Eddrachillis Bay
North of Assynt, on the western sea-board of Scotland, there is
Eddrachillis Bay. Eddrachillis. It
comes from the Gaelic Eadar Dà
Chaolas [“between two kyles”].
Eadar Dà Chaolas – Eadrachaolas
– Eddrachillis. But what are the two
kyles (narrows) in the name?
I was looking recently at the
Atlas Maior. The Atlas is books of
old maps. Joan Blaeu published the
book in the Netherlands in 1665. On
Blaeu’s maps, part of the north-west
of Scotland is named as Edir-da-cheules. It’s not a bay, but a
geographical area.
On Blaeu’s map, the area runs
from the Kyle of Durness in the
north to Kylesku in the south. Those
are the two kyles (narrows). Eadar
Dà Chaolas was the area between
the Kyle of Durness and Kylesku.
The name of the bay – Eddrachillis
Bay – remembers the old name of
the area.
The word eadar appears often
in place names. There is Eadar Dà
Fhadhail (between two sea-fords) in
Uig in Lewis. In Harris, there are
two hills called Giolabhal Glas and
Giolabhal Dubh. There is a hill
between them. The hill’s name is
Cnoc Eadar Dà Bheinn.
Near Glenbrittle on Skye there
is a pass between Beinn Stac and
Beinn a’ Bhràghad. The name of the
pass is Bealach Eadar Dà Bheinn
(pass between two mountains).
There is a pass of the same name in
Stirlingshire. And there is Loch
Eadar Dà Bheinn in Coigach in
Wester Ross. In Raasay, between
Baile Meadhanach and Baile a’
Chùirn, there is a loch. The loch is
called Loch Eadar Dà Bhaile.
And there is Meall Eadar an
Dà Chuinneag in Easter Ross. There
are two hills there called A’ Chuinneag (“the milk pail, stoup”). A’
Chuinneag Mhòr and A’ Chuinneag
Bheag. There is another mountain in
Assynt called A’ Chuinneag. On
Blaeu’s map it is Ben Quinag that is
written. And that is how it is on the
maps today – Quinag. But locals
call her Cuinneag. And we say A’
Chuinneag in Gaelic. From the
summit of A’ Chuinneag, you get a
good view of Eddrachillis.
Eddrachillis Bay
Gu tuath air Asainte, air taobh an iar na
h-Alba, tha Eddrachillis Bay.
Eddrachillis. Tha e a’ tighinn bhon
Ghàidhlig Eadar Dà Chaolas. Eadar Dà
Chaolas – Eadrachaolas – Eddrachillis.
Ach dè an dà chaolas anns an ainm?
Bha mi a’ coimhead o chionn
ghoirid air an Atlas Maior. ’S e an Atlas
leabhraichean de sheann mhapaichean.
Dh’fhoillsich Joan Blaeu an leabhar anns
an Òlaind ann an sia ceud deug, seasgad
’s a còig (1665). Air mapaichean
Bhlaeu, tha pàirt de cheann an iar-thuath
na h-Alba ainmichte mar Edir-da-cheules. Chan e bàgh a tha ann, ach
sgìre.
Air mapa Bhlaeu, tha an sgìre a’
ruith bho Chaolas Dhiùrinis anns a’
cheann a tuath gu ruige an Caolas
Cumhang anns a’ cheann a deas. ’S iad
sin an dà chaolas. B’ e Eadar Dà Chaolas
an sgìre eadar Caolas Dhiùirinis agus an
Caolas Cumhang. Tha ainm a’ bhàigh –
Eddrachillis Bay – a’ cuimhneachadh
seann ainm na sgìre.
Tha am facal eadar a’ nochdadh
gu tric ann an ainmean-àite. Tha Eadar
Dà Fhadhail (Ardroil) ann an Sgìre Ùige
ann an Leòdhas. Anns na Hearadh, tha
dà bheinn air a bheil Giolabhal Glas
agus Giolabhal Dubh. Tha cnoc eatarra.
’S e ainm a’ chnuic Cnoc Eadar Dà
Bheinn.
Faisg air Gleann Bhreatail anns
an Eilean Sgitheanach, tha bealach eadar
Beinn Stac agus Beinn a’ Bhràghad. ’S e
ainm a’ bhealaich Bealach Eadar Dà
Bheinn. Tha bealach dhen aon ainm ann
an Siorrachd Shruighlea. Agus tha Loch
Eadar Dà Bheinn anns a’ Chòigich, air
taobh siar Rois. Ann an Ratharsair, eadar
am Baile Meadhanach agus Baile a’
Chùirn, tha loch. ’S e ainm an locha
Loch Eadar Dà Bhaile.
Agus tha Meall Eadar an Dà
Chuinneag ann an taobh sear Rois. Tha
dà bheinn an sin air a bheil A’
Chuinneag. A’ Chuinneag Mhòr agus A’
Chuinneag Bheag. Tha beinn eile air a
bheil A’ Chuinneag. Ach air mapa
Bhlaeu ’s e Ben Quinag a tha sgrìobhte.
Agus tha i mar sin air na mapaichean an-diugh – Quinag. Ach canaidh muinntir
an àite Cuinneag rithe. Agus canaidh
sinn A’ Chuinneag ann an Gàidhlig. Bho
mhullach na Cuinneig, gheibh sibh
sealladh math de dh’Eadar Dà Chaolas.
