IAIN ODHAR

“Is  truagh an diugh nach beò an fheadhainn,

Gun ann ach an ceò den bhuidhinn,

Leis 'm bu mhiannach gloir nan gadhar,

Gun mheoghail, gun òl, gun bhruidhinn."

Tha mi glè chinnteach nach 'eil Abrach sam bith ann nach cuala uair-eigin aig na seann daoine naidheachd mu dheidh-inn laoich d' am b' ainm lain Odhar, a bha a' tàmh anns a’Bhraighe ri ám Murt na Ceapaich. Bha a dhachaidh aig lain ann an Gleann Ruaidh, air goirtean bòidheach, gorm, ris an abrar A' Bhriagach, far am faicear fhathast làrach an seòrsa tighe a bha aige.

Beagan fodha, tha Abhainn Ruaidh i fhéin, far am faighear am bradan tàrr-gheal, a' bhanag sheolta, 's an dubh-bhreas diuid, an uair a tha an abhainn air at leis an tuil, agus a' ruith 's a' leum le cabhaig aig Boinne-an-Tailleir, a' sguabach seachad air Allt-Uilleim, an Stac-Buidhe, a' Chreag-Dhearg, is Dail-Bhuchaidh, a taomadh eadar coille challtuinne is bruachan fhearna, a' dannsach aig Torran-na-Mòna, ri ceol nam bras-shruthan feargach; an sin a’ tarruing air a rathad, le braise nach caisgear, a sìos gu Torran-nan-Ceap, is Linne-na-Nighinn, gu doimhneachd is samhchair Amhainn Spiothain.

 A nis, ged bha lain a' fuireach ann an Gleann Ruaidh, an teis-meadhon nan Domhnallach, 's e Caimbeulach a bh' ann, ach a reir coltais, bha e fhein agus Mac-Ic-Raonaill, mar bu tric, aig réite agus a stigh air a chéile.

Is iomadh naidheachd a bhios iad ag innseach fhathast aig am céilidh anns a' Bhraighe mu dhéidhinn gaisgeachd is euchdan lain Odhair. Bha e 'na shealgair treun agus cuimseach, 'na dhuine làidir agus calma, agus mar an ceudna, 's cha b' uilear dha sin, bha e gu math gleusda, seòlta is faicilleach. Ma bha teanntachd sam bith anns an tachrach do lain a bhi, ag cur feuma air seòltachd, gu a bhi 'na shionnach cha robh a dhith air an laoch ach an t-earball !

B' esan a mharbh am madadh-allaidh a bha mu dheireadh anns a'Bhraighe. Fhuair e a' chiad sealladh dheth aig Achadh-a-Mhadaidh, lean e a lorg troimh Cho-Lairig, agus air Lòn a-Bhoicinn, ann an Inbhir-Ruaidh, chuir e an t-saighead ann is thug e am boicionn dheth air an lòn.

Uair a bha 'n sud, thachair do dh' lain gun do thuit e fhein is agus, anns na cuir a bha ann, chuir e geall ruithe air Mac-Ic-Raonaill. Bha Fear na Ceapaich 'na éiginn, ag gabhail beachd air an t-Sasunnach mhór a bha a' ruith gu spaideil air ais 's air adhart air Dail-nan- Ubhal. Ach, ged bha an tổir air lain, cha robh e fad air falbh; bha e am falach an Coille-Innse. Thuig, e gu math ciamar a bha cùisean, cheum e Spiothain, agus thòisich e fhéin is an Sasunnach mór air an réis. Bha an darna fear cho luath ris an fhear eile, ach, mu dheireadh, thug lain buille le a uilinn mu'n chridhe do'n t-Sasunnach, ionnas gun do thuit e marbh air làrach nam bonn.

  "Mur 'eil mi air mo mhealladh," arsa Mac-Ic-Raonaill, , " sud agaibh sàr leuman lain Odhair." Rinn na daoine an réite agus bha iad coirdte aon uair eile.

Chan 'eil aon teagamh air nach robh lain Odhar an treun a neirt aig ám Murt na Ceapaich, oir thainig na murtairean 'ga ionn-saigh a dh' iarraidh a chuideachd is a chomhairle. " Cha téid, cha teid " fhreagair an sionnach; "ma chuireas mise mo làmh nar fuil-se an diugh, cuiridh sibh-se bhur làmh 'nam fhuil-se am maireach."

Ach ged nach deach e comhla ris na murtairean, is iomadach murt a rinn e air a leth fhéin. B'e a bhràthair-céile a' chiad duine anns an do chuir e a bhiodag, ach b' i a bhean, a bha cho fuilteach ris fhéin, a stuig e gu a bhi a' dèanamh sin. Air leabaidh a bhàis, theann e ris a' bhiodag a bha aige fon chluasaig a chur ann an duine a thàinig ‘ga fhaicinn, ach faodar a bhi ag creidsinn gun robh e a am breislich ‘san am sin.

Namhaid cha robh riamh ann a thug buaidh air lain ach an t-aon nàmhaid, agus, a réir coltais, tha e a nis air a charadh an Cill-a-Chaoraill. Aig mullach an fhrith-rathaid a tha a' faradh ri taobh Allt-a'-Mhuilinn gu ruig druim a' Mhàim, tha a chàrn 'na sheasamh fhathast

Tha an laoch an sin, ma-tà, 'na throm chadal, comhla ri Domhnall Mac Fhionnlaigh (a rinn ' Oran na Comhachaig'), Iain Lom, agus iomadh gaisgeach eile a bha 'nan latha fhéin, mar thuirt Domhnall, " dòmhail, taiceil."

