65097: ‘S daor a cheannaich mi ‘m fiadhach

Fragments of a lament composed by Elizabeth Macpherson on the death of her son John, who drowned in Loch Langabhat in Uig. A large stone was set up on end on the spot where his body was laid when it was recovered. The stone is known as Clach Bheas and tradition maintains that she went to the place every Wednesday – the day he drowned – to compose a lament for him. Some versions of the story relate that John’s brother, Zachary, the Chamberlain of the Lews, was with him at the time of his drowning, but the verses do not mention him, probably because he would likely have been away from Uig by then.

‘S daor a cheannich mi ‘m fiadhach
A rinn Iain Di-ciadaoin,
Rinn an t-Eilean Dubh riabhach mo león.

…

Bha Domhnall ‘gad iargain,
Agus Dughall ‘gad iarraidh,
Gus an d’fhuair iad dhiot iasad nam pog;

Bha Aonghus ‘gad threachailt
Gus an tug iad a mach thu –
B’e mo dhiobhail na bh’aca gun deo.

Bha do pheathraichean truagha,
Air dhroch ceangal an gruaga
Bha do mhuim’ air a cuaradh ‘na feoil.