Scottish Gaelic Column July 1997

The Scottish Gaelic Column

	Tha an colbh Gàidhlig seo air a tharraing à "Cothrom", an ràitheachan dà-chànanach aig CLI. Thèid "Cothrom" fhaighinn an asgaidh le buill ChLI, an carthannas airson luchd-ionnsachaidh is luchd-taic na Gàidhlig.	This Gaelic column is drawn from "Cothrom", the bilingual quarterly magazine from CLI. "Cothrom" is distributed free to members of CLI, the charity for learners and supporters of Scots Gaelic
Ma tha thu ag iarraidh lethbhreac an asgaidh de sheann iris, cuir an seòladh puist agad gu cli@sol.co.uk ag innse gur ann tro "Scottish Radiance" a fhuair thu fios air CLI.	If you would like a free backcopy of "Cothrom", send your postal address to cli@sol.co.uk, saying that you heard of CLI through "Scottish Radiance".

Calum Cille, 597-1997	Saint Columba, 597-1997
Sann a' toirt sùil air Calum Cille a tha a h uile duine am bliadhna, ann an cuimhneachan a bhàis agus fhèill (bàs 1400 bliadhna air ais; latha fèille, 9 Ogmhìos). Ach 's gann ach "sùilean air ais" air an naomh a th'againn, bhon chiad dhàn a chaidh a dhèanamh air gus an-diugh, nuair a tha leabhraichean, aistidhean agus prògraman telebhisein a' faighneachd: "Cò esan, is carson a tha e cho cudromach?"	Everyone seems to be looking back at Columba this year, the anniversary of his death and of his feast day (death 1400 years ago; feast day, 9 June). But we really have very little except "backwards looks" on the saint, from the first poem composed on him up to the present day, when books, articles and television programmes are asking: "Who is Columba, and why is he so important?"
Chan eil mòran againn bhon naomh fhèin: 's dòcha dàn no dhà, 's dòcha làmh-sgrìobhainn - "An Cathach", lethbhreac dhe na sailm, ged a tha e coltach gun deach a dhèanamh beagan an dèidh àm Chaluim Chille. Co-dhiù, tha fianaisean mar Adhamhnan, sgrìobhadair a' chiad beatha de Chaluim Chille anns na 690an, no Mánus Ó Dónaill, sgrìobhadair beatha Chaluim ann an 1532, a' toirt seallaidhean eadar-dhealaichte den naomh.	There is little from the saint himself left us: perhaps a poem or two, perhaps a manuscript - the "Cathach" or Battler, a copy of the psalms, which is more likely to be a bit later in date than Columba. However, there are witnesses like Adomnán, author of the first Life of Columba in the 690s, or Mánus Ó Dónaill, compiler of a life of Columba in 1532, who give us various views of the saint.
'Se comharba, no fear-ionaid, a bh'ann an Adhamhnan, naoidheamh ab I Chaluim Chille: sgoilear, ceann eaglaise, agus fear-rèite. 'Se duin-uasal a bh'ann am Mánus: tòiseach Ó Dónaill an siorrachd Dhùn nan Gall, caraid (fad a mach) an naoimh agus bàrd. Tha an dithis aca ag aontachadh air cudrom an naoimh - 'se duine neartmhor, naomh, foghlaimte, glic a bh'ann, agus bha e ag obair fhathast airson a shluagh, daoine bhochd a bharrachd air daoine mar na sgrìobhadairean fhèin. Do dhaoine nam meadhan-aoisean, bha na naoimh nan luchd-cuideachaidh seasmhach, nan càirdean agus nan luchd-taice.	Adomnán, ninth abbot of Iona, was the comharba or successor of the saint: a scholar, church leader and diplomat. Mánus was a nobleman, ruler of the Uí Dómhnaill in Donegal, kinsman (if distant) of the saint, and a poet. Both, nonetheless, would have agreed on the importance of the saint - he was a powerful man, holy, learned and wise, and he continued to work for his folk, poor people as well as folk like the two writers themselves. To people of the middle ages, the saints were constant helpers, friends, and patrons.
