Strathconon and Scardroy
Loch Beannacharain is at the upper end
of Strathconon. That’s in Ross-shire.
Near to the loch, there is a farm called
Scardroy in English. In the original
Gaelic, that’s Sgàrd Ruaidh. According
to oral tradition, it’s cattle blood that is
responsible for the red colour. Here is
the story:
John of the light-brown hair, son of
black-haired Donald, was from Loch-
aber. He was famous for plundering
cattle. The chief of the MacKenzies of
Gairloch, Alasdair Breac (“pock-
marked”) was unhappy. He was wanting
to stop Iain.
Alasdair found the hero Alasdair
Buidhe Mackay from Strathoykell. He
hired Alasdair Buidhe. He was wanting
him to stop Iain Geal Donn.
One day, Iain and his companion
went to Amat in Easter Ross. They lifted
twelve beasts there. One of them was a
bull.
They returned through Strathconon. They drove the cattle hard. They
stopped at Loch Beannacharain for the
night. They called the place Scardroy.
Their animals were bleeding.
Alasdair Buidhe had a lackey. He
was a young Lochaber man. That lad
told Alasdair that the robbers were
going to be in a shieling bothy at Loch
Beannacharain. The two of them went
there quietly. Alasdair pressed the
muzzle of his gun to the boy. He forced
the lad to promise he would be loyal to
him.
In the bothy, the robbers were
roasting a piece of the bull. They didn’t
know about Alasdair Buidhe. Alasdair
put his lackey at the door. Alasdair went
to the other end of the bothy. He pulled
up a divot a little from the roof. He saw
Iain Geal Donn at the fire. Iain was
pleased. All the men were around the
fire.
Suddenly, Iain shouted to his
companions, “Look out – I’m getting the
smell of [gun]powder!” But, before they
moved, Alasdair Buidhe shot his gun at
Iain. Alasdair jumped down from the
roof. And we’ll see what happened then,
next week.
Srath Chonainn agus Sgàrd Ruaidh
Tha Loch Beannacharain aig ceann shuas
Shrath Chonainn. Tha sin ann an
Siorrachd Rois. Faisg air an loch tha baile-
fearainn ann air a bheil Scardroy ann am
Beurla. Anns a’ Ghàidhlig thùsail, ’s e sin
Sgàrd Ruaidh. A-rèir beul aithris, ’s e fuil
aig beathaichean mairt as coireach ris an
dath ruadh. Seo an stòiridh:
Bha Iain Geal Donn mac
Dhòmhnaill Dhuibh à Loch Abar. Bha e
ainmeil airson a bhith a’ togail creach.
Bha ceann-cinnidh Clann ’ic Coinnich
Gheàrrloch, Alasdair Breac, mì-thoilichte.
Bha e ag iarraidh stad a chur air Iain.
Lorg Alasdair an gaisgeach
Alasdair Buidhe MacAoidh à Srath
Òiceall. Dh’fhastaich e Alasdair Buidhe.
Bha e ag iarraidh air stad a chur air Iain
Geal Donn.
Latha a bha seo, chaidh Iain agus a
chompanaich gu ruige An Àmait, ann an
taobh sear Rois. Thog iad dusan beathach
an sin. Fear dhiubh, ’s e tarbh a bha ann.
Thill iad tro Shrath Chonainn.
Dh’iomain iad an crodh gu cruaidh. Stad
iad aig Loch Beannacharain airson na h-
oidhche. Chuir iad an t-ainm Sgàrd
Ruaidh air an àite. Bha na beathaichean
aca a’ dortadh fala.
Bha sgalag aig Alasdair Buidhe. ’S
e Abrach òg a bha ann. Thug an gille sin
fios do dh’Alasdair gun robh na mèirlich
a’ dol a bhith ann am bothan-àirigh aig
Loch Beannacharain. Chaidh an dithis aca
ann gu sàmhach. Chuir Alasdair dos a
ghunna ris a’ ghille. Thug e air a’ ghille
gealltainn gum biodh e dìleas dhà.
Anns a’ bhothan, bha na mèirlich a’
ròstadh pìos dhen tarbh. Cha robh fios aca
mu Alasdair Buidhe. Chuir Alasdair a
sgalag aig an doras. Chaidh Alasdair gu
ceann eile a’ bhothain. Thog e sgrath bhon
mhullach pìos beag. Chunnaic e Iain Geal
Donn aig an teine. Bha Iain toilichte. Bha
na fir gu lèir timcheall an tèine.
Gu h-obann, dh’èigh Iain do a
chompanaich, “An aire – tha mi a’
faighinn fàileadh pùdair!” Ach, mus do
ghluais iad, loisg Alasdair Buidhe a
ghunna air Iain. Leum Alasdair sìos far a’
mhullaich. Agus chì sinn dè thachair an
uair sin an-ath-sheachdain.
