Donnchadh MacRath (d. c. 1700), also known as Duncan MacRae of Inverinate and Donnchadh nam Pìos, was a

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well ...

poet and the compiler of the

Fernaig manuscript The Fernaig manuscript ( gd, Làmh-sgrìobhainn Fheàrnaig or ''Làmh-sgrìobhainn MhicRath'') is a document containing approximately 4,200 lines of verse consisting largely of political and religious themes. The manuscript was composed between 1 ...

which he committed to paper using an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

-influenced system of

orthography An orthography is a set of conventions for writing a language, including norms of spelling, hyphenation, capitalization, word breaks, emphasis, and punctuation. Most transnational languages in the modern period have a writing system, and ...

.William J. Watson -Ross and Cromarty 2012 -- Page 118 "Gaelic literature owes much to Duncan Macrae of Inverinate, chief of his name, and a man of varied graces and accomplishments. In 1688 he began to compile a collection of Gaelic poetry, which is extant and known as the Fernaig Manuscript."

Origins

He was the son and heir of Alexander Macrae of Inverinate, who served as Chamberlain of

Kintail Kintail ( gd, Cinn Tàile) is an area of mountains in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland, located in the Highland Council area. It consists of the mountains to the north of Glen Shiel and the A87 road between the heads of Loch Duich and Loch ...

to the third Earl of Seaforth, by his first wife, Margaret, the daughter of Murdoch Mackenzie of

Redcastle Redcastle ( gd, an Caisteal ruadh), historically known as Edirdovar and Ederdour, is a medieval castle in Killearnan on the Black Isle, northern Scotland. It is so named from the colour of the stone of which it is built. The castle is now in a ...

. The Macraes of Inverinate were an old and well-established family, long associated with the Mackenzies and the castle at

Eilean Donan Eilean Donan ( gd, Eilean Donnain) is a small tidal island situated at the confluence of three sea lochs ( Loch Duich, Loch Long and Loch Alsh) in the western Highlands of Scotland, about from the village of Dornie. It is connected to the ma ...

. Donnchadh was, by traditional reckoning, 9th of Inverinate.Rev.Alexander Macrae, ''History of the Clan Macrae'' (A.M.Ross & Co, Dingwall, 1899)

Reputation

Donnchadh was himself the author of many of the poems in his compilation. His poems suggest Jacobite and Non-Juring Episcopalian sympathies tempered with a spirit of toleration. The local oral tradition contains many tales of his ingenuity in practical matters and Professor Mackinnon in ''The Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness'' (Volume XI) provided this assessment of him: :"...undoubtedly Duncan Macrae, the engineer and mechanician, the ardent ecclesiastic, the keen though liberal-minded politician, the religious poet, and collector of the literature of his countrymen, is as different from the popular conception of a Highland Chief of the

Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

as can well be conceived." He also appears in a catalogue of heroes from

in ''Time and Sgurr Urain'', a poem by Sorley MacLean:
:''And Duncan of the Silver Cups'' :''in high-wooded Inverinate''.

Death

Donnchadh died some time between 1693 and 1704. Many local traditions grew up around his death by drowning in the river Chonaig, near Dorusduain: it is said that he was returning from a visit to the Chisholm to purchase the lands of Affric, and that the deeds to Affric were lost in the incident (conveniently or inconveniently, depending on one's point of view).

Family and posterity

Donnchadh married Janet, daughter of Alexander Macleod of

Raasay Raasay (; gd, Ratharsair) or the Isle of Raasay is an island between the Isle of Skye and the mainland of Scotland. It is separated from Skye by the Sound of Raasay and from Applecross by the Inner Sound. It is famous for being the birt ...

. She was served heir with her sister Julia to the Raasay estates in 1688, but local resistance to the sisters' claims ultimately proved successful. (A surviving sasine records that Julia sold her rights to their cousin, another Alexander Macleod, in 1692.) A satirical West Coast ditty entitled ''Cailleach Liath Rasaidh'' (the greyhaired old woman of Raasay) is said to have been inspired by local chagrin over the surrender. Donnchadh and Janet had at least three sons and two daughters, including Donnchadh's heir Farquhar, who died in 1711.

Notes

References

*Macrae, Reverend Alexander, ''History of the Clan Macrae'' (A.M.Ross & Co, Dingwall, 1899) *MacPharlain, Calum ''Lamh-Sgrìobhainn Mhic Rath'', (Dundee) *Thomson, Derick S. ''The Companion to Gaelic Scotland'', (Blackwell Reference) {{DEFAULTSORT:Macrath, Donnchadh

Donnchadh Donnchadh () is a masculine given name common to the Irish and Scottish Gaelic languages. It is composed of the elements ''donn'', meaning "brown" or "dark" from Donn a Gaelic God; and ''chadh'', meaning "chief" or "noble". The name is also written ...

Anglo-Catholic poets Nonjurors of the Glorious Revolution Protestant Jacobites Scottish Episcopalians 17th-century Scottish Gaelic poets Year of death unknown Year of birth unknown