little finger – Learning Living Pibroch

The Giant’s Daughter’s Little Finger

19 October 201620 October 2016 Barnaby BrownHistorical Documents

The title Port an Lùdag – The Little Finger Tune (PS 240) intrigues me. The idea that it concerns the piper’s hiharin finger doesn’t convince me because other more famous tunes make greater use of the little finger. A few months ago, I posted a story[…]

St Moluag’s Little Finger

26 February 20163 March 2016 Barnaby BrownHistorical Documents

In 1870, Alexander Carmichael recorded a folktale about two of the most highly venerated saints in Highland culture, Moluag and Calum Cille (Columba). In a race to the island of Lismore, Moluag cut off his little finger and[…]