Flora MacNeil
Encyclopedia
Flora MacNeil, MBE
(b. 1928, Barra
) is a Scottish Gaelic singer. Originally discovered by Alan Lomax
and Hamish Henderson
during the early 1950s, she continues to perform.
, one of Gaelic song’s most important strongholds. There were singers on either side of her family, but this was a time when the menfolk were often away at sea for long periods, leaving the women to raise the children and tend the croft – singing all the while, to assuage their labours – and most of MacNeil’s repertoire was passed on from her mother, Ann Gillies.
In these pre-television days (Flora’s family did not even have a radio until the 1950s), ceilidh
s with the neighbours were a regular occurrence in the MacNeil household, and from earliest childhood she remembers “soaking up” literally hundreds of songs, as if by osmosis. Clearly, the music was in her blood: by age four, famously, she was already tackling the sophisticated poetry of Mo Run Geal Og (“My Fair Young Love”), one of the greatest of the Orain Mor, or “Big Songs”.
Like many others before her, MacNeil left Barra in 1947 to find work in Edinburgh
. She found a public platform in the burgeoning round of ceilidh
s and concerts that marked the first stirrings of the British folk revival
. These brought her to the attention of Hamish Henderson
, who recorded her singing as part of his 1950s collaboration with American musicologist Alan Lomax
.
Henderson also invited MacNeil to perform at the 1951 Edinburgh People’s Festival Ceilidh. The ceilidh, which brought Scottish traditional folk music to the public stage for the first time, took place in Edinburgh's Oddfellows
Hall in August 1951. The Scottish Gàidhealtachd
was represented at the Celidh by Flora MacNeil, Calum Johnston, and John Burgess
. The music was recorded live at the scene by Alan Lomax. In 2005, Lomax's recording was released on compact disc
by Rounder Records
. Until 1954, the Edinburgh Festival Ceilidhs were an annual event. Eventually, however, the affiliation of some board members with the Communist Party of Great Britain
caused the events to lose the backing of the city's trade union
s.
MacNeil has also recorded two albums, Craobh nan Ubhal in 1976 (reissued in 1993) and Orain Floraidh in 2000.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(b. 1928, Barra
Barra
The island of Barra is a predominantly Gaelic-speaking island, and apart from the adjacent island of Vatersay, to which it is connected by a causeway, is the southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland.-Geography:The 2001 census showed that the resident population was 1,078...
) is a Scottish Gaelic singer. Originally discovered by Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
and Hamish Henderson
Hamish Henderson
Hamish Scott Henderson, was a Scottish poet, songwriter, soldier, and intellectual....
during the early 1950s, she continues to perform.
Life
MacNeil was born in 1928 on the island of BarraBarra
The island of Barra is a predominantly Gaelic-speaking island, and apart from the adjacent island of Vatersay, to which it is connected by a causeway, is the southernmost inhabited island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland.-Geography:The 2001 census showed that the resident population was 1,078...
, one of Gaelic song’s most important strongholds. There were singers on either side of her family, but this was a time when the menfolk were often away at sea for long periods, leaving the women to raise the children and tend the croft – singing all the while, to assuage their labours – and most of MacNeil’s repertoire was passed on from her mother, Ann Gillies.
In these pre-television days (Flora’s family did not even have a radio until the 1950s), ceilidh
Céilidh
In modern usage, a céilidh or ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland, but is now common throughout the Irish and Scottish diasporas...
s with the neighbours were a regular occurrence in the MacNeil household, and from earliest childhood she remembers “soaking up” literally hundreds of songs, as if by osmosis. Clearly, the music was in her blood: by age four, famously, she was already tackling the sophisticated poetry of Mo Run Geal Og (“My Fair Young Love”), one of the greatest of the Orain Mor, or “Big Songs”.
