Fo Gheasaibh Chlann Raghnaill	Under the Spell of Clan Ranald
Tha an t-Ollamh Noel Fojut aig Alba an Eachdraidh ag innse mar a chaidh pàirt dhe'r dualchas a ghoid – agus fhaighinn air ais a-rithist.	Doctor Noel Fojut of Historic Scotland tells of how part of our heritage was stolen – but was returned.
Sa Ghearran 1990 mhothaich muinntir Thobha Mhòir an Uibhist a Deas gu robh Clach Chlann Raghnaill a dhìth air làrach na seann eaglais aca. A rèir aithris, ’se ionad àrsaidh creideimh fìor chudromach a bh’innte, ’s dòcha le caibeal bhon t-7 neo 8 linn, a th’air a togail air làrach ro-eachdraidheil (broch neo fiù ’s barpa) air a dhèanamh rèidh.	In February 1990 people at Howmore, South Uist, noticed that the Clan Ranald Stone was missing from their ancient church site. Gaelic tradition holds that this was a very important early religious establishment, possibly consisting of a chapel from the 7th or 8th centuries, built on a levelled prehistoric site (a broch or even a chambered tomb).
Tha eachdraidh Tighearnachd nan Eilean sna Linntean Meadhanach ag innse dhuinn gu robh Tobha Mhòir ’na phrìomh ionad creideimh ann an crìochan Chlann Raghnaill, ’se sin na Dòmhnallaich leis an robh Uibhist a Deas agus Barraigh bho anmoch sa 14 linn gu tràth san 19 linn. Ri fhaicinn tha tobhtaichean dà eaglais agus trì fo-chaibealan, fear dhiubh ’na chaibeal adhlacaidh aig Clann Raghnaill. Tha àrainn an ionaid chreideimh gu lèir ’na làraich àrsaidh chlàraichte.	History records that during the medieval Lordship of the Isles Howmore was the main religious establishment in the territory of the Clan Ranald branch of the MacDonalds, who held the islands of South Uist and Benbecula from the late 14th century until the early 19th. The visible remains are the ruins of two churches and three subsidiary chapels, one a burial chapel for Clan Ranald. The whole area of the religious establishment is a scheduled ancient monument.
Chaidh tòrr fearainn a bhuileachadh air eaglais Thobha Mòr, gu h-àraidh ri linn ceannas Iain Mhùideartaich anmoch san t-16 linn, is a seirbheisich ag ullachadh dreuchdan lagha, foghlaim, filidheachd is ciùil cho math ri dreuchdan eaglaiseach. Thiodhlaic Iain cuideachd dhi caibeal an-sin ris an canar fhathast Caibeal Clann ’ic Ailein.	The church at Howmore, whose servants provided legal, educational, bardic and musical services as well as ecclesiastical ones, was endowed with extensive lands, most notably during the chiefdom of John of Moidart in the late 16th century. John also endowed a chapel there, which is still known as Caibeal Clann ’ic Ailein.
’S dòcha gu robh a’ chlach a bha dhìth ’na ùmhlachd dhàsan, dha mhac Ailean neo dha mhac-sa Raghnall. Tha Leabhar Chlann Raghnaill a’ cantainn mu Raghnall gu robh e ’na dheagh dhuine a rèir an ama san robh e beò, ach nuair a chaochail e bha fhathast casaidean gun fhreagairt air gu robh e ri ioma-phòsadh, ri poidseadh fhèidh an Rùm agus ri murt Ministear Bharraigh (anns an òrdugh cudruim sin).	It may be the vanished stone was a tribute to him, his son Allan or Allan’s son Ranald. The last-named was “a good man according to the times in which he lived”, according to the Book of Clan Ranald, which goes on to record that at the date of his death unanswered charges lay against him of polygamy, poaching deer on Rum and killing the Minister of Barra (in that order of importance).
Bha a’ Chlach ’na pannal suaicheantach de chlach ghainmhich a Càrsaig am Muile. Bho thùs bhiodh i mar phàirt dhen taobh a-muigh de bhalla a’ chaibeil, ’s math dh’fhaodte os cionn an dorais. Fada mus deach a goid bha a ’ Chlach air tuiteam as a’ chlachaireachd mhillte agus bha i air a cur an taca ris a’ bhalla. Bha i rud beag nas mò na 75cm is 80cm agus mu 15cm air thighead le mu 160cg a chuideam innte.	The Stone took the form of an armorial panel made of sandstone from Càrsaig in Mull. It would originally have been built into the outside wall of the chapel, perhaps above the doorway. At the time it was stolen the Stone had long since fallen out of the ruined masonry, and was propped up against the wall. It was a little over 75cm by 80cm and about 15cm thick and weighed about 160kg.
