An Uamh Mhòr (1)
I would like to tell you about the ‘Big Cave’ east of Kingussie. It’s
near a farm called Raitts, or
Ràt
in Gaelic. Many local people call it ‘Raitt’s Cave’. But it’s not
natural. It’s a sort of underground house.
On today’s maps, you’ll see ‘souterrain’ where it is. On old maps,
however, you’ll see Pict House’ or ‘Pictish House’ or ‘Earth-house’. In
1835, the famous scientist Sir David Brewster was taking holidays in
Balavil nearby. He was married to Juliet, the daughter of the landlord,
Seumas Bàn, or James ‘Ossian’ MacPherson
.
Brewster was well known in his day. He invented the kaleidoscope. He
examined the Big Cave. It was full of stones and rubble. They took the
rubble out. They found an underground house that was amazing. It was
long and narrow, with stone slabs on each side. The roof was built of
slabs also. It’s in the form of a horseshoe and today in the middle of
a grazing field.
Some called it MacNiven’s Cave. I want to tell you why.
A long time ago, the MacNivens were powerful in Badenoch. They were in
association with the Cummings – the Earls of Badenoch. The MacPhersons
from Lochaber helped King Robert the Bruce in controlling the Cummings.
The King gave them land in Badenoch. That land was previously owned by
the Cummings.
An enmity thus arose between the Cummings and the MacPhersons. That
meant that the MacNivens were also the enemies of the MacPhersons.
According to oral tradition, the MacNivens raided the cattle on the land of
MacPherson of Cluny, over Laggan way. To begin with, MacPherson did not put
together an armed band. Instead of that, he sent his daughter to MacNiven
as a messenger. But, as we shall see in the next Litir, she wasn’t
successful.
The Big Cave (1)
Bu toigh leam innse dhuibh mun Uaimh Mhòir sear air Ceann a’ Ghiùthsaich.
Tha i faisg air baile-fearainn air a bheil Raitts, no Ràt ann an Gàidhlig.
Tha mòran de mhuinntir an àite a’ gabhail ‘Raitts Cave’ oirre. Ach
chan eil i nàdarrach. ʼS e seòrsa de thaigh fo-thalamh a tha innte.
Air mapaichean an latha an-diugh, chì sibh ‘souterrain’ far a
bheil i. Air seann mhapaichean, ge-tà, chì sibh ‘Pict House’ no ‘ Pictish House’ no ‘Earth-house’. Ann an ochd ceud deug,
trithead ʼs a còig (1835), bha am fear-saidheans ainmeil Sir Daibhidh
Brewster a’ fuireach ann am Baile a’ Bhile, faisg air làimh. Bha e pòsta
aig Juliet, nighean an uachdarain, Seumas Bàn, no James ‘Ossian’ MacPherson.
Bha Brewster gu math aithnichte ri a linn. ʼS e a chruthaich an kaleidoscope. Thug e sùil air an Uaimh Mhòir. Bha i làn chlachan
is sprùilleach. Thug iad an sprùilleach a-mach. Lorg iad taigh fo-thalamh a
bha iongantach. Bha e fada is caol, le leacan cloiche air gach taobh. Bha
am mullach air a dhèanamh de leacan cuideachd. Tha e ann an cruth
crudha-eich agus an-diugh ann am meadhan pàirc ionaltraidh.
Bha cuid a’ gabhail Uamh Chlann ʼic Ille Naoimh oirre – MacNiven’s Cave. Tha mi airson innse dhuibh carson.
O chionn fhad an t-saoghail, bha Clann ʼic Ille Naoimh cumhachdach ann am
Bàideanach. Bha iad ann an caidreabh leis na Cuimeanaich – Iarlan
Bhàideanach. Thug Clann ʼic a’ Phearsain à Loch Abar taic do Rìgh Raibeart
am Brusach ann a bhith a’ smachdachadh nan Cuimeanach. Thug an Rìgh fearann
dhaibh ann am Bàideanach. Bha am fearann sin roimhe leis na Cuimeanaich.
Dh’èirich naimhdeas, mar sin, eadar na Cuimeanaich agus Clann ʼic a’
Phearsain. Bha sin a’ ciallachadh gun robh Clann ʼic Ille Naoimh cuideachd
nan nàimhdean aig Clann ʼic a’ Phearsain.
A rèir beul-aithris, thog Clann ʼic Ille Naoimh creach air fearann aig Mac
a’ Phearsain à Cluainidh, taobh an Lagain. An toiseach, cha do chuir Mac a’
Phearsain feachd ri chèile. An àite sin, chuir e a nighean gu ruige Clann
ʼic Ille Naoimh mar theachdaire. Ach, mar a chì sinn anns an ath Litir, cha
do shoirbhich leatha.
