An iconic Highland poet, Mairi Mhor nan Oran, also known as Great Mary of the Songs, is being honored with a new artwork at the Gaelic center in Inverness. She was a 19th-century Gaelic poet who brought attention to the Highland Clearances and the struggles of crofters through her powerful poetry.
Mairi Mhor, who was born in Skye in 1821, spent a significant amount of time working in Inverness. She is buried near the Cultarlann center alongside her husband. Despite writing defiant poems in Gaelic, she was not widely recognized outside of Gaelic-speaking communities for a long time.
Her poetry was fueled by her personal experiences, including being unjustly imprisoned for alleged theft. Mairi Mhor maintained her innocence throughout her life, and many believe she was a victim of a miscarriage of justice.
She became well-known for her songs advocating for the rights of crofters during the Highland Land League and the Crofters Wars. Cultarlann Inbhir Nis, a community-based charity, has purchased a former church building to establish a Gaelic Cultural Center.
The chair of Cultarlann Inbhir Nis, Maggie Mullholland, expressed the organization’s excitement about creating an artistic tribute to Mairi Mhor nan Oran. The goal is to recognize her significant contribution to Gaelic literature and honor her passionate advocacy for land reform and social justice.
The project is a collaboration with the Gaelic Society of Inverness and has received support from the William Syson Charitable Foundation. The chairman of the Gaelic Society of Inverness, Murdo Campbell, highlighted Mairi Mhor’s strong ties to Inverness and her poignant poems about the persecution of crofters.
The commissioned artwork, which comes with a £5000 prize, can take the form of a painting, tapestry, sculpture, or any visual art that celebrates Mairi Mhor’s legacy. The winning piece will be displayed at Cultarlann Inbhir Nis to ensure her lasting impact on Gaelic culture is remembered and appreciated by future generations.