大象传媒

D猫 a鈥� Gh脿idhlig a tha air MacNair? Uill, ann an Siorrachd Rois, Mac 虝虝虝虝 an Uidhir. Tha e a鈥� ciallachadh Mac Iain Uidhir. 鈥橲 e sin an seann dreach air Mac Iain Odhair no 鈥渢he son of John of the sallow complexion鈥�.

Chan e Mac 虛an Uidhir a thathar ag r脿dh, ge-t脿, ri MacNair ann an sg矛re Loch Laomainn. Tha iadsan ag r脿dh Mac an Oighre, 鈥渢he son of the heir鈥�. Agus tha st貌iridh aca a dh鈥檌nnseas mar a th脿inig an t-ainm gu bith. 虛 S e tiotal an st貌iridh Sliochd an Eich Bhric Nach Robh Riamh Glic. Thig mi don st貌iridh a dh鈥檃ithghearr.

Tha an eachdraidh a鈥� dol air ais don linn an d猫idh Cath Phincidh faisg air D霉n 脠ideann, eadar Alba is Sasainn. Bha sin ann an c貌ig ceud deug, ceathrad 虛s a seachd (1547). Am measg nam fineachan a ghabh p脿irt anns a鈥� bhatail bha Clann Ph脿rlain an Arair.

Rinn Clann Ph脿rlain n脿imhdean gu le貌r ann an Sasainn. Mar a th脿inig Alba is Sasainn na b鈥� fhaisge air a ch猫ile, bha an Riaghaltas ann an D霉n 脠ideann trom orra. Bhathar a鈥� cur as leth Clann Ph脿rlain gun robh iad ri m猫irle is murt. Chaill iad m貌ran dhen fhearann aca.

A-nise, don st貌iridh Sliochd an Eich Bhric Nach Robh Riamh Glic. Bha MacPh脿rlain an Arair air a bhith p貌sta d脿 thuras. Bha an d脿rna bean aige na ban-Shasannach. Dh鈥檉h脿g a chiad bhean mac. B鈥� esan an t-oighre. Chuir an gille seo roimhe a dhol a Dh霉n 脠ideann. Bha e airson bruidhinn ris an R矛gh. Bha e ag iarraidh am fearann a chaill iad fhaighinn air ais.

Ach cha robh each freagarrach aige. Bha an t-each aige robach. Bha fios aige gun robh each b貌idheach breac aig a leth-bhr脿thair. B鈥� esan an gille aig athair agus an d脿rna bean aige, an t猫 Shasannach. Dh鈥檌arr an t-oighre air a leth-bhr脿thair an t-each a thoirt dha air iasad 鈥� d矛reach airson a thurais a Dh霉n 脠ideann.

Chuala m脿thair an leth-bhr脿thar an c貌mhradh. Chuir ise stad air a鈥� bhargan. Rinn i fh猫in bargan mun each bhreac. Ch矛 sinn d猫 bha ann anns an ath Litir.

What鈥檚 the Gaelic for MacNair/Macnair? Well, in Ross-shire it鈥檚 Mac 虛an Uidhir. It means Mac Iain Uidhir. That鈥檚 the old form of Mac Iain Odhair or 鈥渢he son of John of the sallow complexion鈥�.

听听听听听听听 It鈥檚 not Mac 虛an Uidhir that is said, however, for MacNair in the Loch Lomond area. They say Mac an Oighre, 鈥渢he son of the heir鈥�. And they have a story that tells how the name came into being. The title of the story is The Descendants of the Speckled Horse who was Never Wise. I鈥檒l come to the story soon.

听听听听听听听 The story/history goes back to the time of the Battle of Pinkie near Edinburgh, between Scotland and England. That was in 1547. Among the clans that took part in the battle were the MacFarlanes of Arrochar.

听

听听听听听听听 The MacFarlanes made plenty of enemies in England. As Scotland and England came closer to each other, the Government in Edinburgh oppressed them. It was said of the MacFarlanes that they were involved in robbery and murder. They lost much of their land.

听听听听听听听 Now to the story The Descendants of the Speckled Horse who was Never Wise. MacFarlane of Arrochar was married twice. His second wife was an Englishwoman. His first wife left a son. He was the heir. This lad decided to go to Edinburgh. He wanted to speak to the King. He was wanting to get back the land they [had] lost.

听听听听听听听 But he didn鈥檛 have a suitable horse. His horse was ragged. He knew that his half-brother had a beautiful speckled horse. He was the son of his father and his second wife, the Englishwoman. The heir asked his half-brother to give him a loan of the horse 鈥� just for his journey to Edinburgh.