Còmhstri is Cianalas is Companas	Struggle, Sentiment and Support
"Màiri Mhòr nan Òran - Taghadh de a h-Òrain" le Dòmhnall Eachann Meek; Scottish Academic Press, Gàidhlig, £11.50 bog ri fhaighinn bho Chomhairle nan Leabhraichean	"Màiri Mhòr nan Òran - Taghadh de a h-Òrain" le Donald Eachann Meek; Scottish Academic Press, Gaelic, £11.50 paperback available from the Gaelic Books Council
lèirmheas le Eachann MacCoinnich, Inbhir Nis is Geàrrloch	review by Hector MacKenzie, Inverness & Gairloch
Bha a' cheudamh bliadhna bho chaochail Màiri Mhòr nan Òran air a chomharrachadh air 5 Samhain an-uiridh, agus chaidh an leabhar seo - deasachadh leudaichte de leabhar coiteanta a chaidh chlò-bhualadh 22 bliadhna air ais - fhoillseachadh dha Comann Litreachas Gàidhlig na h-Alba a tha nis a' dealbh sreath ùir a tha leantainn air a' chiad fheadhainn a chuir iad a-mach ann an 1937.	The centenary of Mary MacPherson, the Skye poetess, was celebrated on 5th November last year and this volume - an enlarged edition of a popular book published 22 years ago - has been published on behalf of the Scottish Gaelic Texts Society, which is now producing a new series of books to follow their first, begun in 1937.
Tha am fear deasachaidh 'na Ollamh ann an Roinn na Ceiltis ann an Oilthigh Obar Dheathain - Tiristeach a tha air a bhith sgrìobhadh feadh 30 bliadhna air iomadh sealladh de chànan is litreachas Gàidhlig agus air eachdraidh shòisealta is eaglaiseil na Gaidhealtachd. 'Se an t-Ollamh Meek a thug dhuinn "Tuath is Tighearna", a' chiad duanaire clò-bhuailte de bhàrdachd Ghàidhlig air Fuadach nan Gaidheal agus ath-leasachadh lagh an fhearainn, leabhar a tha mar chomharradh crìche air àrainn nua-sgrìobhadh na Gàidhlig.	The editor is Professor in the Celtic Department at Aberdeen University - a native of Tiree who during the past 30 years has written on many aspects of Gaelic language and literature and on the social and ecclesiastical history of the Highlands. Professor Meek it was who gave us "Tenants and Landlords", the first printed anthology of Gaelic poetry dealing with the Highland Clearances and land reform legislation, and a landmark on the modern Gaelic writing scene.
Ann am "Màiri Mhòr nan Òran" tha e air ochd òrain a bharrachd a chur ris an 32 a th'anns an leabhar a nochd ann an 1977. Chaidh na h-ochd ùra seo a thaghadh air dhòigh 's gu bheil iad a' cur ri'r tuigse mun bhanabhàrd i fhèin agus mu na co-aoisean aice, leithid Diùc Chataibh is an t-Siorraim Ivory. Tha ann, cuideachd, sgrùdadh nas geòire air na h-òrain aice agus measadh as ùr air beachdan breithneachail oirre fhèin agus air a cuid bhàrdachd. Tha notaichean fa leth agus mìneachaidhean air na tachartasan, na suidhichidhean agus na fir is na mnathan a ghluais i gu bhith luaidh orra 'na h-òrain, air an cur sìos an-seo ann an òrdugh iomchaidh.	In "Màiri Mhòr nan Òran" he has added eight more songs to the 1977 edition's 32. These eight new ones have been selected to enhance our understanding of the poetess herself, and also her contemporaries such as the Duke of Sutherland and Sheriff Ivory. There is also a closer examination of her songs and a fresh assessment of critical opinion, both of Màiri and her poems. Individual notes and explanations of the events and circumstances, the men and the women, clarify her motives in composing songs about them and classify them in an appropriate order.
Chaidh leantainn ri dà bhun-bheachd ann a bhith cumadh structar an leabhair. An toiseach tha gnè beath-eachdraidheil a h-òrain a' cur fa'r comhair stòiridh a beatha. A-rithist tha a cnuasachadh air cuspairean sònraichte a' toirt ath-ìomhaigh thugainn air beachdan is tachartasan a bha suathadh ri caochla amannan na beatha. Air a chumadh a rèir an dà bhun-bheachd a th'ann an-seo, tha an leabhar ga roinn mar a leanas:	Two foundational ideas have been followed in shaping the structure of the book. The biographical character of her songs reveal, in effect, her life story. And consideration of specific subjects reflect ideas and events which impinged on various phases of her life. Structured on this basis, certain divisions emerge as follow:
'Se a' phrìomh aon - chionn 's gun do dhùisg e innte fhèin mothachadh gum b'e banabhàrd a bh'innte - an cùl-chàineadh a rinneadh oirre feadh 's a bha i ga cosnadh an Inbhir Nis far an d'fhàgadh oirre bhith ri mion-ghadachd air a banamhaighstir - "se na dh'fhuiling mi de thàmailt a thug mo bhàrdachd beò."	The principal one - because it awakened within her the recognition of her own poetic gift, prompting her to declare, "all the infamy I suffered, gave birth to my poetry" - was the defamation of her character while employed in Inverness where she was accused of petty theft from her employer.
'Bha an comas, air 'ùr-fhàs, a bh'aice ga chleachdadh gu h-èifeachdach ann an poilitigs na Gaidhealtachd; 'na cianalas is 'na fadachd dhùrachdach do dh'eilean a h-àraich; anns an ùidh mhòr a bh'aice a companas a co-eilthireach an Grianaig is an Glaschu; ann a bhith seinn mu a h-eòlaich; ann a bhith toirt tarraing gu h-àbhachdach air na bàtaichean smùide is na nua-mhodhannan siubhail a nochd san 19 linn; ann a bhith cumail taic is misnich ri luchd leasachaidh lagh an fhearainn. Agus mu dheireadh ann a bhith cur an cèill a cùraim mu chor muladach nan croitearan air am fuadach.	Her newly-flowered talent was used effectively in Highland politics; in nostalgic but sincere longing for her native island; in her keen interest in the company of her fellow-exiles in Greenock and Glasgow; in singing about her acquaintances; in light-hearted comments on steamships and other types of 19th century transport; in championing the land reformers. And finally in expressing her concern at the pitiful plight of the evicted crofters.
Anns a' bhliadhna sa bheil Alba, is i bhith as a h-aonais fad suas ri trì cheud bliadhna, air pàrlamaid dhi fhèin fhaighinn a-rithist tha e 'na thoileachas mòr dhuinn a bhith faicinn an leabhair seo ga thaisbeanadh as ùr.	In the year in which Scotland has regained its own parliament, after a gap of almost three hundred years, it is most gratifying to see the re-appearance of this book.

You can find more articles in the archive under Gaelic Column and information on the organization at C.L.I.