| Reference Number | 210 |
| Title | Coinneach Odhar |
| Author | MacÌomhair, Dòmhnall Iain |
| Editor | N/A |
| Date Of Edition | 1990 |
| Date Of Language | late 20c |
| Date Of Language Ed | 1950-1999 |
| DateMacro | Late 20th c. |
| Date Of Language Notes | |
| Publisher | Gairm |
| Place Published | Glasgow |
| Volume | N/A |
| Location | National, academic, and local libraries |
| Geographical Origins | Lewis |
| Geographical Origins Ed | Lewis |
| GeoMacro | Lewis |
| GeoX | -7.1958 |
| GeoY | 58.2119 |
| Geographical Origins Notes | |
| Register | Literature, Prose, Verse (History) |
| Register Ed | Literature, Prose |
| Genre | Literature |
| Medium | Prose |
| Rating | B (TBC)
A good example of the use of traditional and written sources to give a fuller picture of Coinneach Odhar or The Brahan Seer.
Some good examples of storytelling and traditional lore.
A thorough analysis of the various prophecies attributed to Coinneach Odhar.
Reflects the Gaelic dialect of Lewis. |
| Alternative Author Name | Donald John Maciver |
| Manuscript Or Edition | Ed. |
| Size And Condition | 21cm x 15.7cm |
| Short Title | Coinneach Odhar |
| Reference Details | NLS: HP2.90.6977 |
| Number Of Pages | ii, 69 |
| Gaelic Text By | N/A |
| Illustrator | Dòmhnall R. MacThòmais |
| Social Context | The text details the historical and traditional background regarding Coinneach Odhar Fiosaiche, ‘Sallow Kenneth’, known as The Brahan Seer and lists the prophecies attributed to him. There is a strong tradition that he was born sometime in the 17th century, perhaps even earlier, in Baile na Cille, Uig, Isle of Lewis. Other traditions suggest that he was born and raised in Easter Ross. He later became strongly associated with Brahan Castle and Clan MacKenzie. According to tradition, Coinneach Odhar received the ability to prophesy from an early age, and there are a number of variations of how he came into possession of a precious stone, with a hole in it, that gave him this ability. Alexander Mackenzie in his book The Brahan Seer, republished on several occasions, divided his prophecies into four categories: prophecies which might be attributed to natural shrewdness; prophecies unfulfilled; prophecies as to the fulfilment of which there is doubt, and prophecies wholly or partly fulfilled. It is also said that he met an untimely and horrid death through his last prophecy, which sealed his fate and led him to be burned alive at Chanonry Point, Black Isle, in a barrel of tar with spikes.
Donald John Maciver (Dòmhnall Iain MacÌomhair, Dòmhnall Iain Thormaid Thormaid an Tàilleir) was born 12 November 1942 in Laxdale near Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, son of Norman Maciver (Tormod Thormoid an Tàilleir), schoolmaster, and his wife Anne Morrison (Anna Dhànaidh) from Kirkibost in Bernera. He had one other sibling, Norma (who also became a writer). He grew up at Loch Croistean, Uig and then from the age of eleven went to stay at Airidhantuim on the west side. He attended school at The Nicolson Institute and afterwards took Honours in Celtic Studies at the University of Aberdeen. He married Alice MacLeod in 1969 and they had a son, Morris Rae. He taught Gaelic for twenty-one years at The Nicolson Institute, and was a Principal Teacher for sixteen years. He later took on the role of Languages Adviser in the Education Department of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. He was also a member of the Executive Committee of An Comunn Gaidhealach and was Presisdent of the latter from 1985 until 1990. He was also the editor of Sruth and a director of Acair Ltd., as well as being a member of the Gaelic Books Council and of the now defunct National Gaelic Arts Project. His main publications are Camhanaich (1982), and Grian is Uisge (1991) (collections of original short stories), Eadar Peann is Pàipear (1985) (see Text 313) (an anthology of short stories with a comprehensive introduction), Coinneach Odhar (1990) (prophecies of the Brahan Seer), Cò Rinn E? (1992, a whodunit), A’ Chlach (1993) (an account of the Stone of Destiny) and Caogad san Fhàsach (2014) (see Text 334) (a collection of fifty of his short stories). His poetry and short stories appeared in Gairm, as well poems in Northwords. He was the winner of poetry, short story, article, and new drama competitions at National Mods, and many of his stories have been broadcast on BBC Radio. From 1997 he contributed articles, stories and reviews in a regular Gaelic column for The Stornoway Gazette. He was also Gaelic consultant to An Gàidheal Ùr. Donald John Maciver passed away, at the age of seventy-two, on 1 March 2015 and was interred in Aignish cemetry, Point. |
| Contents | The text opens with a ‘Roimh-Radh’ and ‘Taing’ (p. 5), then a ‘Clar’ (p. 7) and then the main text, which is divided into ten chapters as follows: ‘San Fharsaingeachd’ (pp. 9-10), ‘A’ Chlach’ (pp.11-21), ‘Tòmas nan Rann’ (p. 22), ‘Sgeulachd à Eirinn (p. 23), ‘Còmhradh eadar Anndra Peutan agus Coinneach Odhar’ (pp. 24-28), ‘Fàisneachd’ (pp. 31-54), which details sixty-seven prophecies attributed to him, with some commentary about their fulfilment or otherwise, ‘Bàs Choinnich Odhair’ (pp. 55-60), ‘An Fhàisneachd Dheireannach’ (pp. 61-62), ‘Ughdar air an Tràigh Mhòir’ (pp. 63-66), ‘San Dealachadh’ (p. 67-68), and finally ‘Leabhraichean is Iomraidhean’ (p. 69). |
| Sources | |
| Language | The language is fairly formal and, at times, somewhat laconic and terse. The text is well written and tight with the advantage of being easy to comprehend. Some of the material from which the text has drawn contains elements of a story-telling register, where direct speech is sometimes used to enliven the ensuing narrative. The text also contains fictional conversations.
