Glenmoriston

Calum: Dè a-nis mu dheidhinn am ministeir agus Eàirdsidh Tàilleir aig Clach a' Phòsaidh?

Peter: Ba leibh?

Calum: Eàirdsidh Tàilleir agus am ministeir aig Clach a' Phòsaidh?

Peter: Aidh, a bheil a sin agaibh? Nach d'fhuair sibh..

Calum: Chan eil.

Peter: Bheir mi sin duibh cuideachd. Anns an àm sin, cha robh gnothaichean cho deiseil dhan na ministearan agus dhan na sagairt dhen a h-uile seòrsa dhen a chlèir, a h-uile clèir. Bha iad fada.... bha astar mòr aca ri choiseachd glè thric agus uaireannan bhiodh each aca dha a mharcach air ais air adhart. Ach mu dheidhinn Gleann Moireasdain agus sgìre Gleann Moireasdain aig an eaglais shaor a' sin; bha Cille Chuimein agus Gleanna Moireasdain anns an aon sgìr'; ministearan an còmhnaidh tighinn thar, fuireach ann an Cille Chuimein, tighinn gu chumail seirbhis Gleann Moireasdain mar a dh'fhaodadh e, mar a leigeadh an aimsir agus gnothaichean eile leis dhi.

Nise, nuair a bhiodh pòsadh ann, bhiodh am ministeir glè thric a' tighinn air di monadh air tuill a' cheumannan, rathad ris an canadh iad Rathad General Wade gu àite faisg air an Allt Fheàrna ris an canadh iad Clach Mhòr a' Phòsaidh. Chan eil mòran an diugh aig a bheil cuimhne air sin. Ach is iomadh turas a bh' agam 's sa seachad air ais is air adhart thaire.

Tha i carr a, thig thu beagan nas fhaisg air Cille Chuimein na aig Gleann Moireasdain ann an astar. Bha càraid a' pòsadh a Gleann Moireasdain. B' aithne dhomhsa na seann chàraid agus b' aithne dhomh an teaghlach, 's aithne dhomh na h-òige nach dh'fhàg iad beò ann an Gleann Moireasdain.

Thachair iad... chaidh iad a-null gu Clach Mòr a' Phòsaidh, thachair air a' mhinisteir, bad mhòr dhen t-sluagh, muinntir a' ghlinne còmhla riuth. Agus measg na cuideachd bha am bàrd ann, Eàirdsidh Tàilleir. Nuair a bha chàraid air am pòsadh 's a h-uile dad bhuineadh dha sin air dòigh, thuirt am ministeir Meachtar Mac Bheathain riutha. Bha e glè chruaidh, chan fhulaing e cridhealas sam bith, 's chan fhulaing e inneal ciùil a bith ann an dòigh, cha b' urrain da gu robh i moine airson bhristeadh. Agus bha e uabhasach uile gu lèir an aghaidh boinneag an deoch. Thuirt e riutha a nis gu robh e garbh gun rachadh iad dhachaigh gu sìobhalta agus gu rianail agus gum biodh iad taingeil, gum biodh iad uile gu lèir taingeil airson a bheannach bhuilich nì màthair a' chàraid òg, iad a bhith pòsd' 's..

"Agus tha mi garbh", thuirt esan, "nach bidh guth air cridhealas sam bidh 's gu h-àraid", thuirt esan, "nach bidh guth air dannsadh na deoch ann an dòigh sam bith" thuirt e. Bha am bàrd ann am ioman an cuideachd agus thuirt e, "o dhon ur cead" thuirt esan,"faod mi chuimhnicheadh dhuibh, bhanais a bha Galilee"

"O Eàirdsidh", thuirt am ministeir, "cha do ghabh iad an daorach ann".

"O chan eil cunntas againn air a sin ach nuair a theirig na mac rinn e fhèin tuillidh 's thug e dha iarraidh òl", thuirt esan.

"O Eàirdsidh" thuirt esan, "eil thu air a bhith bruidhinn riutha. Latha math leibh."

Calum: Now, what about the minister and Archie Tailleir at the Wedding Stone?

Peter: Eh?

Calum: Archie Tailleir and the minister at the Wedding Stone?

Peter: Aye, have you got that, didn't you get....

Calum: No.

Peter: At that time, things weren't so easy for the ministers and priests and any type of clergyman. They had a great distance to walk very often and sometimes they'd have a horse to ride back and fore. But about Glen Moriston and the Free Church there: Fort Augustus and Glen Moriston were in the same area; ministers always coming across, staying in Fort Augustus, coming to hold services in Glen Moriston when he could, as the weather and other things would allow.

Now, when there would be a wedding, the minister would very often take the high moor road which they called the General Wade road to a place close to the Allt Fhearna burn which they called Clach Mòr a' Phòsaidh (Big Rock of the Wedding). There aren't many today who remember it. But many's a time I've been past it.

It's a wee bit closer to Fort Augustus than Glen Moriston in distance. Couples from Glen Moriston married there. I knew the old couple and I knew their family, I know the young ones no longer in Glen Moriston.

They went across to Clach Mòr a' Phòsaidh, met the minister, a big crowd of the people of the glen along with them. And among the company, there was the bard, Archie Tàilleir (the tailor). When the couple had been married and everything else completed, the minister MacBean spoke to them. He was very strict, he wouldn't suffer any enjoyment at all, and he wouldn't put up with any musical instrument, he would break them. And he was altogether against even a drop of alcohol. He said to them that he insisted that they should go home quietly and orderly and that they should be altogether thankful for the blessing they had received in being married.

“And I demand that there be no mention of celebrations and especially that there be no mention of dance or strong drink in any way”, he said. The bard was in the middle of the crowd, “With your permission”, he said, “may I remind you of the wedding in Galilee?”

“Oh Archie”, said the minister, “but they didn't get blind drunk”.

“Oh, we have no account of that, but when the boys drank of it, he made more, and he asked them to drink”, he said.

“Oh Archie”, he said, “have you been talking to them. Good day to you”.