大象传媒

Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu She貌ras Gunnach, ceann-cinnidh nan Gunnach. Bha frith-ainm aige 鈥� am Br脿isteach M貌r. Bha e be貌 anns a鈥� ch貌igeamh linn deug. Bha caisteal aige ann an Ceann a鈥� Bhr脿ist no Kinbrace ann an Siorrachd Chataibh.

Th脿inig coigreach agus fhuair e cuid na h-oidhche. Th脿inig dusan fear 貌g, 脿rd, eireachdail.

听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淎n iad seo do mhic?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich an coigreach.

听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥溾�橲 iad,鈥� fhreagair am Br脿isteach M貌r.

听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淔aodaidh tu a bhith moiteil asta,鈥� ars an coigreach. 鈥淐han eil mi e貌lach air aon duine ann an Gallaibh nach biodh farmadach dhiubh 鈥� ach a-mh脿in aonan.鈥�

听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淎gus c貌 e?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich am Br脿isteach M貌r.

听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淢i fh矛n,鈥� fhreagair an srainnsear. Agus leig e a-mach c貌 e. B鈥� esan C猫ith Ackergill, seann n脿mhaid 脿 Gallaibh. 鈥淐huirinn mo dhusan mac an aghaidh do chuid fh猫in, a Ghunnaich, air latha sam bith,鈥� thuirt e.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Ghabh an Gunnach ris an d霉bhlan. Bha tr矛 duine deug a鈥� dol a shabaid an aghaidh tr矛 duine deug. Bha iad gu bhith air muin eich. Bha iad a鈥� dol a choinneachadh ann an Gallaibh, ann an 脿ite iomallach.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Chaidh na Gunnaich a Ghallaibh. Choinnich iad ris na C猫ithich aig allt a bha a鈥� ruith a-steach do dh鈥橴isge Gluta. A r猫ir an Urramaich D貌mhnall Saigeach, a sgr矛obh an cunntas, 鈥檚 e Allt nan Gamhna an t-ainm a bha air an allt. Cha do lorg mi an t-ainm sin air mapaichean an latha an-diugh.

听听听听听听听听听听听 Thug na Gunnaich an aire gun robh Clann Ch猫ith air a bhith ri foill. Bha dithis air gach each. Ach cha robh na Gunnaich a鈥� dol a theicheadh. Th脿inig iad far an each agus th貌isich iad air sabaid. Bha na Gunnaich treun is gaisgeil. Ach bha cus dhaoine air an taobh eile. Chaidh an latha le Clann Ch猫ith. Chaidh am Br脿isteach M貌r agus seachdnar mhac aige a mharbhadh. Ghoid na C猫ithich a鈥� bhr脿iste ainmeil bho chorp a鈥� Bhr脿istich Mh貌ir. Agus ghoid iad claidheamh bhuaithe cuideachd.

I was telling you about George Gunn, the clan chief of the Gunns. He had a nickname 鈥� the Br脿isteach M貌r [鈥渢he great brooched one鈥漖. He was alive in the 15th Century. He had a castle at Kinbrace in Sutherland.

听听听听听听听 A stranger came and he obtained a night鈥檚 accommodation. A dozen young, handsome men came [in].

听听听听听听听 鈥淎re these your sons?鈥� the stranger asked.

听听听听听听听听听听听 鈥淵es,鈥� the Br脿isteach M貌r replied

听听听听听听听 鈥淵ou many be proud of them,鈥� said the stranger. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know one person in Caithness who wouldn鈥檛 be envious of them 鈥� except one.鈥�

听

听听听听听听听 鈥淎nd who is he?鈥� the Br脿isteach M貌r asked.

听听听听听听听 鈥淢yself,鈥� the stranger replied. And he revealed who he was. He was Keith of Ackergill, an old enemy from Caithness. 鈥淚 would put my twelve sons against your own, Gunn, on any day,鈥� he said.

听

听听听听听听听 Gunn accepted the challenge. Thirteen men were going to fight thirteen men. They were going to be on horseback. They were going to meet in Caithness, in a remote place.

听

听听听听听听听 The Gunns went to Caithness. They met the Keiths at a burn that ran into the Water of Glutt. According to the Reverend Donald Sage, who wrote the account, the burn was called Allt nan Gamhna (鈥渢he burn of the stirks鈥�). I haven鈥檛 found that name on modern maps.

听

听听听听听听听听 The Gunns noticed that the Keiths had been involved in treachery. There were two men on each horse. But the Gunns weren鈥檛 going to flee. They dismounted and started to fight. The Gunns were brave and valorous. But there were too many men on the other side. The Keiths won the day. The Br脿isteach M貌r and seven of his sons were killed. The Keiths stole the famous brooch from the Br脿isteach M貌r鈥檚 body. And they stole a sword from him also.