大象传媒

Anns an naoidheamh linn deug, bha Fear-casaid a鈥� Chr霉in ann an Ste貌rna-bhagh air an robh T貌mas Druimeanach. Dh鈥檉heuch e ri ainm a鈥� bhaile atharrachadh. Cha robh e toilichte le Stornoway. Bha e ag r脿dh gun robh cuid ag r脿dh Stormaway. Cha robh sin tarraingeach 鈥� no f矛rinneach!

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ach d猫 an t-ainm a bha e ag iarraidh? Uill 鈥� Port Royal. Seadh, Port Royal. Carson? Uill, ann an cuimhne an R矛gh 鈥� Uilleam IV. Chaidh esan a Ste貌rnabhagh ann an seachd ceud deug naochad 鈥檚 a tr矛 (1793). Bha sin fada mus robh e na R矛gh. Bha an Druimeanach dhen bheachd, ge-t脿, gum biodh an sluagh toilichte a bhith a鈥� fuireach ann am 鈥淧ort Royal鈥�.

Sgr矛obh e litir don uachdaran Seumas Sti霉bhart-MacCoinnich. Bha esan cuideachd na bhall-p脿rlamaid, Sgr矛obh e: 鈥�..it is you ... that has best right to claim the change from His Majesty though I hope you will do me the justice in intimating to His Majesty ... that it was I, humble individual, that suggested it as a mark of my respect to his Majesty ...鈥� Seadh. Cha chan mi dad. Ach 鈥� nach robh an Druimeanach soirbheachail.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥橲 d貌cha gun robh farmad aige air an Eilean Sgitheanach. Tha baile 鈥淩矛oghail鈥� acasan. Uill, tha Port R矛gh aca. Thadhail an R矛gh Seumas V air a鈥� bhaile ann an c貌ig ceud deug is d脿 fhichead (1540). Ge-t脿, an e sin a bha an t-ainm a鈥� ciallachadh? Tha cuid ag r脿dh gur e Port Ruigheadh a bha ann bho shean. Tha sin a鈥� ciallachadh 鈥渟lope harbour鈥� seach 鈥渒ing鈥檚 harbour鈥�. Ach chan eil sin cho romansach ri Port R矛gh!

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Chan e a-mh脿in ainm Ste貌rna-bhaigh a bha a鈥� cur dragh air an Druimeanach. Bha e cuideachd dhen bheachd gum bu ch貌ir Le貌dhas a bhith air a riaghladh 脿 Le貌dhas fh猫in. Chan eil sin cho radaigeach. Bha an riaghaltas ionadail st猫idhichte ann an Inbhir Pheofharain aig an 脿m.

In the nineteenth century, there was a Procurator Fiscal in Stornoway called Thomas Drummond. He tried to change the name of the town. He wasn鈥檛 pleased with Stornoway. He was saying that some were saying Stormaway. That wasn鈥檛 attractive 鈥� or true!

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 But what name was he wanting? Well 鈥� Port Royal. Aye, Port Royal. Why? Well, in memory of the King 鈥� William IV. He went to Stornoway in 1793. That was long before he was the King. Drummond was of the opinion, however, that the populace would be happy to live in 鈥淧ort Royal鈥�.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 He wrote a letter to the landlord, James Stewart-Mackenzie. He was also a member of parliament. He wrote: 鈥�..it is you ... that has best right to claim the change from His Majesty though I hope you will do me the justice in intimating to His Majesty ... that it was I, hum-ble individual, that suggested it as a mark of my respect to his Majesty ...鈥� Aye. I鈥檒l not say anything. Exc-ept 鈥� Drummond wasn鈥檛 successful.

聽聽聽聽聽 聽聽Perhaps he was envious of the Isle of Skye. They have a 鈥淩oyal鈥� town. Well, they鈥檝e got Portree. King James V visited the town in 1540. However, is that what the name means? Some folk say that it was Port Ruigheadh in olden times. That means 鈥渟lope harbour鈥� rather than 鈥渒ing鈥檚 harbour鈥�. But that鈥檚 not as romantic as 鈥淜ing鈥檚 Harbour鈥�!

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 It鈥檚 not only the name of Stornoway that was annoying Drummond. He was also thinking that Lewis should be governed from Lewis itself. That鈥檚 not so radical. The local government was based in Dingwall at the time.