Blair Collection > Carmina gadelica > Volume 2

NOTES
Abhr, abhra, fat, rich, oily ; ' cloimh abhrais/ oiled wool, wool prepared for spinning ;
' abhrta,' ' abhrtaeh,' ' abhrtadh,' a feast, festival, rich entertainment.
Abhr, aw; prayer (?). A place at the base of ' Beinn Righ Coinnich ' — King
Kenneth's Mount, or ' Beinn airidh Coinnich ' — Ben of Kenneth's shieling, in
South Uist, is called ' Auratot,' ' Auratobhte,' prayer ruin. The spot is green
and grassy, and contains the remains of an oratoiy, which was used by seafarers
before and after voyaging. A font and other ecclesiastical objects have been
found among the ruins. Cf. 'aurtech,' gen. 'aurtige'; 'for bendchopar ind
aurtige.'^on the roof of the oratory. — Windisch's Wòrterbiich. Perhaps merely
a diphthongised form of 'or,' prayer, as in 'abhran,' 'oran.'
Acair, anchor. The anchor in the West is often a stone. A form of anchor in
olden times was a cylinder made of heather ropes bound strongly together,
closed at one end and filled with stones. This anchor was called ' mogais,'
cylinder. At anchor, ' air chruaidh,' lit. ' on hard,' fast.
Adhamhnan, Adamnan. There are several dedications in Scotland to St.
Adamnan. There is a ' Port Adhamhnain,' port of Adamnan, in lona. Mull, and
Lismore. A cross called ' Crois Adhamhnain,' cross of Adamnan, stood above the
port of Adamnan in lona, and there is a 'Crois Adhamhnain,' cross of Adamnan,
in North Uist. This cross is incised on a large ice block at which the saint is
said to have stood when preaching the first Gospel message to the natives.
The people are said to have cut the cross en the side and set the stone on edge
in honour of the occasion. There is a ' Srath Adhamhnain,' Strath Adamnan,
in StrathfiUan. Near Strath of Adamnan is ' Beinn Chaluim,' mountain of
Columba. Adamnan was the successor and biographer of Columba.
Ai, sheep. ' Cuir a stigh an ai,' put in the sheep. Perhaps connected with Greek
aix, a goat.
Ai, swan. ' Chi mi ai air loch a mhuilinn,' I see a swan on the mill loch. ' Chi
mi ai air ailn an eilean,' I see a swan on the loch of the island. ' Ai ' seems to
mean white, whiteness ; perhaps akin to 'aigh,' beautiful.
Aihheis, eibheis, an abyss, a place or person in ruins or unkempt.
'Ged tha thu 'n diugh 'a d' aibheis fhuar, Though thou art to-day a ruin cold,
Bha thu uair 'a d' aros righ.' Thou wert once the dwelling of a king.
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