The Milky Way
The Gaelic for The Milky Way is
Slighe Chlann Uisnich [“the path of the children of Uisneach]. Milky Way came into English from the Latin Via Lactea . Many languages took their name for the Milky Way from Latin. The Romance languages themselves are like that. In Italy, for example, it’s Via
Lattea. The German Milchstraße and the Dutch Melkweg are translations from Latin. As are the names in the Slavic languages.
But some of the names are connected to legends. Ours is like that.
Slighe Chlann Uisnich
is named for three heroes. They were Deirdre’s companions – Deirdre’s lover, Naois, and his brothers, Aillean and Àrdan. The brothers made a famous
journey between Scotland and Ireland. That was Slighe Chlann Uisnich.
I have a book open in front of me. It’s title is
Reul-eòlas [Astronomy]. It’s Patrick Moore that wrote it. John Angus MacLeod translated it to Gaelic. They write this about the Milky Way:
“I’m afraid that you’ll hardly see it in the Highlands in the summer, but in the winter it is glorious.” Well, I was out during the summer, camping. I
saw the Milky Way very clearly.
I was in Glen Etive. That’s in the Western Highlands. It’s near Glencoe. Many people say that Deirdre and the Sons [Children] of Uisneach were living
in Glen Etive.
Dùn Dearduil of Glen Etive is beautiful. It’s a grassy hill. It’s above the river. There are high mountains round about it. I stood on the top of the
hill. As it was in the story, “the deer of the speckled slope” were there. And there were “salmon of the rapid torrent” in the river.
I camped at the bottom end of the glen. I woke during the night. I put my head out of the tent. There was no light. There was none, at least, with the
exception of the stars. Above me was the Milky Way. It was clear and beautiful. Slighe Chlann Uisnich in Glen Etive on a beautiful night. It doesn’t get
any better than that!
Slighe Chlann Uisnich
’S e a’ Ghàidhlig air The Milky Way Slighe Chlann Uisnich. Thàinig Milky Way don Bheurla bhon Laidinn Via Lactea. Thug mòran
chànanan an ainm airson a Milky Way bhon Laidinn. Tha na cànanan Laideannach fhèin mar sin. Ann an Eadailtis, mar eisimpleir, ’s e Via Lattea. Tha
a’ Ghearmailtis Milchstraße agus an Dùitsis Melkweg mar eadar-theangachadh air an Laidinn. Tha, agus na h-ainmean anns na cànanan
Slàbhach.
Ach tha cuid de dh’ainmean co-cheangailte ri fionnsgeulan. Tha am fear againne mar sin. Tha Slighe Chlann Uisnich air ainmeachadh airson triùir ghaisgeach.
B’ iad na companaich aig Deirdre – leannan Deirdre, Naois, agus a bhràithrean, Aillean is Àrdan. Rinn na bràithrean slighe ainmeil eadar Alba is Èirinn.
B’ e sin Slighe Chlann Uisnich.
Tha leabhar fosgailte air mo bheulaibh. ’S e an tiotal air Reul-eòlas. ’S e Pàdraig Moore a sgrìobh e. Rinn Iain Aonghas MacLeòid
eadar-theangachadh air gu Gàidhlig. Tha iad a’ sgrìobhadh seo mu Shlighe Chlann Uisnich: “Tha eagal orm gur gann gum faic sibh i air Ghàidhealtachd anns
an t-Samhradh, ach tron Gheamhradh tha i òirdheirc.” Uill, bha mi a-muigh as t-samhradh, a’ campachadh. Chunnaic mi Slighe Chlann Uisnich gu math soilleir.
Bha mi ann an Gleann Eite. Tha sin air taobh an iar na Gàidhealtachd. Tha e faisg air Gleann Comhann. Tha mòran ag ràdh gun robh Deirdre agus Clann Uisnich
a’ fuireach ann an Gleann Eite.
Tha Dùn Dearduil Ghleann Eite brèagha. ’S e cnoc feurach a tha ann. Tha e os cionn na h-aibhne. Tha beanntan àrda timcheall air. Sheas mi air mullach a’
chnuic. Mar a bha anns an sgeulachd, bha “fèidh a’ bhearraidh bhric” ann. Agus bha “bradain a’ bhoinne bhrais” san abhainn.
Champaich mi aig ceann shìos a’ ghlinne. Dhùisg mi air an oidhche. Chuir mi mo cheann a-mach às an teanta. Cha robh solas sam bith ann. Cha robh, co-dhiù,
ach na rionnagan. Os mo chionn bha Slighe Chlann Uisnich. Bha i soilleir agus àlainn. Slighe Chlann Ùisnich ann an Gleann Eite air oidhche bhrèagha. Chan
eil e a’ fàs càil nas fheàrr na sin!
