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Dh’inns mi dhuibh mu Leum MhicGriogair, MacGregor’s Leap, ann an Siorrachd Pheairt ann an Litir 626. Tha e air Abhainn Lìomhann faisg air Fartairchill. Bidh cuid a’ gabhail Leum a’ Chleasaiche air. Thathar ag ràdh gun do chaill cleasaiche – acrobat – a bheatha ann nuair a dh’fheuch e ri leum thairis. Dh’fhàilnich air. Fhad ʼs as aithne dhomh, ʼs e an Griogarach a thug ainm don àite an aon duine a bha soirbheachail riamh ann an bhith a’ leum tarsainn na h-aibhne an sin. Tha fhios gun robh a chuislean làn aidreanalain, agus daoine ga ruagadh.

Tha an rathad ri taobh na h-aibhne cumhang, agus chan eil e furasta àite-pàircidh a lorg faisg air an Leum. Ach, an turas mu dheireadh a bha mi ann an Siorrachd Pheairt, chaidh mi ann. Chan eil fhios a’m dè cho fada ʼs a bhiodh an leum bho chreag gu creag ach, gu dearbh fhèin, cha bhithinn fhìn ga fheuchainn!

Thug e orm beachdachadh air cho tric ʼs a bhios am facal ‘leum’ a’ nochdadh air mapaichean na Gàidhealtachd. Gu math tric, feumaidh mi aideachadh! Mar eisimpleir, air cladach sear Dhiùra, tha rubha air a bheil Leum Beathaig. Ann am Beurla, ʼs e sin ‘Sophia’s Leap’. Bha mi an dùil gur e Leum Beathag a bhiodh ann. Ach, anns an leabhran aige ‘Place Names of Jura’, tha Calum MacArtair ag innse dhuinn gun robh ‘Beathaig’, seach Beathag, gu math aithnichte mar ainm pearsanta aig aon àm.

Ann an Ros an Iar, deas air Ullapul, tha leum eile air a bheil ainm cuideigin. ʼS e sin Leum Ruairidh no ‘Rorie’s leap’. Tha Uilleam MacBhàtair ag innse dhuinn, anns an leabhar aige mu ainmean-àite Siorrachd Rois, gu bheil e air abhainn faisg air eas. 

Ann am Beinn a’ Bhaoghla, deas air Baile a’ Mhanaich, tha loch ann air a bheil Loch Leum Croisdaig air na mapaichean. Chan eil an t-ainm a’ ciallachadh dad dhomh. Ach saoilidh mi gur dòcha gu bheil e mearachdach. Air a’ chiad mhapa sia-òirlich aig an t-Suirbhidh Ã’rdanais, ʼs e Loch Leum Criosdaig a bh’ air an loch. Ach ʼs dòcha gur e °ä°ùì´Ç²õ»å²¹¾±²µ, le ‘i’ fada a bu chòir a bhith ann. 

Seo na tha sgrìobhte ann an Leabhar nan Ainmean: ‘Meaning Christopher’s Leap Loch ... applied to a small loch ... to the north-west of Loch Eilean Iain. A marshy channel connects the two lochs’. Air an t-seann mhapa, ʼs e Leum Criosdaig no °ä°ùì´Ç²õ»å²¹¾±²µ a th’ air an amar a tha a’ ruith eadar an dà loch. Ma tha sibh à Beinn a’ Bhaoghla agus fios agaibh air an ainm, bu mhath leam ur beachd fhaighinn air.

Ann an Gleann Peathain ann an Loch Abar, tha Lochan Leum an t-Sagairt. Tha amharas agam gu bheil an t-ainm a’ dol air ais don linn nuair a bha an Creideamh Caitligeach ann an cunnart anns an sgìre sin, agus na sagartan ag obair ann an dìomhaireachd.

Uaireannan, ʼs e ainmhidh, seach duine a th’ air ainmeachadh ann. Ann an ceann a tuath Chinn Tìre, tha Abhainn Leum nam Meann ‘the river of the jump of the kid goats’. Abhainn Leum nam Meann. Nach eil an t-ainm sin a’ cruthachadh dealbh snog nur ceann?! 

Faclan na Litreach: Abhainn Lìomhann: River Lyon; Fartairchill: Fortingall; Uilleam MacBhàtair: William (J) Watson; Beinn a’ Bhaoghla: Benbecula; Baile a’ Mhanaich: Balivanich; Leabhar nan Ainmean: The Name Book; amar: channel; Gleann Peathain: Glen Pean.

Abairtean na Litreach: Thathar ag ràdh gun do chaill X a bheatha ann nuair a dh’fheuch e ri leum thairis: it’s said that X lost his life there when he tried to jump over; ʼs e an Griogarach a thug ainm don àite an aon duine a bha soirbheachail riamh ann an bhith a’ leum tarsainn na h-aibhne an sin: it’s the MacGregor who gave his name to the place that is the one person who was ever successful in leaping over the river there; tha fhios gun robh a chuislean làn aidreanalain, agus daoine ga ruagadh: of course, his blood vessels were full of adrenalin, with people chasing him; chan eil e furasta àite-pàircidh a lorg faisg: it’s not easy to find a parking place; cha bhithinn fhìn ga fheuchainn: I wouldn’t try it; thug e orm beachdachadh air: it made me think about it; cladach sear Dhiùra: the east coast of Jura; saoilidh mi gur dòcha gu bheil e mearachdach: I reckon it’s perhaps mistaken; air ais don linn nuair a bha an Creideamh Caitligeach ann an cunnart: back to the day when the Catholic religion was in danger; agus na sagartan ag obair ann an dìomhaireachd: with the priests working in secrecy?; uaireannan, ʼs e ainmhidh, seach duine a th’ air ainmeachadh ann: sometimes it’s an animal, rather than a person, that is named in it; ceann a tuath Chinn Tìre: the north of Kintyre; nach eil an t-ainm sin a’ cruthachadh dealbh snog nur ceann?!: doesn’t that name create a lovely image in your head.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Fhad ʼs as aithne dhomh: As far as I am aware. There are several ways of saying ‘as far as I am aware’ or ‘as far as I know’ e.g. Cho fad ʼs as aithne dhomh (sometimes the ‘C³ó´Ç’ is left off and the fad is lenited). Cho fad ʼs as fiosraich mi; cho fad ʼs as fiosrach leam; cho fad ʼs a tha fios agam; cho fad ʼs a thuigeas mi; Cho fad ʼs a chì mi.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Dh’fhàilnich air: he failed.