John Dan Nill Mac na Bantraich
John Dan MacNeil was reared in Barra Glen, Victoria County where he was born in 1909. He moved to Sydney in 1939 and was married to "Mutsie" MacNeil (Katherine Sheumais Dhomhnaill) in 1942. They raised a family of four. John Dan was employed as a carpenter with various contractors in the Sydney area most of his adult life. Despite his long residence in the relatively cosmopolitan industrial community, John Dan has remained a thorough Gael. He has publically supported the maintenance of Gaelic and its culture through the years of active service to the "Island's" Scottish cultural organizations, most notably as member and Chief of Comunn Gaidhlig Cheap Breatunn. In addition he is a recognized fiddler, story teller, singer and historian. The least that can be said of John Dan is that he has never forgotten where he came from.
Well, nan tóisichinn dìreach ri m' thaobh fhéin, na nàbuidhean a bha ri ar taobh, a'cheud fhear bu dlùithe dhuinn, fear dhan a'cheud fheadhainn a bha muigh ann a'siod cuideachd, Dòmhnall Beag a chanadh iad ris: Dòmhnall Nìll 'ic Dhòmhnaill: MacNìll a bh'ann. Agus an uair sin bràthair seanair dhomhs' a bha thall air a' chnoc gu math dlùth dhuinn, Iain Chaluim a chanamaid ris: Iain Chaluim is Iain Bhàin. MacNìll a bh'ann. 'S e mo chuideachd fhéin a bha sin, Chloinn Nìll. Cha mhór nach e Chloinn Nìll a bh'annt' uile. Agus a-nisd air an taobh an iar dhinn, ás a' sin dhan cheàrn ud do Ghleann Bharraidh, thog fear ann a' sin ... thog e taigh dìreach ri mo chuimhne. Cha robh mi ach trì na ceithir do bhliadhnaichean a dh'aois. Bha e ag obair 'sna mèinnein s' phòs e 's thog e teaghlach 'sna mèinnein (Glace Bay). Cheannaich e pàirc', pios do dh'àit, 's thog e taigh air agus sin a-nisd an taigh bu dlùithe dhuinn air an taobh iar dhinn. 'S e Johnny Bàn a chanamaid ris - MacNill a bh'ann cuideachd. Bha iad ann a' sin gus an deaghaidh dhomhsa fàgail, shuas ann an Gleann Bharraidh. Cha n-eil duin' ann an dràsd. Tha an taigh falamh. Ma théid mi nisd an iar air a' sin, 's e Highland Hill a channas iad ris. Bha tri nàbuidean math, math a bh' againn ann a'sin nàbuidhean gun chiall. Bha meas mór aig m'athair orra. Chanadh iad Clann Aonghuis Eòin riuth' uile. Ach a'cheud fhear 's e tàillear a' bh'ann: Dòmhnall Aonghuis Eòin-Tàillear Aonghuis Eòin. Bha an ath-fhear Eòin Aonghuis Eòin. Thog e fhéin teaghlach agus cha n-eil duin' ann an dràsd'. Cha n-eil duin' ann an àit' an tàillear a bha seo na 's mutha. Cheannaich cuideignn e; cha n-eil mi smaointinn go bheil duin' a'fuireach air.
Well, if I should start on my own side…the neighbours beside us…the first one near us and one of the first ones out there too…we called him little Donald; Donald the son of Neil, son of Donald (MacNeil). Then there was my great uncle very near to us over on the hill. We called him John the son of Malcolm; John the son of Malcolm, son of fair John. He was a MacNeil.
Now out of there to the west, to that corner of Barra Glen, a man built a house within my own memory. I was only three or four years old. He was working in the mines and his family was growing up there. I don't think it was a very good situation what with strikes and all. He bought a field and built a home in it. That was the nearest house to us on the west side. We called him fair John. He too was a MacNeil. They were up there in Barra Glen until I left. There's no one there now. The house is empty.
If I should go to the west from there we come to a place called Highland Hill. We had three very good neighbours there. Extremely good neighbours. My father had great regard for them. They were all called "The children of Angus son of John". The first one was a tailor called Donald the son of Angus son of John. They called him "The Tailor the son of Angus, son of John". The next one was John the son of Angus, son of John.
