Màiri Mhòr nan Òran facts for kids

Mary MacPherson (born MacDonald), known as Màiri Mhòr nan Òran (which means "Great Mary of the Songs" in English), was a famous Scottish Gaelic poet. She was born on March 10, 1821, on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Her poems often talked about important events like the Highland Clearances and the Crofters' War. These events involved people fighting for their land rights.

Mary couldn't write her own poems down, but she could read them once someone else wrote them. She remembered all her songs and poems in her head. Later, she would tell them to others, who then wrote them down so they could be shared. People in Skye often called her Màiri Nighean Iain Bhàin, meaning "Mary, daughter of fair-haired John."

A Poet's Journey

Mary MacDonald was born in Skeabost, Skye, in 1821. Her parents were John Macdonald and Flora MacInnes. In 1844, she moved to Inverness. There, she married Isaac MacPherson, a shoemaker, in 1847. They had five children who grew up.

Facing Challenges

After her husband died in 1871, Mary started working as a house helper. She faced a difficult situation where she was wrongly accused of something. She spent some time in prison, but she always said she was innocent. Many people in the Gaelic-speaking community believed her. This tough experience actually inspired her to write more poetry. She wrote a song called Tha mi sgìth de luchd na Beurla (I'm tired of the English speakers) about this time. She said the unfairness she felt made her poetry come alive.

During this time, a journalist named John Murdoch supported her. He was the founder of a newspaper called The Highlander. A politician and lawyer from Inverness, Charles Fraser-Mackintosh, also helped her. They became good friends for the rest of her life.

New Skills and New Homes

In 1872, Mary Mhòr moved to Glasgow. She was about 50 years old. While there, she learned to read and write in English. She also earned certificates in nursing and helping with births from Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

In 1876, she moved to Greenock for work. However, she often visited Glasgow for cèilidhs. These were social gatherings where people would sing, tell stories, and play music. Both Glasgow and Greenock had many Gaelic speakers back then. Mary often sang at these gatherings.

Championing Land Rights

Mary returned to Skye in 1882. By this time, she was well-known for her songs. She was also famous for supporting the crofters, who were small farmers. They were fighting for their land rights. She sang at the very first National Mòd in Oban in 1892, which is a big festival for Gaelic culture.

When she came back to Skye, a friend gave her a place to live. Later, Lachlann MacDonald, the laird (landowner) of Skeabost, gave her a cottage where she didn't have to pay rent. Mary then became very active in the Crofters' War. This was a time when crofters protested against unfair land rules. Many of her most famous songs are about these struggles.

She attended meetings of the Highland Land League, a group that fought for crofters' rights. She worked with campaigners like Alexander Mackenzie and her friend Fraser-Mackintosh. They worked together for the Napier Commission (a group that looked into crofters' problems) in 1883-84 and the Crofters Act of 1886. This act helped protect crofters' rights.

In one of her songs, 'Nuair chaidh na ceithir ùr oirre', Mary describes crossing the Strome Ferry with Fraser-Mackintosh and others. They were going to gather support for the land struggle. She was a tall woman, about 5 feet 9 inches (172.5 cm) tall. The name "Mhòr" (Great) could refer to her height as well as her importance as a poet.

Other well-known songs from this time include Oran Beinn Li, Coinneamh nan Croitearan, and Eilean a’ Cheò.

Friendships and Legacy

Mary Mhòr admired Professor John Stuart Blackie, a well-known scholar. She became good friends with him. Mary was skilled at spinning wool. She made Blackie a tartan plaid, which is a type of blanket or shawl. She even created her own tartan design, which she called "The Blackie." Blackie gave her a beautiful shepherd's crook in return. She also gave Fraser-Mackintosh a woollen suit that she had spun and dyed herself.

Mary Mhòr died in Portree in 1898. She was buried in Chapel Yard Cemetery in Inverness next to her husband. Her friend Fraser-Mackintosh put up a gravestone for her. Today, a blue plaque marks her last known home in Portree, which is now the Rosedale Hotel.

Why Her Work Matters

During the time of the Highland Land League, songs were a very important way to share information. Many Gaelic-speaking people in Skye could not read Gaelic. So, Mary's songs helped spread news and ideas about the land struggles. Her poetry also gives us a lot of information about the crofters' uprisings.

Published Work

• Gaelic Songs and Poems, by Mary MacPherson, 1891.

What People Thought of Her Work

Mary's loyalty to her Highland traditions and her people shines through in her song Eilean a' Cheò. In it, she shares her hopes for her home, the Isle of Skye:

Some people had different ideas about the lasting value of Mary's songs. Donald Meek quotes Sheriff Alexander Nicolson, who felt that her songs might not be important after the events they talked about had passed. He thought her images were "too fleeting and superficial."

However, the famous poet Sorley Maclean had a very different view. He wrote that Mary's work was great because it combined feelings about society and personal feelings. He said her poetry had "extra-ordinary vitality and joie de vivre" (joy of living). Maclean believed Mary's poetry was rich in images and symbols. He said it was deeply moving for both "sophisticated" and "unsophisticated" people who understood her language.

Images for kids

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  Photograph of Màiri Mhòr with her spinning whorl

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  Plaque on the Rosedale Hotel, Portree to Mairi Mhor nan Oran

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  Beaumont Crescent, Portree. Last known address of Mairi Mhor nan Oran

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  Grave Stone of Mairi Mhòr in Chapel Yard Cemetery, Inverness