Scottish Gaelic Column November 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
Cuir thugainn do sheòladh airson samhla às an ràitheachan dhà-chànanach Cothrom gu cli@sol.co.uk ag innse gur ann tro "Scottish Radiance" a fhuair thu fios air CLI.	For a sample extract from the bilingual quarterly Cothrom, send your address to cli@sol.co.uk, saying that you heard of CLI through "Scottish Radiance".

A' Creimeadh Seann Chinn	Gnawing Ancient Heads
Scottish Gaelic Studies XVII" deas. Dòmhnall MacAmhlaigh, Seumas Gleasure, Colm Ó Baoill; Oilthigh Obar Dheathain, Gàidhlig/Beurla, £17.50 bog	"Scottish Gaelic Studies XVII" ed. Donald MacAulay, James Gleasure, Colm Ó Baoill; University of Aberdeen, Gaelic/English, £17.50 paperback
"The Prophecy of Brechán" deas. B. Hudson; Greenwood Press, USA ISBN 0 313-29567 0, Beurla, cruaidh	"The Prophecy of Brechán" ed. B. Hudson; Greenwood Press, USA ISBN 0 313-29567 0, English, hardback
Gabhar greadhnachas às na toraidhean a bhios sgoilearan Ceiltis a dhèanamh le eachdraidh Albann ri linn nam Meadhan-Aoisean, agus i fhathast na nàisean Ceilteach agus Gàidheil a' tàmh air na Machraichean. 'Se àm a tha seo a tha air leth doirbh ri rannsachadh leis cho gann is a tha na prìomh-thobraichean, ach tha sgoilearan a' cur iomadh gnè fiosrachaidh an gnìomh gu ar tuigse leasachadh.	It is exciting to see the results of Celtic scholars who are exploring the history of Scotland during the Middle Ages, while it was still a Celtic nation and a Gaelic society was occupying the modern Lowlands. This is a particularly difficult period to study, particularly because of the lack of primary sources, but scholars are using a variety of materials to improve our understanding.
Tha an iris shònraichte de Scottish Gaelic Studies na fèill-sgrìobhainn às leth Ruaraidh MhicThòmais, am bàrd Leòdhasach agus sgoilear Gàidhlig. Tha e còrr is 400 duilleag de dh'fhaid agus 39 aithisgean na bhroinn, le cuid dhe na rannsaichean as fheàrr.	The special issue of Scottish Gaelic Studies is a festschrift for Lewis bard and Gaelic scholar Derick Thomson. It is over 400 pages in length, and contains some 39 articles by some of the best researchers in the field.
Chnuasaich Iain Mac nam Bratach "ollamh an rìgh" an Cùirt na h Albann, gu h àraid an teaghlach an lùib coisrigeadh Rìgh Alasdair III ann an 1249. Tha e am beachd gun robh Baile a' Bhàird leotha, baile air dà thaobh crìochan Fìobha agus Pheairt, agus am fagas don chathair rìoghail, Sgàin. Lean e ris an eòlas a th'againn air daoine aig an robh an oifig seo gu ruige linn Rìgh Robairt.	John Bannerman discusses the king's poet in the Scottish Court, particularly the family associated with the inauguration of King Alexander III in 1249. He suggests that they held township of Balvaird, astride the Fife-Perthshire borders and suitably close to the royal seat of Scone. He continues with what is known about holders of this office until the time of Robert the Bruce.