Nuair a dh’fhalbh a’ Chlach bha iomagain mhòr air muinntir an àite: chan e mhàin gun deach a goid a àite naomh, ach bha dragh orra cuideachd mu chlachan eile air làraichean eile. Ach dhearbh cunntas aithghearr nach robh a dhìth ach Clach Chlann Raghnaill. A dh’aindeoin gach oidhirp leis a’ choimhearsnachd, na polais agus Alba an Eachdraidh, bha a’ Chlach air a dhol a fianais gun a dubh no dath ri fhaicinn. Cha deach for a thoirt air daoine amharasach neo air carbadan neònach.	When the Stone disappeared, there was much local alarm - not only had a sacred site been robbed, but there was concern about other stones on other sites. However, a quick check confirmed that only the Clan Ranald Stone was missing. Despite strenuous efforts involving the local community, the police and Historic Scotland (then called Historic Buildings & Monuments), the Stone had disappeared without trace. No suspicious characters, nor mysterious vehicles, had been noted.
Anmoch sa Mhàrt 1995 fhuair mi fòn bhon Oll Daibhidh Caldwell aig Taigh Tasgaidh na h-Alba, a bha dìreach an dèidh foto fhaighinn bho Thaigh Tasgaidh Bhreatainn de chlach a thog ceann an Lunnainn. Bhathas air Clach Chlann Raghnaill a lorg - ann am flat faisg air Stèisean Euston.	In late March 1995 I had a phone call from Dr David Caldwell at the National Museum of Scotland, who had just been sent by the British Museum a photograph of a stone recovered in London. The Clan Ranald Stone had been found - in a flat near Euston Station.
Thar nan làithean a lean, chualas sgeul mhuladach. Bha cupall Canaideanach air a dhol gu Taigh Tasgaidh Bhreatainn air dhaibh tighinn a Lunnainn gus cuid am mic nach maireann a chur an òrdugh an dèidh beatha car hipidh a bhith aige. ’Na fhlat bha clach shnaighte. Bha dealbhan ann cuideachd ga sealltainn ga toirt a Tobha Mòr. B’e am mac-san gadaiche dìomhair na Cloiche.	Over the ensuing days a tragic story emerged. The British Museum had been approached by a Canadian couple who were in London to sort out the estate of their son, who had recently died after leading a somewhat hippy lifestyle. In his flat was a carved stone. Photographs also existed showing the stone being removed from Howmore. Their son was the mysterious stone-taker.
Bha a’ chàraid air son a’ chlach fhàgail aig an Taigh Tasgaidh mar chuimhneachan air am mac. Aon uair ’s gun do dh’ionnsaich iad gun deach a’ Chlach a goid, dh’fhàg iad cùisean aig an Taigh Tasgaidh, agus chuir iadsan a’ Chlach an taisg sàbhailte aca fhèin gus am faigheadh i air ais a dh’ Uibhist a Deas.	The couple wanted the British Museum to have the Stone in memory of their son. Once they learned that removing the Stone had been an offence, they left matters in the hands of the British Museum, who retrieved the Stone and took it into safe storage, pending its return to South Uist.
Chaidh naidheachd lorg na Cloiche a bh’ann an Gàsaid Steòrnabhaigh a thogail le “sreangair” ionadail a chuir air adhart gu na pàipearan nàiseanta i, agus nochd sgeul ana-measarra ann am fear aca mu “Mhallachd na Cloiche” a’ cur as dhan duine òg. An Uibhist a Deas thàinig daoine am bàrr is “cuimhne” aca air mallachd a bha fuaighte ris a’ Chloich (ged nach robh i air chuimhne an 1990, a rèir choltais). Chualas gu robh taibhsean am fèilidhean air am faicinn a’ coiseachd sa chladh - taibhsean neònach a cron-seanchas, oir cho fad ’s as aithne dhuinn cha robh am fèileadh ga chleachdadh anmoch san t-16 linn; ach ma thogair.	The news of the Stone’s recovery, first published in the Stornoway Gazette, was picked up by a local “stringer” and passed to the national papers, one of which ran a sensational story about “the Curse of the Stone” having “claimed this young man’s life”. In South Uist, individuals were found who began to “remember” a curse associated with the Stone (although no-one seems to have remembered this in 1990). Apparently kilted ghosts had been seen walking the graveyard - strangely anachronistic ghosts, since so far as is known the kilt was not in use in the late 16th century, but no matter.
