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02/05/2011

Tha litir bheag na seachdain aig Ruaraidh MacIllEathain. This week's short letter for learners is introduced by Ruaraidh MacLean.

5 minutes

Last on

Mon 2 May 2011 19:00

Clip

An Litir Bheag 312

’S e St Andrews an t-ainm Beurla air a’ bhaile ann am Fìobh, Cill Rìmhinn. An toiseach, bha “St Andrews” co-cheangailte a-mhàin ris an eaglais. Cha robh e co-cheangailte ris a’ bhaile. Bha eaglais ann an Cill Rìmhinn coisrigte don Naomh Anndra. Cuin a dh’èirich an ceangal eadar Anndra agus an t-àite seo? Chan eil sinn cinnteach. Chan eil fianais làidir ann ron aonamh linn deug.

Ach tha aon seann chunntas ag innse dhuinn rud inntinneach. Tha e ag ràdh gun deach cnàmhan aig an naomh a thoirt ann nuair a bha Rìgh Ungus aig na Cruithnich. Bha fear dhen ainm sin beò anns an ochdamh linn.

A rèir a’ chunntais, thug fear Regulus cuid de chnàmhan Anndra ann à Constantinople. Chuir e eaglais air chois aig Ceann Rìghmonadh (an t-ainm Gàidhlig air a’ bhaile). Fhuair e taic bho Rìgh Ungus. Bha Regulus agus seachd companaich aig Ceann Rìghmonadh. Nochd Ungus le arm. Bha e air a bhith a’ sabaid an aghaidh nàimhdean à ceann a deas Bhreatainn. Chunnaic Regulus is a chompanaich solas naomh. Bha sin timcheall an rìgh. Thuit iad don talamh. Bha an solas uabhasach soilleir.

Ěý

Bha fear de na daoine a bha an làthair air a bhith dall bhon latha a rugadh e. Dh’èigh e gun robh fradharc aige a-nise. Dh’èigh e gun robh e a’ faicinn ainglean.

Choinnich Regulus ri Ungus. Thug Ungus an t-àite do Dhia agus don Naomh Anndra. Dh’iarr e gum biodh e aca gu sìorraidh. Dh’iarr e gum biodh an t-àite na mhàthair don a h-uile eaglais ann an rìoghachd nan Albannach. Thog Regulus agus a chompanaich manachainn an sin.

Anns an deicheamh linn tha easbaig Chill Rìmhinn air ainmeach-adh mar episcopo Sancti Andree – the bishop of St Andrew. Ge-tà, ’s dòcha gun robh sin a’ ciallachadh dìreach ainm na h-eaglaise fhèin. Anns an dàrna linn deug tha sinn a’ faicinn a’ bhaile air ainmeachadh a rèir ainm na h-eaglaise. Ann am Beurla, ’s e St Andrews a bha air, an àite Kilrymont. Agus ann am Beurla, tha St Andrews air a’ bhaile mar ainm an-diùgh, ged a chùm na Gàidheil ris an t-seann ainm, Cill Rìmhinn.

The Little Letter 312

St Andrews is the English name for the town in Fife, Cill Rìmhinn. To begin with, “St Andrews” was connected only to the church. It wasn’t connected to the town. There was a church in St Andrews dedicated to St Andrew. When did the link between Andrew and this place arise? We’re not sure. There’s no strong evidence before the eleventh century.

ĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý But there’s one old account that tells us an interesting thing. It says that bones of the saint were taken there when King Ungus (Aonghas) ruled the Picts. There was one of that name alive in the eighth century.

ĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý According to the account, a certain Regulus took some of Andrew’s bones there from Constantinople. He established a church at Ceann Rìghmonadh (the Gaelic name for the settlement). He obtained help from King Ungus. Regulus and seven companions were at Ceann Rìghmonadh. Ungus appeared with his army. He had been fighting enemies from southern Britain. Regulus and his companions saw a sacred light. That was around the king. They fell to the ground. The light was very strong.

ĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý One of the people present had been blind since the day he was born. He shouted that he now had eyesight. He shouted that he was seeing angels.

ĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý Regulus met Ungus. Ungus gave the place to God and to St Andrew. He asked that it be theirs forever. He asked that the place be a mother to every church in the kingdom of the Scots. Regulus and his companions built a monastery there.

ĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚýĚý In the tenth century the bishop of St Andrews is named episcopo Sancti Andree – the bishop of St Andrew. However, that perhaps just means the name of the church itself. In the twelfth century, we see the settlement name according to the name of the church. In English it was [now] St Andrews, rather than Kilrymont. And in English, St Andrews remains the name of the town, although the Gaels retained the old name, Cill Rìmhinn.

Broadcast

  • Mon 2 May 2011 19:00

All the letters

Tha gach Litir Bheag an seo / All the Little Letters are here.

Podcast: An Litir Bheag

The Little Letter for Gaelic Learners

An Litir Bheag air LearnGaelic

An Litir Bheag is also on LearnGaelic (with PDFs)

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