Tha strì am measg nan Ceilteach san 7 linn a' nochdadh ann an aithisg eile. 'Sann air mar a rinn na Sasannaich an gnothaich air Ceiltich à Dùn Eideann mu 600AD a tha an duan mòrchuiseach Seann-Chuimris, Y Gododdin. Rè nan linntean, gun fhios dhuinn ciamar, bhrùchd sia loidhnean a-steach air a' Ghododdin, ged a bhuin iad bho thùs do dhuan eile a bhuail air mar a rinn Eoghan mac Bile, Rìgh Shrath Chluaidh, a' chùis air Dòmhnall Breac, Rìgh Dhàl Riata, air Srath Carrann an 642. Seo an rann:	Another article sheds light on conflicts amongst the Celts of the 7th century. Y Gododdin is an epic poem in Old Welsh about the defeat of a Celtic army from the Edinburgh area by the Northern English about 600AD. Somehow, during the centuries, a six-line stanza from another poem found its way into the Gododdin, although it originally belonged to a poem describing how Owain ap Beli, king of Strathclyde, defeated Domnall Breac, king of Dál Riata, at Strathcarron in 642. The stanza is:
Gweleis-y dull o Benntir a doyn A berth, am goel kerth, a disgynnyn; Gweleis-y deu oc eu tref rygwydyn: O eir wyr Nwython rygollessyn Gweleis gwyr dullyawr gan awr a devyn A phenn Dyvynwal Brych brein a'e cnoyn!	Gweleis-y dull o Benntir a doyn A berth, am goel kerth, a disgynnyn; Gweleis-y deu oc eu tref rygwydyn: O eir wyr Nwython rygollessyn Gweleis gwyr dullyawr gan awr a devyn A phenn Dyvynwal Brych brein a'e cnoyn!
Chunnacas am feachd à Cinn Tìre a' tighinn Gu beartach, ri fiosachd ceart, a chaidh sìos; Chunnacas dhà aca on treubh-san a thuislich Aig smachd ogha Neachdainn a chaidh chall; Chunnacas fir chatha a' tighinn 's abù! asda 'S ceann Dhòmhnaill Bhric, brain ga chreimeadh!	I saw an array that came from Kintyre And that smartly, because of a sure augury, fell; I saw two arrays that, away from their territory, faltered; Through the command of the grandson of Nwython they had been laid low; I saw warriors arrayed that came on with a battle cry And ravens gnawed Domnall Brecc's head!
Dh'fhoillsich Brian Ó Cuiv san aithisg leis fianais mu thimcheall filidhean Ó Gnímh Antruim agus an dàimh-san ris na Agnewan an Gallaibh [Gallghàidhealaibh]. Chùm e a mach gur e Corcaigh Eireann an dùthchas aca bho thùs agus gun do dh'imrich iad a Ghallaibh san 12 no 13 linn, far an do chuirteadh Agnew orra sa Bheurla. Fhuair fear Ó Gnímh Ghallaibh dreuchd na fhilidh aig Dòmhnallach Antruim, agus leis a' cheangal a chruthaicheadh eadar an dà theaghlach seo, bha beachd aig seanchaidhean ri teachd gu b'e meur Chloinn Dòmhnaill Clann Ó Gnímh.	In the article by Brian Ó Cuiv he gives some of the evidence surrounding the Ó Gnímh family of poets of Antrim and their relationship with the Agnews of Galloway. He speculates that the family originated in Cork and that they migrated to Galloway in the 12th or 13th century, where their name was later Anglicised as Agnew. One of these Galloway Ó Gnímhs became a professional poet for MacDonald of Antrim, and the close link forged between these two important families caused later genealogists to claim that the Ó Gnímhs were an offshoot of Clan Donald.
Bu chòir do neach sam bith aig a bheil fìor ùidh air Albainn bho shean sùil a thoirt air deasachadh ùr den duan ainmeil Targradh Naoimh Barachan. "Chan e a-mhàin gu bheil an Targradh am measg dòrlach sgrìobhaidhean mun àm chudthromach seo, ach tha eòlas ann air reiligean, àitean ionmholta na dùthcha agus beairt nan rìghrean a bheir sealladh annasach dhuinn air eachdraidh àrsaidh na h Albann."	Anyone seriously interested in early Scottish history should look at the new edition of the famous poem The Prophecy of Berchán. "The Prophecy is not only one of the few tracts that deals with this crucial period, but its information about burials, important geographical features and the actions of the kings provides a unique insight into early Scottish history."
