Fascinating Gaelic Gravestone Inscription

[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

[figheadair]

Well found California Highlander. Interesting to note that Grant was writing some 25 years after this stone was inscribed and so the term must have been in common MacGregor use before his publication.

[Wil]

I have sent this over to a friend of mine who's wife is taking her master's in Scot Gaelic. I hope to have you an answer soon. ....

[Nathan]

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

As a point of clarification, I was looking in modern Scots Gaelic dictionaries and tried the Irish as a last ditch attempt.
The reference to ancient Irish was because long after the Scottish and Irish dialects diverged, the orthography was still common. It's my understanding that written books like the Red Book of Clanranald were in Ancient Irish even though the people spoke Scots Gaelic. For that reason, I could see an old proverb retaining the old orthography.

[figheadair]

Here's the original inscription tidied up in more modern spelling:

Eadhon dean agus na caomhain idir

Cuimhne am Bas

Air a cuir suas le Domhaull MacGrigair saor ann a Maigh Eadh a mar chuimhneachan air Anna NicCaura a bhean a'dh'eug air a'cheud latha do June anns a’bhlidhna 1793 tri bliadhna deug agus da fhichead a’dh'aois agus Catrina NicGregair air a nighean a'dh'eug air an aon latha a deug do Novr anns a’bhliadhna 1783 ceithir bliadhna a’dh'aois.

Any takers?

[Nathan]

Here's the original inscription tidied up in more modern spelling:



Eadhon dean agus na caomhain idir

Cuimhne am Bas

Air a cuir suas le Domhaull MacGrigair saor ann a Maigh Eadh a mar chuimhneachan air Anna NicCaura a bhean a'dh'eug air a'cheud latha do June anns a’bhlidhna 1793 tri bliadhna deug agus da fhichead a’dh'aois agus Catrina NicGregair air a nighean a'dh'eug air an aon latha a deug do Novr anns a’bhliadhna 1783 ceithir bliadhna a’dh'aois.

Any takers?

Yay for modern spelling!

Eadhon dean agus na caomhain idir

Even do and do not ever spare

Cuimhne am Bàs - Remember the death.

If I'm reading this right, it is confusing.

How can the daughter be born in 1783 die in 1793 but only be 4 years old? Shouldn't she be 10? Maybe 1793 is a faded 1798?

[figheadair]

Yay for modern spelling!

Eadhon dean agus na caomhain idir

Even do and do not ever spare - there or there abouts

Cuimhne am Bàs - Remember the death. - in so many words

If I'm reading this right, it is confusing.

How can the daughter be born in 1783 die in 1793 but only be 4 years old? Shouldn't she be 10? Maybe 1793 is a faded 1798?

May be, or perhaps you're not reading it right . The dates are correct. Seall a'rithist.

[Nathan]

May be, or perhaps you're not reading it right . The dates are correct. Seall a'rithist.

Even do and never spare

In memory of the time of death

Placed here at no charge to allow Donald MacGregor, redeemed/freed/saved at Myaugh, to be able to commemorate/remember his wife Anna MacCaura who died on the 1st of June 1793, aged 53 years, and their daughter Catrina MacGregor, who died on the 11th day of November 1783, aged 4 years.

[figheadair]

Even do and never spare

In memory of the time of death

Placed here at no charge to allow Donald MacGregor, redeemed/freed/saved at Myaugh, to be able to commemorate/remember his wife Anna MacCaura who died on the 1st of June 1793, aged 53 years, and their daughter Catrina MacGregor, who died on the 11th day of November 1783, aged 4 years.

Nearly there Nathan. The literal translation of Air a cuir suas is correct but in this context it means Erected. Saor has many meanings and in this case it refers to Donald's occupation, a wright/carpenter. I wouldn't expect anyone would necessarily get Maigh Eadh, I certainly wouldn't have had I not known that it referred to a place i.e. a placename, Monzie which lies a couples of miles north of Crieff.

Here's the English and Latin inscriptin on the reverse:

E’EN DO & SPARE NOT

MEMENTO MORI

ERECTED BY
DONALD MCGREGOR
WRIGHT IN MON
ZIE IN MEMORY OF
ANN MCARA HIS
SPOUSE WHO DIED
1ST OF JUNE 1793 AGED
53 YR ALSO CATHARINE
MCGREGOR HIS DAUT
HTER WHO DIED THE
11TH NOVR 1783 AGED 4 YR

Now others can join in the discussion of this facinating and rare historic monument.