大象传媒

C貌 脿s a th脿inig an t-ainm airson nam beann as 脿irde anns an Eilean Sgitheanach? An Cuiltheann 鈥� The Cuillin. Tha beachd inntinneach aig Peter Drummond anns an leabhar aige Scottish Hill Names.

Bha daoine ag r脿dh aig aon 脿m gun t脿inig an t-ainm bhon ghaisgeach Gh脿idhealach, Cuchulainn. Tha ceangal aig Cuchulainn don Eilean Sgitheanach, co-dhi霉 a r猫ir beul-aithris. Dh鈥檌onnsaich e na sgilean sabaid aige bhon Bhanrigh Sg脿thach. Bha caisteal aice aig D霉n Sg脿thaich ann an Sl猫ite.

Tha cuid air a r脿dh gun t脿inig an t-ainm bho ghaisgeach G脿idhealach eile 鈥� Fionn MacCumhail. Os cionn Phort R矛gh tha Suidhe Fhinn 鈥� Fionn鈥檚 seat. Bha Fionn, a r猫ir beul-aithris, an sin gu tric. Bha e a鈥� coimhead air an Fh猫inn nuair a bha iad a鈥� sealg. 鈥橲 e An Cuiltheann, ma-th脿, C霉il Fhinn, the nook or hiding place of Fionn. Chan eil sin uabhasach coltach, ge-t脿.

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Tha feadhainn air a r脿dh gu bheil an t-ainm co-cheangailte ris a鈥� Gh脿idhlig airson holly 鈥� cuileann. Tha na beanntan sin gu math biorach, mar a tha duilleagan cuilinn. Ach a-rithist, chan eil sin coltach.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Tha Peter Drummond ag innse dhuinn gur d貌cha gun t脿inig an t-ainm bho na Lochlannaich. Tha beanntan ann an Nirribhidh air a bheil 碍箩酶濒别苍 mar ainm. Tha feadhainn eile air a bheil Kiolen ann an Innis T矛le. Tha beanntan ann an Nirribhidh cuideachd air a bheil 痴别濒蝉办箩酶濒别苍 agus 碍惫颈迟颈苍驳蝉办箩酶濒别苍. Agus tha 办箩酶濒别苍 a鈥� ciallachadh 鈥渃reagan 脿rda鈥�. An t脿inig Cuiltheann bhon ainm Lochlannach airson nam beann sin 鈥� 碍箩酶濒别苍?

听听听听听听听 Tha mi a鈥� tuigsinn gu bheil 办箩酶濒别苍 cuideachd a鈥� ciallachadh 鈥渁n druim鈥�. Sin druim air b脿ta 鈥� the keel ann am Beurla. Ma dh鈥檉haodte gun do smaoinich na seann Lochlannaich gun robh cuid de bheanntan coltach ri druim b脿ta. Sin nuair a tha am b脿ta bun-os-cionn.

Where did the name come from for the highest mountains on the Isle of Skye? An Cuiltheann 鈥� The Cuillin. Peter Drummond has an interesting opinion in his book Scottish Hill Names.

听听听听听听听 People were saying at one time that the name came from the Gaelic hero, Cuchullin. Cuchullin has links to the Isle of Skye, at least according to oral tradition. He learned his fighting skills from Queen Sg脿thach. She had a castle at D霉n Sg脿thaich in Sleat [peninsula in south Skye].

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听听听听听听听 Some [people] have said that the name came from another Gaelic hero 鈥� Fionn MacCumhail [also known in Scotland as Fingal]. Above Portree there is Suidhe Fhinn 鈥� 鈥淔ionn鈥檚 seat鈥�. Fionn, according to oral tradition was sitting there often. He was watching the Fenians [his warriors] when they were hunting. So An Cuiltheann is C霉il Fhinn, the nook or hiding place of Fionn. That鈥檚 not particularly likely, however.

听听听听听听听 Some [people] have said that the name is connected to the Gaelic for holly 鈥� cuileann. Those mountains are sharp, as are holly leaves. But, again, that鈥檚 not [a] likely [explanation].

听听听听听听听 Peter Drummond tells us that perhaps the name came from the Vikings. There are mountains in Norway called 碍箩酶濒别苍. There are others called Kiolen in Iceland. There are also mountains in Norway called 痴别濒蝉办箩酶濒别苍 and 碍惫颈迟颈苍驳蝉办箩酶濒别苍. And 办箩酶濒别苍 means 鈥渉igh rocks鈥�. Did Cuiltheann come from the Scandinavian name for those mountains 鈥� 碍箩酶濒别苍?

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听听听听听听听 I understand that 办箩酶濒别苍 also means 鈥渁n druim鈥�. That鈥檚 a druim on a boat 鈥� the keel in English. Perhaps the old Vikings thought that some mountains were like a boat鈥檚 keel. That鈥檚 when the boat is upside-down.

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