Fist-fights
at funerals, ghosts haunting a cemetery, said to have been built by a Cameron
chief who was told to do so by the Devil himself in the guise of a cat, a
dispute between the dead, and the last resting place of at least two great Gaelic
bards (Dòmhnall
mac Fhionnlaigh nan Dàn and Iain
Lom MacDonald), are but some of the claims made of Cille Choirill.
Situated
on a steep hill high above a plateau where the River Spean runs in the Braes of
Lochaber, the small fifteenth-century church of Cille Choirill offers a
stunning vista down over Glen Spean. The site has religious connections that
span back to at least to around 600 A.D., during the days of the Irish
missionary and monk, Cairell, who is said to have founded (or re-established)
this Christian place of worship.
The
following story entitled Fear a
Thìodhlacadh an Cille Choirill (‘A Man who was Buried in Cille Choirill)
was transcribed by Calum Maclean on the 4th of January 1951 from the recitation
of John MacDonald, Highbridge, Brae Lochaber:
Bho chionn gràinne
mhòr bhliadhnaichean air ais, theagamh trì cheud bliadhna na ceithir cheud, chaidh
duine a thìodhlacadh ann an Cille Choirill. Agus beagan an deaghaidh dha a bhith
air a thìodhlacadh bha iad a’ cluinntinn ongaid uamhasach anns a’ chladh. Thòisicheadh
e mu bheul na h-oidhche uairean agus chumadh e air gus am biodh e treis a dh’oidhche.
Cha robh iad a’ gabhail dad orra is cha bu toigh leotha guth a ghràitinn, ach
bha iad a’ bruidheann nam measg fhèin. Ach cò thachair a bhith a’ gabhail an rathaid
ach sagart. Dh’fhairich e an ongaid a bha seo sa chladh:
“O! mo thruaighe, tha
an duine bochd ga shàrachadh. Feumaidh mi dìreadh.”
Is bha gille aig an
t-sagart a’ falbh leis an uair ud agus bha iad a’ falbh bho thaigh gu taigh. Agus
dhìrich iad an cnoc. Agus nuair a bha iad a’ dìreadh leth an t-slighe, thuirt e
ris a’ ghille:
“Furich thusa air
ais. Na tig a-staigh còmh’ rium idir.”
Is chum e fhèin air
adhart is cha robh e fada a-staigh dar a chaidh a chlos. Dh’fhàs iad sìtheil
ach bha beagan deasbad ann. Bheireadh e an leabhar a-staigh. Agus thill e air
ais an uair sin agus thuirt e ris a’ ghille:
“Tha a h-uile nitheann
ceart a-nise. Bha piocadh coimheach aca air an
duine thruagh, ach chuir mi sìth orra. Agus cha chluinn sibh an còrr an Cille Choirill.”
And the translation
goes something like the following:
A great many years
back, doubtless three or four hundred, a man was buried at Cille Choirill. And
a little while after he had been buried, they heard an horrific uproar in the
cemetery. It sometimes began around nightfall and continued for a while
throughout the night. They didn’t pay it any heed and they did not wish to say
anything but they did speak about it amongst themselves. Who happened to be
passing by but a priest. He heard the uproar taking place in the cemetery.
“Oh, my goodness,
that poor soul is being tortured. I’ll have to go up.”
The priest’s servant
was in attendance at this time as they used to travel from house to house. They
climbed up the hill. By the time they were half-way up the slope, he turned to
his servant and said:
“You remain behind.
Don’t accompany me at all.”
And he kept on and he
had not been long in when it ceased. They grew quiet but there was still a
dispute going. It would have to fetch the Bible. He went back then and he said
to his servant:
“Everything is
alright now. They had a strange grievance against this poor man but I’ve put
them to rest. And you’ll not hear any more of that in Cille Choirill.”