He raised a family and none of them are left now. No one is left on "The Tailor's" place either. Someone bought it but I don't think anyone lives there.
I.D.M. Tha, a-nisd, an t-àit eile an iar air sin ... Tha mi creidinn gun d'fhuair shibh eòlas air "Maxie".
S.W.Fhuair.
I.D.M.Well, athair Mhaxie, 's e Dan Angus Iain Aonghuis Eòin a chanamaid ris-san. 'S e fear eile do Chloinn Aonghuis Eòin. Tha piuthar do Roddie John Dan, ma 's aithne dhut e. Cheannaich iad an t-àite far a robh athair Mhaxie a'fuireach. Cheannaich iad Maxie fhéin taigh gu math breagha-àite Thòmais Mhurchaidh; àite Thòmais Mhurchaidh Mhóir MacNìll. Agus bha taigh eil' ann. Cha n-eil e ann an dràsd. Cha n-eil an taigh suas. Chaidh an taigh a leagail. 'S e àite Sheumais Mhurchaidh a chanadh iad ris. Cha robh e pòsda riamh.
Now there is another place west of that. I believe you've made the acquaintance of "Maxie" (MacNeil).
J.W. I have.
J.D.M. Well we called Maxie's father Dan Angus the son of John, son of Angus son of John. He was another member of the Angus son of John family. Roddie John Dan's sister, if you know him, bought the place where Maxie's father lived.
Maxie himself bought a lovely house. Thomas the son of Big Murdock MacNeil's place. There was another house that isn't there anymore. The house is no longer standing. We called him James the son of Murdock. He was a bachelor.
S.W. Robh e ri bàrdachd an dràsd' 's a rithist?
I.D.M.Cha robh. An aon fhear a bha ri bàrdachd shuas ann a' sinn; rinn e dhà na trì do dh'òrain cuimheasach math. 'S e Niall Mòr a chanadh iad ris. Tha e suas anns a' Villa. Tha e gu math spry fhathast. Rinn e trì na ceithir do dheagh òrain. Rinn e òran do Dhòmhnall MacFhionghain far na h-Intrabhail nuair a chaidh e dhan chogadh. Cha robh e fad sam bith anns a'Fhràing nuair a chaidh e mharbhadh. Bha meas mór aig na daoine air. Bha e 'na mharsanta. Cha robh e ach óg ach bha e 'na mharsanta mun deachaidh e dhan arm. Agus rinn Naill Mór an t-òran dha. Bha e-fhéin agus a bhràthair a'fuirach còmhla ri chéile shuas air Highland Hill ann a' siod.
J.W. Did he make songs?
J.D.M. No he didn't. the only one making songs up there, he made two or three good ones, was called Big Neil. He made a song for Donald MacKinnon (from MacKinnon's harbour) when he went to the war. He's in the "Villa" and still very spry. Donald wasn't in France very long when he was killed. He was very well liked. He was only young and he was a merchant before he went into the army. Big Neil made the song for him. Big Neil and his brother lived together up there on Highland Hill.
Cha robh an còrr ann o chionn fhada. Nan rachadh sibh astar gun chiall ann an iar a-rithist air far a' robh Niall Mór a'fuireach, s dh'àite ris an canada iad àite Pheadair Curstaidh Mhìcheil ... 'S e mac bantraich a bh'ann. Siod an t-ainm a bh'orra, Curstaidh Mhìcheil Dòmhnallaich. 'S e Clann Mhìcheil, siod na chanadh iad riuth': Clann Mhìcheil. 'S e Dómhnallaich a' bh'annta. Well, a-nisd Curstaidh Mhìcheil a bha seo, seo a mac, Peadar. An aona mhac a bh'aice. Bha i pòsda re cousin dhomh-fhin: Fear à crioch Barra Glen an t-àite a thuirt mi ruit cheana àite Iain Chaluim 'ic Iain Bhàin. Well. Peadar Curstaidh a bha seo, bha e pòsd' aig Curstag Iain Chaluim. Cha robh teaghlagh idir aca. A-nisd bha Peadar beò ... o, feumaidh go robh e ninety nuair a dh'eug e. Rànaig e aois mhòr co dhiù. Agus bha fear a bha càirdeach dha à Washabuck, dh'fhuirich e còmhla ris anns na bliadhnaichean mu dheireadh a bha e beò. Mhove e suas go Highland Hill 's bha e fuireach ann. Ios Mac Alasdair a' Framair - Joseph MacKenzie. Tha esan marbh an duigh cuideachd.
