A collection of bardic fragments varying considerably in size, condition and legibility.

In John Sinclair's ‘The poems of Ossian in the original Gaelic’, and William Forbes Skene's scroll catalogue of the Advocates' Gaelic manuscripts (1861), the contents are described as follows (present circumstances indicated):

Number 16

(a) ‘The conclusion of a Gaelic chronicle of the kings of Scotland down to King Robert III’ (missing).

(b) ‘A Fingalian tale, in which the heroes are Fingal, Goll Mac Morni, Oscar, Ossian, and Conan’ (missing).

(c) ‘Upon the unwritten part of a letter sent to Donald Macvurich of Stialgary, is a poem by Macdonald of Benbecula, dated 1722, who seems to have been the last, or rather father to the bard of that name’. (Cf. folios 41, 51, 52. On folio 52 recto is pencilled ‘pt of 16’).

(d) Poem by Donald Mackenzie (missing). Cf. scribe Domhnall mhic Coinnidh in Rylands MS, folio 67.

(e) Poem by ‘Tadg Og CC’ (not in Adv.MS.72.2.2, but identical heading appears in Adv.MS.72.1.39 folio 27 recto).

(f) ‘A poem by Donald Macvurich, upon Ronald Macdonald of Clanronald". (Cf. folio 14).

(g) ‘Several hymns by Tadg, and many other good poems by the Macvurichs, and others’. (Passim).

Number 17

(a) Religious tracts (cf. folio 54 only).

(b) ‘Genealogy of Campbells’ (folio 40).

Number 18

‘Instructions for children in Gaelic and English, quite modern’ (now in Adv.MS.73.2.20).

Number 19

(a) ‘Remnant leaves of a paper manuscript with the name Cathelus Macvurich upon some of the leaves, and Niall Macvurich upon others’. (Cf. folios 12 recto, 28 verso only).

(b) ‘Conn Mac an Deirg...written in the Roman character by the last Niall Macvurich, the last bard, and father to Lauchlan, who still lives’. (Folios 19-21).

(c) The remnants of the collection described above became the nucleus of attraction for a number of fragments detached from independent manuscripts - some of them, as noted below, also in the Advocates' collection. The resulting whole was inlaid and bound in 1915 according to the arrangement of Professor W J Watson. This order leaves something to be desired. In addition, folios 28, 30, 35 and 46, and probably folio 34 are reversed (see Watson, ‘Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness’, volume xxix, pages 222-224, 234), and folio 49 was mounted upside-down. In the late 20th century the fragments were removed from this binding and encapsulated in mylar and bound in a folder.

The principal hands appearing in the manuscript are as follows (all Gaelic except as indicated):

Cathal MacMhuirich, folios 27-29.

Domhnall MacMhuirich, folios 14, 32, 41, 51-2. For identification cf. Ingliston MS. A.iv.2, page 7.

Niall MacMhuirich, folios 3-5, 16, 28, 33-6, 39-40, 42-43, 48.

Niall mac Lachlainn mhic Néill MhicMhuirich (Roman), folios 1-2, 12-13, 17-21, 51 verso (19-21 Roman).

Eoghan Mac Pháill, folios 7-11.

The manuscript contains the following unknown hands.

A. (Hand of Adv.MS.73.2.20, number 1), folio 6.

B. (?Aonghas --------, cf. Adv.MS.72.1.42, folios 1-10, Adv.MS.72.1.44, folio 85; ‘Hand G’ of Royal Irish Academy A.v.2), folios 23-26, 30-31.

C. Folios 37-38.

D. Folio 44.

E. Folio 45 = ‘Hand B’ of Royal Irish Academy A.v.2 (744) = hand at folios 10A etc., and what follows of Royal Irish Academy E.iv.1 (751).

F. (Hand of Adv.MS.72.1.49), folio 46.

G. Folio 47.

H. Folio 49.

I. (Hand of Adv.MS.72.2.14), folio 50.

J. Folio 53.

K. Folio 54.

L. (Roman, 18th century), folio 55.

The manuscript contains the following text.

