John Francis Campbell | Iain Frangan Caimbeul (29 December 1821, Islay – 17 February 1885, Cannes) was a barrister, civil servant, scientist, traveller, visual artist, polyglot, and folklore collector. Raised on the island of Islay, which belonged to his family at the time, he learnt Gaelic in the local community. In 1860–1862, he published the ground-breaking four-volume bilingual collection of Gaelic folklore, Popular Tales of the West Highlands, based on material gathered from tradition-bearers during his extensive travels in the Highlands and Islands. A further collection based on Campbell’s manuscripts, More West Highland Tales (1940), was edited by John G. Mackay, who first published some of the tales in Erskine’s magazines.
Publications in Erskine’s Periodicals
- ‘Fear a’ Bhratain Uaine’ [prose, GD], Volume IX, Issue 4 (Autumn 1912). No attribution in GnB; a reprint in Leabhraichean nan Ceilidh 23 lists it as ‘seann sgeul, le I. F. Caimbeul, Iain Òg Ìle’ [an old tale by J. F. Campbell].
- ‘Iain Òg, Mac Rìgh na Frainge’ [prose, GD], Volume XI, Issue 4 (Winter 1914)
- ‘An Tuairisgeal Mòr’ [prose, GD], Volume XII, Issue 2 & 3 (Summer & Autumn 1915). Two versions of a story from J. F. Campbell’s unpublished manuscripts, presented by John G. Mackay.
Additionally, Guth na Bliadhna published two other tales from Campbell’s manuscripts but in connection with John Dewar, one of Campbell’s collectors.
- ‘Clann an Rìgh fo Gheasaibh’ [prose, GD], Volume III, Issue 1 (Spring 1911)
- Nighean Rìgh-fo-Thuinn’ [prose, GD], Volume I (1917). Presented by John G. Mackay.
Resources
- Urike Hogg, ‘John Francis Campbell: The Saviour of Gaelic Folklore,’ Discover (National Library of Scotland, 2023)
- Frank G. Thomson, ‘John Francis Campbell,’ Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness LIV (1984-1986)
- Petra Johana Poncarová, ‘Folklore Material in Ruaraidh Erskine’s Gaelic Magazines,’ Review of Scottish Culture 30:1 (2025) (open access)