www.little-dreamer.net Recently I wrote to many pertaining to the "Generations" CD performed by Hughie McLean and Ashley McLean, both descendants of Tiree who have produced the wonderful CD comprised of a collection of traditional Gaelic songs www.little-dreamer.net . I recently received a copy of the CD that I ordered from Ashley. It is a wonderful treasure of songs! Thank you to the McLean family. Curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to know more about the history of the CD, moreso because of my interest in music, Gaelic, Tiree and my Cameron / McLean Tiree ancestors. As per below are details on such that you find to be of interest. No doubt you will enjoy the CD ... order one today! Cheers, Scott Cameron www.tireegathering.com www.isleoftiree.net -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- Original Message ----- From: "hugh maclean" <hugh.maclean@btinternet.com To: "Scott Cameron" <j.scottcameron@rogers.com Cc: <ashley@little-dreamer.net Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 5:52 AM Subject: "Generations" CD Hello Scott, I have been remiss not being in touch with you before now. You have sent several e-mails to Ashley and myself by now, and of course you have kindly copied me into your circulation in connection with the 'Tiree Gathering' of July. You are obviously very busy by now with many initiatives shaping up well for you. I do hope that your energy will be rewarded, and that all goes well when the time comes. Your e-mail of 15 May asked several questions, and I know that Ashley has responded. I will add what little I can. Tiree born, my brother Hughie MacLean, best remembered as OEoghann Beag¹, left his croft home in Salum, Tiree, with his wife May (MacArthur, born in Balephetrish, Tiree) in 1965, at the age of 37, taking their four young sons, Hugh-Charles, Donald, Duncan and Peter, to make a new life in Australia. They first settled in Tenterfield, New South Wales, later to move to Brisbane, where he and May live to this day. Initially, Hughie devoted all of his spare time in Australia to bagpipe tutoring and coaching pipe bands. Later, in Brisbane, he was with the Queensland Police Pipe Band, as an employee of that Force. In retirement, he still plays regularly. But he was also fond of singing and many in Tiree still remember his piping and singing at ceilidhs and other events. His grandson Ashley, 24, Duncan¹s son, also lives in Brisbane and is making his career in music. He has developed a keen interest in his grandfather¹s singing of Gaelic songs, and having recently fitted out a recording studio in his home, persuaded his grandfather to record a CD of Gaelic songs, with Ashley backing on the guitar. They have called the CD ³GENERATIONS². Even if, by Hughie's own admission, some tracks are better than others and to quote him: Advancing years are taking their toll', the CD is a nevertheless a very musical and imaginative collection of well-known songs that are popular to this day. Hughie and May have been back to Tiree several times, the last time being in 1997. Still young in heart, they keep well and are always delighted to have Tiree folk look in on them at their home in Brisbane. Ashley visited Tiree briefly in 1998 with his father, Duncan Scott, I have to apologize for my own woeful ignorance regarding detail on traditional Gaelic songs. As to the songs on the CD, only one, 'Lag nan Cruachan', is by a Tiree bard. Captain Angus Lamont was born in Lag nan Cruachan, Cornaigmore, Tiree, in 1844 approx. His fascinating story, and the song, are written up in the book 'Na Baird Thirisdeach' (The Tiree Bards) and I reproduce the text from that book as an attachment. All of the other songs are also very well known and widely recorded, and written about. 'Na Baird Thirisdeach', is that excellent collection of Tiree songs published in 1932, from public subscription, by the Tiree Association, and compiled and edited by the Reverend Hector Cameron. It will be long since out of print, but there are many copies still cherished throughout the world. I have found that the Google search engine is excellent in offering up links for virtually any Gaelic song, including most of those on the CD. However, the pursuit of sheet music or the words of songs via that route would of course take quite a long time, and I imagine that you do not have time, at this particular juncture. The <Isleoftiree.net> site, with its many linkages, is informative. I hope the above is of some help to you, Hughie, Ashley and I appreciate your keen interest in the CD and your interest in promoting it. We wish you great success with "The Gathering" Hugh Archie MacLean, Inverness -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Scott Cameron" <j.scottcameron@rogers.com> To: "hugh maclean" <hugh.maclean@btinternet.com> Subject: Re: "Generations" CD Date: Wed, Jun 2, 2004, 12:16 pm Thanks Hugh for the response. I am a little "Hugh" confused. You are > Hugh Archie MacLean living in Inverness, Scotland? ..... were you born on Tiree? Your brother is > Hughie MacLean .... born on Tiree....now lives in Brisbane, Australia. Ashley is your "second" nephew. Ashley is Hughie's grandson...lives in Brisbane, Australia. Who is the Hugh performing with Ashley on the CD? Ashley's grandfather "Hughie" or Ashley's "second" uncle "Hugh" which would be yourself. Thanks again. All the best, Scott (Aye, I have a Hugh Cameron, descendant of Tiree, in my family too.......brother of my great grandfather Charles Cameron. Charles stayed in Ontario. Hugh moved to Russell, Manitoba. I am going to track the one Cameron listed in Russell tonight! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ----- Original Message ----- From: hugh maclean To: Scott Cameron Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 10:46 AM Subject: Re: "Generations" CD Hello Scott, I can well understand that your uncertainty about who exactly is who in relation to the "Generations' CD. However, the summary in your e-mail is correct: I am Hugh Archie MacLean, aged 71, born in Salum, Tiree, but living in Inverness, Scotland, for the last 35 years. I am a full brother of Hughie, who sings on the CD. Hughie MacLean (76) , who is on the CD, my brother, was born at Salum, Tiree, in 1928, and lives in Brisbane, Australia. Ashley, also on the CD, is the grandson of Hughie, and lives in Brisbane. Ashley was born in Brisbane, and lives there. (Ashley's father Duncan, Hughie's second son, was born in Tiree as were Duncan's three brothers, and the whole family emigrated to Australia in 1965) So, I am Ashley's grand-uncle, being his father Duncan's uncle. We do not use the term 'second-uncle' or 'second-nephew' but it presumably means the same as 'grand' ? Similar, or same-name, brothers and sisters in old Gaelic families was quite common. My brother Hughie was named after our father Hugh, but I was named after two bachelors Hugh and Archie MacFadyen, who gifted the croft at Salum to my father. We were at one time five sons, but only Hughie and I survive. The ancestral home of your own relatives, Willie and Angus, and the late Hugh, Barrapol, is part of the Salum croft, and the ruin is still just barely visible. My brother Hughie (Brisbane) and Willie (Balinoe) are enduring friends over many years because of their shared love for piping. Willie is of course, like Angus, one of the best authorities in Tiree on genealogy and on the Tiree diaspora. I got involved in the CD business simply because I was geographically well placed, as a regular visitor to Tiree, and keen that as many people as possible in Tiree, and of Tiree connection, got to hear about it. Best regards, Hugh Archie, Inverness, Scotland ------------------------------------------------------------------------------