(i) Domhnall MacMhuirich's hand. [Tadhg Dáll Ó Huiginn]. ‘A Mhor cuimhnigh an cumhann’, 49 quatrains. (Folios 1-2.)

(ii) Niall MacMhuirich's hand. ‘Maith an chairt cennas na nGaoidheal’, 51 quatrains, with prose introduction. In praise of Giolla Easbuig, 7th(?) Earl of Argyll. (5 verso blank). Copy W. (Folios 3-5.)

(iii) Hand A. “Clú oirbhirt uaislighes nech”, 24 quatrains. In praise of the succession of Giolla Easbuig (a MacDonald?), son of Eoin and Eilís. After gap following concluding echo on folio 6 verso are 4 quatrains in praise of Máire, daughter of Brian. In the gap, upside down (in a late 17th century-early 18th century hand), is ‘Scriptum per me Saram McDonnell / Soe I hope you will my lines Imbrace / and look upon them with a smiling face’. Watermark: ‘coat of arms’ and letters E R O. (Annotations by R Black: "Copy S, folio 44. Cf. 'The clan Donald', volume III, page 379; National Museum of Scotland MCR 39, page 271. MacLeod (?Ó Muirgheasáin) connection with Kintyre – see 'The clan Donald', volume III, page 385. Or perhaps a Beaton? Cf. National Museum of Scotland MCR 40, folio 42 +: ‘My Lady Eles Countess of Antrim’ died 1674. Note a Gilleasbuig m. Eoin, National Museum of Scotland MCR 40, folio 50 recto"). (Folio 6.)

(iv) [Eoghan Mac Pháill's hand begins: ‘pot’ watermark on folios 7, 8, 9, 11. This section of 5 folios is detached from Adv.MS.72.1.34. The Highland Society's Report of 1805 notes (Appendix, page 295) that Adv.MS.72.1.34 (described as ‘The second of the Kilbride MSS’., i.e. not counting Adv.MS.72.1.32) then consisted of (a) ‘a Tale in prose, concerning a King of Lochlin, and the Heroes of Fingal’ (i.e. ‘An Bhruidhean Chaorthuinn’, Adv.MS.72.1.34, page 1); (b) ‘an Address to Gaul the son of Morni, beginning Goll mear mileant—Ceap na Cròdhachta—" (cf. ‘Leabhar na Feine’, page v) (Folio 7 recto.);(c) ‘An Elegy on one of the Earls of Argyll, beginning 'A Mhic Cailin a chosg lochd’ (Folio 7 verso, visible under infra-red light.) (Folio 8 verso, visible under infra-red light; the line quoted is at folio 10 recto, line 3 and is actually §13a of the poem);(d) ‘A poem in praise of a young Lady’ (folio 9, visible under infra-red light); (e) Colophon - “The writing of this MS. as noted at the end of it, was finished by Ewan M'Phaill at Dunstaffnage, a castle of Lorn, the 12th October 1603”. (Adv.MS.72.1.34, page 41). If the order given in the Report is correct, it appears that the present section belongs to a point in Adv.MS.72.1.34 between the romantic tales and the colophon, i.e. around page 39.

'Lucht glac-úr ní fhaiciom a triall ó thraigh', 5 quatrains. (“Copy Z (see ‘Leabhar na Feinne’, pages viii-ix and xxxiv-xxxv)”). (Folio 7).

(v) Goll [mear] mileat, 22 quatrains. (Folios 7 verso - 8 recto.)

(vi) ‘Dual ollamh do triall le toisg’, 44½ quatrains. To Giolla Easbuig, 7th Earl of Argyll. Followed (folio 11 recto) by 1 quatrain in praise of the Earl's wife Anna Dubhghlas, and by dedicatory stanza: “A leabhráin bhig iomchuir benna[cht] / go mac Radn[aill] nar smuain feall / anois nar dhúin rún mo dheghcroidhe / air bheith dhúin nar easb[haidh] treall / Amen”. (Cf. “Bàrdachd Gháidhlig”, page 334.) (Folio 8 verso, 10, 11 recto.)

(vii) “An bfaca tusa thu fén”, 13 quatrains. Followed (folio 9 verso) by 1 quatrain erased, 2 triads (‘Tri gnethe as beg ar Dia; Tri gnethe martra’) and ‘probationes pennae’. (Folio 9.)

