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Ossianic verse collected by Duncan Kennedy., 1774-1783.

 File
Identifier: Adv.MS.72.3.10

Scope and Contents

The manuscripts are in Duncan Kennedy’s hand. Contents consists of two manuscripts (pages 1-90b, 91-168), bound together in board covers by the Highland Society of Scotland. The contents are chiefly altered versions of poems in Adv.MS.72.3.9. In general, only lines diverging from the latter are printed in ‘Leabhar na Feine’. There are notes passim by Donald Mackintosh, the Reverend James Macdonald and Dr Donald Smith. Pages iii-vi are additional.

The contents are as follows.

(i) Note by the Reverend James Macdonald on comparison of Duncan Kennedy’s, MacLagan’s and James Macpherson’s versions of the first poem below. Quotes a letter from Macpherson to MacLagan, 16 January 1761. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page xxi. (Page iii.)

(ii) Notes by John Francis Campbell, November 1871. (Page v.)

(iii) ‘Latha bha Padrac na mhur’, 51 quatrains. Incomplete due to loss of pages 7-8. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 100. (Page 1.)

(iv) ‘A Chleirich a chanas na Sailm’, 74 quatrains. Ossian Report, Appendix, page 328; ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 76. (Middle of page 10.)

(v) ‘The sgeul beag agam air ffionn’, 32 quatrains. Ossian Report, Appendix, page 333; ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 132. (Page 21.)

(vi) “‘S bristeach mo chroidheasa Phadraic”, 18 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 105. (Page 26.)

(vii) “Latha d’an deachaidh sinn siar”, 17 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 144. (Page 29.)

(viii) ‘Greis air caithream an fhir mhoir’, 64 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 111. (Middle of page 31.)

(ix) ‘Sgeulachd air Conn Mac an Deirg’, 44 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 117. (Page 40.)

(x) ‘Latha chuaidh ffionn do thigh Liuir’, 31 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 127. (Middle of page 46.)

(xi) ‘Latha dhuinne sealg na Leana’, 33 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 146. (Middle of page 51.)

(xii) ‘Latha chuaidh ffionn do Dhun an Oir’, 23 quatrains. ‘Argument’ includes ‘ffhir shicir toir fios duinn’, 3½ quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 95. (Middle of page 56.)

(xiii) ‘Air bhi dhuinn la sa bheinn tseilg’, 21 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 92. (Page 60.)

(xiv) “Latha dhuinne bhi ‘n Gleann diamhair”, 18 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 144. (Middle of page 63.)

(xv) ‘A Chonail chaoimh nan arma geur’, 47 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 16. (Middle of page 66.)

(xvi) ‘Gur e son an t ur-sgeul fior’, 111 quatrains. Ossian Report, Appendix, page 319; ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 10. (Page 74.)

(xvii) Macfarlane’s declaration of 1785 (see above); note by Kennedy as at Adv.MS.72.3.9, page 99. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 13. (Middle of page 90.)

(xviii) Contents list. (‘Leabhar na Feine’, page xx). Notes by Donald Mackintosh. (Page 90a.)

(xix) “‘S moch a ghoireas a Chorr”, 23 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 154. (Page 91.)

(xx) ‘Is cumhainn leam an iomairt ud’, 53 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 156. (Page 96.)

(xxi) “‘S glean síth an gleann so r’ar taobh”, 85 quatrains. ‘Argument’ includes ‘O Oscair! Claoidh an calma treun’, 3 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 161. Cf. ‘Revue Celtique’, volume 33, page 170. (Page 104.)

(xxii) ‘Ann Tigh-teamhra nan cruite ciuil’, 20 quatrains. ‘Argument’ includes ‘Mirmora nan laothan saille’, 1 quatrain. Ossian Report, Appendix, page 335; ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 167. (Middle of page 117.)

(xxiii) ‘A ribhinn is binne ceol’, 72 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 171. (Page 121.)

(xxiv) “Latha do chuaidh ffionn le ffhiantai’”, 37 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 178. (Page 131.)

(xxv) “‘S muladach mi fad o’m dhaoine”, 143 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 189. (Page 137.)

(xxvi) ‘So far am facas an ffiann’, 17 quatrains. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 48. (Page 158.)

(xxvii) “‘S tiamhaidh bhi noc ann Gleann-caothan”, 35 quatrains. Ossian Report, Appendix, page 313; ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page 196. (Middle of page 160.)

(xxviii) Contents list. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page xx. (Middle of page 166.)

(xxix) Declaration as at folio 90. (Bottom of page 166.)

(xxx) List of informants. Ossian Report, Appendix, page 273; ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page xxi. (Page 167.)

(xxxi) Note by Kennedy as at folio 90. (Page 168, line 5.)

Dates

  • Creation: 1774-1783.

Conditions Governing Access

Normal access conditions apply.

Conditions Governing Use

Normal reproduction conditions apply, subject to any copyright restrictions.

Extent

88 Leaves ; Folio.

Language of Materials

Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic

Arrangement

88 folios (paginated vi + 168).

Custodial History

Formerly Gaelic MS.LXXXVIII.

Physical Description

Condition of the manuscript is good, though pages 7-8 are lost and a portion of pages 65-66 is torn off, causing textual loss.

Repository Details

Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository

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