Biography

Neil 'Gow' Beaton was born in Valtos, Staffin, in the Isle of Skye, on 7 September 1888. From a very young age he was known as Neil Gow, and Alistair MacLeod explained on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal (15/05/1999) how the nickname came about:

"He had a natural musicality and fluency in music. I think he was good at fiddle playing as well. But that's how he got the name, from the famous fiddler, Neil Gow. I hardly ever heard any other name used for him but Neil Gow. You would never call him Neil Beaton, you would always say you had been speaking to Neil Gow."

Neil was knacky – skilled with his hands – and worked as a stonemason, carpenter, and general handyman. He spent time working for the Council, repairing school buildings and anything else that needed attention. Donald MacDonald remembered him fondly:

"He would take time out of his own day to do jobs for people. He would cycle from place to place fixing sheds, byres, fences and walls. Neil was good at everything he did. He was a very diligent man, and very hardworking."

His father, Angus Beaton, was a bard, and Neil himself began composing songs when he was young. He was only 17 when he composed a song criticising Glasgow:

Chì thu clann gun phàrantan ann
Air an t-sràid ri fuachd,
Gun chòmhdach air na cnàmhan ac'
Na chumas blàth iad uair;
Ged reothadh iad gu bàs an sin
Chan fhaigh iad bàigh no truas
Gun bhiadh, gun deoch, gun fàrdaich ac'
No àit' san loisg iad gual.

Neil liked to sing his own songs and all kinds of other songs. Old Gaelic songs had an impact on him:

Tha do ghruaidhean deàrrsanta
'S an dreach mar bhlàth nan ròsan;
Do bhilean mar a' sgàrlaid
'S mòr gur fheàrr na mhil do phògan.

Tha do chìochan gucagach
Air d' uchd is gile còmhdach;
Do shlios mar shneachda geamhraidh
Air a chur gu teann de lòineag.

He often set his own lyrics to older traditional tunes.

During the war, Neil served at sea on ships sweeping mines, but he returned safely to Portree. Afterwards, he spent at least one season trout‑fishing, living in a bare and uncomfortable hut in Bearreraig, a remote place between Portree and Staffin. He captured the experience vividly:

Toll dubh dorch' air cùl an t-saoghail
Fad' bho àite-còmhnaidh dhaoine;
Chan eil ann ach caoraich mhaola
'S mòr an t-iongnadh g' eil iad fhèin ann.

Nuair a laigheas mi fon aodach
An dùil ri cadal mar a dh'fhaodainn,
Bidh deargannan fada, caola,
Ga mo chaobadh às a chèile.

Dh'ith iad m' fhuil is m' fheòil 's mo chnàmhan
'S dh'fhàg iad mi cho caol ri ràsair;
'S mi gun dùraigeadh am bàs dhaibh
Ach chan fhaigh mi làmh air tè dhiubh.

Agus radain mhòra, liatha,
'S cuid ac' air call na feusaig;
'S ann a thig iad staigh cho fiataidh
Mar nach d' rinn iad riamh an eucoir.

'S ann an seo tha 'n t-àite cianail
Anns nach faicear grian san iarmailt;
Is cunnartach gun tèid mi fiadh ann
Mura cùm rium Dia mo reusan.

Neil wrote songs of many different genres, but he was known for the satirical songs he wrote. As the song Throid a' Bhean proves, he was not shy about making fun of himself.

He also made no secret of his fondness for a dram and the company he found in Portree's pubs. Donald MacDonald recalled:

"He was known for his songs. Everyone knew them. People would sing Neil's songs and when he composed a new one, which he often did, if you had any interest in it, you couldn't help but learn it. Everyone knew him, especially those who went to the pub. Neil would probably be in the bar, and you would want to go where he was drinking and try and get him to sing a song for you or sing a song with him. He was a very happy man and good at mixing amongst people. He was witty.”

That wit shine through in Hò Ro 'Illean, Na Biomaid Tùrsach:

'S tric bhios mi 'g aithris gun sguir mi gun dàil
Nach òl mi deur tuilleadh, nach fhuiling mi 'm fàileadh:
Dh'aindeoin mo bhilean, chan urrainn mi fàgail -
Bidh i gam thàladh mar gum b' i ceòl.

Nuair thèid mi dhachaigh bidh bhean ann an gruaim rium
Gheibh mi mo theist'nas gu dleasanda bhuaipe;
"Ciamar, a bhurraidh, a chumas tu suas mi
Cosg do chuid duais an taighean an òil?"

Feumaidh mi aithris, ged tha i na buaireadh
Dh'aindeoin a mealladh tha iomadan buaidh innt';
Togaidh i aighear air fear a bhios gruamach
'S bheir i air cuasach rìbhinn còir.

Fàgaidh i cridheil thu, 's bidh tu dàna,
Bheir i dhut misneachd s cha chlisg thu le nàire;
Fògraidh i d' eagal 's cha teich thu ro d' nàmhaid -
Bidh tu cho làidir nuair bhios tu 'g òl.

Neil lived for many years in York Drive in Portree. He was married to Teenie MacInnes from Camastianavaig, Teenie a' Mhuilich, and they had three daughters.

Neil Beaton died in Glasgow in 1974.

List of compositions

Hò Ro 'illean, Na Bitheamaid Tùrsach
Throid A' Bhean 'S Gun Throid I Rium