PERTHSHIRE GAELS CELEBRATE DUNCAN BAN MACINTYRE
A bold attempt to honour the neglected Gaelic poet Duncan Ban MacIntyre was made in Perthshire on Friday night, 24 March 2006. To commemmorate Duncan Ban's birthday on 20 March 1724, a group of eight dedicated followers of the Highland Perthshire poet gathered in the Weem Hotel, near Aberfeldy and were welcomed in Gaelic and English by author and publisher Richard Deveria.
Taking as their inspiration MacIntyre's vivid description of the salmon migration in his Song to the Misty Corrie, it was decided to use salmon as the basis for the supper. The meal began with a Gaelic grace delivered by the Vice-President of An Comunn Gaidhealach, Neil MacLeod. Richard Deveria then gave the Address to the Salmon, quoting from Song to the Misty Corrie:
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Tha bradan tarrgheal 'sa 'choire gharbhlaich
Tha tighinn o'n fuairge bu ghailbheach tonn
Le luinneis rnhearnnach a'ceapadh rnheanbhchuileag
Gu neo-chearbach Ie chamghob crom ...
(In the rugged gully is a white bellied salmon
that comes from the ocean of stormy wave
catching midges with lively vigour
unerringly in his arched, bent, beak ...)
Following an excellent meal of traditional salmon followed by dessert, the Loyal Toast was drunk "A'Bhan Righ".
Richard Deveria then gave the Immortal Memory, reviewing Duncan Ban's career,highlighting his acute observation of natural history and his devotion to Highland tradition while remaining loyal to the Hanoverian monarchy.
This was followed by the Address to the Lasses (more accurately to the Lass) by Neil MacLeod, based on the poet's Song to his Bride. The evening was concluded by listening to recordings of Lament for the Misty Corrie and Final Farewell to the Bens, sung by Strath Gaelic Choir. All agreed that it was a very successful evening and it was resolved, given enough support, to hold a similar event next year.
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