Another story entitled Sagart an Cladh a’ Bhràghad (‘A Priest in the Brae’s Cemetery’) was
transcribed by Calum Maclean on the 31st of January 1951 from the recitation of
Archibald MacInnes (c. 1881–c. 1953), from Achluachrach, Brae
Lochaber. As can be seen, it is a slight variation of the above story:
Thachair seo ann an
Cladh a’ Bhràghad theagamh pios a mach air ceud bliadhna air ais. Agus bha
sagart a’ fuireach ann an Achadh Luachrach anns na h-àmannan sin. Bha gille
aige mar a bhiodh e aca daonnan. Tha seans gun robh an gille air feasgar Didòmhnaich
rathad Achadh nan Comhaichean, mu choinneamh an chladh. Dh’fhairich e fuaim uamhraidh
gu h-àrd de bhruidheann is de dh’fhothail. Chaidh e dhachaigh is dh’innis e
dhan t-sagart. Cha robh an sagart ga chreidsinn is
chaidh iad ann le chèile suas. Agus thuirt an sagart:
“Air adhart sinn a
choimhead air a’ chladh.”
Agus choisich iad an
àird far an robh e. Chaidh e air adhart agus bha lochan air cùl a’ chladh ris
an abradh iad Lochan na Braodaich. Nuair a chaidh a’ choille a chur ann, chaidh
an loch sin a thràghadh. Rinn e uisge coisrigte ann an sàil a bhròig is chum e
air is thuirt e ris a’ ghille. Thuirt an gille:
“Thèid mi comh
riubh.”
“A, cha tèid, cha
tèid. Thèid do chridhe às a’ chochall,” thuirt e. “Tha duine foghinteach gu
h-àrd.”
Agus ràinig e thall
an cladh agus bu dè bh’ ann, a bha eadarra, chuir e ceart an rud is cha chualas
an còrr riamh tuillidh ma dheidhinn. Chuir sin fois as a’ chladh, anns an
stoirm sin.
And
the translation goes something like the following:
This happened in
Cille Choirill’s cemetery doubtless about one-hundred years ago. A priest
stayed at Achluacharach in those days. He had a servant just they always had.
It so happened that the servant was one Sunday evening going by Achnacoichean
just opposite the cemetery. He heard an horrific noise of shouting and speaking
from above. He returned home and told the priest. The priest didn’t believe him
and so they both went up. And the priest said:
“Up we’ll go and have
a look at the cemetery”
And they walked up to
where it was. He went on as there was a loch at the rear of the cemetery called
Loch na Braodaich. When the wood was planted, that loch was drained. He made
some holy water in the heel of his shoe and he went on and he said to the
servant. The servant said
“I’ll accompany you.”
“No, no. You’ll be frightened completely out of your wits.
“There’s a brave fellow up there.”
He went over to the cemetery and whatever it was between
then he made things right and nothing was ever heard about the matter. He made
the cemetery peaceful in that storm.
Another
tradition about Cille Choirill was transcribed by Calum Maclean on the 7th of
January 1951 from the recitation of Ewen MacIntosh (b. 1881) from Bohuntine, Brae Lochaber. It is an old satire (and
admittedly the allusions are rather opaque) between two men who fell out during
a funeral:
Bha latha tìodhlacadh ann is chuir iad a-mach air a chèile
is rinn fear òran air:
Latha dhomh-sa ’s mi an cladh a’ Bhràighe
Is mo charaid àraidh ga chuir san ùir:
Cò theann ri bualadh ach glasraich uaine,
Bha cait na luatha glè bhras ri ’n cùl.
Fhreagair am fear eile e is thuirt e:
Latha dhomh-sa ’s mi an cladh a’ Bhràighe
Is mo charaid àraidh ga chuir san ùir:
Cò tha thall aig cùl na dìge,
Is e a’ sgeith ’s a’ dìobhairt is a’ call a’ mhùin,
Ach an t-isean salach a bh’ aig a’ bhan-fhìdhlear:
Gun deach a dhèanamh gun toil na Trìonaid –
’S ann aic’ tha an fhianais a bh’ air a chùl.
And
the rather rough translation goes something like the following:
There was a funeral
one day and they fell out with one another and so a man composed a song:
One day when I was in
Cille Choirill cemetery
And a close friend
was being buried,
Who began to strike
the green heath
But the cats very
quickly and suddenly at the back.
The other man replied and said:
One day when I was in
Cille Choirill cemetery
And a close friend
was being buried,
Who was over by the back of the ditch,
Retching, puking and pissing herself.
