{"id":649,"date":"2016-04-17T13:52:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-17T13:52:00","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2024-03-21T21:15:56","modified_gmt":"2024-03-21T21:15:56","slug":"dair-a-bhitheas-mi-n-asaint-is-leodach-mi-a-tale-of-two-iains-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/dair-a-bhitheas-mi-n-asaint-is-leodach-mi-a-tale-of-two-iains-part-2","title":{"rendered":"DAIR A BHITHEAS MI ‘N ASAINT, IS LE\u00d2DACH MI: A Tale of Two Iains PART 2"},"content":{"rendered":"
IAIN A H-AON<\/b> IAIN #1<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Caisteal \u00c0rd Bhric<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
I came back to my car after my wander round the castle soaked through but feeling good. There\u2019s nothing like a cold shower to get shot of the last throes of
\na hangover. I had a quick change of shirt before settling back into my seat
\nfor the drive round to Loch an Inbhir<\/b>
\n(Lochinver), where I hoped to do the same as I had in Melness. I didn\u2019t have to
\nwait that long. The clues fell into place in a matter of an hour.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
I first picked up a German hitchhiker who had
\nin fact been living in Scotland for a good couple of years and was part of the
\nlocal set-up. A cracking fellow, he took me straight to the house of Clarinda
\nChant who helps out with local Gaelic classes, a lady who gave me a most courteous and helpful welcome and allowed me to try
\nthe next link in the chain over the phone, fluent learner Claire Belshaw, to see if she had
\nany idea about surviving native speakers. I couldn\u2019t get Claire, but Clarinda
\ndid furnish me with an idea of how to reach a certain Iain<\/b> \u201cThe Gate\u201d MacCoinnich<\/b>
\n(Iain MacKenzie) who was apparently a fluent Assynt native. I set off out of
\nLochinver with time beginning to get pretty tight for my next appointment in An D\u00f2rnaidh<\/b> (Dornie) a few hours later.
\nI could make it though. I was in Rome and I was determined to meet some Romans.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
What happened after my initial success was that
\nI spent the following 45-60mins completely lost in amonsgt all the little roads
\nthat intersect Rubh’ an St\u00f2ir<\/b> (the Stoer
\nPeninsula). I was looking for a house close to the beach. I found one. I got
\nall the way down to it only to encounter a friendly chap at the door still in his
\ndressing gown and informing me pleasantly that he definitely wasn\u2019t Iain the
\nGate. I set off again through the sandy fields filled with trash, old cars and
\nrabbit holes and before I knew it I was out at the taigh-solais<\/b> (lighthouse). Thighearna
\nDhia<\/b> (Lord God) I thought, this is another bloody ruith na cuthaige<\/b> (cuckoo chase). I met a lady selling snacks and
\ndrinks at the end of the road who did her best to re-direct me. She gave me a
\nsideways glance as I departed. I wondered whether I really looked that clueless<\/i>. Quite possibly.<\/span><\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
B\u00e0igh Bhail’ a’ Chladaich ‘s an taigh-solais air a ch\u00f9l<\/b><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
Just at the point of thinking the game was a
\nbogey, I coasted down yet another hill and into Bail’ a’ Chladaich<\/b> (The Shore Village) and what did
\nI see but a gate\u2026 next to a house plonked neatly into the sand with the
\nAtlantic not 200 yards away. Iain\u2019s Gate. Iain the Gate\u2019s gate. I got out and
\nstretched, thinking as always: cha
\nbhith e aig an taigh idir ann a-nis an d\u00e9idh a’ ghnothaich seo uile!<\/b> (of
\ncourse, he\u2019s not going to be home now after all this business!).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