An àite suaicheantais mar chuimhneachan air an tabhartair, bha a’ Chlach air a dhol ’na leac uaighe. ’Sann mar sin a tha uaislean nam meadhanan. Co-dhiù no co-dheth, ’sann a fhuair iad lorg air neach cuideachaidh an eucoraich a bha ag obair sa Ghearmailt gun dùil idir a thilleadh a Bhreatainn. Fhuair na pàipearan beaga an comhluadar ri pàrantan mo laochain cuideachd, tro chlàran cùirt a’ choronair - nì sam bith son sgeul mhath.	From being an armorial panel commemorating the benefactor, the Stone had become a gravestone. Such are the ways of the gentlemen of the press. However, the newspaper staff did locate the culprit’s accomplice, working in Germany and with no intention of returning to Britain. The tabloids also contacted the parents of the culprit, by means of the coroner’s court records - anything for a good story.
Sa Ghiblean dh’fhalbh mi fhìn ’s a’ bhean sìos a Lunnainn gus a’ Chlach a thogail agus a thoirt air ais a Dhun Èideann, far an deach a mion-sgrùdadh agus dealbhan a thogail. ’S gann gu robh lochd ri lorg - feumaidh gu robh an sglaimire uasal aiste ro ’bhàs an-tràthach. Chaidh a’ Chlach a sgùradh de chrotal is còinneach mharbh le gleidheadair proifeiseanta, agus an dèidh tuilleadh dhealbhan b’e ar beatha a toirt air ais a dh’Uibhist a Deas.	In April my wife and I drove down to London to collect the Stone and brought it back to Edinburgh, where it was carefully examined and photographed. It had suffered almost no damage - clearly it’s illicit possessor had treasured it before his untimely death. A professional conservator cleaned the Stone of dead lichen and moss, and after more photography we had the pleasure of taking it back to South Uist.
Anns an eadraiginn bha am prògram “Strange but True” aig London Weekend Television air bruidhinn rinn, is iad air son aithris a dhèanamh air sgeul na mallachd agus son sgèith suas a “South Whist” gus tilleadh na Cloiche a thogail air film. Chuidich sinn le fios is dòigh labhairt iad, ach dhiùlt sinn a’ Chlach a ghiùlan beul shuas air mullach a’ chàir gus dealbh mhath làidir a dhèanamh agus sinn a’ tighinn bhàrr an aiseig.	In the interim we had been contacted by London Weekend Television’s “Strange but True” programme, who wanted to feature the curse story and were planning to fly up to “South Whist” to film the Stone’s return. We helped them with details and pronunciation, but rejected the suggestion that we transport the Stone on a roof-rack, face up, to make a good dramatic shot as we left the ferry.
Aig deich feasgar, air oidhche fhliuch fhuar air Cidhe Loch Baghasdal, chaidh ar coinneachadh le sluagh mòr, luchd naidheachd, camarannan telebhisein agus aona phìobair. An ath latha (an dèidh turas fallsa air son nan camarannan) chaidh a’ Chlach a thoirt gu foirmeil do Chomunn Eachdraidh Uibhist a Deas, as leth muinntir an eilein, aig deas-ghnàth dathach le òraidean Gàidhlig is Beurla, pìobaireachd is dannsadh, agus tì is crac as an dèidh.	At ten in the evening, on a wet and windy night at Lochboisdale Pier, we were met by a large crowd, reporters, the television cameras and a lone piper. The next day (after a preliminary run to get good television footage) the Stone was formally handed over to the South Uist Historical Society, representing the people of the island, at a colourful ceremony with Gaelic and English speeches, pipe music and dancing, followed by tea and conversation.
