‘S e an Dr Sìm Innes agus an Dr Geraldine Parsons bho Cheiltis is Gàidhlig, Sgoil nan Daonnachdan aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu a th’ air ceann a’ phròiseict seo. Tha sinn an dùil agus an dòchas rannsachadh ùr a bhrosnachadh mun Urramach Seumas MacLathagain (1728-1805) agus a làmh-sgrìobhainnean. Tha cruinneachadh glè mhor de na làmh-sgrìobhainnean aig MacLathagain (MS Gen 1042) ann an Cruinneachaidhean Sònraichte aig Leabharlann Oilthigh Ghlaschu. Tha luach nach beag anns a’ chruinneachadh aige anns a bheil 630 nì air 1650 duilleagan. ‘S e bàrdachd Gàidhlig as motha a th’ anns na làmh-sgrìobhainnean ged a tha rosg agus nìthean ann an cànainean eile a’ nochdadh cuideachd.
Sa bhitheantas thathar den bheachd gun do thòisich cruinneachadh beul-aithris is litreachas na Gàidhlig an dèidh do Seumas Bàn MacMhuirich a chuid eadar-theangachaidhean Oiseanach a chur ann an clò sna 1760an. Ach tha cruinneachadh MhicLathagain a’ toirt oirnn smaoineachadh as ùr: Bha MacLathagain a’ tional òrain na bu thràithe na MacMhuirich, bha an dithis ann an co-luadar agus thug MacLathagain rudan a chruinnich e do MhacMhuirich. Mar sheaplain anns an Fhreacadan Dubh agus an dèidh sin na mhinistear ann an Siorrachd Pheairt chaidh aig MacLathagain air coimhearsnachdan na h-eaglaise, an airm agus eile a chleachdadh gus òrain fhaighinn. Bha a dhreuchd leis an rèiseamaid a’ ciallachadh gun robh e ann an Ameireagaidh, Èirinn agus Eilean Mhanainn agus tha e follaiseach gun robh e ri cruinneachadh anns gach àite a tha sin. Mar sin, le bhith a’ dèanamh sgrùdadh air a’ chruinneachadh mhòr seo feumar meòrachadh air iomadh cuspair a tha cudromach do Cheiltis is Gàidhlig agus rannsachadh air an 18mh Linn. Nam measg bhiodh àrsaidheachd, colonachd Bhreatainn, beul-aithris agus clò-bhualadh, toiseach sgrùdaidhean na Ceiltis, eadar-theangachadh. Tha sgeul ri innse mu gach cuspair a tha sin bho MhacLathagain agus a lìonraidhean.
The Project
This project is run by Dr Sìm Innes and Dr Geraldine Parsons from Celtic and Gaelic at the University of Glasgow. We hope to generate new research into the Rev. James McLagan (1728-1805) and his manuscripts. Special Collections at the University of Glasgow Library houses a large number of McLagan’s manuscripts (MS Gen 1042). This significant collection comprises 630 items on 1650 pages. It contains mostly Gaelic verse, along with some prose and items in other languages.
The stimulus for the modern collection of Gaelic literature and folklore is conventionally seen to be the publication of James Macpherson’s Ossianic ‘translations’ in the 1760s, a view which this collection challenges outright (McLagan’s activity predates Macpherson; the pair corresponded and McLagan supplied Macpherson with a number of poems). As chaplain to the Black Watch and later minister in Highland Perthshire, McLagan could use military and ecclesiastical channels to access Gaelic literary tradition. His career saw him collect material throughout Scotland and while stationed in America, Ireland and the Isle of Man. Therefore, by engaging with this large collection , we confront key concepts within both Gaelic and eighteenth-century studies. These encompass: antiquarianism, British colonialism, orality and print culture, the emergence of Celtic studies and translation studies; all of which are given coherence by McLagan’s interests and networks.
Co-Labhairt/ Conference (9/9/2016)
Airson fiosrachadh air co-labhairt aon-latha air MacLathagain agus a làmh-sgrìobhaineann anns an t-Sultain 2016 faicibh an seo/ For information on a one-day conference on McLagan and his manuscripts in September 2016 see here: https://gaelicenlightenment.wordpress.com/2016/04/07/co-labhairt-mhiclathagainmclagan-conference/
An Soillearachadh Gàidhealach / The Gaelic Enlightenment 