Ainmean-àite Beul-Aithris Eachdraidh Sgeulachdan Fèis a’ Chaolais Ar Daoine is Ar Dùthchas Our People and Places This booklet is full of interesting information about place names, folklore, history and stories from the Kyle of Sutherland. All of the stories were collected by Fèis a’ Chaolais participants who interviewed local people about the heritage of the area. Mun phròiseact About the project Pròiseact nan Tasglann Archiving Project Fèisean nan Gàidheal Fèisean nan Gàidheal ’S e pròiseact ùr aig Fèisean nan Gàidheal a th’ ann am Pròiseact The Archiving Project is a new Fèisean nan Gàidheal nan Tasglann far an tèid com-pàirtichean nam Fèisean air feadh development that aims to encourage Fèis participants Alba a bhrosnachadh gu bhith a’ cruinneachadh, a’ clàradh agus from across Scotland to collect, record and present local a’ taisbeanadh dualchas ionadail nan sgìrean aca fhèin. Mar heritage from their own areas. As part of the project, phàirt den phròiseict, tha com-pàirtichean Fèis a’ Chaolais ann Fèis a’ Chaolais participants in Bonar Bridge have an Drochaid a’ Bhanna air a bhith trang a’ cumail agallamhan been busy interviewing local people, both in Gaelic and còmhla ri muinntir an àite, an dà chuid ann an Gàidhlig agus English, to learn more about the heritage of the area. Beurla, gus barrachd ionnsachadh mu dualchas na sgìre. Anns an This unique booklet includes a selection of the material leabhran seo, tha taghadh de stuthan a chaidh a chruinneachadh collected during the project, including memories, rè na pròiseict le cuimhneachan, sgeulachdan, beul-aithris agus stories, folklore and beliefs as well as pictures drawn creideamhan cuide ri dealbhan a rinn na com-pàirtichean a tha a’ by the participants that represent the meaning of local riochdachadh ainmean-àite Gàidhlig na sgìre. Ann am pàirt a trì Gaelic place names. In the third section of the booklet, den leabhair, gheibhear na h-agallamhan a chaidh a chumail tro you will find the interviews conducted in Gaelic, with a mheadhan na Gàidhlig far a bheil tar-sgrìobhadh Gàidhlig ann Gaelic transcription and English translation. All of the agus eadar-theangachadh gu Beurla. Bidh a h-uile tar-sgrìobhadh transcriptions and translations reflect the dialect and agus na h-eadar-theangachaidhean a’ cumail cho fad ‘s a ghabhas language of the informant as accurately as possible. We ri dualchainnt agus dòigh-labhairt an neach-bratha. Tha sinn an hope you enjoy reading this unique booklet. dòchas gun còrd e ribh an leabhran sònraichte seo a leughadh. Emily Edwards, Oifigear Thasglann, Fèisean nan Gàidheal Emily Edwards, Archiving Officer, Fèisean nan Gàidheal Com-pàirtichean Fèis a’ Chaolais: Fèis a’ Chaolais Participants: Ciorstaidh NicLeòid Kirsty MacLeod Donnchadh MacLeòid Duncan MacLeod Rona NicLeòid Rona MacLeod Leanne Rothach Leanne Munro Carron Rothach Carron Munro Ruairidh Squire Ruairidh Squire Taran Squire Taran Squire Cameron Rothach Cameron Munro Annie Rose Rothach Annie Rose Munro Fiona Soszka Fiona Soszka Sìne Soszka Sine Soszka Johan NicMhaoirn Johan Mearns Luchd-bratha: Informants: Alasdair MacRath Alasdair MacRae Alasdair MacMhaoirn Alasdair Mearns Ailig Iain MacUilleim Alec John Williamson Ailig Moireach Alexander Murray Anne Snody Anne Snody Barbara Mhoireach Barbara Murray Bunty Ghòrdan Bunty Gordon Essie Stiùbhart Essie Stewart Hamish MacAoidh Hamish MacKay Hamish MacMhathain Hamish Matheson Jenny NicCoinnich Jenny Mackenzie Lily Byron Lily Byron Màiri Rothach Mairi Munro Marion Fhriseal Marion Fraser Mary Ann Weston Mary Ann Weston Robin Ros Robin Ross Sandy Chalmers Sandy Chalmers Sandy Siosalach Sandy Chisholm Tormod Iain Dòmhnallach Norman John MacDonald © Còraichean Fèisean nan Gàidheal 2010 © Copyright Fèisean nan Gàidheal 2010 Susbaint le com-pàirtichean Fèis a’ Chaolais, luchd-bratha agus Emily Edwards Content by Fèis a’ Chaolais participants, informants and Emily Edwards Dealbhan-camara le Emily Edwards, Jennifer Rothach, Fiona NicLeòid, Photography by Emily Edwards, Jennifer Munro, Fiona MacLeod, Caroline Rothach, Stan Holroyd, June Nic a’ Phearsain, Seoras Ros Caroline Munro, Stan Holroyd, June MacPherson, George Ross agus Dougie Beck and Dougie Beck Dealbhan le com-pàirtichean Fèis a’ Chaolais agus Fèis Bheag Illustrations by Fèis a’ Chaolais and Fèis Bheag participants Dealbhadh le Ronan Martin (www.ronanmartin.com) Design by Ronan Martin (www.ronanmartin.com) Cuiribh fios gu Contact Fèisean nan Gàidheal Fèisean nan Gàidheal Taigh a’ Mhill Meall House Port Rìgh Portree An t-Eilean Sgitheanach Isle of Skye IV51 9NF IV51 9NF Fòn: 01478 613355 Tel: 01478 613355 Post-d: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Le taing mhòr do chomataidh Fèis a’ Chaolais; Caroline Rothach, Fiona With thanks to the Fèis a’ Chaolais committee members; Caroline Munro, NicLeòid, Jennifer Rothach, June Nic a’ Phearsain, Maggie