Kishorn Dwarfs
Have you ever heard of the Kishorn Dwarfs? They were from Kishorn, a
village between Applecross and Lochcarron in Wester Ross. In 1844-5, a
small American guy came to Europe. He took on the name ‘General Tom
Thumb’. It’s Phineas T Barnum that brought him over. Tom appeared in
front of the Queen. Today, such a thing wouldn’t happen. But things
were different then.
Tom Thumb had just returned home when the Inverness Courier reported
that there was a family of the same type in Kishorn. Duncan Finlayson
and his wife, Catherine, had three children. They were all dwarfs –
Finlay, John and Mary. They were born and raised in Tornapress at the
base of Bealach nam Bò.
Duncan had died and the family was poor. People asked them to go south
to be ‘Highland Tom Thumbs’. Finlay, John and Mary agreed a contract
with a certain William Mackenzie from near Beauly. Finlay, the eldest,
was about twenty years of age. Mary was only fifteen.
They learned Gaelic dances and songs and they wore Highland garb.
Mackenzie went with them to London. In May 1846, they appeared in front
of the Queen. After that, they appeared in public in London. It cost
two shillings to watch them. Audiences came in their droves. There was
a picture of the ‘Highland Dwarfs’ in the London Illustrated News.
The three of them spent a year in London. They learned English there.
They returned home. They were living in Courthill near Kishorn. Finlay
– the last [survivor] – died around 1915.
When the Kishorn Dwarfs were famous, a report appeared in the Inverness
Courier that several other Highland dwarfs were making for London in the
same way. The report was but a falsehood – something that people today
would call ‘fake news’. There’s nothing new under the sun!
Troichean Chiseoirn
An cuala sibh riamh mu Throichean Chiseoirn? Bha iad à Ciseorn, baile beag
eadar A’ Chomraich agus Loch Carrann ann an Ros an Iar. Ann an ochd ceud
deug, ceathrad ʼs a ceithir gu ceathrad ʼs a còig (1844-45), thàinig fear
beag Ameireaganach don Roinn Eòrpa. Ghabh e an t-ainm air fhèin ‘General
Tom Thumb’. ʼS e Phineas T Barnum a thug a-nall e. Nochd Tom air beulaibh
na Banrigh. Anns an latha an-diugh, cha tachradh a leithid. Ach bha cùisean
eadar-dhealaichte an uair sin.
Bha Tom Thumb dìreach air tilleadh dhachaigh nuair a dh’aithris Courier
Inbhir Nis gun robh teaghlach dhen aon seòrsa a’ fuireach ann an Ciseorn.
Bha triùir chloinne aig Donnchadh Fionnlasdan agus a bhean, Catrìona. Bha
iad uile nan troichean – Fionnladh, Iain agus Màiri. Rugadh is thogadh iad
ann an Treamhar nam Preas aig bun Bealach nam Bò.
Bha Donnchadh air bàs fhaighinn agus bha an teaghlach bochd. Dh’iarr daoine
orra dhol gu deas airson a bhith nan ‘Highland Tom Thumbs’.
Dh’aontaich Fionnladh, Iain agus Màiri cùmhnant bliadhna le fear, Uilleam
MacCoinnich, à faisg air a’ Mhanachainn. Bha Fionnladh, am fear a bu shine,
mu fhichead bliadhna a dh’aois. Bha Màiri dìreach còig-deug.
Dh’ionnsaich iad dannsaidhean agus òrain Ghàidhlig agus bha trusgan
Gàidhealach orra. Chaidh MacCoinnich cuide riutha gu ruige Lunnainn. Anns
a’ Chèitean ochd ceud deug, ceathrad ʼs a sia (1846) nochd iad air beulaibh
na Banrigh. An dèidh sin, nochd iad gu poblach ann an Lunnainn. Chosg e dà
thastan a choimhead orra. Thàinig an luchd-amhairc nan dròbhan. Bha dealbh
de na ‘Highland Dwarfs’ anns an London Illustrated News.
Chuir an triùir seachad bliadhna ann an Lunnainn. Dh’ionnsaich iad Beurla
an sin. Thill iad dhachaigh. Bha iad a’ fuireach air Cnoc a’ Mhòid faisg
air Ciseorn. Chaochail Fionnladh – am fear mu dheireadh – timcheall air
naoi ceud deug is còig-deug (1915).
Nuair a bha Troichean Chiseoirn ainmeil, nochd aithris ann an Courier
Inbhir Nis gun robh grunn troichean Gàidhealach eile a’ dèanamh air
Lunnainn anns an aon dòigh. Cha robh anns an aithris ach breug – rud ris an
canadh daoine an-diugh ‘
fake news
’. Chan eil càil às ùr fon ghrèin!
