Fascinating Gaelic Gravestone Inscription

[Calgacus]

Ok, I'll have a go, though it's way beyond my capabilities really.

I think it basically says it was erected by Donald MacGregor as a memorial to Anna McCaura, his wife, who died on the 1st of June 1793, aged 33 years, and their daughter Catrina MacGregor, who died on the 16th November 1783, aged 4 years.

Am I even close?

[figheadair]

Ok, I'll have a go, though it's way beyond my capabilities really.

I think it basically says it was erected by Donald MacGregor as a memorial to Anna McCaura, his wife, who died on the 1st of June 1793, aged 33 years, and their daughter Catrina MacGregor, who died on the 16th November 1783, aged 4 years.

Am I even close?

Pretty close indeed. A couple of your numeric translations are wrong:

TRI BL
IADHNA DEUG AGUS DA
FHICHEAD

(Tri bliadhna deug agus da fhichead), literally 3 years on 10 and 2 (x) 20 i.e. 53 and not 33. This could equally have been rendered 'leth cheud bhliadhna 's tri' although I think the use of half a hundred for 50 is more modern.

AIR AN AON LATHA A DEUG - on the 1 day on 10 i.e. 11th not the 16th, that would be 'air an sia latha a deug'.

Any thoughts on the upper sections?

EIDHON DEAN AGUS NA CHOIGILL IDINE

CUINIEH AM BAUS

Some interesting observations to be made. Anyone?

[Calgacus]

Well I did better than I thought I might have.

I confess that the upper sections had me completely stumped, apart from the obvious 'agus na' (and the).

[Nathan]

None of the key words in the inscription appear in modern dictionaries and it makes me wonder if it isn't an old proverb rendered in ancient Irish or something.

CUINIEH AM BAUS

"dean" is make or do.

"Agus" and
"an" the
"am" on the

Google translate Irish only recognized a word it rendered as "granaries".

A real stumper, Peter.

[creagdhubh]

Wow, thanks for sharing this, Peter. Very intriguing.

[Calgacus]

Could 'choigill' be a variation of 'coigil', to spare, preserve, or save alive?

Clutching at straws here, but it's fun!

[Calgacus]

Please ignore!

[figheadair]

Please ignore!

See #10. I think it is more likely to be a 'chiselo' for Idir.

[figheadair]

None of the key words in the inscription appear in modern dictionaries and it makes me wonder if it isn't an old proverb rendered in ancient Irish or something.

CUINIEH AM BAUS

"dean" is make or do.

"Agus" and
"an" the
"am" on the

Google translate Irish only recognized a word it rendered as "granaries".

A real stumper, Peter.

For those that might be reading and don't understand the 'Irish' reference. Pre-19th century Scots Gaelic was often referred to by outsiders as Erse from Lowland Scots 'Erisch' meaning Irish but Irish Gaelic, especially now, differs significantly from Scots Gaelic. Auto Irish translation therefore won't work this out fully

Here is the inscription with the spelling corrected and annotated in bold:

Eadhon dean agus na caomhain idir

Cuimhne am bas

Air a cuir suas le Domhaull MacGrigair saor ann a maidhcheadh a mar chuimhneachan air Anna NichCaura a bhean a dheug air a cheud latha do June anns a’bhlidhna 1793 tri bliadhna deug agus da fhichead a’ dhaois agus Catrina NichGregair air a nighean a dheug air an aon latha a deug do Novr anns a’bhliadhna 1783 ceithir bliadhna a’dhaois

So, what do you, what do you find of particular interest and why?

[California Highlander]

Here is the inscription with the spelling corrected and annotated in bold:

Eadhon dean agus na caomhain idir

Cuimhne am bas

Air a cuir suas le Domhnaull MacGrigair saor ann a maidhcheadh a mar chuimhneachan air Anna NichCaura a bhean a dheug air a cheud latha do June anns a’bhlidhna 1793 tri bliadhna deug agus da fhichead a’ dhaois agus Catrina NichGregair air a nighean a dheug air an aon latha a deug do Novr anns a’bhliadhna 1783 ceithir bliadhna a’dhois

So, what do you, what do you find of particular interest and why?

"Even do, and spare not" motto of MacGregor. From The Adventures of Rob Roy.

Excerpt with phrase highlighted:
It chanced that on a day in summer, King
David I., of Scotland, was hunting with Malcolm
MacGregor, the eighth chief of Clan Alpine, on the
side of Cruachin, when a wild boar, of marvellous
strength, size, and ferocity, appeared in a rugged
defile. It at once assailed the monarch, whose
hunting-spear broke and left him at its mercy ; but
instead of rushing forward, the boar retired to whet
its tusks against the rocks, so Malcolm craved the
king's permission to attack it.


"E'en do," said the king; but spaire nocht !"
"Eadhon dean agus na caomhain!" shouted
MacGregor, translating the king's lowland Scottish
into Gaelic, as he tore up a young tree by the roots,
and kept the boar at bay until he could close with
it and bury his long dagger in its throat. At the
third stab he slew it.


Also on another gravestone http://www.ancestor.abel.co.uk/Angus/p/562.jpg