The Crossing Isle
We have nicknames for the islands
of Scotland. For example we call
Skye Eilean a’ Cheò (Isle of the
Mist). We call Lewis Eilean an
Fhraoich (Isle of the Heather). And
here now are the names of three
more islands. Do you know them?
We call the first island
An t-Eilean Tarsainn. The cross-wise island. An t-Eilean Tarsainn.
The name of the second island is
Rìoghachd na Forraiste Fiadhaich.
The kingdom of the wild forest.
Rìoghachd na Forraiste Fiadhaich.
And the name of the third island is
Eilean nam Ban Mòra. The island of
the big women. Eilean nam Ban
Mòra.
The three islands are close to
each other. They are three of the
Small Isles – Canna, Rum and Eigg. Why were the people using
strange names like that? Well, they
were sea-kennings. That is names
that fishermen or mariners were
using when they were at sea. Those
people were superstitious. They
weren’t willing to use the proper
names. They were believing that the
correct names were bringing [would
bring] bad luck to the boat.
Even when I was young,
Gaelic-speaking fishermen were still
superstitious. Some of them were not
willing to go to sea if they would see
a woman or a cat. On many boats
the crew were not willing to say
“salmon”. They had another word.
There is a fourth island in the
Small Isles – Muck. And there was a
sea-kenning for Muck as well. That
was Tìr Chràine. That means the
land of the sow. Tìr Chràine.
Why did they choose names like
that? Uill, Tìr Chràine is obvious
enough for the Isle of the Pigs.
Canna lives across the sea-route
between the Sea of Barra and the
Minch. And Rum was good for the
hunting of [the] deer.
And why was Eigg called The
Isle of the Big Women? Well, I have
a story about that. And you can
[will] hear the story next week.
An t-Eilean Tarsainn
Tha far-ainmean againn air eileanan
na h-Alba. Mar eisimpleir, canaidh
sinn Eilean a’ Cheò airson an Eilein
Sgitheanaich. Canaidh sinn Eilean an
Fhraoich airson Eilein Leòdhais.
Agus seo a-nise ainmean trì eileanan
eile. A bheil sibh eòlach orra?
’S e An t-Eilean Tarsainn
ainm a’ chiad eilein. The cross-wise
island. An t-Eilean Tarsainn. ’S e
ainm an dàrna eilein Rìoghachd na
Forraiste Fiadhaich. The kingdom of
the wild [deer] forest. Rìoghachd na
Forraiste Fiadhaich. Agus ’s e ainm
an treas fir Eilean nam Ban Mòra.
The island of the big women. Eilean
nam Ban Mòra.
Tha na trì eileanan faisg air a
chèile. ’S iad trì de na h-Eileanan
Beaga – Canaigh, Rùm agus Eige.
Carson a bha na daoine a’
cleachdadh ainmean annasach mar
sin? Uill, ’s e ainmean-mara a bha
annta. ’S e sin ainmean a bha iasgairean no maraichean a’ cleachdadh
nuair a bha iad aig muir. Bha na
daoine sin saobh-chràbhach. Cha
robh iad deònach na h-ainmean ceart
a chleachdadh. Bha iad a’ creidsinn
gun robh na h-ainmean ceart a’
dèanamh droch fhortan don bhàta.
Eadhon nuair a bha mise òg
bha iasgairean Gàidhealach fhathast
saobh-chràbhach. Cha robh feadhainn aca deònach dhol gu muir nam
faiceadh iad boireannach no cat. Air
mòran bhàtaichean cha robh an
criutha ag ràdh “bradan” idir. Bha
facal eile aca.
Tha ceathramh eilean anns na
h-Eileanan Beaga – Eilean nam Muc.
Agus bha ainm-mara air Eilean nam
Muc cuideachd. B’ e sin Tìr Chràine.
Tha sin a’ ciallachadh land of the
sow. Tìr Chràine.
Carson a thagh iad ainmean
mar sin? Uill, tha Tìr Chràine
follaiseach gu leòr airson Eilean nam
Muc. Tha Canaigh na laighe tarsainn
na slighe-mara eadar an Cuan
Barrach agus an Cuan Sgìth. Agus
bha Rùm math airson sealg nam
fiadh.
Agus carson a bha Eilean nam
Ban Mòra mar ainm air Eige? Uill,
tha stòiridh agam mu dheidhinn sin.
Agus cluinnidh sibh an stòiridh an
ath-sheachdain.
