Ian Grimble
ROB DONN, who was born in 1714, grew up to be one of the last Gaelic
bards, practising his traditional art in the isolated valleys of the far
north-west where Celtic civilisation still existed almost unchanged. Rob
Donn, who spoke only Gaelic, never learnt to read or write, but his earthy
and pithy oral verses made such an impact upon their hearers that they were
all written down. They are now recognised as supreme examples of Celtic
verse-forms, rivalling in quality the satires and elegies of the Scots-speaking
Lowlander Robert Burns. In this new edition it is hoped that the authentic
flavour and artistic stature of Rob Donn's portrait of his world may be fully
appreciated.
The late Dr IAN GRIMBLE was born in Hong Kong before moving to England and becoming a formidable linguist, historian, broadcaster and controversialist. Compassionate in his outlook on the whole world, he was devoted in particular to the Highlands ofScotland, where he made his home for many years and took up the cause of the Gaelic culture of the north. He expressed his engagement with the Celtic way of life in The Strothnaver Trilogy The World of Rob Donn is the last volume of the three, reissued in updated form according to Dr Grimble's wishes: the original Gaelic poems, which could not be included previously, now appear along with his English renderings.
This new publication includes a narrative of Rob Donn's life illustrated
by modern versions of the original Gaelic verse which were not induded in
the earlier edition. The publication of The World of Rob Donn will,
it is hoped, play a part in the current, welcome revival of Gaelic scholarship,
a cause very dear to the heart of Dr Grimble.
Return