Music
Bunessan is a hymn tune based on a Scottish folk melody, first associated with the Christmas carol "Child in the Manger" [1] and later and more commonly with "Morning Has Broken". It is named after the village of Bunessan in the Ross of Mull.
Mary M. MacDonald (Màiri Dhòmhnallach in Scottish Gaelic) (1789–1872), who lived in the crofting community of Ardtun near Bunessan and spoke only Gaelic, wrote her hymn "Leanabh an Àigh" to a traditional melody. [2] When the words were translated into English in the 1880s, the melody was named after the village of Bunessan by the translator, Lachlan Macbean. [3] [4] A monument to MacDonald can be seen about 1.5 miles east of the village, on the road towards Craignure. [5] The ruins of the house where she lived are also nearby.
"Bunessan" is also used for the James Quinn hymns, "Christ Be Beside Me" and "This Day God Gives Me," both of which were adapted from the traditional Irish hymn "St. Patrick's Breastplate", and for Michael Saward's hymn "Baptized In Water".
Sometime before 1927 Alexander Fraser heard the melody in the Scottish Highlands and wrote it down so that it came to the attention of Percy Dearmer, Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Martin Shaw. In turn, these editors of the hymn book Songs of Praise requested Eleanor Farjeon to write a further hymn text to the tune. This was "Morning Has Broken", and since 1931 the tune has become most familiarly identified with this hymn. [6] In 1971, a version of "Morning Has Broken" was recorded by British singer Cat Stevens, helping popularize the tune.
The Isle of Mull or just Mull is the second-largest island of the Inner Hebrides and lies off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute.
Bunessan, meaning "bottom of the waterfall", is a small village on the Ross of Mull, a peninsula in the south-west of the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland. The settlement is at OS grid reference NM382218, within the parish of Kilfinichen and Kilvickeon, and is situated on the A849, at the head of a cove at the southern end of Loch na Làthaich.
Clan Maclean is a Highlands Scottish clan. They are one of the oldest clans in the Highlands and owned large tracts of land in Argyll as well as the Inner Hebrides. Many early MacLeans became famous for their honour, strength and courage in battle. They were involved in clan skirmishes with the Mackinnons, Camerons, MacDonalds and Campbells, as well as all of the Jacobite risings.
"Morning Has Broken" is a Christian hymn first published in 1931. It has words by English author Eleanor Farjeon and was inspired by the village of Alfriston in East Sussex, then set to a traditional Scottish Gaelic tune, "Bunessan". It is often sung in children's services and in funeral services.
Carmina Gadelica is a compendium of prayers, hymns, charms, incantations, blessings, literary-folkloric poems and songs, proverbs, lexical items, historical anecdotes, natural history observations, and miscellaneous lore gathered in the Gaelic-speaking regions of Scotland between 1860 and 1909. The material was recorded, translated, and reworked by the exciseman and folklorist Alexander Carmichael (1832–1912).
Clan MacKinnon is a Highland Scottish clan from the islands of Mull and Skye, in the Inner Hebrides.
Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, also known as Clan Ranald, is a Highland Scottish clan and a branch of Clan Donald, one of the largest Scottish clans. The founder of the Macdonalds of Clanranald is Reginald, 4th great-grandson of Somerled. The Macdonalds of Clanranald descend from Reginald's elder son Allan and the MacDonells of Glengarry descend from his younger son Donald. The clan chief of the MacDonalds of Clanranald is traditionally designated as The Captain of Clanranald and today both the chief and clan are recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, the heraldic judge in Scotland.
Clan MacBean, is a highland Scottish clan of possible Irish origins and is a member and historic sept of Clan Chattan.
Clan Maclachlan, also known as Clan Lachlan, Clann Lachainn (Argyll), and Clann Lachlainn, is a Highland Scottish clan that historically centred on the lands of Strathlachlan on Loch Fyne, Argyll on the west coast of Scotland. The clan claims descent from Lachlan Mor, who lived on Loch Fyne in the 13th century, and who has left his name upon the countryside he once controlled: places such as Strathlachlan, Castle Lachlan and Lachlan Bay. Tradition gives Lachlan Mor a descent from an Irish prince of the O'Neill dynasty, Ánrothán Ua Néill, son of Áed, son of Flaithbertach Ua Néill, King of Ailech and Cenél nEógain, died 1036. Clan Maclachlan has been associated with other clans, such as Clan Lamont, Clan Ewen of Otter, Clan MacNeil of Barra, and the MacSweens: as all claim descent from Anrothan O'Neill who left Ireland for Kintyre in the 11th century. From this descent the clan claims a further descent from the legendary Niall Noigíallach, High King of Ireland, who lived from the mid 4th century to the early 5th century.
Clan Macfie is a Highlands Scottish Clan.
The Battle of Raith was the theory of E. W. B. Nicholson, librarian at the Bodleian Library, Oxford. He was aware of the poem Y Gododdin in the Book of Aneirin and was aware that no-one had identified the location "Catraeth". He parsed the name as "cat" Gaelic for battle or fight, and "Raeth" and he recalled that there was a place in Scotland called Raith.
Calum MacDonald is a musician who was a founder member of, and percussionist in, the Scottish Celtic rock band Runrig, as well as their primary songwriter with his older brother, Rory MacDonald from 1973 to 2018. Generally, Rory wrote the melodies, and Calum the lyrics.
Sir Lachlan Mór Maclean or Big Lachlan Maclean, was the 14th Clan Chief of Clan MacLean from late 1573 or early 1574 until 1598. Mór or Mor translates as big in English, or magnus in Latin, when added to a name in Scottish Gaelic.
Sir Roderick MacLeod of MacLeod (c1559–1626), also known as Rory MacLeod, was the 15th Chief of Clan MacLeod and one of the most famed and notorious chiefs of that clan.
Tàladh Chrìosda is the popular name for the Scottish Gaelic Christmas carol Tàladh ar Slànaigheir. It is traditionally sung at Midnight Mass in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. The 29 verses of the hymn date from the 19th century and are intended to represent a lullaby for the Christ Child by the Blessed Virgin.
Sir James MacDonald, 9th of Dunnyveg, was the last chief of Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg or Clan Donald South. He was most often known as James M'Connall from the Gaelic pronunciation of the name Mac Dhòmhnaill, the modern Macdonald spelling being the anglicization of the name.
Sir Lachlan Mackinnon was chief of the Scottish Highland clan Mackinnon and played a prominent part in the troubled and transitional politics of the West Highlands in the early 17th century.
Shiaba is a ruined township located on the southwestern peninsula of the Isle of Mull, Scotland. It lies about 8 km to the east of the village of Bunessan, beyond Loch Assapol and Scoor House. It was awarded the status of Scheduled monument in 1993 due to its significance as a source of information about 18th and 19th century rural life in Scotland.
John Macdonald (1779–1849) was a Scottish minister known in Scotland as the Apostle of the North. He is also remembered for his visits and descriptions of life on St Kilda.
Mary MacDonald (1789–1872) was a Gaelic poet and hymn writer who lived in Cancan, Scotland. Her best known poem is "Leanabh an Àigh", translated as "Child in Manger"; it was set to a traditional Scottish tune, "Bunessan", named after her home village, where there is a memorial for her.
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