Ossianic Ballads--References to Books, etc.

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p. 373

OSSIANIC BALLADS--REFERENCES TO BOOKS, ETC.

* Means that the piece, in some form, is still current.

1530.

Dean MacGregor's MSS.

See published list of contents, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, 1856, and papers read, 24th January 1831. Report of the Highland Society on the poems of Ossian p. 93, and appendix, 302. See selections published 1862. (Edinburgh: Edmonton and Douglas.)

The following references have been taken from the other authorities, but the selections will probably give a full account of this interesting manuscript.

Page in MSS.
25.	Demand for the head of Gaul.
63.	LA MOR SEALG NA FEINNE, or SLIABH NAM BAN FIONN. Kennedy; the Rev. Francis Stewart; Malcolm MacCallum; Macdonald of Staffa; traditional. Appears in Fingal.
*145.	PRAISE OF GOLL. Gillies; MacCallum; Miss Brooke; traditional now.
*147.	DIARMAID. Dr. Smith; Sutherland; Islay; General Mackay; R. Campbell, advocate. The Islay version had Cuach Fhinn, which was rejected as not historical.
*172.	THE BANNERS. (?) The traditional poem now current, and in Gillies.
*205.	ON THE HEADS. MacCallum; mentioned p. 302, H. S. appendix. (?) The current traditional poem.
*220.	FAINEASOLIS. Kennedy; Miss Brooke; H. S. Report, p. 95; Maid of Craca in English Fingal; not in the Gaelic of 1807.
*230.	DEATH OF OSCAR. Kennedy; MacDonald of Staffa; H. S. Report, 102; traced in Temora (English) (?) Gillies; and now current.
*232.	BATTLE OF GAURA. (?) The one given in Gillies and now current; traced in Temora.
*236.	CUCHULLIN and CONLAOCH. Carthon in English Ossian not in Gaelic of 1807; Islay; Miss Brooke, 265, 268; p. 374 MacCallum. For the story, compare Marie's Lays; Zohrab and Rustam.
*301.	FRAOCH. Jerome Stone, 1756; Scotch Magazine; H. S. Report, appendix 7; compare Bellerophon for the story; current in fragments.

1739.	ALEXANDER POPE, minister in the Reay country, p. 53 appendix iii. H. S. Report. ERRAGON; in Temora, under the name of Dibird fli (?) LATHMORE. * CA GAUR. Death of Oscar. * DUAN DEARMOT. Dr. Smith; Diarmaid, etc.
1756.	Clerk's Collection. (?)
1772.	RANALD MACDONALD'S collection, printed 1772, contains a piece which is in the Dean's MS.; Antiquaries' Transactions; H. S. Report, p. 305; subject, four wise men at the grave of Alexander.
1774.	KENNEDY'S COLLECTION. List from p. 108, 273, appendix, Highland Society's Report. * Luachar Leothaid. Sgiathan MacSgairbh. An Gruagach. Rochd. Sithallan. Mùr bheura. Tiomban. Sealg na cluana. Gleauncruadhach. * Urnuigh Oisein. Erragan (Battle of Lars). * Manus (part of English Fingal). Maire Borb (Maid of Craca, ditto). * Cath Seisear (? the smithy). * Sliabh nam Ban Fionn. * Bas Dheirg. * Bas Chuinn. Righ Liur. p. 375 Sealg na Leans. * Dun an Oir (? the Great Fool). * An Cù dubh. Gleann Biamhair. Conal. * Bas Chiunlaich (quoted p. 116 H. S. Report); MacPherson; death of Cuchullin, Smith's Manus. * Diarmaid, partly quoted, p. 110 H. S. Report. * Carril. Bas Ghuill (different from Smith's). Garaibh. Bas Oscair (Temora) in three parts. Tuiridh nam Fian. Bas Oisein.
1780.	HILL, p. 50, Report of the Highland Society, p. 143, appendix, published in the Gentleman's Mag., afterwards in a separate book. Gives Fionn's Genealogy, and a great deal of speculation. * ODE OF OSCAR, which seems very like the traditional version. * OSSIAN AGUS AN CLEIRACH, or MANUS AND FINGAL, seem to be like the traditional version of Manus. * MAR MHARBH, DIARMAD AN TORC NIMH, Diarmaid and the boar. * MAR MARBHADH BRAN; Bran's death; seems to be the traditional song. * URNUIGH OSSIAN; a bit of a dialogue between Ossian and St. Patrick. I have not been able to get this book.
1786.	Gillies. Published pieces not found in 1860, 1861. 1. Mordubh Sentimental. Varying from 158. Miann a' bhaird aosdal. popular ballads now current, 210. Mhaline Brughadar but like "Ossian's poems." 211. Claidheamh Cuchullin. (Measured prose.) 278. Ode. 302. Laoidh Laomuin Mhic an Uaimh-fhir. 260. Clan Usnich. Foundation of Darthula; very old; well known in Ireland; given by MacCallum, 221.
	p. 376
1787.	Smith. "Seann Darla." These are of a class between current popular ballads and the published Ossian. 1. Dan an Deirg. 26. Tiomna Ghuill. 78. Dan na Duthuinn. * 99. Diarmad. This differs from the traditional, and from the manuscript versions. 120. Dan clainne Mhuirne. 141. Cath Luine. 158. Cath ula. * 194. Cath Mhanuis includes the lay of the great fool, but something quite different from the traditional poems; and the doctor says he has rejected much as spurious; a bit of the forging of Finn's sword is given in a note, 211. 210. Trathuil. 223. Dearg MacDruibbeil. 245. Conn Mae an Deirg. 297. Losga Taura. 317. Cath Lamba. 340. Bas Airt. None of these are now current amongst the people in their published form, so far as I have discovered.
1789.	Miss Brooke (Irish). See Report of the Highland Society on the poems of Ossian, and this volume, p. 94.
1803.	MS. Collection by Macdonald of Staffa (Advocates' Library), Contains BRIATHRAN FHINN RI OSCAR, p. 150, H. S. Report. See this vol., p. 139.
1804.	Stewart. 1. Proanacha Catha Chloinn Domhnuill. * 547. Aireamh-Muinntir Fhinn agus Dhubhain. 549. Coradh Murcha Mac-Brian, etc. 554. Duil Mac-Stairn.

p. 377

1816.		MACCALLUM.	STEWART. Page.
	106.	Dan air crom Ghlearm
	112.	Iambair Aluinn
	* 140.	Cuchullin na charbad
	153.	Colg Shuil is Trathail
	170.	Dan Chiothaich	590
	* 178.	Oisian do'n Ghrein	592
	181.	Ditto
	183.	Mor Ghlan agus Min Fhonn
	193.	Comhrag Fhinn ague Garbh MacStairn
	196.	An t' Sealg a's mò rinn an Fhian
	200.	Conall. Ghulbuinn
	207.	Ursgeul Oisian
	209.	Ioma Cheist Oisian
	221.	Laoidh Deirdreann	562

1805. J. Macdonald, MS. Collection (Advocates' Library).

A number of poems are printed in the Report of the Highland Society, 1805, and there are numerous private collections written in modern times, of which I have heard. Their owners would do well to send them to the Advocates' Library to be preserved there with the rest of the Gaelic manuscripts, to which attention has been called, and which are now arranged and catalogued. Some of these pieces have been reprinted in the West of Scotland Magazine, and were also translated in Drummond's Irish Minstrelsy. One (I am told) was lately made into a kind of musical play, and acted in Ireland.

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