But the dirty chick of the female fiddler:
It was done against the wish of the Trinity –
It was she who witnessed that which was behind it.
The penultimate anecdote entitled Tìodhlacadh an Cille Choirill (‘A Burial
in Cille Choirill’) transcribed by Calum Maclean on the 11th of January 1951
from John
MacDonald, Highbrdge, Brae Lochaber:
Bha tìodhlacadh mòr
ann an Cille Choirill agus mòran sluaigh ann. Agus am peacadh a bha ann an uair
ud, bhiodh iad a’ gabhail mòran de dheoch. Agus bha a h-uile duine a bh’ ann agus
gu leòr aige, gu sònraichte na seann-daoine. Ghlac i gu h-olc iad, an deoch.
Bha iad a’ teàrnadh a-nuas bhon chladh thar a bheil bruthach gu math cas.
Thòisich balach òg an seo air tilgeil cheapan a sìos an cnoc agus bha e a’ dol
mu na casan aig seann duine bochd. Agus thuit e. Thuirt duine a bha seo ris,
Camshronach:
"Sguiridh tu dha
t’ obair, ’ille òig,” thuirt e, “agus ma tha thu a’ dol a dh’ obair air dibhearsain
a dhèanadh air duine sam bith, dèan air do leathbhraidh fhèin e seach a bhith
a’ gabhail brath air an duine bhochd.”
Cha do sguir e ach mu
dheireadh tharraing an Camaranach a bha seo buille air anns a' pheirceall is
thuit e. B' e sin toiseach a' chogaidh agus b' e sin an tuasaid. Bha ceathrar de
na Camshronaich seo ann, à àite ris an abair iad Achadh na h-Annaid. Agus ghabh
iad air a h-uile duine a bha air an tìodhlacadh le na bataichean. Agus bha buachaille
anns a’ Cheapaich a chuir iad air adhart a dh’ iarraidh muinntir Dhochainn
Fhasaidh, na Camshronaich. Ach mun do thill iad sin air ais bha na Camshronaich
eile an deaghaidh an ruaig a chur air a h-uile duine a bha am Bràigh Loch Abar
aig an tìodhlacadh. Agus ’s e bh’ ann latha mòr. Chaill iad na curraichdean a
bh’ air an ceann agus chaidh fear dhiubh suas sa mhadainn gan iarraidh agus a h-uile
duine a bha ga fhaicinn a' dol a-suas an rathad, bha iad ga slaodadh fhèin a-staigh
air an dorast gun fhios, nach robh e a dol gan ruigeachd agus a' dol a thoirt
an còrr bhuillean orra. Ach cha do ghabh iad gnothach ris is cha mhotha a ghabh
e gnothach riutha. Is thug e leis na trì boineidean eile a bharrachd air a thè fhèin. Tha sin ceathrar dhiubh ann agus choisich
e direach dhachaigh leotha agus cha do chuir
duine dragh air.
And the translation
goes something like the following:
There
was a large funeral at Cille Choirill and many folk were present. The great sin
of the day was that folk took too much drink. And many men were there and they
had plenty of drink, especially the old folk. They were addicted to drink. They
were coming down from the cemetery where the brae is quite steep. A young lad
began throwing divots down the hill and they were landing around a poor old
man’s feet. He fell over. This man, a Cameron, said to him:
“Stop
that at once, young lad,” he said, “and if you’re going to make some fun of
anyone then do it to your own rather than taking advantage of his poor man.”
He wouldn’t stop and
eventually this Cameron struck him on the jaw and he fell. That was the
beginning of the fight and that was a skirmish indeed. There were four of these
Camerons from a place called Achnahannet. And they went at all the folk at the
funeral with sticks. And the sent a herd from Keppoch over to Dochanassie to
fetch those Camerons over. But before they got over the other Camerons had made
the others flee before them from Brae Lochaber who were at the funeral. It was
a great day. They lost their bonnets that they were wearing and one of them
went up the next morning to get them and everyone who same him going up the
road, went back inside just in case he was going to have a go and throw more
blows. But they didn’t bother him no more than he didn’t bother them. And he
went away with three other bonnets in addition to his own. That’s four of them
and he walked straight back home with them and no one gave him any trouble.
