The original settlement in Lochaber known simply as Ballachulish or Baile a’ Chaolais (Balecheules in c. 1591) is what is now marked on maps as South Ballachulish.
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Place name of the week: Ballachullish - Baile a’ Chaolais
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Cor na Gàidhlig ga sheasamh le Swinney aig Mòd nan Eilean Siar
Thill am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail do dh’Innse Gall le brag agus Iain MacLeòid, Ceann Suidhe a’ Chomuinn Ghàidhealaich a’ sireadh inbhe UNESCO airson cultar na Gàidhlig anns na h-Eileanan Siar.
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Leabhraichean: Sgeul tha faighneachd có th’ annainn ’s dé tha sinn a’ dèanamh le ar beatha
Tha An Aisling le Alison Lang (Acair, £9.99) ’na nobhail tharraingeach mu mhuinntir òga mheadhan-chlasach na h-Alba aig toiseach an 21mh linn. Tro shùilean té dhiubh, Mórag NicLeòid, tha sinn a’ leantainn nam beathannan aig sianar a rinn Ceiltis còmhla ann an Oilthigh Dhùn Éideann mu 1990 agus nach do rinn dad idir leis na ceumannan aca – neo sin a tha Mórag a’ cumail a-mach, ach cho fada ’s a tha mise faicinn, bidh ise ’s a caraidean a’ bruidhinn na Gàidhlig, a’ cnuasachd mu chor na Gàidhlig, ag éisteachd ri Radio nan Gaidheal, a’ teagasg Gàidhlig bho àm gu àm, ’s a’ cur an cuid chloinne gu sgoiltean Gàidhlig. Cha chreid mi gur urrainn dhuinn móran a chòrr iarraidh ach iad a dhol ’nan tidsearan làn ùine. Tha siud agus rudan eile a’ toirt cruth dhan nobhail – tha beachd againn co ás a tha na daoine seo uile a’ tighinn, eadar ’s gur e Gaidhil bho thùs, Gaidhil ùra, Gaidhil bhutarscionn neo Gaidhil chùl-ri-druim a th’ annta.
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Place name of the week: John o’ Groats - Taigh Iain Ghròta
Although much tradition has built up concerning the origin of this name, it is a fact that a 1496 charter exists mentioning a John Grot in relation to the lands of Duncansby where this place is situated.
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Quiz: Do you know these 25 Doric words and phrases?
Some say it’s a dialect, others say its a language. All we know is it’s practically impossible to understand unless you were born within 60 miles of the mouth of the River Don! Can you answer these 25 Doric words and phrases correctly?
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Cultar is Ceòl aig Na Trads
Tha cuirm dhuaisean bliadhnail nan Trads, a bhios a’ gabhail àite oidhche Shathairne sa tighinn, gu tric air a samhlachadh ri pàrtaidh oidhche Nollaige do luchd-ciùil tradaiseanta.
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Place name of the week: Kirkcudbright - Cille Chuithbeirt
Kirkcudbright (Kyrkecuthbert 1200-06) is a name of Gaelic origin, although the first part Kirk- appears to be borrowing into Gaelic from either Scots kirk or Norse kirkja both meaning ‘church’.
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Leader comment: Scots is braw – but in the right place
To describe the Scots language as slang or some kind of corrupt version of English is insulting.
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Place name of the week: Gleneagles - Gleann Eagais
The name Gleneagles (Glennegas in 1482) has been subject to several interpretations - in both Gaelic and Scots - which have influenced the form of the name over time.
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Turas taistealachd do dh’Èirinn às leth a’ chànain is a’ chultair
Chuir mi seachdain anabarrach math agus inntinneach seachad as t-samhradh aig a’ Cholaiste Ghàidhlig, Oideas Gael, ann an Dùn nan Gall, an ceann an iar-thuath na h-Èireann.
