1015: Loch an Eich-uisge (1) 1015: Loch an Eich-uisge (1)

B1 - Intermediate - The Little LetterB1 - Eadar-mheadhanach - An Litir Bheag

Litir shìmplidh sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is eadar-theangachadh. A simple weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and translation.

Tha an litir bheag ag obrachadh leis an fhaclair. Tagh an taba ‘teacsa Gàidhlig’ agus tagh facal sam bith san teacsa agus fosglaidh am faclair ann an taba ùr agus bidh mìneachadh den fhacal ann. The little letter is integrated with the dictionary. Select the tab ‘Gaelic text’ and choose any word and the dictionary will open and you will see the English explanation of the Gaelic word.

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Gaelic & English Text Teacsa Gàidhlig & Beurla

Loch an Eich-uisge (1)

Gaelic Gàidhlig

O chionn ghoirid, choisich mi a-steach gu Loch an Eich-uisge. ’S ann an sgìre Loch Carrann a tha e, ann an Ros an Iar. ’S e loch uisge – loch monaidh – a tha ann.

Tha an t-uabhas de lochan air a’ Ghàidhealtachd a tha co-cheangailte, ann am beul-aithris, ri each-uisge. Chaidh tomhas a dhèanamh gu bheil co-dhiù seasgad ann dhiubh.

Corra uair, bidh cuideigin a dh’fhuiling bàs ann an loch ainmichte ann an ainm an locha fhèin. Dh’inns mi dhuibh mu dheidhinn Loch na Mnà ann an Ratharsair ann an Litir Bheag dà cheud ’s a trì-deug (213). Bha boireannach òg air a mharbhadh an sin le each-uisge. Tha Loch na Mnà a’ ciallachadh ‘the loch of the woman’. Agus tha Loch Iain MhicAonghais, faisg air Gleann Eilg, ainmichte airson fear – Iain MacAonghais – a chaidh a mharbhadh an sin le each-uisge.

Ge-tà, fhad ’s as aithne dhòmhsa, chan eil ann ach aon loch air a’ Ghàidhealtachd a tha ainmichte air na mapaichean mar ‘Loch an Eich-uisge’. Agus, leis gun robh an t-ainm cho annasach, choisich mi ann airson fhaicinn. Thòisich mi air mo chuairt ann an Àird an Fheusgain, aig beul Loch Carrann.

Tha suidheachadh Loch an Eich-uisge snog gu leòr, ged nach eil coltas air gu bheil an t-uisge domhainn. Tha an t-uabhas dhen duilleig-bhàite a’ fàs ann.

A thaobh àrainneachd a’ mhonaidh timcheall an locha, ghabh mi briseadh-dùil. Tha carbadan far-rathaid air sgrios a dhèanamh air a’ mhòintich. Saoilidh mi gun do theich an t-each-uisge o chionn fhada.

Nise, bha mi faiceallach le bhith ag ràdh gur e sin an aon loch a tha ainmichte air na mapaichean mar ‘Loch an Eich-uisge’. Ach tha loch ann am Barraigh, agus tha muinntir an eilein a’ gabhail ‘Loch an Eich-uisge’ air. Ge-tà, chan eil e ainmichte idir air mapaichean na Suirbhidh Òrdanais.

’S e loch beag bìodach a tha ann ann am fìor cheann a tuath an eilein. Tha e faisg air Loch na Cuilce. Bha an seanchaidh ainmeil – Iain Mac a’ Phearsain – no An Codaidh – ag innse sgeul mun loch agus mun each-uisge. Bheir sinn sùil air anns an ath Litir.

Loch an Eich-uisge (1)

English Beurla

Recently, I walked in to Loch an Eich-uisge. It’s in the area of Lochcarron, in Wester Ross. It’s a freshwater loch – a hill loch.

There is a tremendous number of lochs in the Highlands that are connected, in oral tradition, to a water-horse. It was estimated that there are at least sixty of them.

Occasionally, a person who suffered death in a loch will be named in the name of the loch itself. I told you about Loch na Mnà on Raasay in Litir Bheag 213. A young woman was killed there by a water-horse. Loch na Mnà means ‘the loch of the woman’. And Loch Iain Mhic Aonghais, near Glenelg, is named for a man – John MacInnes (or John, son of Angus) who was killed there by a water-horse.

However, as far as I know, there is only one loch in the Highlands that is named on the maps as ‘Loch an Eich-uisge’. And, because the name is so unusual, I walked in to see it. I commenced my walk in Ardaneaskan, at the mouth of Loch Carron.

The situation of Loch an Eich-uisge is nice enough, although it appears that the water is not deep. There is a lot of water lilies growing there.

In terms of the environment of the hill country around the loch, I was disappointed. Off-road vehicles have damaged the moorland. I reckon the water-horse left a long time ago.

Now, I was careful to say that that is the only loch that is named on the maps as ‘Loch an Eich-uisge’. But there is a loch on Barra, and the island folk call it ‘Loch an Eich-uisge’. However, it carries no name on Ordnance Survey maps.

It’s a tiny loch in the very north of the island. It’s near Loch na Cuilce. The famous storyteller – John MacPherson – or The Coddy – was telling a tale about the loch and the water-horse. We’ll look at it in the next Litir.

Gaelic TextTeacsa Gàidhlig