Such trouble at
funerals where grief and too much drink were rather a heady mixture was
probably not that uncommon back in the day.
The final anecdote,
also told by John
MacDonald and transcribed by Calum
Maclean on the 22nd of February 1951, relates the legendary story of how a fifteenth-century
Cameron chief, a notorious freebooter, known to posterity as Ailean nan Creach (‘Allan of the
Forays’) is said to have founded or rather rebuilt Cille Choirill along with
another six churches around Lochaber and also in the Rough Bounds in order to
atone for his sins:
Thog e na seachd
creachan agus ghabh e fìor-aithreachas às. Agus bha e na charaide do Loch Iall
gu math càirdeach dhà. Feumaidh gur h-e Ailean Camshron a bh’ air. Agus thog e
na seachd creachan agus na seachd eaglaisean. Tha tè dhiubh ann an Eilean
Fhìonain air Loch Seile. Tha tè dhiubh an Cille Bhaodain aig a’ Chorran an
Earra-Ghaidheal. Tha tè dhiubh an Cille Mhàille aig a’ Chorpaich. Tha tè dhiubh
an Cille Choirill am Bràigh Loch Abar. Tha tè dhiubh an Sròn an Dùin ann am
Bàideanach. Chan eil forfhais agam air an dithist
eile, ach thog e na seachd. Agus bha e a’ smaoineachdainn an uair sin, nuair a
thog e na seachd, gun d’rinn e a dhleasdanas a thaobh a’ mheirle a chruinnich
agus a thrus e. Agus chaidh an togail anns a’
bhliadhna ceithir cheud deug agus ceithir
fichead is a ceithir.
And the translation
goes something like the following:
He lifted seven
forays which he then deeply regretted.
However he was a close relative of Lochiel’s. He must have been called
Allan Cameron. And, anyway, he lifted seven forays and built seven churches.
One of which is on the Green Isle (Islandfinnan), Loch Shiel. Another one is at
Kilvodan, near Corran, Argyllshire. A further one is at Cill Choirill in Brae
Lochaber. And another one is at Stronanduin in Badenoch. I do not know about
the other two, but he built seven in all. And after this, when he had built the
seven, he thought that he had done his duty regarding the ill-gotten goods he
had gathered. And they were built in 1484.
Dr
Keith Norman MacDonald
(1835–1913), a Skye physician, wrote an interesting account of Cille Choirill,
referencing many of the above traditions, in the June edition of The Celtic Monthly of 1901 which was
later reproduced in the informative and well-researched booklet by local
historians the late Ann MacDonell and Robert MacFarlane, who noted some
inaccuracies in the text, as reproduced below:
The ancient burying
ground of Cille Choirill in the Braes of Lochaber is well known throughout the
Highlands of Scotland both, on account of the historical importance of the locality
generally, as the scene of many bloody battle fields, clan feuds, and hand to
hand encounters, and the quality and character of the heroes who lie buried
there. The once powerful Chiefs of Keppoch and their numerous retainers and
warriors, men of gigantic strength and undaunted courage, as well as raiders
and cattle lifters, who were the terror of the neighbouring counties, poets of
enduring fame, gentle maidens, wives and mothers, the pride of their race,
altogether proud, spirited, brave and patriotic people, (considering the times
in which they lived) men who fought, bled and died for their king and country,
and for independence and freedom.
The exact date of the
burying ground lies far back in history, but the ruin of the old church dates
from the early part of the fifteenth century, and was one of the seven churches
built by one of the chief of Locheil called Ailean-nan-Creach who was married
to a daughter of Angus 2nd of Keppoch, son and successor to Alasdair Carrach,
the famous warrior of the first battle fought at Inverlochy in 1431. These
churches were built in atonement for all his evil doings during a long life of
fighting and forays, of which he repented before he died. The ruins of most of
them are still extant between Lochaber, Moidart, Arisaig,etc.