Tha mi cinnteach gu bheil na naoimh mar sin fhathast do mhòran dhaoine, gu sònraichte anns an eaglais Chaitligich, ach dhan mhòrchuid, tha ùidh aig daoine ann an naomh na h eachdraidhe. Dhaibhsan, 's mathaid, 'se "abstol na h Alba" agus "fear-stèidheachaidh na h eaglaise Cheiltich" a bh'ann an Calum Cille. Gun teagamh, chan e fìor ainm a th'ann an "abstol na h-Alba".	I am sure the saints are that way for many people still, especially among Catholics, but the majority of people seem interested in Columba as an historic person. To them, perhaps, his importance lies in being "apostle of Scotland" or "founder of the Celtic Church" or perhaps he is looked upon as a useful example. Without question, the title "apostle of Scotland" is inaccurate.
Bha tòrr mòr dhe na Gàidheil, leis an do dh'fhuirich Calum Cille ann an Earra Ghàidheal, nan Crìosdaidhean mar-thà - ge bu fann an creideamh. Bha clèirich eile ann an Albainn cuideachd: bha trì mainistirean air Tiriodh a mhàin aig àm an naoimh, fear a mhàin aig Calum Cille. Bha clèirich ag obair air feadh Alba an iar: Mo-Luagh ann an Lios Mòr; Blathan ann an Ceann Garadh air Eilean Bhòid.	Many of the Gaels among whom Columba settled in Argyll were already Christian - though it may have been a somewhat nominal faith. There were other clerics in Scotland, too; there were three monasteries on Tiree alone in the saint's time, only one of them Columba's. Clerics worked throughout western Scotland: Mo-Luagh in Lismore, Blathan in Kingarth on the isle of Bute.
Agus an Albainn a deas, far an robh na Breatannaich a' fuireach, fhuair na daoine Crìosdalachd fada roimhe sin. A rèir na sgeòil traidiseanta, 'se Ninian a thug Crìosdalachd dhaibhsan, ach chan eil sin fìor. A rèir Bede, agus beatha bheag Ninian a chaidh a sgrìobhadh anns an ochdamh linn, 'se saoghal Crìosdail a bh'ann an saoghal Breatannach Ninian. Saoghal gun mhainistirean, 's mathaid, ach saoghal Crìosdail, saoghal a dh'fhàg Ninian airson nan Cruithneach iompachadh, mus tàinig e air ais airson am mainistir a chur air bhonn.	And in southern Scotland, inhabited by the Britons, people had received Christianity long before. According to the account often told, it was Ninian who brought Christianity to them, though this is not correct. Bede, and the short eighth century Life of Ninian, both tell us that the British world of Ninian was a Christian one; a world without monasteries perhaps, but a Christian world nonetheless, which Ninian left to work at the conversion of the Picts, before returning to found his famous monastery.
Ged a tha sin fìor no nach eil, tha sinn a' faicinn ainmean a' chiad Chrìosdaidhean aithnichte ann an Albainn sgrìobhte air cloich ann an Taigh Mhàrtainn, ann an Yarrow, no air raon-itealan puirt-adhair Dhun Eideann, far a bheil clach ris an canar "the Catstane", le ainmean Breatannach Crìosdail oirre.	Whether or not this is true, the first named Christians in Scotland are to be seen inscribed on stones at Whithorn, at Yarrow, or on the runway at Edinburgh, where a stone called "the Catstane" bears the names of British Christians.
