Isle of Canna (2)
There is a place in Canna called Coroghon Castle. It’s not a normal castle. In Gaelic it’s called the Corra-dhùn. The steep fort or hill. Although it is not big, it is steep.
The building is next to the shore. It is very old. It is in a poor condition. If somebody doesn’t do something soon, it won’t be there long.
What use did people make of the fort? Some [people] say that people went there when they were in danger. But it is very small. And there is no water there.
There are signs close to the building. They warn people not to climb on the hill. It is dangerous. It’s the national Trust for Scotland that put the signs there. And they put on them “Coroghon Castle/Prison”. Do you reckon it was a prison, rather than a castle?
An interview was done with an old islander, the late Angus MacDonald. Angus was born in 1863. It’s not “castle” he said but “prison”.
According to oral tradition the building was used as a prison in olden times. But who was held there as a prisoner? Well, the wife
of one of the clan chiefs. She was
very beautiful. The clan chief was
unhappy that she was attracted to
another man.
Some [people] say that the
clan chief was Dòmhnall Dubh na
Cuthaig. Black-haired Donald of
the Cuckoo. Dòmhnall Dubh na
Cuthaig. How did he get a name
like that?! Well, I’ll tell you next
week.
Dòmhnall Dubh was the chief
of Clanranald. He died in Canna
in 1686. Some [people] say that he
locked his wife in Coroghon
Prison.
If that is true, the building
goes back to at least the Seventeenth Century. The first picture of
it appeared in print in the
Eighteenth Century. That was in
the book that Thomas Pennant
wrote. Pennant undertook a
journey in Scotland in 1772. I
hope the building will be saved.
But it will be expensive.
Eilean Chanaigh (2)
Tha àite ann an Canaigh air a bheil Coroghon Castle. Chan e caisteal àbhaisteach a tha ann. Ann an Gàidhlig ’s e an Corra-dhùn a tha air. The steep fort or hill. Ged nach eil e mòr, tha e cas.
Tha an togalach an cois a’ chladaich. Tha e gu math sean. Tha e ann an droch staid. Mura dèan cuideigin rudeigin a dh’aithghearr, cha bhi e ann fada.
Dè am feum a rinn daoine dhen dùn? Tha cuid ag ràdh gun deach daoine ann nuair a bha iad ann an cunnart. Ach tha e uabhasach beag. Agus chan eil uisge ann.
Tha sanasan faisg air an togalach. Tha iad a’ toirt rabhadh do dhaoine gun a bhith a’ streap air an dùn. Tha e cunnartach. ’S e Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba a chuir na sanasan ann. Agus chuir iad orra “Coroghon Castle/Prison”. Saoil an e prìosan a bha ann, seach caisteal?
Chaidh agallamh a dhèanamh le seann eileanach, Aonghas Dòmhnallach nach maireann. Rugadh Aonghas ann an ochd ceud deug, seasgad ’s a trì (1863). Chan e “caisteal” a thuirt esan ach “prìosan”.
A rèir beul-aithris bha an togalach air a chleachdadh mar phrìosan o shean. Ach cò bha air a chumail ann mar
phrìosanach? Uill, bha a’ bhean aig fear de
na cinn-chinnidh. Bha i uabhasach
brèagha. Bha an ceann-cinnidh mì-thoilichte gun robh nòisean aice do dh’fhir
eile.
Tha cuid ag ràdh gum b’ e
Dòmhnall Dubh na Cuthaig an ceann-cinnidh sin. Black-haired Donald of the
Cuckoo. Dòmhnall Dubh na Cuthaig.
Ciamar a fhuair e ainm mar sin?! Uill,
innsidh mi dhuibh an ath-sheachdain.
Bha Dòmhnall Dubh na cheann-cinnidh aig Clann Raghnaill. Chaochail e
ann an Canaigh ann an sia ceud deug,
ochdad ’s a sia (1686). Tha cuid ag ràdh
gun do ghlais e a bhean ann am Prìosan a’
Chorra-dhùin.
Ma tha sin fìor, tha an togalach a’
dol air ais gu co-dhiù an seachdamh linn
deug. Nochd a’ chiad dhealbh dheth ann
an clò anns an ochdamh linn deug. Bha sin
anns an leabhar a sgrìobh Tòmas Pennant.
Bha turas aig Pennant ann an Alba ann an
seachd ceud deug, seachdad ’s a dhà
(1772). Tha mi an dòchas gum bi an
togalach air a shàbhaladh. Ach bidh e
cosgail.