I wandered round the side of the house and
\nchapped the door. Nobody came out. After all that. Bollocks to it. Then I heard
\na faint sound of movement from the bowels of the house. It took a minute or
\ntwo, but Iain the Gate appeared at the door, looking relaxed but weather-beaten
\nfrom a life on the land. He settled his gaze on the stranger on the doorstep and
\nI hit him swiftly with my usual explanation of why I was there. So it was I met
\nIain a h-Aon<\/b> (Iain #1).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Tha mi gabhail cuairt
\na’ r\u00f9rachamh dhaoin’ aig a bheil G\u00e0ilig an \u00e0ite, Iain <\/span><\/b>(I\u2019m taking a trip looking for
\npeople who have the local Gaelic) I said, as Iain regarded me patiently.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Och, chan eil m\u00f3ran
\nGh\u00e0ilig agam\u00b7as<\/span><\/b>
\n(oh I don\u2019t have much Gaelic) he lied comedically with a slight smile.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Och! tha coltach gu
\nbheil gu le\u00f2r agaibh!<\/span><\/b>
\n(oh! It seems like you have plenty!) I reply insistently.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00d3, chan eil. Tha mi ‘f\u00e0s ro shean a-nis. <\/span><\/b>Tha usa nad bhalach \u00f2g<\/span><\/b> (oh no. <\/span>I\u2019m growing too old now. You\u2019re a young lad).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Seo a’ chiad uair a chualaig mi G\u00e0ilig
\nAsainte gu ceart<\/b> (this is the first time I heard Assynt Gaelic properly) I admit.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Robh u seo roimhe?<\/span><\/b> (were you here before?) Iain asks.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Cha do stad mi an uair
\na bha sin<\/span><\/b> (I didn\u2019t
\nstop the last time) I concede before wondering Chaidh ur togail san d\u00f9thaich, nach deachaigh?<\/b> (You were raised in
\nthis country, weren\u2019t you?) ‘<\/b>N ann \u00e1 seo
\na bha ur p\u00e0rantan?<\/b> (Was it from here your parents were?)<\/span><\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dachaidh Iain: Bail’ a’ Chladaich<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
‘S ann gu dearbh<\/span><\/b> (it certainly was).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Bheil crodh agaibh?<\/span><\/b> (do you have cattle?).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00d3 tha, tha ‘n d\u00e0 chuid
\nagam. Crodh ‘s caoraich agam<\/span><\/b> (Oh yes, I\u2019ve both. I\u2019ve cattle and sheep) says Iain. Inevitably, it
\nwasn\u2019t long before my current obsession -finding out the names of the fingers-
\nreared its head. Nan hadn\u2019t recalled the names for the MacKay Country, but
\nluckily they were in Seumas Grannd<\/span><\/b>\u2019s
\nbook. Robh rann aca air na corragan?<\/b>
\n(did they have a rhyme for the fingers?)<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Unfortunately Iain couldn\u2019t bring them back to
\nmind either. Chan eil cuimhn’ agam air
\nsin.<\/b> (I don\u2019t remember that). Bha e
\nann, ach cha bhith daoine ga bridhinn ‘s mar sin, tha mi ga call<\/b> (It was
\nthere, but people don\u2019t speak it [Gaelic] now and so I\u2019m losing it) Chan eil ach an aon duine ‘nis a bhitheas
\nga bridhinn, Iain MacIllEathain an sin<\/b>. (there\u2019s only one man now who
\nspeaks it and that\u2019s Iain MacLean there) he said, motioning back the way with his head. Ma
\nth\u00e9id u thigeas, gheobh u do le\u00f2r an sin<\/b> (If you go towards him, you\u2019ll get
\nyour fill there). This sounded great. Mental note made to bring that name up
\nagain if Iain didn\u2019t. A question for me this time: D\u00e9 chanas tus’ air