A dh'aindeoin sin, tha àite cudromach ann an eachdraidh na h Alba aig Calum Cille. Na linn-sa, b'e a mhainistir air Eilean I am fear as cudromaiche am measg tòrr mhainistirean eile a bh'aige: Darmhagh, agus 's mathaid Doire, ann an Eirinn; Magh Luinge air Tiriodh; "Hinba" air eilean eile nach deach a lorg. B'e deuchainn mhòr a bha siud ann an manachalachd, agus bha i glè shoirbheachail. 'Se sin a' phrìomh adhbhar a thàinig Calum Cille gu Albainn, ach nuair a bha e air turas tro Albainn, shearmonaich e cuideachd, agus chaidh feadhainn dhe na Cruithnich iompachadh.	Despite all that, Columba clearly has a large place in Scottish history. In his time, Iona was only one monastery among many he had set up: Durrow, and perhaps Derry, in Ireland; Magh Luinge on Tiree, "Hinba" on an as-yet unidentified island. This was a great experiment in monasticism, and it was extremely successful. That was the main purpose for which Columba came to Scotland, though when he travelled through Scotland he also preached, and some numbers of Picts were converted.
Lethcheud bliadhna an dèidh bàs Chaluim Chille, sheall tìrean nan Gàidheal agus nan Cruithneach ann an Albainn gu lèir do dh'fhear-ionaid Chaluim Chille mar cheann na h eaglaise an seo, agus bha manaich bho Eilean I ag obair ann an Sasainn a tuath, ann an Northumbria, a' searmonachadh agus a' cur na h-eaglaise air bhonn. Gu ruige 664, chaidh easbaig nan Northumbrianach, a dh'fhuirich ann an Eilean Lindisfarne, a shuidheachadh bho Eilean I.	A half century after Columba's death, the lands of both Gael and Pict looked to Columba's successor as leader of the church here, and monks from Iona were working in northern England also, in Northumbria, preaching and establishing the church. Up to 664, the bishop of Northumbria who was based in Lindisfarne was appointed from Iona.
Bliadhnachan an dèidh sin, nuair a ghabh Ciniodh mac Ailpin rìoghachd nan Gàidheal agus nan Cruithneach os làimh, shuidhich e eaglais ùr an Dun Chailleann, agus chuir e sgrìn Chaluim Chille innte. Chaidh ceithir de na rìghrean de shliochd Chiniodh ainmeachadh airson an naoimh: Maol Chaluim. Ann an Cogaidhean na Saorsa sa 14 linn, rinn manaich Innis Chaluim ann am Foirthe ùrnaighean do Chaluim Chille mar bhuachaille na rìoghachd agus dòchas nan Gàidheal; chaidh a sgrìn ro arm na h Alba aig Allt a' Bhonnaich ann an 1314. Gun teagamh, 'se prìomh-naomh na h-Alba a th'ann an Calum Cille.	Years after this, when Ciniodh mac Ailpin (or Kenneth mac Alpin) took control of the kingdom of both Picts and Gaels, he founded a new church in Dunkeld, and placed there Columba's relics. Four of the kings descended from Kenneth were named for the saint: Maol Chaluim (or Malcolm). In the Wars of Independence in the fourteenth century, monks from Inchcolm in the Forth made prayers to Columba as "shepherd of the nation" and "hope of the Scots". His shrine was processed before the Scottish army at Bannockburn in 1314. Without doubt, Columba is the prime saint of Scotland.
Ach chan e fear-stèidheachaidh "na h-Eaglaise Cheiltich" a bh'ann an Calum Cille idir. Chan eil an t ainm seo a' còrdadh riumsa: tha i air a mhì-ghnàthachadh cho tric. Rinn daoine (sgoilearan nam measg) uirsgeul mu eaglais shònraichte, air a cur air leth bhon "Eaglais Ròmanach" - eaglais na bu shaoire, na bu choibhneile, na bu ghlaine na eaglais riaghailteach a' mhòrchuid den Roinn Eòrpa.	But the idea of Columba as founder of the "Celtic Church" is also wide of the mark. I do not like this term at all: it is often abused. People (scholars prominent among them) have created a fiction about a special church, set apart from the "Roman" church; a more liberal, kinder, purer church than the institutionalised church of most of Europe.