Like many others before her, MacNeil left Barra in 1947 to find work in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. She found a public platform in the burgeoning round of ceilidh
Céilidh
In modern usage, a céilidh or ceilidh is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing Gaelic folk music and dancing. It originated in Ireland, but is now common throughout the Irish and Scottish diasporas...
s and concerts that marked the first stirrings of the British folk revival
British folk revival
The British folk revival incorporates a number of movements for the collection, preservation and performance of traditional music in the United Kingdom and related territories and countries, which had origins as early as the 18th century...
. These brought her to the attention of Hamish Henderson
Hamish Henderson
Hamish Scott Henderson, was a Scottish poet, songwriter, soldier, and intellectual....
, who recorded her singing as part of his 1950s collaboration with American musicologist Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
.
Henderson also invited MacNeil to perform at the 1951 Edinburgh People’s Festival Ceilidh. The ceilidh, which brought Scottish traditional folk music to the public stage for the first time, took place in Edinburgh's Oddfellows
Oddfellows
The name Oddfellows refers to a number of friendly societies and fraternal organisations operating in the United Kingdom. It also refers to a number of Lodges with histories dating back to the 18th century. These various organisations were set up to protect and care for their members and...
Hall in August 1951. The Scottish Gàidhealtachd
Gàidhealtachd
The Gàidhealtachd , sometimes known as A' Ghàidhealtachd , usually refers to the Scottish highlands and islands, and especially the Scottish Gaelic culture of the area. The corresponding Irish word Gaeltacht however refers strictly to an Irish speaking area...
was represented at the Celidh by Flora MacNeil, Calum Johnston, and John Burgess
John Burgess (bagpiper)
Pipe Major John Davie Burgess MBE was one of the most eminent players of the Scots bagpipes. He began playing at the age of four, and gained international fame as a child prodigy, before turning professional at the age of sixteen...
. The music was recorded live at the scene by Alan Lomax. In 2005, Lomax's recording was released on compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
by Rounder Records
Rounder Records
Rounder Records, originally of Cambridge, Massachusetts, but now based in Burlington, Massachusetts, is a record label founded in 1970 by Ken Irwin, Bill Nowlin and Marian Leighton-Levy, while all three were still university students...
. Until 1954, the Edinburgh Festival Ceilidhs were an annual event. Eventually, however, the affiliation of some board members with the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
caused the events to lose the backing of the city's trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s.
MacNeil has also recorded two albums, Craobh nan Ubhal in 1976 (reissued in 1993) and Orain Floraidh in 2000.
Quote
- "Traditional songs tended to run in families and I was fortunate that my mother and her family had a great love for the poetry and the music of the old songs. It was natural for them to sing, whatever they were doing at the time or whatever mood they were in. My aunt Mary, in particular, was always ready, at any time I called on her, to drop whatever she was doing, to discuss a song with me, and perhaps, in this way, long forgotten verses would be recollected. So I learned a great many songs at an early age without any conscious effort. As is to be expected on a small island, so many songs deal with the sea, but, of course, many of them may not originally be Barra songs. Nevertheless the old songs were preserved more in the southermost islands of Barra and South UistSouth UistSouth Uist is an island of the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. In the 2001 census it had a usually resident population of 1,818. There is a nature reserve and a number of sites of archaeological interest, including the only location in Great Britain where prehistoric mummies have been found. The...
possibly because the Reformed ChurchChurch of ScotlandThe Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
tended to discourage music elsewhere."
External links
- Traditional Music Hall of Fame
- Description of a 2000 Ceilidh in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
- Scottish Music from Flora MacNeil
- Flora MacNeil Sings "A Phiuthrag 'S A Phiuthar"
Alan Lomax Research Center
- Ailein Duinn a ni's a Naire
- Nach Freagair Thu Charaistiona
- Phiuthrag 'S A Phiuthar
- Mhic Iarla Nam Bratach Bana with Calum Johnston.
- A Bhradag Dhubh
- Faca sibh Raghall na Ailean
- Cadal cha dèan mi
- 'S mi ri imeachd 'nam aonar
- Mo Rùn Geal Og
- Co Siod Thall Air Sraid Na H-eala?
- Mo Nighean Donn Bhòidheach