Tha an damh donn a' bùirich fhathast an Coire Ruaidh, an sionnach ri saobhaidh am Beinn Iaruinn, a' mhaigheach 'ga grianadh fhéin am measg nan dearcag anns an Lag Odhar; tha Bealach- an-Ladhar 'na fheadan aig a' ghaoith thuath; Coire Bochàsgaidh a' leigeil a chudtruim air Breabaig, agus Casan a' Glinne* a' tarruing nan coigreach a bhios a' rannsachadh iongastan na Cruinne ach béolach Iain orra uile ‘sna latha fhein, tha e an diugh ag crionadh an Chlachan a’ Braighe, air taobh thall a’Mhaim gus an là 'san crathar na h-uaighean aosmhor, agus a liubhras iad na fhuair iad.

Shiubhail lain Odhar, agus ás a dhéidh, dh' fhàg e eachdraidh a ghniomhan, agus cuide ri sin, eagal roimh ainm. Aig glomnaich h-oidhche bidh na giullain 'ga fhaicinn, le ceann ard, suil fhaicillich, ceum aotrom, am bogha ‘na dhorn, a' bhiodag r'a chliathaich, is mialchu r’a shàil,

Se a’ direath a ghlinne, an tòir is a dheidh,

No a siubhal a bhealaich air lorgan an fheidh.

*Casan a Ghlinne, The Gaelic name given in Lochaber to the Parallel Roads of Glen Roy

“What a pity that today are not alive those

Of whom is left only the memory.

Who gloried in the baying of the fox hound

Without mirth, without drinking without talk.”

I am quite sure that there is not a Lochaber man who has not at some time heard old people tell the story of a hero named Iain who lived in Brae Lochaber at the time of the Keppoch murder. Iain had his home in Glen Roy on a pretty blue slope called A’Bhriagach where one may yet see the foundations of the type of house in which he lived. A little distance below is the river Roy in which one may catch the speckled salmon, the elusive grilse and the shy dark-grey trout, when the river is swollen with rains and running and jumping in its haste at Boinne an Tàilleir sweeping passed Allt Uilleim, the Stac Buidhe the Creag Dearg and Dail- Bhuchaidh over here spilling between woods of Hazel and slopes of alder, dancing at Torran na Mona to the music of the swift angry stream and then careering on her way with an irrresistible speed down to Torran na Ceap and Linn na Nighinn to the depth and peace of the River Spean.

Now although Iain lived in Glen Roy right in the middle of the MacDonalds he himself was a Campbell but generally speaking he and MacRanald where on good terms and in on one another.

Many are the stories they still tell at ceilidhs in Brae Lochaber of the bravery and mighty deeds of this Iain for he was a fearless and accurate hunter, a strong and mighty man, moreover, and he had to be, he was clever, cunning and careful. If a tight corner in which Ian happened to be and in which cunning was required in order to be a fox our hero lacked but the tail! He it was who killed the last wolf in the Braes.  He first sighted  him at Achavaddy and  followed his spoor through Co-Lairig and on Lòn a’ Bhoicinnn at Inver-Roy shot the arrow into him and skinned him on the spot.

At one time It happened that Iain and MacRanald fell out with one another and there was a hue and cry for Iain. At this very time who came that way, but a certain Englishman and challenges were the order of the day at the time, he challenged MacDonald to a foot race. He of Keppoch was at his wits end watching the big Englishman running backwards and forwards (training ) in a bombastic manner  down at Dail-an Ubhal but although there was hue and cry for Iain he was not very far away, he was hiding in Coille Innse, he understood perfectly how matters  stood, he forded  the River Spean  and he and  the big Englishman began to race one another. The one was just as fast as the other but at last Iain gave the Englishman a blow in the region of the heart with his elbow with such effect that he fell dead on the spot. If I am not mistaken said MacDonald that was Iain Odhar’s greatest achievement. Both men made things up and were friends once again

There's no doubt but Ian was in his prime at the time of the Keppoch Murder for the murderers visited him  to ask for help and advice. “No, No,”answered the old fox; “If I put my hand in your blood today, you will put your hands in my blood tomorrow.”

But although he did not accompany the murderers, he committed many murders on his own account. His brother-in-law was the first man in which he put the dagger, but it was his wife who was as bloodthirsty as himself who goaded him to commit the deed. On his death-bed he tried to put the dagger he had under his pillow into a man who had come to visit him, but one may believe that he was delirious at this time.

There was only one enemy who was ever victorious over Iain and apparently he has now been laid to rest in Cille Chaorill. His cairn still stands at the summit of the moorland path that winds by the side of Allt-a’-Mhuillinn to the summit of the Mam. Our hero lies there then sound asleep along with Domhnall MacFhionnlaigh (who composed ‘Oran na Comhachaig’ ) Iain Lom and many another hero, all of whom were in their own day as Donald said, “ stout and firm”

The stag still bellows in Coire Ruaidh, the fox still has his den in Beinn Iaruinn  the mountain hare still suns  herself among the berries in the Lag Odhar; the northwind makes a whistle of Bealach-an-Ladhar; Coire Bochasgaidh  still leans her weight on Breabaig, and Casan a’Ghlinne still attracts strangers who make a study of the marvels of the earth ( geologists) but although Iain knew them all in his own day he is today decaying in Clachan a’Bhraighe, on the other side of the Mam and will remain there until the day the dead are raised ( or until the ancient graves fall apart and free their contents.)

Iain Odhar died and left behind him the history of his deeds and in addition, fear of his name. In the gloaming of the evening children still see him, head high, searching eyes, light step, his bow in his hand, his dagger by his side and his bloodhound at his heel. Going up the Glen the search party after him or wandering in the valley on the trail of the deer.