It's a long time since anyone else lived around there, unless you went a good distance to west again from where Big Neil lived in a place called Peter the daughter of Kirsty, wife of Michael's place. He was the son of a widow. That's what they were called, Kirsty the wife of Michael MacDonald. They were referred to as the "children of Michael." They were MacDonalds. Well now this Kirsty the wife of Michael, her son was Peter, the only son she had. She was married to my own cousin, a fellow form the Barra Glen area. The place I mentioned to you before, John the son of Malcolm son of Fair John's place.
Well this Peter the son of Kirsty was married to Little Kirsty the wife of lain the son of Malcolm. They didn't have any family. Peter lived for a long time. He must have been ninety when he died. He reached an advanced age anyway. In his final years he lived on highland hill where he stayed with a relative from Washabuck. He moved up there and stayed with Joe the son of Alexander the Framer, Joe Mackenzie. He's dead today too.
Cha n-eil duin' a-nisd a'fuireach ann a' sin. Cha n-eil duin' ann an àite Pheadair Curstaidh. Cha n-eil an duin' an àit' Nìll Mhóir ...Oh' seadh: fear eile air Highland Hill. Tarmad Nìll, 'ic Iain Mhóir. Bha gille aig Tarmad, Steaphain Tharmaid. Duine mór, mór, gun chaill mór a' bh'ann. 'S e duin 'a bu làidir 'a bh'aca aig an obair iarainn thall ann a seo. Thànaig e dh'obair a' seo (Sidni) air obair iarainn mar a bha cuid mhór duibh a thigeadh a-nuas treis a dh'obair. Bhiodh e togail rail aona ceud deug punnd air na tongs. Cha rogh e lag, Stephain Tharmaid Nìll 'ic Iain Mhóir. Niall Mór a bha seo, 's e first cousins a bh'annta: Niall Mór Mhìcheil Nìll 'ic Iain Mhóir agus Tharmaid Nìll 'ic Iain Mhóir.
There isn't anybody living there now. No one there in Peter the son of Kirsty's place. No one in Big Neil's place…Oh yes, someone else from Highland hill, Norman the son of Neil son of Big John. Norman had a boy, Stephen. An exceedingly big man. He was the strongest man they had at the steel works over there (Sydney). He came to work here like many who came to work for a while. Oh he was an enormous man. He used to lift an eleven hundred pound rail on the tongs. Stephen the son of Norman son of Neil son of Big John wasn't weak. This Big Neil we mentioned before was a first cousin to Stephen. Big Neil the son of Michael, son of Neil, son of Big John.
Sin agad na daoin' a bh'ann. Bha beagan do chàirdeas aca dha m'athair. M'athair mo mhàthair, thànaig i far an taobh thall anns a' chòbh, Còbh nam Piobairean. 'S e té dhe na Tarmadaich chanadh iad rithe. Cha robh ann an sia na seachd dhiù nach biodh Tarmad ac' air agus siod mar a thug na Tarmadaich orra. A-nisd bha té dhuibh seo pòsd aig Niall mac Iain Mhóir agus bha an té eile pòsd aig Calum mac Iain Bhàin, mo shin seanair. Sin mar a bha 'n càirdeas aca. Nisd Calum mac Iain Bhàin, thànaig esan as an t-seann dùthaich. Thànaig iad à Barraidh. Cha n-eil fhiosam gu dé rinn e sgath na b'fhearr na àite sam bith eile.
There you have the folk who lived there. My mother's father came from Piper's Cove on the other side. She was one of the 'Normans'. Out of six or seven of this family half were named Norman. One of the girls was married to Neil son of Big John and another was married to Malcolm son of Fair John, my great grandfather. That's where the relationship lay. Now Malcolm son of fair John came from the old country; they came out of Barra. I don't know what made that place any better than any other.
