Blair Collection > Carmina gadelica > Volume 2

82
UIBE
Torranan is represented on the West in the island of 'Tarransey/ Tarran's
island. In this small rocky glaciated island of the Atlantic there were two small
churches, of which nothing now remains but the foundations, with a small burying-
ground attached to each. The churches are beautifully situated on the sea-shore
near one another, and look across to the ice-rounded mountains of Harris and Uist,
while in the far-away blue distance are seen the serrated calcined hills of Skye.
One of these simple churches with its burying-ground was dedicated to Saint Tarran
and called ' TeampuU Tharrain ' — the Temple of Tarran, and ' Cladh Tharrain ' — the
burial-place of Tarran. The other church and burying-ground were dedicated to
Saint Ce, or Keith, and were called ' Teampull Che ' — the Temple of Ce, and ' Cladh
Che ' — the burial-place of Ce. The temple and burying-ground of Tarran were
exclusively for the use of women, while the temple and burying-ground of Ce were
exclusively for the use of men. This rule could not be violated with impunity. If
the body of a man were buried in St. Tarran's, or the body of a woman in St. Ce's,
the guardian spirits of the temples and burying-grounds thrust forth the obtruded
corpse during the night, and it was found in the morning lying stiff and stark above-
ground. In North Uist there is a tall obelisk called ' Clach Che ' — the stone of Ce.
Saint Ce is represented on the East by ' Beinn Che ' — Benachie, the hill of Ce, ' Innis
Che' — Inchkeith, the island of Ce, and ' Dail Che ' — Dalkeith, the plain of Ce.
Palladius is the name usually assigned to the missionary sent by the Pope to
the Irish and rejected by them. Skene thinks that Ternan
"''^^'^/■''iv^^X ^^"-^ ^ disciple of Palladius, with whom he is confounded.
'^UAINIDH mi an torranan,
Le toradli mar us tir,
Lus nan agh 's nan sonas e,
Lus a bhainne mhi.
IMar a dh' orduich Righ nan righ,
IJrigh a chur an cich 's an carr,
'S mar a dh' orduich Ti nan dul,
Sugh a chur an uth 's an ar,
Le bhochd, le blachd, le bladh,
Le cobhan, le omhan, 's le ais,
Le laoigh bhoirionn, bhreac,
Gun laoigh fhirionn ac,
Le al, le agh, le toradh,
Le gradh, le baigh, le sonadh.