The author’s Lewis dialect may be represented in the use of such forms as dara taobh (p. 5), àitean (p. 5), matà (p. 28), gun thachair (p.40) but also gun do thachair (p. 44), gun thuit (p. 46), gun phòs (p. 47), a’ cur teagaimh (p. 49), gun chaill (p. 53).
The copula is realised as follows: gur e (p. 5), gur ann (p. 9), ’s e (p. 12).
Very occasionally dative plurals appear, e.g., meòraibh (p. 43).
Occasional intrusive use of hyphen, e.g. a-thaobh (p. 5), a-rèir (p. 9), am-measg (p. 17) but hyphens are fairly consistent throughout the text.
The passive voice is used fairly regularly, e.g., thatar (p. 5), far a bheilear (p. 5), Cluinnear (p. 9), saoilear (p. 10), Fhuaireadh (p. 12), chreidear (p. 16), cualas (p. 16), chiteadh (p. 16), chan uarrainnear (p. 22), chan fhacas (p. 22), churte (p. 23), nach eilear (p. 31), sgarar (p. 31), chan fhoillsichear (p. 31), nach fhaicear (p. 31), gun d’ fhuairear (p. 33), nithear (p. 33), marbhar (p. 33), gun tèidear (p. 34), gun robhar (p. 35), coinnichear (p. 37), nach cluinnear (p. 37), air an robhar (p. 43), chan eilear (p. 50), tilgear (p. 51), thugar (p. 51), chìte (p. 57), feumte (p. 57), chunnacas (p. 62), faicear (p. 62), dearbhar (p. 68), dèanar (p. 68).
Occasionally there appears an English idiom but which is well-established in Gaelic, e.g., gun dèan iad suas an tinntinnean (p. 5), and Rinn i suas a h-inntinn (p. 12).
Apostrophes are not retained for possessive determiner e.g., na meadhan (p. 11) nor for other prepositional forms, e.g., don (p. 5), den (p. 5), bhon (p. 5), tro (p. 9).
Seemingly grammatical errors occur very occasionally, e.g., airson an ùghdar (p. 5), gun theine (p. 5), Airson an gnothaich (p. 13).
Occasional absence of hyphen, e.g., a’ mhòrchuid (p. 9).
Typographical errors are few but do not detract from comprehension of the text, e.g., suil (p. 12), co (p. 13), Bhàn-righ (p. 22), leighid (p. 48), co-dhunadh (p. 68).
The language represents the Gaelic dialect of the Isle of Lewis. |
| Orthography | The spelling conforms generally to the orthography of the late twentieth-century. Acute and grave accents are retained. No accents appear on capital letters. |
| Edition | First edition. |
| Other Sources | |
| Further Reading | Black, Ronald I. M. (ed.), An Tuil: Anthology of 20th Century Scottish Gaelic Verse (Edinburgh, 2002: Birlinn), 592-99, 804-05.
Goodrich-Freer, A., ‘Second Sight in the Highlands’, Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, XXI (1896-97), 106-15.
Humble, Christian, The Brahan Seer: Some Prophecies (Inverness, 1967: [n. pub.]).
MacEchern, Rev. Dugald, ‘Highland Second Sight’, Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, XXIX (1914-15), 290-314.
Macgregor, Alexander, Highland Superstitions: Connected with the Druids, Fairies, Witchcraft, Second-sight, Hallowe’en, Sacred Wells and Lochs, with Several Curious Instances of Highland Customs and Beliefs (Inverness, 1891: A. & W. MacKenzie).
Mackenzie, Alexander, ‘The Prophesies of Coinneach Odhar Fiosaiche, the Brahan Seer’, Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, III/IV (1873-75), 196-215.
Mackenzie, Alexander, Prophecies of the Brahan Seer-Coinneach Odhar Fiosaiche (London, 1977: Constable, new ed.).
Macrae, Norman (ed.), Highland Second-sight: with Prophecies of Coinneach Odhar and the Seer of Petty; and Numerous other Examples from the Writings of Aubrey, Martin, Theophilus Insulanus, the Rev. John Fraser, Dean of Argyle and the Isles, Rev. Dr. Kennedy of Dingwall, and others ([n. p.], 1908).
MacRath, Fearchar, ‘Coinneach Odhar’, An Gaidheal, leabh. LII, air. 6 (An t-Og-mhios, 1957), 51-54; leabh. LII, air. 7 (An t-Iubhar, 1957), 61-64; leabh. LII, air. 8 (An Lunadsal, 1957), 75-77; leabh. LII, air. 9 (An t-Sultuin, 1957), 82-86.
MacThòmais, Seumas, ‘Leac nam Feart’, An Gaidheal, vol. LVI, no. 7 (An t-Iuchair, 1961), 73-75.
Matheson, William, ‘The Historical Coinneach Odhar and Some Prophecies Attributed to Him’, Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, 46 (1969-70), 66-88.
Wilson, Damon, ‘The Brahan Seer’, in Damon Wilson (ed.), The Mammoth Book of Prophecies (London, 2003), 195-209. |
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| NumWords | 18650 |