(viii) Folio 11 verso blank save for ‘probatio pennae’ (pen trial) and “An bhfaca tusa tu féin”, 1st quatrain only.

(ix) (Domhnall MacMhuirich's hand resumes). ‘Maith an sgel do sgaoil nar miosg’, 13½ quatrains. On return from exile of Ailín, chief of Clanranald, circa 1696. Headed ‘A nainm a nathar agas an mhic ⁊ an sbiorad naomh amen / Niall Mac Mhuiradhuigh cceadna’. (Copy Y, folio 6). (Folio 12.)

(x) Watermarked fragment of verse, religious. (Folio 13.)

(xi) ‘Tuar dothmeanmna dul Raghnuill’, 41 quatrains. Elegy on Raghnall, chief of Glengarry, died 1705. ‘Fleur-de-lis’ watermark. (Copy X.)

[Folio 15 mounting cut out].

(xi) Niall MacMhuirich's hand. ‘Domhnall mac Raghnuill rosg mall’, 17½ quatrain. On the progenitor of the Clan Donald. (Folio 16.)

(xii) Domhnall MacMhuirich's hand. ‘Coir freasdal ar feill na gras’, 10 quatrains. Religious. (18 recto blank). (Folio 17, 18 verso.)

(xiii) Hand of Niall mac Lachlainn mhic Néill MhicMhuirich. ‘Sceil er Chon Mc i deirg’, 46 quatrains. Written phonetically. (Folios 19 recto, 21 verso, 22 blank). Ingliston MS.A.iv.2, page 8. (Folio 19 verso-21 recto.)

(xiv) (Hand B begins). ‘Feidhm flatha feitim einigh’, 51 quatrains. In praise of Tadhg Mag Carrthaigh an Dúna (flourished 1618-1649). Revised order of some quatrains indicated in margin (cf. Royal Irish Academy A.v.2, folio 78 recto). (Folios 23-24.)

(xv) ‘Oigri Domnaill dailis maoini’, 12 quatrains (incomplete). (Folio 24 verso, line 9.)

(xvi) Note on conjugation of verb “térnódh térnádh térnúdh”. (Folio 25 recto, line 1.)

(xvii) “'Si mo gradh, on 'si mo gradh”, 5 quatrains. (Folio 25 recto, line 17.)

(xviii) ‘San unnsa tra bios go beacht’, 5 quatrains. On the mathematical divisions of time. (Also at Royal Irish Academy A.v.2.) Followed by further verse material (incomplete and partly illegible) including the couplet “Ocht mbliaghna is se céad gan ceilt / mile o ghein Iosa oirrdheirc”. (Folio 25 verso.)

(xix) Fragment of note on conjunction “nó”. (Folio 26 verso scribblings, mostly late). (Folio 26 recto.)

(xx) Cathal MacMhuirich (autograph). ‘Leasg linn gabhail go Gerrloch’, 35 quatrains. Elegy on Caitir Fhíona (died 1635), daughter of Sir Domhnall Gorm Òg, chief of Sleat. ‘Pot’ watermark with letters B R, folio 27. Signed at end ‘Cathelus mack muirich’. (Folio 27, 28 verso, line 1.)

(xxi) Niall MacMhuirich's hand. ‘Omhan doibh a n-eagmuis aoin’, 14 quatrains. Elegy. Additional 2 lines folio 28 recto, upper margin, mostly illegible. (Copy Y, folio 2). (Folios 28 verso, line 16-28 recto.)

(xxii) Cathal MacMhuirich's hand. §§10c-22 of ‘Maith an chairt cennas na nGaoidheal’, cf. folio 3 recto (folio 29 verso blank). Copy W. (Folio 29 recto.)

(xxiii) (Hand B resumes). 2 poems on Raghnall Óg, 2nd Earl and 1st Marquis of Antrim (1609-1683), both acephalous and imperfect. Poem a (20 quatrains) is formally inscribed and is in ‘rannaigheacht bheag’. Poem b (circa 40 quatrains) is scribbled in every available space, even between the lines of poem a, and is in “séadna mór”; internal evidence dates it to 1636-1649. (Folio 30 verso-recto.)