(Cille Choirill has
been anglicised as St. Cyril, but that is a mistake as the old Celtic Calendars
have got it St. Caorruill, a Celtic saint anglicised to Cairell and quite
distinct from St. Cyril.) (K.N.MacD.)
It occurred about, or
rather before, the memorable year 1745 when Maighistir Aongas Mór MacDhùghaill
(See note 1) was the priest of the Braes and lived at Achnacoichean on the
South side of the River Spean, opposite to Cille Choirill, that the people in
the neighbourhood of the churchyard could get no rest at night on account of
mysterious noises that were heard in the churchyard – something like the
rattling of bones, as if desperate battles were going on underground for a long
time. At last it became so intolerable that some of the listeners went across
the river to consult Father Angus Mór MacDhùghaill, in case he might be able to
do something to put an end to this appalling horror. The saintly old man at
once got up hastily and joined the party who had come for him. He did not give
his exact diagnosis of the cause of the disturbance but remarked in his
eagerness to battle with the enemy, “Tiugainnn tiugainn tha an duine
foghainteach ’ga shàrachadh” – “Come on, come on, the brave fellow is being
exhausted” which looks as if he had a very good idea of the “fons et origo
mali” of the whole unsavoury business, which is was perhaps, judicious to bury
in oblivion. The good old man found that he had no holy water with him, having
left home in such a hurry, but he was equal to the occasion. He took off his
shoe, filled it with water from the river, and blessed it, and proceeded to the
churchyard, where he read the office special for similar occasions, sprinkled
holy water over the place, blessed it and came away, with the result that there
was a complete cessation of these nightly noises ever after.
(The above story had
been mistakenly given as the Protestant buried in Cille Choirill). (K.N.MacD.)
As there are so many
historians and antiquarians now-a-days, who doubt everything above ground, it
may interest them to learn whose skeletons they are likely to come across in
their search underground at Cille Choirill. The first hitch will be the absence
of tombstones over many undoubted heroes who found a resting place there. If
there had been any they were destroyed or removed long ago. The Chiefs of
Keppoch and their families were buried mostly round, and in the old church, at
the lower of western end of the Cille, but no stones with any visible
inscriptions are to be seen on the older ones. Coll XV Chief (Note 2) would
have been the last of the older tombs, as Alexander of the 45’s body was burnt
in a hut near Culloden. His son Ranald, having forsaken the faith of his
fathers, was buried at the top of the eastern end called “Tom Aingeal” but
outside consecrated ground; and the stone erected over his grave was out of
malice of mischief, rolled down to the bottom of the hill by the father of the
late Cluny Macpherson of Cluny. His, (Ranald of Keppoch’s) brother Alexander
was the one at whose death “the grey bird of Keppoch” appeared at Prince Edward
Island in 1815 and all their sons were buried far away from their native land.
The late Angus MacDonell XXII (Note 3), who lived at Keppoch, was buried about
the middle of “Tom Aingeal” and a beautiful Celtic Cross marks the spot. The
Sliocd Ghorrie, MacDonald of Tirnadris, viz. Gilleasbuig Mór, the hero of a
ghost story which appeared in the Celtic Monthly for March 1901, has a
beautifully carved stone lying outside the east gable of the church. Dòmhnall
Bàn of the spectre (Note4), Dòmhnall Bàn a’ Bhòcain, who lived in Inverlair, is
buried there of course, with the exceptions already mentioned, and to follow.
The priests of the Glen are buried on “Tom Aingeal” as the top of the place,
and also Iain Lom – bare John – the famous poet and politician; and the grave
at the door of the church (where the late Fraser Mackintosh erected a monument
to Iain Lom) is the grave of Dòmhnall Mac Fhionnlaigh, the author of “A’
Chomhachag” and perhaps of “Miann a’ Bhàir Aosda” – The Aged Bard’s Wish, The
Old Bard of Loch Treig. The priests who were buried there (Note 1) as they did
in the Braes are Aonghas Mór MacDhùghaill; after him Aonghas MacIlle Iosa, in
the ’45 times; then Father William Chisholm about 70 years ago; then Father Donald
Forbes who died about 1877. The MacGillivantigs (MacIlle Bhantraich)p have
their own grounds at the North West corner.