Squire agus Fiona MacLeod, Jennifer Munro, June MacPherson, Maggie Squire and Morag Soszka, an Ionad Bradbury, Drochaid a’ Bhanna agus gu h-àraidh do Morag Soszka, the Bradbury Centre, Bonar Bridge and special thanks to na luchd-bratha airson an ùine agus eòlas a thoirt seachad. all of the informants for sharing their time and knowledge. Le taing mhòr dha na buidhnean a leanas: With grateful thanks to the following organisations: www.feisean.org/feisean/feis-a-chaolais-g www.feisean.org Ainmean-àite a’ Chaolais Place Names of the Kyle of Sutherland Luirg Sgìr’ Raoird Innis nan Lìon Goillspidh Alltais Inbhirean Inbhir Sin Cùl Ràthain Migein Earabol Drochaid Dùnaidh a’ Bhanna Àird Spainnigeadal An Clais Mòr Dòrnoch Gleann Chailbhidh Ghaoithe Rubha Thairbeirt Port Mo Cholmaig Eadardan Baile Dhubhthaich Clàr-innse Contents Pàirt a h-Aon Part One Drochaid a’ Bhanna, Migein, Àird Bonar Bridge, Migdale, Ardgay, Ghaoithe, Spainnigeadal Spinningdale Agallamhan Interviews Sandy Siosalach 08 Sandy Chisholm 08 Bunty Ghòrdan 11 Bunty Gordon 11 Robin Ros 15 Robin Ross 15 Barbara Mhoireach 17 Barbara Murray 17 Hamish MacMhathain 21 Hamish Matheson 21 Anne Snody 24 Anne Snody 24 Marion Fhriseal 27 Marion Fraser 27 Pàirt a Dhà Part Two Inbhir Sin, Cùl Rathain, Innis nan Lìon, Invershin, Culrain, Rosehall, Luirg Lairg Agallamhan Interviews Alasdair MacRath 30 Alasdair MacRae 30 Jenny NicCoinnich 35 Jenny Mackenzie 35 Sandy Chalmers 39 Sandy Chalmers 39 Mary Ann Weston 43 Mary Ann Weston 43 Ailig Moireach 45 Alexander Murray 45 Pàirt a Trì Part Three Agallamhan anns a’ Ghàidhlig Interviews in Gaelic Hamish MacAoidh 48 Hamish MacKay 48 Màiri Rothach 51 Mairi Munro 51 Essie Stiùbhart 53 Essie Stewart 53 Alasdair MacMhaoirn 57 Alasdair Mearns 57 Ailig Iain MacUilleim 62 Alec John Williamson 62 Tormod Iain Dòmhnallach 67 Norman John MacDonald 67 Lily Byron 70 Lily Byron 70 Drochaid a’ Bhanna, Migein Àird Ghaoithe, Spainnigeadal Sandy Siosalach Bunty Ghòrdan Robin Ros Barbara Mhoireach Hamish MacMhathain Anne Snody Marion Fhriseal Bonar Bridge, Migdale, Ardgay, Spinningdale Sandy Chisholm, Bunty Gordon, Robin Ross, Barbara Murray, Hamish Matheson, Anne Snody , Marion Fraser Sandy Siosalach agus Cameron Rothach “I was born in Bonar Bridge over sixty years ago and I stay in the same house - I was born in the house that I still live in.” Agallamh còmhla ri Sandy Siosalach Interview with Sandy Chisholm Leanne: Can you tell us about where Leanne: Do you remember people stations when I was about fifteen because you were born and brought up? speaking Gaelic in the community? someone was off on holiday and I stood Sandy: I was born in Bonar Bridge over Sandy: A bit yes. The older people did in for him for a week. You had to go with sixty years ago and I stay in the same – I suppose I’m an older person now the tides, and at a certain stage of the house - I was born in the house that I still but when I was your age the older ones tides the nets would go out and you’d be live in. would be speaking Gaelic when they got out maybe at five in the morning or three together. in the morning and through the day so Leanne: Did any of your family speak it was all different times when you went Gaelic? Leanne: What do you work as? out on the fishing stations. There were a Sandy: Yes my mother spoke Gaelic, her Sandy: I work as a crofter now but I was lot of men about here working on them mother was from Achiltibuie on the West quite a lot of different things. I was a but the water bailiff was different. Fish Coast. My mother and her sisters, there joiner for a long number of years and I went away up the rivers and we had to go were a lot of them, there were over ten of was a water bailiff for a number of years up and stop them stealing them out of them and if they wanted to speak about too. In those days there was an awful the rivers. You’ll have heard the stories us they all talked in Gaelic because we lot of salmon that went past the bridge Leanne where your granny came from – couldn’t understand them. All the things here – thousands of them. There were they used to put nets out there and your they didn’t want us to know they talked special fishing stations, three down below granny would have been brought up on in Gaelic so we knew they were talking the bridge and three up above the bridge them! about us and something they didn’t want and about eight men employed in each us to know! We couldn’t speak Gaelic, we of those fishing stations. They caught Emily: Did you enjoy being the water knew bits, we knew some of the words but a lot of fish and they went down on the bailiff? we didn’t know much. What does your trains to London and all over. An awful Sandy: Yes it was fine but all summer mam do? lot of local people were employed in the you’d be out all through the nights most Leanne: She doesn’t do that but she fishing in those days.