This page is for lays that were written down with music and words together, but for which no audio recording is known to survive (though I may be wrong, or a recording may come to light). These are from 19th and early 20th century collectors.

work in progress

I have transposed everything to G or the equivalent for ease of comparing melodies.

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MacLean-Clephane ms NLS ms 14949 a, c.1808

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Frances Tolmie, A. G. Gilchrist, Lucy E. Broadwood, George Henderson and J. A. Fuller-Maitland, ‘Ancient Heroic Lays’, Journal of the Folk-Song Society Vol. 4, No. 16, December 1911, pp. 245-254
This source also gives four other lays which have turned into walking songs.

85. Laoidh Dhiarmad


plus two more verses of text

86. Laoidh Fhraoich


plus two more verses of text

87. Laoidh Oscair


plus one more verse of text

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Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, Songs of the Hebrides vol 1, 1909, and vol 2, 1917
These books of Romantic piano arrangements include a few lays. Some are presented with texts taken from earlier published versions, and so for these I present just the 1917 published melody on my Tunes page. Others are presented with their Gaelic texts, and I present versions here.

The Lay of Diarmad (vol. 1, p.112-113)
Collected in Eigg from Janet Macleod.

Cuchulann 's a Mhac (vol. 2, p. 24-6)
Collected in Eigg from Duncan MacLellan.


Plus two more verses, words and music

Aillte (vol. 2, p. 80)
Collected in Benbecula from Calum MacMillan, 1911.

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Amy Murray, Father Allan's Island, 1936, p.100-1

Duan na Ceàrdaich

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References.

Simon Chadwick