Tàladh Chrìosda (Christ's lullaby) is the popular name for the Scottish Gaelic Christmas carol Tàladh ar Slànaigheir (the Lullaby of our Saviour). It is traditionally sung at Midnight Mass in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. The 29 verses of the hymn date from the 19th century and are intended to represent a lullaby for the Christ Child by the Blessed Virgin. The song was popularised among English speakers in the early 20th century by Marjory Kennedy-Fraser under the title The Christ-Child's Lullaby. Lyricist The words are believed to have been written by Fr. Ranald Rankin (), a Roman Catholic priest from Fort William, Scotland shortly before he emigrated to Australia and became a missionary at Little River, Victoria. The hymn was originally titled Tàladh ar Slànuighear (the Lullaby of our Saviour) and sung to a tune called Cumha Mhic Àrois (the Lament for Mac Àrois). The lyric appears as item 10 in the University of Glasgow Library's Bàrd na Ceapaich manuscript where it is entitled Taladh ar Slanuighir (Cuimhneachan do Chloinn Mhuideart) which can be translated as Our Saviour's Lullaby (Memento to the Children of Moidart). The same manuscript again gives the title for the tune as Cumha Mhic Arois (Lament for Mac Àrois) and supplies the same information regarding the author of the lyric and, presumably, date of publication – An t-Urramach Raonall Mac Raing. An t-8mh Mios, 1855 (Fr. Ronald Rankin, August 1855). Donald MacLean's Typographia Scoto-Gadelica (1915) p329 documents the first publication of the hymn as follows. RANKIN (Rev. RONALD, R.C), THE SAVIOUR'S LULLABY. 1855. "Taladh Ar Slanuighear. Air Fonn 'Cumha Mhic Arois'" and at the end "Cuimhneachan do Chloinn Mhuideart bho Raonall Mac-Raing. An T-8mh Mios. 1855."' 12mo. 4 pp. These copies were circulated among the Parishioners on the emigration of the Author to Australia. Fr. Rankin was documented by the succeeding parish priest, Fr. Hugh Chisholm, as having served the parish of Moidart between 1838 and 25 July 1855. It is therefore possible that the hymn was composed before the latter date. In his Moidart: Among the Clanranalds, Fr. Charles Macdonald writes that Father Rankin was "an outspoken advocate in behalf of emigration." Living during the Highland Clearances and the Highland Potato Famine, Fr. Rankin believed that leaving Scotland was the only way for his parishioners to escape the dire poverty under which they lived due to both excessive rents and the constant threat of