The Battle of Glen Fruin (3)
I was telling you about the Battle of Glen Fruin. It happened west of
Loch Lomond in the year 1603.
The day was going with the MacGregors, and the Colquhouns were running
ahead of them down Glen Fruin. The MacGregors met the head of Dumbarton
University and his students – thirty-seven people. The head said to the
chief of the MacGregors, Alasdair Dubh, that he was putting the young
folk in his care.
There was a barn nearby. Alasdair Dubh ordered that the students be put
there under the care of one of his men, Eòghann Dubh. Now, Eòghann
wasn’t the brightest puppy in the litter. He didn’t understand his
obligation. He thought that the boys were his prisoners. He stood with
his sword outside the barn door and he locked the door.
After the battle, the MacGregors were returning home. They reached the
barn. Alasdair saw Eòghann Dubh. ‘Eòghann,’ he said, ‘what did you do
with the lads I left in your care?’
Eòghann admitted he had killed every one of them. ‘God forbid,’ said
Alasdair. He went to the barn. The lads were all lying dead. They had
been trying to get out because the air was becoming contaminated inside
the barn. They didn’t speak Gaelic and Eòghann didn’t speak English. He
thought that they were trying to escape. And he killed them.
The MacGregors were indignant about what had happened. They were
certain that vengeance would be visited upon them from the Lowlands,
and they were correct. They were outlawed.
In the first Litir about the Battle of Glen Fruin, I told you how the
MacGregor merchants killed a white-tailed black wether. That’s what put
them on the gibbet, and caused the battle.
A saying arose among the MacGregors. ‘It would have been better had the
black wether with the white tail never been born.’ It would have been
better had the black wether with the white tail never been born. Indeed it
would.
Cath Ghlinn Freòin (3)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Chath Ghlinn Freòin. Thachair e gu siar air Loch
Laomainn anns a’ bhliadhna sia ceud deug ʼs a trì (1603).
Bha an latha a’ dol leis na Griogaraich, agus bha Clann a’ Chombaich a’
ruith romhpa sìos Gleann Freòin. Thachair na Griogaraich air ceannard
Oilthigh Dhùn Bhreatann agus oileanaich aige – trithead ʼs a seachd daoine.
Thuirt an ceannard ri ceann-cinnidh nan Griogarach, Alasdair Dubh, gun robh
e a’ cur na h-òigridh fo a chùram-san.
Bha sabhal faisg air làimh. Dh’òrdaich Alasdair Dubh na h-oileanaich a chur
an sin fo chùram fear de na daoine aige, Eòghann Dubh. Nise, cha b’ e
Eòghann an cuilean a bu ghlice san àl. Cha do thuig e dè bha fa-near dha.
Bha esan dhen bheachd gun robh na gillean nam prìosanaich aige. Sheas e le
a chlaidheamh taobh a-muigh doras an t-sabhail agus ghlas e an doras.
An dèidh a’ chatha, bha na Griogaraich a’ tilleadh dhachaigh. Ràinig iad an
sabhal. Chunnaic Alasdair Eòghann Dubh. ‘Eòghainn,’ thuirt e, ‘dè rinn thu
leis na gillean a dh’fhàg mi fod chùram?’
Dh’aidich Eòghann gun robh e air a h-uile mac màthar dhiubh a mharbhadh.
‘Gun sealladh Dia oirnne,’ thuirt Alasdair. Chaidh e don t-sabhal. Bha na
gillean uile nan laighe marbh. Bha iad air a bhith a’ feuchainn ri faighinn
a-mach a chionn ʼs gun robh an t-àile air a thruailleadh am broinn an
t-sabhail. Cha robh Gàidhlig aca ʼs cha robh Beurla aig Eòghann. Bha esan
a’ smaoineachadh gun robh iad a’ feuchainn ri dol-às a dhèanamh. Agus
mharbh e iad.
Bha na Griogaraich diombach mu na thachair. Bha iad deimhinne gun tigeadh
dìoghaltas orra bhon Ghalltachd, agus bha iad ceart. Bha iad air an dèanamh
nan eucoirich.
Anns a’ chiad Litir mu Chath Ghlinn Freòin, dh’inns mi dhuibh mar a mharbh
na marsantaich Ghriogarach molt le earball geal. ʼS e sin a chuir air a’
chroich iad, agus a dh’adhbharaich an cath.
Dh’èirich gnàth-fhacal aig na Griogaraich: ‘B’ fheàrr nach do rugadh
a-riamh molt dubh an earbaill ghil’. B’ fheàrr nach do rugadh a-riamh molt
dubh an earbaill ghil. B’ fheàrr, gu dearbh.