Ach bha Calum Cille gun teagamh na phàirt de dh'eaglais "Ròmanach". Rinn e ath-sgrìobhadh de sailmeadairean, soisgeulan ann an Laideann, an aon soisgeul a chaidh a chleachdadh air feadh na h Eòrpa. Rinn e, 's mathaid, dàn, "Altus Prosator", ann an Laideann. San dàn seo, dh'fhoillsich e meud 'eòlais: bha e eòlach air Cassian, Jerome, Augustin, Griogair Mòr, a h uile sgrìobhadair Laidinn den t seann eaglais. Agus tha sealladh an dàin seo uabhasach dorcha: peacadh, ifrinn, Là Breitheanais, 'se seo a chuspairean, ged a tha àite aige airson tuairisgeulan brèagha de nàdar cuideachd.	But there is no question but that Columba belonged to a church that was in some sense "Roman". He copied psalms and gospels in Latin, the same gospels as were used throughout Europe. He composed, perhaps, a hymn, "Altus Prosator", in Latin. In this hymn he displays his great learning; he was familiar with the works of Cassian, Jerome, Augustine and Gregory the Great, all the great Latin fathers of the early church. And the vision of this poem is very dark: sin, hell, the day of judgement, these are his subjects, though he does find place for some lovely descriptions of the workings of nature.
Co-dhiù, fhuair Calum Cille, agus Crìosdaidhean na h Eireann, an Crìosdalachd bho chlèirich Bhreatannach ('se Breatannach, easbaig "Uinniau", no Fionnbarr, a theagaisg Calum Cille) agus fhuair na Cruithnich an creideamh bho na Gàidheil agus na Breatannaich: san dòigh seo, dh'fhàs nòsan agus beachdan ann an eaglaisean an iar, anns nach do ghabh an nàbaidhean (ann an Sasainn a deas, no san Eòrpa) pàirt. Ach bha nòsan eadar-dhealaichte san Eadailt no san Fhraing cuideachd: cha robh an eaglais gu lèir air a toirt gu bun-tomhas aig an àm sin.	Of course, Columba and the rest of the Christians of Ireland, received the faith from British clerics (it was a Briton, bishop "Uinniau", or Finnian, who taught Columba), and the Picts in turn received Christianity from Gaels and Britons. In this way, particular customs and attitudes arose, which their neighbours (in Southern England, or on the continent) did not share. But of course there were different local customs in Italy, or in France at this period; the church had not yet been standardised.
Ged a sgrìobh agus leugh Calum Cille ann an Laideann, bhruidhinn e sa Ghàidhlig. Nuair a bhàsaich e, rinn bàrd dàn iomadh-fhillte duilich ach fìor-mhath air "Amhra Chaluim Chille". Cha mhòr nach e seo a' chiad dàn sa Ghàidhlig a tha againn an-diugh. 'Se oileanach Chaluim Chille, Colmán mac Béoghna, a rinn a' chiad pìos de rosg Gàidhlig a th'againn: riaghailt airson a' mhanaich òig ris an canar "An Aibidil Chràbhaidh". Mar sin, 'se eaglais Ghàidhlig anns an do dh'obraich Calum Cille, eaglais anns nach robh eagal sam bith ro chleachdadh bàrdachd is sgeulachdan Gàidhlig agus seann nòsan.	Although Columba wrote and read Latin, he spoke Gaelic. When he died, a poet composed a complex, difficult, but splendid poem on him, the "Amhra Chaluim Chille". It is just about the earliest poem we have in Gaelic. A student of Columba's Colmán mac Béoghna, wrote the earliest piece of Gaelic prose we have, a sort of rule for the young monk called "The Alphabet of Devotion". Thus, it was a Gaelic church in which Columba worked, a church which was not worried about using Gaelic poetry or tales, or about the continuity of some old customs.
