The Rev. Donald MacNicol ( gd, Domhnall MacNeacaill; 1735–1802), was a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

clergyman, Minister of Saddell and Lismore in Argyll, and an author. He was the son of Nicol Macnicol of Succoth, Argyll, and the nephew of Alexander Stewart of Invernahyle in the Strath of Appin. He is perhaps best known for his ''Remarks On Dr. Samuel Johnson's Journey To The Hebrides'', a work which commented rather vituperatively on

Dr. Johnson Samuel Johnson (18 September 1709 – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary criticism, critic, biographer, editor and lexicogra ...

's equally insulting ''

A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland ''A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland'' (1775) is a travel narrative by Samuel Johnson about an eighty-three-day journey through Scotland, in particular the islands of the Hebrides, in the late summer and autumn of 1773. The sixty-three-y ...

''. The Rev. MacNicol assisted the renowned

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

poet,

Duncan Ban MacIntyre Donnchadh Bàn Mac an t-Saoir, anglicized as ''Duncan Ban MacIntyre'' (20 March 1724 – 14 May 1812), was one of the most renowned of Scottish Gaelic poets. He formed an integral part of one of the golden ages of Gaelic poetry in Scotland d ...

, by transcribing over 6,000 lines of the illiterate man's work. MacNicol is also remembered for his Gaelic poem of lost love, entitled " Mo Shùil Ad Dhèidh." (English: "My Eye is After You") Chorus: :''Ochoin a chailin 's mo shùil ad dhèidh" :''A chailin, mo chailin 's mo shùil ad dhèidh'' :''A Lili, mo Lili 's mo shùil ad dhèidh'' :''Cha lèir dhomh am bealach le sileadh nan deur'' English Translation: :''Alas, my girl, my eye is after you'' :''Girl, my girl, my eye is after you'' :''Lily, my Lily, my eye is after you'' :''I can't see the mountain pass for the flowing of tears'' The thirty-five-year-old Rev. MacNicol wrote the poem in lament of being snubbed by Lillias Campbell, a local laird's daughter. He had requested the seventeen-year-old girl's hand in marriage, but Lillias had already accepted the hand of her cousin, Captain Alexander Campbell. However, Sir Alexander made an ungallant bet with a servant which left the incensed Lillias no choice but to accept the alternate proposal of the Rev. MacNicol. They married just after her eighteenth birthday, and would go on to have sixteen children. The poem was later set to music and remains a popular Highland folk song.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Macnicol, Donald 18th-century Ministers of the Church of Scotland 18th-century Scottish poets 1735 births 1802 deaths People from Lismore, Scotland 18th-century Scottish Gaelic poets