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Rob Donn, an 18th-century oral Gaelic poet, practised his art in Strathnaver. In the first edition of this book, the late Dr Ian Grimble used Donn's life and work to demonstrate the vitality of the Gaelic way of life and literature before the Highland Clearances. For this updated and expanded edition, all of Donn's poems are presented in the original Gaelic together with rigorously revised English translations which reflect current standard orthography.
Scotland's past is intricately bound up with her fine heritage of castles, and in this book Ian Grimble examines the architecture and history of twelve of the country's most splendid examples: Edinburgh, Stirling, Blair, Inveraray, Culzean, Glamis, Brodie, Craigievar, Fyvie, Thirlestane, Floors and Dunrobin. Taking us on a chronological journey from medieval times up to the present day, the author describes how each castle has grown or declined in prosperity and importance through the centuries - at different periods seats of kings, places of refuge, targets for invasion or simply monuments of wealth. These magnificent buildings are paid a fitting tribute in this authoritative and beautifully illustrated book, based on Ian Grimble's BBC television series.
Thomas Cochrane's life has inspired naval authors from Frederick Marryat to Patrick O'Brien, but the Scottish admiral's life contained more adventures than any novelist could have created. Cochrane was a successful commander during the Napoleonic Wars, but his unorthodox tactics and views made him no friends at the Admiralty. After being jailed on dubious corruption charges he spent most of the rest of his life commanding foreign navies, such as those of Chile, Peru, Brazil and Greece. Inheriting the title Earl of Dundonald restored his respectability in Britain and he spent his remaining years in England as an inventor, being buried in Westminster Abbey upon his death in 1860 at age 85.
The funny, charming, and self-deprecating adventure story of a young man in the Pacific. Living for thirty years in the Gilbert & Ellis Islands, Grimble was ultimately initiated and tattooed according to local tradition, but not before he was severely tested, as when he was used as human bait for a giant octopus. Beyond the hilarious and frightening adventure stories, A Pattern of Islands is also a true testament to the life of these Pacific islanders. Grimble collected stories from the last generation who could remember the full glory of the old pagan ways. This is anthropology with its hair down.
There are almost 200 Scottish clans in all, each with its own set of tartans. This book provides a short history of each clan accompanied by a picture of at least one of its tartans, and includes lists of various clan associations around the world.'
This second part of The Strathnaver Trilogy follows Chief of Mackay and describes the fulfilment of the anti-Gaelic, anti-Mackay policy of the House of Sutherland, under which the entire population of the north-west of Scotland was displaced in what became known as the Clearances. The principal agent of the Duchess of Sutherland in this early version of ethnic cleansing was Patrick Sellar, who was actually brought to trial in 1816 on charges which included culpable homicide, but was acquitted.
This text provides the history of the justices of the peace in Scotland from their foundation in 1609 to the present. The vast range of duties which fell to the justices are described using surviving justice court records.