Alistair MacPherson | Alasdair Mac a’ Phearsain (no confirmed dates) belonged to the Knock in Sleat, Skye, and had strong connections to the Clan MacDonald of Skye. He served in the 15th Hussars for eight years. He published the collection Treubhantas nan Gàidheal Albannach (n. d., c. 1934), dedicated to the ‘Lady MacDonald of the Isles.’ The two poems published in Alba come from the collection. In Alba, MacPherson participated in some spirited exchanges of opinion with other contributors, including Malcolm MacFarlane, Duncan Matheson, and Claude Chavasse. In 1918, MacPherson published an ode to celebrate the birth of Alexander Somerled Agnus, the new heir of Clan MacDonald (‘Fàilte do Mhac Oighre Mhic Dhòmhnuill’).
Military references in the story ‘‘An t-Each’, published by ‘Alasdair Mac a’ Phearsain’ in An Sgeulaiche, indicate he is the likely author.
I am grateful to Mr Greg MacThòmais (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Library) for information about Alistair MacPherson from John MacInnes’ almanac The Brave Sons of Skye (1899), a biographical volume about soldiers from Skye which also published MacPherson’s photograph, and about the 1918 ode.
Publications in Erskine’s Periodicals
- ‘Tapachd nan Gàidheal’ [poetry, GD], Issue 30 (29 August 1908)
- ‘Treubhantas nan Gàidheal’ [poetry, GD], Issue 36 (10 October 1908)
- ‘Tapadh nan Gàidheal’ [commentary on a previously published poem, GD], Issue 36 (10 October 1908)
- ‘Tapadh nan Gàidheal; “I” agus “Innis”’ [commentary on a previously published poem, GD], Issue 39 (31 October 1908)
- ‘Am Bàrd Uibhisteach [poetry extract with commentary, GD], Issue 41 (14 November 1908)
- ‘“I” agus “Innis”’ [response, GD], Issue 42 (21 November 1908)
- ‘“I” agus “Innis”’ [response, GD], Issue 45 (12 December 1908)
- An Sasannach agus an Deise Ghàidhealach’ [article, GD], Issue 48 (2 January 1909)
- ‘An t-Each’ [story for children, GD], Volume I, Issue 1 (September 1909)
Resources
- John MacInnes, The Brave Sons of Skye (Edinburgh: Norman MacLeod, 1899).