Malcolm MacFarlane
Encyclopedia
Malcolm MacFarlane was a Scottish Gaelic scholar and songwriter. He was a Secretary and President of Gaelic Society of Glasgow and an active member of An Comunn Gàidhealach
.
, Loch Awe
on 30th November 1853. His father was John Macfarlane, a labourer, and his mother Sarah Macintyre. He was brought up at Inkerman
near Paisley
, Renfrewshire
and was educated there. He was a 'measurer' by profession — the early name for a quantity surveyor
. He was also a member of the Inverness Gaelic Society, the Irish Texts Society, and the Folk Song Society. He was the author
of works such as The Phonetics of Gaelic and Songs of the Highlands, Inverness: Logan & Co., 1902. He died unmarried in Greenock
on 22nd February 1931.
An Comunn Gàidhealach
An Comunn Gàidhealach , literally The Gaelic Association) is an organisation in Scotland which seeks to promote Scottish Gaelic language and culture, following in the footsteps of the Gaelic Athletic Association or GAA in Ireland....
.
Life
He was born at Kilmun Farm, DalavichDalavich
Dalavich is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It lies on the western bank of Loch Awe and has a population of around 70....
, Loch Awe
Loch Awe
Loch Awe is a large body of water in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It has also given its name to a village on its banks, variously known as Loch Awe, or Lochawe. There are islands within the loch such as Innis Chonnell and Inishail.- The loch :It is the third largest freshwater loch in Scotland with...
on 30th November 1853. His father was John Macfarlane, a labourer, and his mother Sarah Macintyre. He was brought up at Inkerman
Inkerman
Inkerman is a town in Crimea, Ukraine. It is situated 5 kilometres east of Sevastopol, at the mouth of the Chernaya River that flows into Sevastopol Inlet . Administratively, Inkerman is subordinate to the municipality of Sevastopol which does not constitute part of the Autonomous Republic of...
near Paisley
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
, Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire
Renfrewshire is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Located in the west central Lowlands, it is one of three council areas contained within the boundaries of the historic county of Renfrewshire, the others being Inverclyde to the west and East Renfrewshire to the east...
and was educated there. He was a 'measurer' by profession — the early name for a quantity surveyor
Quantity surveyor
A quantity surveyor is a professional working within the construction industry concerned with building costs.The profession is one that provides a qualification gained following formal education, specific training and experience that provides a general set of skills that are then applied to a...
. He was also a member of the Inverness Gaelic Society, the Irish Texts Society, and the Folk Song Society. He was the author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of works such as The Phonetics of Gaelic and Songs of the Highlands, Inverness: Logan & Co., 1902. He died unmarried in Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
on 22nd February 1931.
Books
- The Phonetics of the Gaelic Language. With an exposition of the current orthography and a system of phonography. Paisley: J. and R. Parlane, [1889].
- Orain agus dain - Fo chùram. A. Guinne agus C. Mhic-Phàrlain. (Songs and Poems by Rob Donn Mackay. Containing unpublished melodies collected in the Reay country; sketch of the bard and his times - glossary. Edited by Rev. A. Gunn and M. MacFarlane. Illustrated.). Glasgow: Iain Mac-Aoidh: J. Mackay, 1899.
- Songs of the Highlands. Inverness: Logan and Co., [1902]. Musical accompaniments were supplied by Frederick Wilson WhiteheadFrederick Wilson Whitehead (musician)Frederick Wilson Whitehead was an English organist, composer and teacher of music who settled in Scotland. He was born in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire in 1863. His father was Joseph Whitehead, a master shoemaker employing one man, and his mother was Martha...
. These songs include 'the Thistle o' Scotland', the words of which were translated by MacFarlane from the Gaelic of Evan MacCollEvan MacColl (Gaelic poet)Evan MacColl was a Scots-Canadian Gaelic poet who also produced poems in English. He was known as the "Clarsair-nam-beann" or the Mountain Minstrel. Later he became known as "the Gaelic Bard of Canada". - Early life :...
. - Bardic Melody: a book in which the poems, songs and ditties of the Scottish Gaels are exhibited along with their airs. Stirling: Eneas Mackay, 1908, etc.
- The School Gaelic Dictionary. Prepared for the use of learners of the Gaelic language. Stirling: Eneas Mackay, 1912.
- Uirsgeulan Gaidhealach: leis an do choisneadh duaisean aig Mòid A' Chomuinn Ghaidhealaich. Edition: An dara clobhualadh / fo làimh Chalium Mhic Phàrlain. Struibhle: Aonghas Mac Aoidh, 1912. [Four Scots Gaelic stories that apparently won prizes at the ModMod (Scotland)A mod is a festival of Scottish Gaelic song, arts and culture. Historically, the Gaelic word mòd refers to any kind of assembly. There are both local mods, and an annual national mod, the Royal National Mod...
of An Comunn GàidhealachAn Comunn GàidhealachAn Comunn Gàidhealach , literally The Gaelic Association) is an organisation in Scotland which seeks to promote Scottish Gaelic language and culture, following in the footsteps of the Gaelic Athletic Association or GAA in Ireland....
.] - An Comh-threòraiche. Stirling: Eneas Mackay, 1913.
Scores
- Binneas nam Bàrd, etc. (Bardic Melody. A Book in which the Poems, Songs and Ditties of the Scottish Gaels are exhibited along with their Airs, etc. [Staff and tonic sol-fa notation. Stirling: E. Mackay, 1908, etc.,
- A Lament for Nurse Cavell. [Song.] Words by M. Maclean. Melody and Gaelic words by M. Macfarlane. Edited and arranged by A. W. Marchant. Stirling: E. Mackay, [1917].
Archives
- Printed material from the papers of Malcolm MacFarlane. Some pamphlets in Gaelic. Includes book prospectuses, catalogues of music, concert programmes, publications of various Scottish clan societies and miscellaneous publications to do with Scotland and the Scottish way of life. National Library of ScotlandNational Library of ScotlandThe National Library of Scotland is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. It is based in a collection of buildings in Edinburgh city centre. The headquarters is on George IV Bridge, between the Old Town and the university quarter...
, shelfmark HP4.89.319.