\ndo l\u00e0mhan? Air an l\u00e0mh seo?<\/b> (What would you say on your hands? On this
\nhand?) asked Iain, gesturing with his right hand. An l\u00e0mh cheart?<\/b> (the right hand?) Sin a chanas aid sna h-Eileanan<\/b> (that’s what they say in the Isles).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
An l\u00e0mh dheas<\/span><\/b> (the ready hand).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00d3 sinne cuideachd<\/span><\/b> (oh us too) says Iain, pleased. Bho chionn ghoirid, chuala mi air an television<\/i>, \u201cl\u00e0mh cheart\u201d ach an seo, ‘s
\ne \u201cl\u00e0mh dheas\u201d a chanas aid. <\/b>(I heard on the television, l\u00e0mh cheart<\/b>, but here, it\u2019s l\u00e0mh dheas<\/b> that they\u2019d say).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
D\u00e9 their ead ris an
\nl\u00e0mh eile?<\/span><\/b> (What do
\nthey say to the other hand?) I ask.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
L\u00e0mh che\u00e0rr<\/span><\/b> (the wrong hand).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Gu dearbh?<\/span><\/b> (really?) \u2018S e \u201cl\u00e0mh chl\u00ec\u201d a th\u2019 againne.<\/b> (It\u2019s the “awkward hand” we have). Bheil facail eile anns an d\u00f9thaich a tha
\ncar s\u00f2nraichte?<\/b> (are there other words in the country that are somewhat
\nspecial?) leithid, tha fhios agaibh, their
\nsinne \u201cpolladair\u201d ris a\u2019 bheothach sin a tha fanachd san talamh<\/b> (the likes
\nof, you know, we say polladair<\/b> [mudder] to
\nthe beast that lives in the earth) mar a
\ntheir ead sa Bheurla, mole<\/i> <\/b>(as
\nthey say in English, \u201cmole\u201d).<\/span><\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rubh’ an St\u00f2ir ann an Asaint<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
\u00d3 seadh, ‘s e famhan a
\nbh\u2019 againn air sin<\/span><\/b>
\n(oh aye, it\u2019s famhan<\/b> that we had on
\nthat).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
D\u00e9 theireamh ead ri spider?<\/i><\/span><\/b> (What did they call a spider?). I adore this
\nkind of chat.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Iain laughs and looks at me shaking his head. I
\ncan tell he wants to sneak off and have a think about these! \u00d3 h\u00f3 h\u00f3<\/b> he chuckles, cha do bhridhinn mi a leithid bhon a bha mi
\n\u00f2g!<\/b> (I haven\u2019t spoken its like since I was young!)<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
‘S e figheadair a
\ntheir ead an Arra-Gh\u00e1idheil<\/span><\/b> (they say figheadair<\/b>
\n[weaver] to it in Argyll). I have never found the actual word for a spider in
\nthe Dalriada dialect, but found figheadair<\/b>
\nin Perthshire, Islay and South Lorn and having triangulated using those assume
\nthat this word must at least have been known in Mid-Argyll. ‘<\/b>S e figheadair-fe\u00f2ir a their ead ri h-aon m\u00f3r, tha fhios agaibh, harvester<\/i><\/b> (It\u2019s figheadair-fe\u00f2ir<\/b> [grass-weaver] that they say to a big one, you
\nknow, a \u201charvester\u201d).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00d3 seadh!<\/span><\/b> (oh aye!) says Iain, clearly seeing
\nthe sense in that expression.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Having listened to a little Assynt Gaelic<\/a> in Tobar an Dualchais<\/b>, I had always
\nthought it was fairly close to the Lewis dialect. Perhaps not as close as Coigeach<\/b>, but close enough. Feumaidh gu bheil a\u2019 Gh\u00e0ilig an seo, gu bheil i car coltach ri
\nG\u00e0ilig Le\u00f3dhasach, nach eil?<\/b> (The Gaelic here, it must be pretty similar
\nto Lewis Gaelic, eh?)<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Tha, \u00f3 tha.<\/span><\/b> (Yes, it is). Rudaigin faisg oirre<\/b> (Something close to it). Anns an sgoil a-nis, bithidh aid a\u2019 cunntadh<\/b> (in the school now,
\nthey will be counting) ach mar a chanas
\nsinne, ‘s e seachd ‘s ciad caoraich, no d\u00e0 thar fhichead<\/b> (but as we say, seven and a
\nhundred sheep, or two over twenty), ach
\nchan e sin a th\u2019 ann a-nis<\/b> (but it\u2019s not that that\u2019s there now).<\/span> Despite the fact that the new manner of
\ncounting is not actually a new system but a very old one and certainly less
\nconfusing than trying to learn the multiplication of twenties which forms the
\nbackbone of the old system, the new way is another departure from what native
\ndialect speakers understand, it\u2019s another blockage in the road of the old folks
\ntrying to reach the young and vice-versa.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Tha an saoghal air
\natharrachamh<\/span><\/b> (the
\nworld has changed) I say, with what I know to be a wry grin on my face. Iain
\nraises an eyebrow, as if I have understated the matter:<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Chan eil e idir
\nmar a bha e<\/span><\/b> (It\u2019s not at all as it was). Tha an
\nseann ghinealach air falbh a-nis<\/b> (the old generation are away now). A
\nstatement made with obvious regret but a certain resigned acceptance.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Bha coltach gun
\ndeachaidh gach rud atharrachamh anns an tir-mh\u00f3r anns na seachdadan<\/span><\/b> (It seems like everything changed
\nin the mainland in the 70s) I say, something I\u2019ve heard many times from older
\nfolk. Cha duair mi ‘n dearbh aobhar car-son a
\ndh’atharraich a h-uile gnothaichean, ach sin a their na sean-daoine sa h-uile
\nh-\u00e0it’ an Arra-Gh\u00e1idheal <\/b>(I didn\u2019t get an exact reason why everything
\nchanged, but that\u2019s what the old folks say everywhere in Argyll). Th\u00e1naig na Goill a-staigh ‘s an sin cha
\nt\u00e9id gas air ais thun mar a bha e a-chaoidh<\/b> (The non-Gaels came in and then
\nnothing will ever go back to how it was).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00d3 sin agad e d\u00ecreach<\/span><\/b> (oh there you have it exactly). Sin na thachair<\/b> (That\u2019s what happened).
\nAch chan eil feadhainn \u00f2g’ ann an seo
\nann<\/b> (But there\u2019s no young people here now whatsoever). Och, ach chan eil gin air fh\u00e0gail ga bridhinn ach MacIllEathain<\/b>
\n(Oh there\u2019s no-one left speaking it but MacLean). Excellent, Iain has brought up
\nMacLean again. Tha G\u00e0ilig mhath aige<\/b>
\n(He\u2019s got good Gaelic). Chaidh a thogail
\nle d\u00e0 bhoireannach anns an taigh ‘s bha adsan a\u2019 bridhinn G\u00e0ilig
\nan-comhnaidh<\/b> (He was raised by two women in the house and they were speaking
\nGaelic always). This is brilliant news.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bail’ a’ Chladaich le Aonghas MacDhomhaill<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

‘S mar sin, thuair e a
\nh-uile facal<\/span><\/b> (And
\nso, he got every word).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
Thuair, sin agad e<\/span><\/b> (He did, there you have it)
\nconfirms Iain.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Agas am bith e ‘staigh
\nan ceartair?<\/span><\/b> (And
\nwill he be in just now?) I inquire.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00d3 shaoilinn gum bith,
\nshaoilinn gum bith<\/span><\/b>
\n(Oh I would reckon he will be, yes).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Am bith sibhse agas
\nMacIllEathain, am bith sibhse bruidhinn na G\u00e0ilig dair a ch\u00ec sibh a\u2019 ch\u00e9ile?<\/span><\/b> (Do you and MacLean, do you speak
\nGaelic when you see one another?) I venture hopefully.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00d3 bithidh, \u00f3 bithidh!