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An t-àit’ againn an eachdraidh, an t-àit’ aig an eachdraidh annainne
Tha mi a’ cur fàilte bhlàth air An Fhìrinn agus a’ Bhreug: Deich Dealbhan-Cluiche le Tormod Calum Dòmhnallach, air a dheasachadh le Michelle NicLeòid (AUP, £12). Rugadh Tormod Calum (1927–2000) ann a Thunder Bay, Canada, ach thogadh e ann an Tunga ann an Leódhas. Thug e a bheatha mar sgrìobhadair a’ toirt iomradh air muinntir Leódhais, air an àit’ acasan ann an eachdraidh, agus air an àit’ aig eachdraidh anntasan. Rinn e seo san dà chànain ’s ann an ceithir modhan-sgrìobhaidh – bàrdachd, sgeulachdan, nobhailean, dealbhan-cluiche. Duine dìcheallach. Duine comasach.
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Mì-chinnt a’ fàgail sgleò air cùisean Bhrexit air a’ Ghàidhealtachd
Coltach ri iomadach nì eile a bheir buaidh air eaconamaidh na h-Alba agus air eaconamaidh Bhreatainn, ’s ann air sgìrean iomallach is sgìrean a tha feumach air taic a thuiteas a’ bhuille as cruaidhe nuair a thig Brexit gu buil aig a’ cheann thall a rèir choltais. Tha sin dha-rìribh fìor mun Ghàidhealtachd agus na h-Eileanan, ach an-dràsta ’s e ’s motha a tha cur dragh air daoine air a’ Ghàidhealtachd: a’ mhì-chinnt.
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Place name of the week: Fort William - An Gearasdan
This is a relatively modern name, coined in English after Prince William, a man unpopular in the Gaelic world for his part in putting down the Jacobite rebellion of 1745.
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Place name of the week: Applecross - A’ Chomraich
This name, whilst seemingly of English origin, is a reinterpretation of an earlier Aporcrossan. This is a Pictish name, meaning ‘confluence of the Crosan river’.
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Dùbhlan sgrìobhaidh a bhuilich cothrom is misneach air tàlant ùr
Thàinig am beachd airson Na Saboteurs bho chòmhradh a bh’ agam leis an stiùiriche Michael Hines, bho The Woven Thread, companaeachidh a chaidh a stèidheachadh gus comadaidhean agus dràma a dhèanamh do BhBC ALBA.
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Leader comment: Police Gaelic plan requires a proportionate response
There are precious few Gaelic initiatives launched in Scotland which are met with widespread approval. Typically, the development is attacked as a waste of money, with the language derided as at best worthless, at worst dead.
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Place name of the week: Dunfermline - Dùn Phàrlain
The name of this town (Dunfermelin in 1128) is of obscure origin. Whilst the first element is clearly Gaelic dùn ‘fort’, the meaning of the rest of the name is a matter of debate, as is the exact location of the fort.
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Culaidh-dheasbaid air còireannan, creideamh, àite nam boireannach
Chan eil e furasta breitheanas a thoirt air an nobhail Nas Gile na Sneachd le Cairistìona Stone (Clàr, £7.99). Tha e mu dheidhinn caileag òg, Eilidh, a tha a’ fuireach air croit ann an àite gun ainm faisg air Inbhir Pheotharain anns a’ bhliadhna 1905. Tha i a’ buntainn do theaghlach a tha air leth gràdhach. Ach aon latha tha dithist bhalach anns a’ choimhearsnachd a’ toirt ionnsaigh oirre ’s ga fàgail leth mharbh anns a’ mhòintich.
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Aonta Pharis: na chloich-mhìle eachdraidheil dhan àrainneachd?
Faisg air deireadh na bliadhn’ an-uiridh (air 4 Samhain) chaidh Aonta Pharis a chur an gnìomh, le còrr math is 100 de na 197 dùthchannan a tha an sàs ann air daingneachadh gu bheil iad a’ gabhail ris an aonta. A-mach às gach nì a thachair ann an 2016, dh’fhaodadh gur e sin an naidheachd bu mhotha a bh’ ann. Oir ged a bheir Brexit is Trump agus gach nì eile buaidh air ar beatha san ath 5 no 10 bliadhna, tha e na chomas dhan aonta sin stad a chur air blàthachadh na cruinne mus bi e ro fhadalach.
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Place name of the week: Island I Vow - Eilean a’ Bhùtha
Island I Vow (Elanvow in the fourteenth century) is situated at the northern end of Loch Lomond. A survey of Loch Lomond in 1701 refers to it as Ilan a Bou or the Booth Isle. This would suggest the Gaelic form as Eilean a’ Bhùtha ‘the island of the shop or booth’.
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