A’ Bhratach Bhàn
|
The White Banner |
Bratach Bhàn nan Stiùbhartach
|
The Stewarts’ White Banner |
Cù Dubh Shomhairle
|
Sorley’s Black Dog |
Cumha Dubh Shomhairle
|
Sorley’s Black Lament or Black Sorley’s Lament |
Primary Sources
C2 Samuells Black dog C2.24: 60
D1 Cumhadh Dubh Shomhairle / A Doleful Lament for… Samuel… D1.20: 98
K1 Bratach Bhàn nan Stuartach / The Stuarts White Banner K1.57: 128
SC Bratich Bhan SC.42
Notes on Gaelic Titles
A’ Bhratach Bhàn Bhratich Bhan C1; A Bhratach Bhaan / The White Flag D2; A Bhratach Bhaan Dj; Bratich Bhan SC. The White Banner. Colin Campbell gives this title to PS 11, the MacDonalds (father and son) to PS 108, and Angus MacKay to PS 209.
Bratach Bhàn nan Stiùbhartach Bratach Bhàn nan Stuartach / The Stuarts White Banner K1; Bratich Bhan SC. The Stewarts’ White Banner. Since there are other tunes with the name A’ Bhratach Bhàn, Angus MacKay distinguishes this one by adding ‘nan Stuartach’. Revealingly, Peter Reid distinguishes PS 209 by adding ‘Chlan Aodh’, but only after crossing out ‘The Steuarts Salute’.
Cù Dubh Shomhairle (Cumha Dubh Shomhairle) Samuells Black dog C2; Cumhadh Dubh Shomhairle / A Doleful Lament for the Death of Samuel a Celebrated Piper D1. Sorley’s Black Dog / Black Sorley’s Dog (Sorley’s Black Lament / Black Sorley’s Lament). It was previously supposed that Colin Campbell heard cù ‘dog’ instead of cumha ‘lament’ (PS Book 7, p. 201). John MacInnes and Allan MacDonald, however, consider it more likely that cumha is a corruption of cù (audio below: ‘What is the adjective dubh referring to?’). Another pibroch title that may relate to a story about a dog is McLeods Dog Short Tail (PS 131). Donald MacDonald’s translation of dubh as ‘doleful’ is also found in Mèarsadh dubh Mhorair Bràighead Albainn (PS 74). The anglicisation Samuel for Shomhairle is in line with other replacements of Gaelic first names by English ones, e.g. Daniel for Dòmhnall and Hugh for Aodh.
Roderick Cannon (2009), rev. Barnaby Brown 2016