The Sliochd Tighe
Iain Duibh (are) on the South side about the middle. It is possible that the
poet Dòmhnall Donn may also be buried among them, but as he was beheaded in the
Grants’ country, there is no certainty, and having been at feud with his chief
at the time, it is more probable that his body was disposed of where he fell.
Another of the Keppoch Chiefs who is not there is Alexander Boloine, who was
according to the “Comhachag”, buried at Kingussie, and tradition says that
Ranald Og son of Alisdair nan Cleas, died in London, and is probably buried
there, the supposition being that he met with some foul play.
Note 1 – Dr K. N. MacDonald
had confused three 18th century priests (1) Fr. John MacDonald, (Maighistir Iain Mór
MacDhùghaill)
attended the Holy Woman of Achnafraschoille and sent an account of her saintly
death to Rome. He was ordained in 1721 and worked in Lochaber until his death
in 1761. (2) Fr. Angus MacGillies, ordained in 1739 attended Brae Lochaber from
Glengarry fro 1761 to 1763/4 and died in 1776. (2) His nephew Fr. Angus Gillies
was ordained in 1772 and assisted his uncle now an invalid in Lochaber and
replaced him on his death in 1776. He remained in Lochaber until he himself
died in 1812.
Note 2 – According to
modern research Coll was the 16th Chief.
Note 3 – Angus MacDonell
according to modern research was not a chief, being descended from Angus Bàn of
Insh, oldest illegitimate son of Alasdair of Culloden 17th chief. He married
Christina MacNab and had 12 children among them Josephine and Alice Claire,
historians and poets. Angus died in 1855 of smallpox.
Note 4 – Dòmhnall Bàn
a’ Bhòcain was of the Clianaig branch of Keppoch.
Calum Maclean’s The Highlands contains a brief mention of Cille Choirill although
he incorrectly refers to it as being named after St Cyril:
It was lain Lom, the
Bard of Keppoch and Poet Laureate to King Charles II, who had the murderers
brought to justice. Farther on to the right is the church of St Cyril (Cille Choirill). It stands high on the
slope of a hill overlooking the railway line. Here it is that lain Lom, the
Bard of Keppoch, has found his last resting-place. The tradition is that he
expressed a wish to be buried with his face towards his beloved Corrour. A
stone taller than all others in the graveyard has been raised in his honour. All
other headstones face due east; lain Lom’s headstone looks southwards to
Corrour. The actual spot where his remains lie is not known now. It will never
be known, for the last tradition bearer who knew for certain is long dead. My
kind friend, Mr Archibald Maclnnes, caretaker of the graveyard and the most
accurate authority on the history of Lochaber, does not know where lain Lom
lies although he knows every other grave marked and unmarked in St Cyril’s.
References:
Ann MacDonell and
Robert MacFarlane, Cille Choirill, Brae
Lochaber, Inverness-shire (Spean Bridge: Ann MacDonell, 1986)
Calum I. Maclean, The Highlands (London: B. T. Batsford,
1959)
SSS NB 3, pp. 193–94
[Fear a Thìodhlacadh an Cille Choirill (‘A Man who was
Buried in Cille Choirill)]
SSS NB 3, pp. 263–64
[Sagart an Cladh a’ Bhràghad (‘A Priest in the
Brae’s Cemetery’)]
SSS
NB 3, p. 269
SSS NB 5, pp. 457–58
[Ailean nan Creach (‘Allan of the
Forays’)]
SSS NB 5, pp. 470–72 [Tìodhlacadh an Cille Choirill (‘A Burial
in Cille Choirill’)]
Images:
Cille
Choirill, Brae Lochaber
Supernatural legends
are but one genre that was (and to a certain extent still are) very popular
with Gaelic storytellers, especially, it would seem, those that focus upon a
well-known personality or protagonist such as a clan chief. For instance, the
following tale was recorded from the recitation of John MacDonald of Highbridge, Brae Lochaber, and was shortly afterwards transcribed by Calum
Maclean on the 2nd of February 1951, which involves MacDonald of Keppoch
(usually but not exclusively ascribed to Alasdair nan Cleas) as the main
character:
