Cladh Cille Choirill (2)
I was speaking about Cladh Cille Choirill in the Braes of Lochaber. Two
famous poets are buried there - Dòmhnall mac Fhionnla’ nan Dàn and Iain
Lom. I want to tell you about Iain Lom this week.
He was born around 1624 and he died in 1710 or thereabouts. He was a
bard of the MacDonalds of Keppoch and, thus, he is also called ‘The
Keppoch Bard’.
The location of Iain Lom’s grave is not known with certainty. But a
large memorial stone was erected for him in the graveyard. It’s not
situated like the other gravestones. According to tradition, John
wanted to lie with his face towards Corrour. That’s in the mountains to
the south. The stone is like that, with its face looking towards
Corrour.
I took a look at the stone and I found writing at its base. Before I
tell you what is written on it, I must give you two place-names. The
place is somewhat blessed, apparently. The hill on which the graveyard
sits – that’s ‘the angel’s hillock’ according to the map. Beside it is
‘[the] Lord’s ridge’. I won’t mention the hill north of the graveyard –
‘the hangman’s hill’!
It must have been that there was an opinion that Tom an Aingil was not
the correct name of that hill, but Dùn Aingeal ‘hill of angels’. On the
memorial stone, there is this written: here in Dùn Aingeal in the Braes
of Lochaber, the Keppoch Bard sleeps deeply. Iain Lom MacDonald was his
name. Iain Lom but some would call him Iain Manntach. Do you know the
word ‘manntach’? Stammering.
Iain Manntach – stammering John.
And why is that John had the nickname ‘Lom’ [bare]? According to tradition
its because a beard wouldn’t grow on him. But Dwelly’s dictionary gives us
this as a meaning – ‘cutting, satirical’ – Iain Lom ‘cutting John’. He was
certainly that, as we’ll hear next week.
Cladh Cille Choirill (2)
Bha mi a’ bruidhinn mu Chladh Cille Choirill ann am Bràigh Loch Abar. Tha
dithis bhàrd ainmeil air an tiodhlacadh ann – Dòmhnall mac Fhionnla’ nan
Dàn agus Iain Lom. Tha mi airson innse dhuibh mu Iain Lom an t-seachdain
seo.
Rugadh e timcheall air sia ceud deug, fichead ʼs a ceithir (1624) agus
chaochail e ann an seachd ceud deug ʼs a deich (1710) no mar sin. ʼS e bàrd
a bha ann aig Dòmhnallaich na Ceapaich agus, mar sin, ʼs e ‘Bàrd na
Ceapaich’ a tha air cuideachd.
Chan eil fios le cinnt càite a bheil uaigh Iain Luim. Ach chaidh
carragh-cuimhne mòr a chur suas dha anns a’ chladh. Chan eil e suidhichte
mar tha na clachan-uaighe eile. A rèir beul-aithris, bha Iain ag iarraidh
laighe le aghaidh a dh’ionnsaigh a’ Choire Odhair. Tha sin anns na beanntan
gu deas. Tha a’ chlach mar sin, agus a h-aghaidh a’ coimhead a dh’ionnsaigh
a’ Choire Odhair.
Thug mi sùil air a’ chloich agus lorg mi sgrìobhadh aig a bonn. Mus inns mi
dhuibh dè tha sgrìobhte oirre, feumaidh mi dà ainm-àite a thoirt dhuibh.
Tha an t-àite car beannaichte, a rèir choltais. An cnoc air a bheil an
cladh – ʼs e sin Tom an Aingil a rèir a’ mhapa. Ri a thaobh tha Druim
Dòmhnaich. Cha chan mi guth air a’ chnoc gu tuath air a’ chladh – Tom a’
Chrochaire!
Feumaidh gun robh beachd ann nach e Tom an Aingil an t-ainm ceart air a’
chnoc ud, ach Dùn Aingeal ‘hill of angels’. Air a’
charragh-chuimhne, tha seo sgrìobhte:
An so ʼn Dùn Aingeal am Bràigh Lochabair, tha Bàrd na Ceapaich gu trom
na chadal. ʼS e Iain Lom MacDhòmhnaill b’ ainm da. Iain Lom ach
theireadh cuid Iain Manntach.
A bheil sibh eòlach air an fhacal ‘manntach’? Stammering. Iain
Manntach – stammering John.
Agus carson as e ‘Lom’ a bha air Iain mar far-ainm? A rèir beul-aithris, ʼs
e nach fhàsadh feusag air. Ach tha faclair Dwelly a’ toirt seo dhuinn mar
chiall –
‘cutting, satirical’ – Iain Lom ‘cutting John’
. Bha e sin, le cinnt – mar a chluinneas sinn an-ath-sheachdain.
