John MacCormick | Iain MacCormaig (1 January 1860, Fionnphort, Ross of Mull – 1947, Glasgow) originally trained as a teacher but later made a living as a journalist and writer. He is known as the author as one of the two earliest Gaelic novels, Dùn-Àluinn, no an t-Oighre ’na Dhìobarach (Dunalin, or the Banished Heir, 1912).
To Erskine’s magazines, he contributed mostly adventurous and humorous stories and dialogues but also essays and articles on various subjects and a play, An t-Agh Odhar (1910), which appeared in An Sgeulaiche. He was active as a translator into Gaelic. The history and literature of Mull were his lifelong interests. At the National Mòd in Greenock (1925), MacCormick received the Bardic Crown for the poem ‘Blàr Inbhir Chèitein’ (The Battle of Inverkeithing).
Erskine translated a passage from MacCormick’s Dùn-Àluinn, ‘The Riot at the Inn’, and a story from his Oiteagan on Iar, ‘Reiving Time’, for the collection of Gaelic prose in English, The Old Tribute (1929). Erskine’s translation of another story by MacCormick, ‘The Chinese Pirates’, was published in The Scottish Review (Spring 1915).
Publications in Erskine’s Periodicals
- ‘Colum Cille’ [essay, GD], Volume V, Issue 1 (Winter 1908)
- ‘Sgoil a’ Chruinne-cè’ [essay, GD], Volume V, Issue 2 (Spring 1908)
- ‘Cath nan Ian a Bha ’n Eirinn’ [prose; GD; folktale transcribed by Iain MacCormaig from Alasdair MacLucais in Mull], Volume VI, Issue 1 (Winter 1909)
- ‘Guaisbheart Mhaolagain Mhoir’ [prose, GD], Volume IX, Issue 4 (Autumn 1912) – Volume XI, Issue 1 (Spring 1914)
- ‘The Statutes of Iona’ [essay, ENG], Volume IX, Issue 1 (Winter 1912)
- ‘Spaidsearachd Chloinn Ghill-Eathainn, bho Mheoir Mhic-Fhraing’ [prose, GD], Volume XIII, Issue 4 (Winter 1916)
- ‘An t-Eilean Muileach’ [essay, GD], Volume XVI, Issue 3 (Autumn 1919)
- ‘Fionnag an Fhàsaich’ [prose, GD], Volume XVII, Issue 1 (Spring 1920) – Volume XVII, Issue 3 (Autumn 1920)
- ‘Seann-Eachdraidh: Beachdachadh air Eachdraidh na Cànain Ghàidhlige agus Tùs Leasachaidh Ceiltich an Albainn roimh 1600 A.D.’ [essay, GD], Volume XVIII, Issue 4 (Winter 1921)
- ‘Solus: Is Miorbhuilean Eile na Cruitheachd’ [article, GD], Volume XIX, Issue I (Winter 1923)
- ‘Còmhradh eadar Dùghall an t-Sluic agus am Ministear’ [I] [prose dialogue, GD], Issue 2 (15 February 1908)
- ‘Am Briuthas Beag’ [prose, GD], Issue 8 (28 March 1908) – Issue 11 (18 April 1908)
- ‘Bàthadh nan Iasgairean’ [article, GD], Issue 12 (25 April 1908)
- ‘An Crodh Sìth’ [article, GD], Issue 13 (2 May 1908)
- ‘Colum Cille’ [essay, GD], Issue 17 (30 May 1908), originally published in Guth na Bliadhna
- ‘Sgoil a’ Chruinne-chè’ [article, GD], Issue 21 (27 June 1908) – Issue 22 (4 July 1908), originally published in Guth na Bliadhna
- ‘Bàs na Gàidhlig’ [article, GD], Issue 38 (24 October 1908)
- ‘Gille Gibeach a’ Ghlinne Mhòir’ [prose, GD], Issue 43 (28 November 1908) – Issue 46 (19 December 1908)
- ‘Am Ministear Ceòlmhor’ [prose, GD; translation by MacCormick, author of the original not attributed], Volume I, Issue 1 (September 1909)
- ‘Spuinneadairean Shìne’ [prose, GD], Volume I, Issue 3 (November 1909)
- ‘B’ Iad Siud Na Làithean Sunndach’ [prose, GD], Volume II, Issue 1 (Spring 1910)
- ‘Sean Chuimhneachan air a’ Choire Ghlas’ [prose, GD], Volume II, Issue 1 (Summer 1910)
- ‘Eilean Deideil’ [prose, GD], Volume II, Issue 3 (Autumn 1910)
- ‘An t-Agh Odhar’ [play, GD], Volume II, Issue 4 (Winter 1910)
- ‘Thall ’s a Bhos’ [prose, GD], Volume III, Issue 1 (Spring 1911)
- ‘An Caisteal Gorm’ [prose, GD], Volume III, Issue 2 (Summer 1911)
- ‘Bean a’ Bhocsa Bhuidhe’ [prose, GD], Volume I (1917), illustrations by Andrew Scott Rankin
- ‘An Gleann Mòr Muileach’ [poetry, GD], Volume IV (1930)
- ‘Mùsamull’ [prose, GD], Volume IV (1930)
- ‘An Rìbhinn Màiri’ [prose, GD], Issue 5 (31 January 1920)
- ‘Gaol a Dhiondh’ [prose, GD], Issue 7 (14 February 1920)
- ‘Fear a’ Chaisteil Dhuibh’ [prose, GD], Issue 9 (29 February 1920) – Issue 10 (6 March 1920)
- ‘Seumas a’ Chiobair agus an Carbad-athair’ [prose, GD], Issue 16 (5 June 1920)
- ‘Mar a Thug Dìcheall Buaidh’ [prose, GD], Issue 17 (10 July 1920) – Issue 19 (11 September 1920)
- ‘Iain Mac Mhàrtainn’ [article, GD], Issue 30 (December 1921)
- John MacCormick: ‘The Chinese Pirates’ [prose, ENG; translated from Gaelic by Ruaraidh Erskine], Issue 77, Volume 38 (Spring 1915)
Resources
- Sheila M. Kidd, ‘The Forgotten First: John MacCormick’s Dùn-Àluinn,’ Scottish Gaelic Studies 22 (2006)
- Lachlan MacKinnon (ed.), ‘Iain MacCormaic,’ Bàird a’ Chomuinn (1953)
- Gillebrìde MacIlleMhaoil (ed.), 100 Bliadhna de Bhàird a’ Chomuinn Ghàidhealaich 1923–2023 (CLÀR, 2024)