Tha an duan a mach air eachdraidh Gàidheil Eireann 's Albann, bho ionnsaighean nan Lochlannach san 9 linn gu ruige deireadh na 11 linn. Tha an duan an riochd targraidh, mar bu nòs tràth 's na Meadhan-Aoisean, am beul naoimh dam b'ainm Barachan. Chùm Hudson a-mach gun deach an duan a sgrìobhadh na trì ceumannan, le trì naomhan air leth, is gum b'e naomh san 9 linn an ceud fhear.	The poem discusses Gaelic history in Ireland and Scotland beginning with the Viking invasions in the 9th century and continues up to the end of the 11th century. The poem is in the form of a prophecy, as was much in fashion in the early Middle Ages, spoken by a saint named Berchán. Hudson believes that the poem was actually written in stages by three different poets, the first being the 9th century saint.
Dh'aithnichte Barachan an Albainn, oir nochdaidh e ann an ainmean-àitean, leithid Chille Bharachain an Sgìre Rinn Friù. Bha Fèill Barachan ann toiseach gach Gearran air Baile Dhubhthaich agus fèill eile as t fhoghar air Obar Phuill.	A Berchán was certainly known in Scotland, as can be seen in place-names such as Kilbarchan in Renfrewshire. A Lammas fair was held in commemoration of Berchán in Tain, and an autumn fair in Aberfoyle.
'Se Causantín mac Fhearghais a dh'eug 820 an ceud Rìgh Albannach a tha nochdadh san duan. Tha luaidh air na rìghrean, fear mu seach, gu ruige Dòmhnall mac Dhonnchaidh, a chaidh chur a bhàrr na cathrach an 1097. 'S iomadh luaidh àraid air na rìghrean agus air Ceiltich Albann rè nan linn seo a bha gu tric luaisgeach	The first Scottish king who appears in the poem in Constantine son of Fergus, who died in 820. The kings are discussed in succession up until Donald son of Duncan who was deposed in 1097. There are many interesting descriptions of the kings and of the Celts of Scotland during these often turbulent times.
Anns an rann mu Chausantín, tha earrann de "shiubhal beannachaidh" a chanadh ollamh an rìgh air coisrigeadh an Rìgh:	In the section devoted to Constantine, an excerpt from the “blessing run” spoken by the king's poet at his inauguration appears:
Go mes for cráobhaibh caola Go cuirm go ceol go caomhna go n ith go mbliocht go mbúar mbras co n úaill co n ádh co n erbhas	Go mes for cráobhaibh caola Go cuirm go ceol go caomhna go n ith go mbliocht go mbúar mbras co n úaill co n ádh co n erbhas.
Gum biodh meas air craobhan caola Gum biodh cuirm, ceòl, caomh ann Gum biodh iodh, bliochd, bà brasach ann Gum biodh uaill, àgh, ionracas.	With fruit on slender branches With ale with music with cheer With corn with milk with plump cattle With pride with fortune with worth
Chan ionann MacBeatha Rìgh Albann aig an duan seo agus an slaoightear aig Shakespeare:	The Scottish king MacBeth is portrayed in the poem very differently to Shakespeare's villain:
In ruadh fionn-bhuidhe foda Bidh aoibhinn dhamhsa occu Bidh lomlán Alba thíar thoir Fri ríghe an deircc dhásachtaigh	In ruadh fionn-bhuidhe foda Bidh aoibhinn dhamhsa occu Bidh lomlán Alba thíar thoir Fri ríghe an deircc dhásachtaigh
An ruadh fionn-bhuidhe fada Bidh e aoibhinn aca dhomhsa Bidh Alba loma-làn iar 's ear Ri linn an dearg-dhàsachdaich. Mìcheal Newton	The red tall golden-haired one He will be pleasant to me among them Scotland will be brimful wet and east During the reign of the furious red one.

You can find more articles in the archive under Gaelic Column.

Information on the organization at C.L.I.

New

Home

Contents