(xxiv) ‘Freagoir’ [meisi, a Mheic Coisi] (acephalous), here beginning “Así fa lennan don laoch” (20 quatrains). This concluding portion contains extended analogue on dream of Aenghus. (The leaf contains extensive but highly perished marginalia in 2 hands, including hand B). (Folio 31.)

(xxv) Description of an O'Connor raid on Breifne, 13 lines (acephalous). (Folio 31 verso, line 13.)

(xxvi) This sheet was first used for the commencement of a letter: ‘Honourd Sr / Having the opportunity of this occasion’. Domhnall MacMhuirich's hand. (a) ‘Da chuis ag milladh ar meanmna’, 22 quatrains (imperfect). On exile (1715-1725) of Raghnall, chief of Clanranald. The poem as published in ‘Reliquiae Celticae’, volume ii, pages 280-284, from National Museum of Scotland MCR 39, pages 260-265, here appears thus: §§1-2, folio 32 verso, upper margin; §§3-19, folio 32 recto, lines 1-34; §20, folio 32 recto left margin; §21, folio 32 recto, lower margin; §22, folio 32 verso, upper margin. (b) 13 quatrains of “Cumha Séamuis ag lot laoch”. Elegy on Séamus (died 1719), 2nd son of Domhnall of Clanranald. The poem as published in ‘Reliquiae Celticae’, volume ii, pages 274-280, from National Museum of Scotland MCR 39, pages 254-260, here consists of §§4-11, 20-21, 24-26, beginning “'S cion do aisdir umhla a fhir” (folio 32 verso). (Folio 32.)

(xxvii) (Niall MacMhuirich's hand resumes). ‘Adhbar tuirsi ag fuil Fhionghuin’, 30 quatrains (Copy Y, folio 18). To Lachlann Mór, chief of Mackinnon, on the death of his son Eoin, 1682. (Folio 33 recto, line 1.)

(xxviii) MacKinnon pedigree, largely illegible. (Folio 33 verso, line 21.)

(xxix) Elegy (20 quatrains incomplete) on Aonghas, chief of Glengarry, Lord MacDonnell & Aros (died 1680), probably beginning folio 34 verso ‘Teasta ruire glic Gaoidheal’ (Copy Y, folio 15). (Folio 34.)

(xxx) “[ ] uainn don ég anois”, 22 quatrains. Elegy on Raghnall Òg, 2nd of Benbecula (died 1679). (Folio 35 verso-recto.)

(xxxi) “Mairg shiúbhlas go brugh na mpíasd”, 17 quatrains. Religious. (Folio 36 recto-verso.)

(xxxii) Hand C. Pages 3-6 of introductory Grammatical Tract, beginning ‘a hanmannubh substainntecha’ (Bergin, ‘Irish bardic poetry’, page 2), ending “Fiú airdri inme thaoisigh” (Bergin, ‘Irish bardic poetry’, page 4). (Folios 37, 38.)

(xxxiii) (Niall MacMhuirich's hand resumes). Cath Rois Na Ríogh fragment. Beginning ‘ba leag[adh dhá] tharbh um bhurach an samh[ail]’. Cf. Hogan, pages 100-104. (Folio 39.)

(xxxiv) Pedigree of Giolla Easbuig, 9th Earl of Argyll. (Folio 40 verso blank). Transcript: Adv.MS.73.1.15, folio 130 verso. (Folio 40 recto.)

(xxxv) (Domhnall MacMhuirich's hand resumes). 15 quatrains of an elegy. (Acephalous, partly illegible). Copy E, page 9. (Folio 41 recto.)

(xxxvi) Final 3 quatrains of ‘Cubhuidh triall ar ar tturus’ (see folio 51), with 4 quatrains in praise of William's wife Margaret MacKenzie. Copy E, page 23.(Niall MacMhuirich's hand resumes.) [Tadhg Dall Ó Huiginn]. §§20-33 of “Tógaibh eadrad is Éire”, here beginning “Do rinne an céidfhear do char”. (Folio 42.)

