Bunessan
Encyclopedia
Bunessan is a small village on the Ross of Mull
in the south of the island of Mull
, on the west coast of Scotland
. Originally a small community of farmers in the Scottish farming tradition called crofting
, the village had a mill, weavers and a small fishing fleet until the 1900s.
Bunessan village has one hotel, The Argyll Arms, which also is the only pub in the area, a village hall which is often used for numerous dances throughout the year, two grocery shops, a craft shop, and a further small cafe/restaurant, Reef.
The primary school for the Ross of Mull is found in Bunessan.
The village population is roughly 300, and includes surrounding areas of Millbrae, Fountainhead and Ardtun.
The village has a thriving lobster fishery. Some of the largest lobsters in the west coast of Scotland can be found at the top of Loch Scridain, in an area known as "The Pool".
, originally associated with the Christmas carol
, "Child in the Manger". Mary M. Macdonald (1789–1872), who lived in the nearby crofting community of Ardtun
and who spoke only Gaelic, wrote her hymn
"Leanabh an Aigh" to a traditional melody. When the words were later translated into English, the melody was named after the village by the translator, Lachlan Macbean. A monument to Mary Macdonald can be seen near the village, on the road towards Craignure
, just after the Knockan
crossroads. The ruins of the house she lived in are also nearby.
Sometime before 1927 Alexander Fraser heard the melody from a minstrel in the Scottish Highlands and wrote it down so that it came to the attention of Percy Dearmer
, Ralph Vaughan Williams
, and Martin Shaw
. In turn, these editors of the hymnbook Songs of Praise
requested Eleanor Farjeon
to write a further hymn text to the tune. This was "Morning Has Broken
" and since 1931 the tune has become most familiarly identified with this hymn.
Ross of Mull
The Ross of Mull is the largest peninsula of the island of Mull, about long and makes up the south-western part of the island. It is bounded to the north by Loch Scridain and by the Firth of Lorne to the south. The main villages are Bunessan and Fionnphort with smaller settlements including...
in the south of the island of Mull
Isle of Mull
The Isle of Mull or simply Mull is the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute....
, on the west coast of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Originally a small community of farmers in the Scottish farming tradition called crofting
Crofting
Crofting is a form of land tenure and small-scale food production unique to the Scottish Highlands, the Islands of Scotland, and formerly on the Isle of Man....
, the village had a mill, weavers and a small fishing fleet until the 1900s.
Bunessan village has one hotel, The Argyll Arms, which also is the only pub in the area, a village hall which is often used for numerous dances throughout the year, two grocery shops, a craft shop, and a further small cafe/restaurant, Reef.
The primary school for the Ross of Mull is found in Bunessan.
The village population is roughly 300, and includes surrounding areas of Millbrae, Fountainhead and Ardtun.
The village has a thriving lobster fishery. Some of the largest lobsters in the west coast of Scotland can be found at the top of Loch Scridain, in an area known as "The Pool".
Hymn tune
Bunessan lends its name to a hymn tuneHymn tune
A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm , and no refrain or chorus....
, originally associated with the Christmas carol
Christmas carol
A Christmas carol is a carol whose lyrics are on the theme of Christmas or the winter season in general and which are traditionally sung in the period before Christmas.-History:...
, "Child in the Manger". Mary M. Macdonald (1789–1872), who lived in the nearby crofting community of Ardtun
Ardtun
Ardtun is a settlement on the Isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.-External links:...
and who spoke only Gaelic, wrote her hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
"Leanabh an Aigh" to a traditional melody. When the words were later translated into English, the melody was named after the village by the translator, Lachlan Macbean. A monument to Mary Macdonald can be seen near the village, on the road towards Craignure
Craignure
Craignure is a village and the main ferry port on the Isle of Mull, Argyll and Bute, Scotland.The village is located around Craignure Bay, on Mull's east coast. It has a population of roughly 200 people....
, just after the Knockan
Knockan
Knockan is an area and particular cottage in the community of Ardtun, in the south of the island of Mull off the west coast of Scotland.The cottage called Knockan is distinguished by its bright red roof and white walls, set by a small hill; cnocan in Gaelic means "little hill". The cottage is...
crossroads. The ruins of the house she lived in are also nearby.
Sometime before 1927 Alexander Fraser heard the melody from a minstrel in the Scottish Highlands and wrote it down so that it came to the attention of Percy Dearmer
Percy Dearmer
Percy Dearmer, was an English priest and liturgist best known as the author of The Parson's Handbook, a liturgical manual for Anglican clergy. A lifelong socialist, he was an early advocate of the public ministry of women and concerned with social justice...
, Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams
Ralph Vaughan Williams OM was an English composer of symphonies, chamber music, opera, choral music, and film scores. He was also a collector of English folk music and song: this activity both influenced his editorial approach to the English Hymnal, beginning in 1904, in which he included many...
, and Martin Shaw
Martin Shaw (composer)
Martin Edward Fallas Shaw OBE, FRCM, DMus was an English composer, conductor and theatre producer...
. In turn, these editors of the hymnbook Songs of Praise
Songs of Praise (hymnal)
Songs of Praise is a 1925 hymnal compiled by Percy Dearmer, Martin Shaw and Ralph Vaughan Williams. The popular English Hymnal of 1906 was considered too 'High church' by many people, and a new book, on broader lines was indicated. It was initially to be called 'Songs of the Spirit' but in the...
requested Eleanor Farjeon
Eleanor Farjeon
Eleanor Farjeon was an English author of children's stories and plays, poetry, biography, history and satire. Many of her works had charming illustrations by Edward Ardizzone. Some of her correspondence has also been published...
to write a further hymn text to the tune. This was "Morning Has Broken
Morning Has Broken
"Morning Has Broken" is a popular and well-known Christian hymn first published in 1931. It has words by English author Eleanor Farjeon and is set to a traditional Gaelic tune known as "Bunessan" . It is often sung in children's services...
" and since 1931 the tune has become most familiarly identified with this hymn.