\nMar as tric’, bithidh<\/span><\/b>
\n(Oh we do, oh yes! More often than not, yes). And there you have it. No lack of
\nlanguage loyalty from dialect speakers, as it is in Lismore and Ardnamurchan,
\nas it was with Noel Gow in Strathspey and Mrs Gallacher in Melness, just barely
\nanyone to speak to as the world moves on mercilessly and leaves behind the
\njewel in the Scottish crown, the naturally occurring Gaelic language, while a
\nhomogenised cardboard cut-out of it that was never actually spoken anywhere
\nusurps her throne.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Och gl\u00e9 mhath, tha sin
\ngasta<\/span><\/b> (oh very
\ngood, that\u2019s great). I am now aware that I have made a friend and with that happily
\nachieved and with time being what it is, I\u2019d better go looking for MacLean. Cha chum mi air ais sibh ‘s sibh gabhail
\nfois Di-Domhnaich<\/b> (I won\u2019t keep you back and you relaxing on a Sunday). Is cinnteach, ma tha croit agaibh ‘s nair a
\ntha fois agaibh, bithidh sibh air son gabhail rithe!<\/b> (For certain, if you
\nhave a croft and you have some peace, you\u2019ll want to accept it [ie go with it]!).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Och seadh, gu le\u00f2r a
\ndh\u2019obair ri dhianamh ach tha mi f\u00e0s ro shean a-nis<\/span><\/b> (oh aye, plenty of work to be done but I\u2019m
\ngrowing too old now). \u201cCha tig an aois
\nleotha fh\u00e9in\u201d, mar a chanas aid!<\/b> (\u201cthe age does not come alone\u201d as they
\nsay!). No, this is true. The sciatica down the back of my left leg that\u2019s crept
\nin even just in my 30s attests to this. I don\u2019t take for granted the fact that
\nthe story of the body will get more complex as time wears on and as the old internal
\nengine wears down.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Bha fuathasach math ur
\nfaicinn ‘s ma bhitheas mi san d\u00f9thaich, thig mi gur faicinn a-rithist<\/span><\/b> (It was terribly good to see you
\nand if I\u2019m in the country, I\u2019ll come to see you again). <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00d3 latha sam bith!<\/span><\/b> (oh any day!). Ma bhitheas tu air d’ ais a-rithist, thig a-staigh!<\/b> (If
\nyou\u2019re back again, come in!). There\u2019s the hospitality once again.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Shin agaibh na n\u00ec mi<\/span><\/b> (there you have what I\u2019ll do). An ath uair, theaga gun t\u00e9id an dithist
\nagainn a ch\u00e9ilidh air MacIllEathain ‘s bruidhnidh sinn G\u00e0ilig comhla<\/b> (the
\nnext time, maybe the two of us will go a-visiting on MacLean and we\u2019ll speak
\nGaelic together).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u00d3 seadh, gu dearbh<\/span><\/b> (Oh aye, indeed). <\/span>A plan and a half.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Gl\u00e9 mhath, ciad taing
\ndhuibh ‘s sl\u00e0n leibh<\/span><\/b>
\n(very good, 100 thanks to you and health [be] with you). And with that, Iain
\nwaves and watches as I nip round the wall and over to my car. I get in and
\nbreathe a sigh of relief at having managed to continue my education despite the
\nhiccups. Whipping out my notepad again, I scribble pell-mell and in what is now
\nbarely legible script the conversation topics we had and as much direct speech
\nas I can manage to recall before making for MacLean\u2019s!<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Click here to continue reading<\/a> <\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

IAIN A H-AON IAIN #1 Caisteal \u00c0rd Bhric I came back to my car after my wander round the castle soaked through but feeling good. There\u2019s nothing like a cold shower to get shot of the last throes of a hangover. I had a quick change of shirt before settling back into my seat for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":560,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-649","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"blocksy_meta":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"gutentor_comment":1,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/20150906_143015.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/649","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=649"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/649\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1302,"href":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/649\/revisions\/1302"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/560"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=649"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=649"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dalriada.scot\/gd\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=649"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}