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Letter: 05 Feb 10: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 551

Ruairidh has a new word for you, Barbag, well, he expects it’s a new word for many of you. If you are wondering what it is, it is a type of plant. Ruairidh will tell you all about this plant and others that are not native to this country and ponders, how did they get here? Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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This week, Ruairidh finishes the story The Black Bodach of Morven. It's from Braemore in Caithness. The men were in pursuit of the Bodach.

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Braemore is the town nearest the highest mountain in Caithness – Morven. It is 706 metres above sea leve, it is not that tall, but is a lovely sight. It’s a crofting settlement, but it used to have a much larger population, and people used to tell each other stoies, just as they did all over the Highlands. Here is a story from Braemore – The Black Bodach of Morven. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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There are two villages in Caithness called Ballachly – the township of the cemetery. There is a Ballachly near Dunbeath. It’s quite well known as archaeologists found interestesting ancient artefacts there. It’s from that wee settlement that the story comes this week. Here is the story – “The Witch of Ballachly”. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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We are still in Caithness looking at the area’s heritage through stories. A short tinme ago Ruairidh received some Caithnessian advice on the influence strong drink has on a person. The advice was what one glass hads on a person, two glasses and finally the effect three glasses has on a person. Ruairidh is talking about whisky here. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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Ruairidh continues with his journey through Sutherland and Caithness, accompanied by stories from this area. He’s travelling over the border of Caithness – to the area of Dunbeath; an area renowned for its rich Gaelic storytelling history. He brings us the tale of the three knots. Both the number three and knots are significant in Gaelic heritage. Learn more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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Ruairidh has a story from Cataibh today, it’s about a crofter from Sutherland. Most Crofters were diligent at cutting peats for the cold winter nights and building their stacks. Not all were like this, this particular crofter, he was a thief. Find out about his wily ways in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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Ruairidh has come across two trees that have Gaelic names, but no English names. He describes these in this week’s podcast. He also describes a tree called “The Làmh Tree”. Find out the origins of this name in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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Another letter from Canna this week. Ruaraidh was telling us about Coroghan Castle where the wife of Black Donald of the Cuckoo was held captive. This week, Ruairidh tells us more about this character, a clan-chief who would lock up his wife. Find out more in the podcast.Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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Ruairidh leaves the Isle of Eigg this week, but he remains in the Small Isles as he heads off to the Isle of Canna. There is a place in Canna called Coroghon Castle. It’s not a normal castle. In Gaelic it’s called the Corra-dhùn. The steep fort or hill. Although it is not big, it is steep. The building is next to the shore. It is very old. It is in a poor condition. If somebody doesn’t do something soon, it won’t be there long. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and voc ...

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The Isle of Eigg’s nickname is the Isle of the Big Women. According to oral tradition, it goes back to the Seventh Century. The island was still under the control of the Picts. Indeed, it was under the control of a Pictish queen. Find out more about Eìgg’s nickname and this Pictish queen in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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How familiar are you with Scotland’s islands? This week Ruairidh examines nicknames associated with three islands. Do you where The cross-wise island, The kingdom of the wild forest and The island of the big women are located? Find out in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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Last week, Ruairidh was telling us about what the opinion Gaels had of goats in times gone by. That was that they were capable of killing and eating snakes. Well, it’s interesting how often the goat appears in Gaelic proverbs “The thing that kept the ivy from the goats”. What does that mean? Find out in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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How often have you seen a goat in Scotland? Ruairidh does not mean a big white goat behind a white fence, but wild goats who live in the moors. He has seen some many times, in places like the Black Isle, an Colonsay in Strath Spey and, more recently, in Kinlochewe in Ross-shire. Learn more about these wild goats in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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Over the past fortnight Ruairidh has been looking at the poetry and life of Rob Donn. This week, he will take one final look at a piece Rob Donn wrote. This piece is about the difference in attitudes between the Gaels and lowland Scots, in particular the Gaels of the MacKay country. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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Your ears do not deceive you, the introduction to this week’s letter is the same as last week’s, but Ruairidh just wants to say a little more about this poem. Specifically he wants to talk about the Glen that features in this poem, where there was a beautiful forest. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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Ruairidh begins this week’s letter with a refrain from a famous Gaelic poem originating from one of the most northerly points of the Highlands, the MacKay Country (of North Sutherland). It was written by the famous Gaelic poet, Rob Donn. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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Eric MacLeod and his family moved to Kerracher on the shore of Loch a’ Chàirn Bhàin in Assynt in 1976. The old house wasn’t in a good condition. They had to get a caravan to Kerracher, but unfortunately for them there was no road. Learn more about Kerrochar and the MacLeod family who lived there in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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This summer Ruairidh got the chance to go to a garden that he always wanted to see. It’s a public garden with lovely flowers and it has plenty visitors. In tha way, it’s like Inverewe Gardens or gardens of that type which are all along the Highland coast. There is one difference though, find out what that is, where the garden is and about a family there in this week’s letter. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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More often than not, Ruairidh talks about subjects pertaining to the Highlands. However, this week he will talk to you about an event that occurred, outside the Highlands, although every mothers’ son will understand why this week’s subject affects Ruairidh. Learn what this is and a whole more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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