more is known about An Ciaran Mabach and much of his poetry is lost. There is an elegy for Sir James MacDonald of Sleat:

Fàth m' acain 's mo thùrsa
Nach dùisgear le teud thu
No le torghan na fìdhle
Mo dhìobhail 's mo lèir-chreach;
Fhir a chumadh i dìonach
Dh'aindeoin sìontan gan eiread
Thu 'n-diugh fo leacan na h-ùrach
Gun mo dhùil ri thu èirigh.

It is said that An Ciaran Mabach composed B' annsa Cadal air Fraoch while in Edinburgh under medical care after spraining his foot. Among the places mentioned in the song are locations in the Isle of Skye, Lewis, and North Uist.

List of compositions

B' annsa Cadal air Fraoch