Am measg nan obraichean Laidinn, am measg nan laoidhean spioradail, tha sgeulachdan agus bàrdachd saoghalta: 'se litreachas Gàidhlig an litreachas dùthchasach as motha ann an Eòrpa nam meadhan-aoisean. Dhòmhsa, tha sin glè chudromach. Tha Adhamhnan ag innseadh dà sgeul dhuinn mu dheidhinn Chaluim Chille: sa chiad sgeul bha bàrd, Crónán, a' tadhal air an naomh, agus dh'fhalbh e. "Carson nach do dh'iarr thu air pìos beag bàrdachd a ghabhail, mar as àbhaist dhut?" thuirt manaich Chaluim. "A chionn 's gu bheil e faisg air a' bhàis," fhreagair Calum. San ath sgeul, a thachair an dèidh bàs Chaluim Chille, chaidh dibheargaich a shàbhaladh le bhith a' seinn òrain Ghàidhlig mun naomh. Tha na dhà a' nochdadh dè cho dlùth 's a tha an ceangal eadar an naomh agus bàrdachd Ghàidhlig.	Amidst the Latin works of this period, we have secular poetry and tales; Gaelic literature is the most extensive medieval vernacular literature in Europe. To me, this is extremely important. Adomnán tells us two stories about Columba. In one, a poet Crónán, was visiting the saint, and after he left Columba's monks asked why he had not asked for a poem, as was usual. Columba replied that Crónán was near death. In the second, which happened after Columba's death, bandits were saved from death by singing Gaelic songs in praise of the saint. Both stories show how close the connection was between Columba and Gaelic poetry.
Agus tha tòrr mòr de bhàrdachd nam meadhan-aoisean againn mu Chalum Cille no ann an guth an naoimh. Tha mòran dhaoine an-diugh caran romansach mu Chalum Cille, ach b'e na bàird anns na meadhan-aoisean a' chiad luchd-romansachd. Nam bàrdachd, tha an naomh a' smaoineachadh mu bheatha air eilean brèagha ciùin gun imcheist; no a' caoineadh fàgail Dhoire; no a' gearan mu sgìos a làimh bhon sgrìobhadh. Agus nam bàrdachd cuideachd chaidh an naomh a mholadh: mar eisimpleir, bàrdachd Bheacain mhic Luighdhech san t seachdamh linn no bàrdachd fear-ionaid Chaluim Chille ann an abaideachd I, Mughrón, a chaochail an 980.	And we have a great deal of medieval poetry about Columba or in the saint's voice. Many people today are a bit romantic about Columba, but the medieval poets were the first romantics. In their poetry, the saint contemplates life on a beautiful, peaceful, carefree island; or he laments the leaving of Derry; or he complains about his hand's weariness at writing. Also in their poetry the saint is praised; in the poetry, for example, of the seventh-century Beacán mac Luighdhech, or that of Columba's successor in the abbacy of Iona, Mughrón, who died in 980.
Tha mi a' cur crìoch air a' phìos bheag seo le cuid de bhàrdachd Mhughrón. Nochdaidh e dè cho cudromach 's a bha Calum Cille dha luchd-leanamhainn: mar chlèireach, cheann na h-eaglaise, sgoilear, charaid nam bàrd, fhear a bha saor, fhear-brosnachaidh.	I will end this short piece with an excerpt from the poetry of Mughrón. It shows how important Columba was to his followers: a cleric, church leader, scholar, friend of poets, an unfettered man, a man of inspiration.
Colum cille cend Alban, grinde im ghargbladh tar gargler, bárc bardlógh gan ordal, oghdar dian ardrón airdnem.	Colum Cille, Alba's head, keen for fierce fame over rough seas, matchless barque of bards' rewards, eager author, high heaven's noble seal.
Ar n abstal ógh ard Árand gan astadh im ór n íreand, grían gan táir, céim cáin Cúaland, én gúalann Dé na dílenn.	Our high apostle of Aran, unhindered by the world's gold; blameless sun, fine stride of Cùalann, shoulder bird of the flood's God.

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