Archibald Campbell

Photograph of Fr. Archibald Campbell preserved as a memento of his visit to Nova Scotia, from the collection of Fr. Allan J. MacMillan, St Andrew’s, Judique. Courtesy of Chestico Museum & Archives (chesticoplace.com).

Archibald Campbell | Gilleasbuig Caimbeul (12 April 1850, Ballachulish – 13 April 1921, Glasgow) was a Jesuit priest with strong familial ties to Lochaber. He left Scotland and joined the Society of Jesus in Flanders and studied at Tronchiennes for two years. Afterwards, the Society stationed him in London, Stonyhurst, Liverpool, and North Wales. In 1884, he was sent to Cowcaddens in Glasgow, where he spent the rest of his life, in charge of the district of St Joseph’s. He conducted fortnightly services in Gaelic in St Bride’s at Cheapside Street.

Campbell had a lifelong interest in Gaelic and in Scottish history, especially religious. His contributions to Erskine’s Guth na Bliadhna were signed ‘Gilleasbuig mac Dhòmhnuill ’ic Eoghain.’ In 1907, he carried out an extensive mission tour of Gaelic-speaking parishes in Nova Scotia and published two travelogues reflecting on the experience in GnB. As Allan J. Gillis noted, Campbell also published an account of his visit in the Canadian Scottish bilingual periodical Mosgladh, and his arrival was reported in The Casket, a local Catholic journal. Erskine sometimes republished content from The Casket and the magazine involved some other contributors from the Gaelic-speaking Catholic community in Canada, such as Donald M. MacAdam. 

Publications in Erskine’s Periodicals

Guth na Bliadhna

  • ‘Bithibh Faicilleach!’ [essay, GD], Volume I, Issue 1 (Winter 1904)
  • ‘Dithis Bhràithrean’ [prose, GD], Volume I, Issue 2 (Spring 1904)
  • ‘Fuadach an t-Shluaigh’ [prose, GD], Volume I, Issue 3 (Summer 1904)
  • ‘Seumas a’ Ghlinne’ [essay, GD], Volume I, Issue 4 (Autumn 1904); later reprinted in An Sgeulaiche
  • ‘Maighstir Ailean, Eiriscaidh’ [obituary for Fr. Allan MacDonald, GD], Volume II, Issue 4 (Autumn 1905)
  • ‘Gleann Comhann’ [prose, GD], Volume III, Issue 2 (Spring 1906); later reprinted in An Sgeulaiche
  • ‘Lòchran an Anma’ [review, GD], Volume III, Issue 4 (Autumn 1906)
  • ‘Dùthaich na Saorsa’ [travelogue, GD], Volume V, Issue 2 (Spring 1908)
  • ‘Dùthaich an Àigh’ [travelogue, GD], Volume V, Issue 3 (Summer 1908)
  • ‘Mòd na Sacramaide’ [travelogue, GD] (Autumn 1908)
  • ‘Turas-cràbhaidh do na h-Eileanan’ [travelogue, GD] (Spring 1910)

Alba

  • ‘Cor Sluagh Chanada’ [article, GD], Issue 17 (30 May 1908), originally published in Guth na Bliadhna

Resources

  • J. G. Gibson, ‘Reverend Archibald Campbell’s Observations on Piping in Judique,’ Old and New World Highland Bagpiping (2002)
  • Allan J. Gillis, ‘1907 – Rev. Archie Campbell,’ Cape Breton Genealogical and Historical Association (October 2005)
  • ‘Father Archibald Campbell, SJ, St Joseph’s Church, Glasgow,’ The Celtic Monthly (April 1908)
  • ‘Father Archibald Campbell,’ Letters and Notices 36 (1921) [anonymously published obituary]