Ag Aonachadh Alba	One Day While s Uniting Scotland
“The Triumph Tree” deas. le Tòmas Eòghainn MacFhlannchaidh; Canongate, Beurla , £9.99 bog lèirmheas leis an Dr Mìcheal Newton	“The Triumph Tree” ed. by Thomas Owen Clancy; Canongate, English, £9.99 paperback review by Dr Michael Newton
Gabhaidh duine sam bith aig a bheil ùidh ann an litreachas agus eachdraidh aosmhor na h-Albann tlachd as a’ cho-chruinneachadh mhìorbhaileach seo. ’Se th’anns an leabhar ach bàrdachd a chaidh a sgrìobhadh ann an Albainn neo le ùghdaran Albannach air neo mu chùisean Albannach ron bhliadhna 1350, agus nochdaidh e air son a’ chiad turas a-riamh cho saidhbhir ioma-chùiseach ’s a tha seann litreachas na h-Albann.	Anyone interested in Scotland’s early literature and history will be delighted at this new and wonderful anthology. This book consists of poetry written in Scotland or by Scottish authors or on Scottish affairs before the year 1350, and will reveal for the first time to the general public the wealth and breadth of early Scottish literature.
Tha a’ bhàrdachd as sine, a sgrìobhadh anns an t-siathamh ceud, anns an Laideann agus anns an t-Seann Chuimris. Tha feadhainn anns an t-seann Ghàidhlig ro dheireadh an dearbh cheud. ’Se an aon duan a tha anns an t-Seann Bheurla Shasannach an duan cliùiteach “Dream of the Rood” a bhuineas do thimcheall na bliadhna 700, agus tha an duan am measg chàich leis mar a chaidh a ghràbhaladh air crois ann an sgìre Dhùn Phris. ’Sann anns an deicheamh ceud a tha bàird Lochlannach a’ tighinn air fàire, a’ togail fonn air an cuid bheartan fuilteach, agus ’se an aona duan a th’anns a’ Bheurla Ghallda an cumha do Rìgh Alastair III, a chaochail anns a’ bhliadhna 1300.	The earliest poetry, dating from the sixth century, was written in Latin and Old Welsh, and Old Gaelic joins it by the end of the same century. The only Old English poem to appear is the famous “Dream of the Rood”, dated approximately to 700 AD, and is included in this collection because it was inscribed on a cross in Dumfriesshire. The Norse make their poetic debut in the tenth century, celebrating their bloody acts, and the only poem written in Lallans laments the death of Alexander III in 1300.
Tha iomadh duan ann air nach eil daoine idir eòlach, ach tha an Dr MacFhlannchaidh gu h-àraid airidh air moladh leis mar a chuir e a-steach fras dhuan Gàidhlig nach eil ach ’nam fuigheall ach nach deach an deasachadh no an eadar-theangachadh a-riamh roimhid, duain a tha nochdadh barrachd fiosrachaidh air seann saoghal Gaidhealach na h-Albann.	There are many a number of pieces which have not been well-known, but Dr Clancy must be commended in particular for including a number of Gaelic poems which, although they are only fragments, have never before been properly edited or translated, and which shed new light on early Scottish Gaeldom.
Ged a tha na duain a’ daingneachadh mar a bha iomadh treubh agus cànan ann an Albainn bho shean, tha na duain Ghàidhlig airidh air sònrachadh air caochladh dhòighean. Ged nach ionann Gàidhlig anns an t-siathamh ceud agus anns an latha an-diugh, ’si an aon chànan (saor on Laideann) a th’air mairsinn bho bhreith an nàisein. Cluinnear fhathast mòran de na samhlaidhean anns an t-seann bhàrdachd seo ann an òrain Ghàidhlig. Gu deimhinne, tha tiotal an leabhair fhèin - Craobh nam Buadh - ’na shamhla air gaisgeach cho bitheanta ’s a th’ann an cleachdaidhean litreachas na Gàidhlig gu ruige ar linn fhèin.	Although the poems demonstrate the mixture of peoples and languages in early Scotland, the Gaelic poetry deserves special recognition on several accounts. While it has changed from the sixth century to the present, it is the only language (other than Latin) to have survived from the birth of the nation. Many of the metaphors from this ancient poetry can still be heard in Gaelic song. Indeed, the title of the book itself translates one of the most common kennings for a warrior in Gaelic literary tradition into the present century.
A bharrachd air siud uile, tha e cudromach gu bheil na duain anns na cànanan dùthchasach eile a-mach air cùisean ionadail - srì nan Ceilteach Breatannach ann an Albainn mu dheas, trod nan tighearnan Lochlannach ri chèile anns na h-Eileanan mu thuath - agus chan eil ach na duain Ghàidhlig a’ sealltainn air Albainn bho sheasamh nàiseanta, mar rìoghachd aonaichte. Thug an t-ùghdar a’ bhuaidh le làimh dheis, agus gum mealadh a h-uile duine an t-àgh seo.	Finally, it is important to note that while the other vernacular poetry might discuss local matters - the struggles of the Brythonic Celts of Southern Scotland, squabbles between Norse overlords in the Northern Isles - only the Gaelic poetry views Scotland from a national perspective, as an integrated kingdom. The author has scored a decisive triumph in his endeavours, and may everyone savour his success.

You can find more articles in the archive under Gaelic Column and information on the organization at C.L.I.