(xxxvii) ‘Mor a n-ainm a n-iath eile’, 14 quatrains. Elegy on Iain Breac MacLeóid (died 1693) and his son Ruairi Òg (died 1699). ‘Pot’ watermark. (Folio 43.)

(xxxviii) Hand D. Charms, superstitions (acephalous). (a) aphrodisiac; (b) on unluckiness of Monday; (c) fertility charm; (d) charm against impotence; (e) charm for determining guilt or innocence of party accused of sexual misdemeanour; (f) aphrodisiac. (Folio 44.)

(xxxix) Hand E. [Gofraidh Fionn Ó Dálaigh]. 24 quatrains of ‘Madh fiafraidheach budh feasach’, here beginning “[Gurab iad sin, s]uairc an ríomh”, i.e. §§25-41, 43-45, 47 and 50 of McKenna's edition in “Féilscribhinn Torna”, with §§42 and 48 added interlineally by hand B. (Folio 45.)

(xl) [Hand F. Leaf belongs to Adv.MS.72.1.49, where it should precede folio 1.] “Námha agus cara ag an gceird” (acephalous), here beginning “Tegar chuige a ccruth uaibhrech” (§§27-34 of copy in Royal Irish Academy 24.P.21). (Folio 46 verso.)

(xli) Eochaidh Ó Heodhusa. “Ionmhuin tech re ttugas cúl”, 8 quatrains. (§§1-3, 5, 4, 6, 7, 10 of edition in ‘Leabhar Branach’). Continued. Adv.MS.72.1.49, folio 1 recto. (Folio 46 recto.) (Folio 46 recto.)

(xlii) Hand G. [Ó Maoil Chiaráin]. “Tugadh oirne easbhuidh mhór”. Incomplete, comprising §§1-3, 5, 9 and 6 of Breatnach's edition (Éigse, volume iii, pages 167-169), and breaking off at §7a. (Folio 47 verso blank). ‘Pot’ watermark. (Folio 47 recto.)

(xliii) Niall MacMhuirich's hand. Detached from end of Adv.MS.72.1.50. [Míchél Ó Cléirigh, “Seanchas Ríogh Éireann”]. (Folio 48 recto, line 1) “Do ríoghaibh iar gcreideamh” continued at ‘Donnch[adh] mac Floinn Sionna’. (Folio 48 verso, line 13) ‘Do riogaibh go bfreasab[hra]’, beginning “Toirrdhealbhach Ó Brian mac Taoidg mhic Briain” and ending ‘mhic Muirch[ear]t[aigh] na cochall croicenn’. (Folio 48.)

(xliv) Hand H. Fragment of treatise on cure of wounds, beginning ‘Item is maith portulacha’. (Folio 49.)

(xlv) Hand I. Torn-off half of Adv.MS.72.2.14, folio 30. (Folio 50.)

(xlvi) Domhnall MacMhuirich's hand. ‘Cubhuidh ttriall ar air tturus’, circa 11 quatrains. To William (1661-1738), son of Sir Norman MacLeod of Berneray. Gapped in two places, as folio 51 is only the torn-off top portion of a leaf. ‘A buill Domnall mac Mhic Mhuiradhuigh’ appears folio 51 upper margin. In Domhnall's hand. Folio 52 recto contains final 2 quatrains up to concluding echo. (Folio 52 verso has only the inscription, in unknown hand, “Wrote by Donald Macvurich / son of Lauchlan son of Nial Mor / is witness to a Letter dated Benbecula 1722”.) (Folios 51-52 recto.)

(xlvii) (Hand J begins). On making a poultice, beginning (acephalous) ‘blonaic mhuice arna lega’. (Folio 53 recto.)

(xlviii) Definition of skin, beginning ‘Est autem cutis’. (Folio 53 verso, line 8.)

(xlix) Hand K. Roman Catholic prayers, beginning ‘Iesus Maria, Iesus Maria, Iesus Maria’. (Folio 54.)

(l) Hand L. List beginning “To Angus Og ½ / ¼”. 10 items, including “To McMartin”, “to McLeod”, “To Alexr McRail”. (Folio 55 recto.)

(Folio 55 verso blank).