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and repeated in 2007. Ó Baoill stated that "while Arthur cannot be contradicted on present knowledge, the known history of the Ó Catháin family does not support his account in any way" By 2007, Ó Baoill wrote, "the argument is based on no real evidence, and until some is found we must conclude that the only relic we have of Ruairi Dall Ó Catháin is his music”. Sanger, having revisited the sources for the music (the "Straloch manuscript" of about 1627–1629) states that this has gone missing in 1845. He concludes "But overall the evidence, or rather the lack of any, for a Rorie Dall Ó Cathain does not provide much of a base on which to build his character."
218:"It is a curious coincidence that after spending many years with McLeod, of Dunvegan, in the Isle of Skye, O'Cahan should die at Eglinton Castle about the year 1653. In some inaccountable way during his long sojourn in Scotland he became known as Rory Dall Morrison, and this has so clouded his origin and identity as to involve his very nationality in question."
108:. Knowing he was a harper, but being unaware of his rank, Lady Eglinton commanded him to play a tune. Taking offence at her peremptory manner, Ó Catháin refused and left the castle. When she found out who her guest was her ladyship sought and effected a speedy reconciliation. This incident furnished a theme for one of the harper's best compositions.
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Robert Burns’ poem “Ae Fond Kiss” was first published using a tune entitled “Rory Dall’s Port”. It appears that the melody sung by Eddi Reader and other popular singers today is derived from this. “Rory Dall’s Port” is sometimes credited to Ruaidrí Dáll Ó Catháin. It could also have been written by
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In 2017, the
Scottish researcher Keith Sanger explained at length his reasons for believing that Ruairí Dall Ó Catháin never existed and was instead made up by Arthur O'Neill. He takes up the most thorough biographical research on Ó Catháin to date, which was first published by Colm Ó Baoill in 1971
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familiarly laid his royal hand on the harper's shoulder. When asked by one of the courtiers if he realized the honour thus conferred on him, to their consternation Rory replied: 'A greater than King James has laid his hand on my shoulder'. Who was that man?' cried the King. 'O'Neill, Sire', proudly
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O'Neill was, however, mistaken as their lives didn't even overlap, Morrison being born on the Isle of Lewis around 1656 while Ó Catháin was born in Antrim in the 1580s. Ruaidrí Dáll Mac Ghille Mhoire is buried in
Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye while Ó Catháin is buried in Sleat, also on Skye, having
120:. The fame of the composition and the occasion which gave birth to it reaching the ear of King James the Sixth, induced him to send for the composer. Ó Catháin accordingly attended at the Scottish court and created a sensation."
202:, celebrating the wedding of Charles O'Donnell, son of Manus of Rosturk Mulranny, County Mayo, to a Miss More, composed to a tune by Ruairí Dall Ó Catháin is printed in Bunting (1840, p. 13).
22:(anglicized: Rory Dall O'Cahan) may have been an Irish harper and composer. Recent research, however, raises the question whether he ever really existed. He is said to have been born circa 1580 in
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attended by the retinue of a gentle man of large property, and when in
Scotland, according to the accounts preserved there also, he seemed to have traveled in the company of noble persons."
104:"Proud and spirited, he resented anything in the nature of trespass on his dignity. Among his visits to the houses of Scottish nobility, he is said to have called at Eglinton Castle,
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Ruairidh
Morison ‘An Clàrsair Dall’ (‘The Blind Harper’), or James Oswald, who first published the tune in Volume 8 of “The Caledonian Pocket Companion.”
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explained the uncertainty concerning his lifetime, stating he lived c.1570 to 1650 and that he was active during the first half of the 17th century.
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According to Arthur O'Neill, unlike the vast number of travelling musicians, Ó Catháin was a
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Colm Ó Baoill: "Some Irish
Harpers in Scotland" (1971–72), p. 145; see Bibliography.
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spent most of his life in the
Scottish Highlands. Maybe this is what confused O'Neill.
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The Scots
Musical Museum <\i>’, Burns Chronicle, Volume 130 Issue 1, pp 71-95
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Irish
Minstrels and Musicians: With Numerous Dissertations on Related Subjects
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Keith Sanger: "Mapping the
Clarsach in Scotland", published 31 May 2017 on
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Keith Sanger: "Mapping the
Clarsach in Scotland", published 31 May 2017 on
273:, edited by Michael Porter (Bern etc.: Peter Lang, 2006), pp. 227–244.
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All current knowledge about Ó Catháin is based on anecdotes by the harper
300:(Chicago: Regan, 1913; reprinted Cork: Mercier Press, 1987), p. 60.
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Defining Strains. The Musical Life of Scots in the Seventeenth Century
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339:(Dublin: Hodges and Smith, 1840; reprinted Dublin: Walton's, 1969).
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245:(Dublin: Hodges and Smith, 1840; reprinted Dublin: Walton's, 1969)
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Bruce Armstrong attributed the following pieces to Ó Catháin:
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Colm Ó Baoill: "Some Irish Harpers in Scotland", in
125:"His performance so delighted the royal circle that
73:. Reflecting his origins, Ó Catháin "traveled into
134:In the late 20th century, the piece was wedded to
269:C. Ó Baoill: "Two Irish Harpers in Scotland", in
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264:Transactions of the Gaelic Society of Inverness
97:), published originally under its Latin title.
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100:There is an anecdote about its composition:
214:O'Neill reports that he died in Scotland:
142:and has since enjoyed a huge resurgence.
348:Ellen L. Beard: ‘Gaelic Tune Sources in
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259:(London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1911).
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266:, vol. 47 (1971–72), pp. 143–171.
85:Ó Catháin's best-known composition is
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116:). The name has been Latinized into
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227:Doubts about Ó Catháin's existence
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252:(Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1904).
250:The Irish and the Highland Harps
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57:being hereditary allies of the
26:and to have died circa 1653 at
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310:Chadwick, Simon (2014–2015).
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410:17th-century Irish composers
405:16th-century Irish composers
337:The Ancient Music of Ireland
243:The Ancient Music of Ireland
170:Rorie Dall's Sister's Lament
130:answered Rory standing up."
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440:17th-century Irish harpists
257:Annals of the Irish Harpers
196:Seabhac Bheal Atha Seanaigh
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16:Irish harper and composer
255:Charlotte Milligan Fox:
248:Robert Bruce Armstrong:
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200:The Hawk of Ballyshannon
192:, were all Ó Catháin's.
435:Irish-language singers
316:Early Gaelic Harp Info
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61:. Their territory was
415:Irish blind musicians
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180:O'Neill thought that
165:The Fiddler's Content
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20:Ruairí Dall Ó Catháin
445:Irish male composers
110:Tabhair Damh do Lámh
430:Irish male harpists
160:The Terror of Death
136:Raggle Taggle Gypsy
91:Tabhair dom do Lámh
425:Composers for harp
383:wirestrungharp.com
278:wirestrungharp.com
146:Other compositions
67:County Londonderry
363:See Bibliography.
296:Francis O'Neill:
114:Give Me Your Hand
87:Give Me Your Hand
63:Keenaght (barony)
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319:. Retrieved
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190:Port Lennox
186:Port Gordon
399:Categories
284:References
182:Port Athol
53:by birth,
34:Background
93:, Latin:
51:gentleman
106:Ayrshire
89:(Irish:
75:Scotland
55:his sept
140:Planxty
188:, and
321:1 May
210:Death
323:2020
112:(or
69:in
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