Historical Society learn about the secrets of Malvina’s Grave
Charles Currie was the guest speaker at the Arran Historical Society’s February meeting where he spoke about the Neolithic cist grave which is at Drumadoon, formerly the Currie family farm at Blackwaterfoot.
Having always known the site as Malvina’s Grave, the information was passed onto him through an aural tradition handed down within the family. Charles discussed the various excavations of the grave by archaeologists and the reports written by the experts and the changes which occurred to the site through the years. An urn with burnt bones had been excavated in the past.
Over the years the site has changed but many of stones from the original cist and capped grave and stone circle are still on the site.
There are two types of grave common in Scotland and adjacent countries. On Arran there are similar sites one of which at Sliddery is reputed to be Oscar’s Grave and another at Clachaig called Ossian’s mound.
Charles also discussed the written records there were of ancient Scottish myths and legends. These are some or parts of the heroic stories and songs that had been recited or sung by the bards when the Gaels were more powerful, especially when lead by the Lord of the Isles.
He highlighted the English translations which generally dated back to the 18th century. One such translation by James McPherson, whose translation was over-egged and, as such, was easily dismissed by the English scholars of that time. This cast doubt on the other records.
Versions of these stories have also survived by being handed down locally in Scotland and Ireland, as in Charles’s family. One strand of Charles’s ancestors goes back the historic bards to the Lord of the Isles by the name of McMhurrich.
The story begins with Ossian travelling down Loch Fyne on his way to Ireland. He stopped off at Arran on his way and stayed with Toscar of Torlutha (identified as the Doon fort). Toscar’s daughter was Malvina, who took a shine to Ossian’s son Oscar.
At that time the Shiskine Valley was flooded by the sea and was called Lochlutha. After some time, Ossian went on to Ireland to aid his allies. During the fighting Oscar was killed. His body was brought back from Ireland by Ossian and buried at Sliddery. Malvina was distraught and left her father’s home and joined Ossian’s household.
Much later, when Ossian is old and blind, he came back to Arran and he went overland to visit Oscar’s grave. The party was set upon during the journey and Malvina was killed by an arrow. She was brought back and was buried on a ridge halfway between Torlutha and Lochlutha at Drumadoon. Ossian ailed and died before he returned to Ireland and was buried at Clachaig.
These stories that pass into myth and legends are often surprisingly accurate and advancements in technology regularly confirms what has been known by locals, but has not been scientifically confirmed.
The archaeologists recorded that excavated from Clachaig tomb were remains of a man near six feet in height. Developments in science can now explain changes in sea level round the island and DNA can trace our genes and ancestors up the Atlantic coast from Portugal to the west coast of Scotland.
The trade routes in copper and tin were the seaways up the west coast.
The next meeting of the society is on Monday March 18 at 2pm in Brodick Hall when Gregor Adamson will speak about the history of Arran whisky – legal and illegal.