Cha mhòr nach deach an deas-ghnàth ma sgaoil nuair a chaidh casg a chur air a’ chàr againn leis an t-sluagh mhòr a bh’air tighinn a-mach a’ dùnadh an rothaid shingilte oirnn. Agus seo aig an aon àm ’s a bha sgioba rugbaidh na h-Alba a’ cluich nan All Blacks!	The handing over ceremony almost came unstuck when our car found its way to the ceremony blocked by the large crowd who had turned out, jamming the single-track road. And all this at the same time that the Scottish rugby team were playing the All Blacks!
Chaidh a’ Chlach a chur sìos le urram anns an taigh tasgaidh phàirt-ùine san t-seann sgoil aig Cill Donnain, dlùth air Tobha Mòr, mus rachadh a goid a-rithist. Bha e coimhead math air beulaibh breacan de thartan MhicDhòmhnaill Chlann Raghnaill.	The Stone was placed reverently in the seasonal museum at the old school at Kildonan, not far from Howmore, because no-one wanted to take the risk of it disappearing again. It looked fine against a backdrop of MacDonald of Clan Ranald tartan.
Agus mar sin thàinig sgeul neònach gu ceann dhuinn - cha mhòr. A bharrachd air mallachd, ’s dòcha gu robh beannachd air a’ Chloich, oir seachdain an dèidh dhi tilleadh b’e an t-seachdain a bu bhlàithe riamh air chuimhne sna h-Eileanan - ruith am bàrr dìon-grèine a-mach ann am bùthan Uibhist a Deas is Bheinn na Fadhla (fearann Chlann Raghnaill) agus bha fèath nan eun air a’ mhuir. Thug ar n-obair sinn gun ath eilean gu deas Barraigh, a bha an uair sin ’na annas do luchd aimsir le bhith ’na àite as blàithe ann am Breatainn.	And so for us ended a strange tale - but not quite. As well as a curse, perhaps the Stone had a blessing, for the week after its return was the warmest in living memory in the Islands - the shops on South Uist and Benbecula (the Clan Ranald lands) ran out of sun protection creams, and the sea was as calm as a millpond. Our work took us onwards to neighbouring Barra, which proceeded to astound the meteorologists by being the warmest place in Britain.
Bha eadar trì is ceithir cheud aig a thiodhlagadh ann an Cladh Dun Bheagain air a' cheathramh latha deug dhen mhìos seo bho chionn ceud bliadhna, is a rèir nam pàipearan bha mòran a bharrachd air a bhith ann mura b'e cho fìor dhona 's a bha an t-sìde le sneachd is fuachd is reothadh. B'e an t-oighre a mhac, an Caiptean Tormod Mànas MacLeòid a bha air a bhith na shaighdear sna h-Innsean agus ann an Afraga, ach bha esan na laighe sa chaisteal le droch chnatan, is cha b'urrainn dha bruaich na h-uaigh a ruigheachd.	The tailpiece was the television transmission in the autumn of a 10-minute story about the curse, featuring the present Chief of Clan Ranald and the local priest, Canon MacQueen. We learned a lot about the curse, which had certainly taken on a life of its own. Even better was the book of the series, in which Clan Ranald mingled with Egyptian tombs and the Curse of Coronation Street (did you know that Ken Barlow was cursed?).

Tha CLI an comain an Oll Fojut aig Alba an Eachdraidh agus an ràitheachain Current Archaeology (9 Nassington Rd, Lunnainn), anns an do nochd a’ Bheurla an toiseach, air son cead an t-artaigil seo ath fhoillseachadh. Tha Alba an Eachdraidh air iarraidh oirnn, an lorg na sgeòil seo shuas, a dhèanamh soilleir gum bheil e ’na fhasan aca reachdas Obraichean Àrsaidh agus ìmpidh aotrom a chleachdadh, seach sgoil dubh no gheal, ’na oidhirpean gus làraichean cudromach eachdraidh neo arceòlais a dhìon.

CLI wishes to thank Dr Fojut of Historic Scotland and the quarterly magazine Current Archaeology (9 Nassington Rd, London), in which the English text first appeared, for permission to republish this article. Historic Scotland has asked us, in the light of the above item, to assure readers that it will normally use the Ancient Monuments legislation and gentle persuasion, rather than magic black or white, in its efforts to protect important historic and archaeological sites.