Literature of the Gaelic Landscape. John Murray
is widespread in the hinterland. This may have been enough to make the actual landscape serve as a theatrical backdrop to the recitation or singing of the story. By relocating an Irish ballad to a Scottish setting to support its performance, the incoming narrative could be grounded in the indigenous landscape and so would lend additional poignance to the words for a local audience (Meek 1998). The legend was also transferred to islands on Loch a’ Lathaich – Loch of the Mire in the Ross of Mull and to Fraoch Eilean – Heather Island, near Kilchurn – Cill Chùirn, on Loch Awe. Its inclusion in the Book of the Dean of Lismore implies that such relocations in Scotland happened in the 16th century (Meek 1991).
About a quarter of a mile to the southeast of the crannog in Loch Freuchie there was an old ruin on a hillock, which may have been the seat of Maeve and the storytelling bard (Ross 1939). Curiously, there is a hillock 800m distant called Tom Òrain – Song Hillock (NN865367) from which the island in the loch can be seen, as plainly as in any theatrical backdrop. Does this mark the spot where Laoidh Fhraoich was performed for the multitude of the glen? Just over a mile to the east of the loch there is another hillock called Tom an Dannsaidh (NN918383), where dances may have taken place. These two small mounds suggest that song and dance must have been outdoor entertainments in Gleann Cuaich. The wider landscape may have provided a continuous canvas for the telling and retelling of stories.
The Lay of Diarmaid – Laoidh Dhiarmaid
The Lay of Diarmaid - Laoidh Dhiarmaid, like the Lay of Fraoch has Irish links. These can be traced to Ben Bulben in Sligo (Irish: Binn Ghulbain – Snoutlike Mountain). The ballad has also been located, and indeed perhaps originated in Scotland (Meek 1991). Ben Gulabin - Beinn Ghulbainn (NO102722) in Perthshire’s Glen Shee - Gleann Sìodh, is as snout-shaped (plate 14) as Ben Bulben. The distinctive profile of these hills is an exaggerated symbol of the long lumpy profile of the wild boar’s proboscis, who plays a key part in the ballad. The story, another love triangle, is as follows.
Plate 14: Ben Gulabin - Beinn Ghulbainn, Glen Shee, Perthshire.
Diarmaid Ó Duibhne, one of the Fianna, elopes with Fionn’s unloving wife Gràinne. She is the daughter of Cormac mac Airt, High King of Ireland. The two men appear reconciled, but Fionn has never completely forgiven his cousin. The treacherous Fionn sends Diarmaid on a hunt to slay the immortal boar of Beinn Ghulbainn, expecting his friend to be killed in the endeavour. The noise of the clamorous warriors awakens the beast of legend. Diarmaid attacks, and after the boar has broken his spear shaft three times, he eventually succeeds in slaying the brute with an ancient and trusty blade. Fionn, who had thought Diarmaid would be killed by the animal, now tells him to pace out its length from snout to tail. It is sixteen feet long. Fionn asks him to repeat the measurement from tail to snout, against the grain as it were. Whereupon a sharp bristle from the boar’s pelt pricks Diarmaid as he paces out the length of the beast again. Unfortunately, he has an ‘Achilles heel’ in the form of a mole on the sole of his foot and is poisoned by a bristle from the dead boar. As Diarmaid dies, Fionn asks what might make him feel better. Diarmaid replies; ‘A drink of water from your own hands’. This would have been a life-saving draught from Fionn’s healing cup. Fionn fetches water from a well, but as he returns he thinks jealously about Gràinne and begins to spill the healing draught. Then guilty thoughts return as he reflects on his mortally wounded old friend. He continues his mercy mission. Then his thoughts return to Grainne and he spills yet more of the precious panacea. Sadly, Fionn has delayed too long and Diarmaid expires.
The ballad spread across the Highlands in the 18th and 19th centuries, which accounts for its many versions and their different, staged locations. There is a Ben Gullipen 7km north east of Aberfoyle in the Trossachs (NH894176) and a Beinn Ghuilbin 8km north of Aviemore in the Cairngorms. It is thought that Beinn Tianavaig (NG512410), 4km south east of Portree, though it never changed its name permanently to Beinn Ghulbainn, provided yet another setting for the tale (Meek 1991). All three hills are certainly snout-shaped. The story has been sited in Glen Elg, Wester Ross and near Ben Loyal (NC578488 & plate 56) in Sutherland, where Diarmid’s Grave - Uaigh Dhiarmaid (NC583515) can be located. Its setting in Glen Shee is corroborated by a poem, written by Ailéin mac Ruaidhrí, probably in the early 16th century. This clear reference to the Gleann Siodh argues that Laoidh Dhiarmaid had its origin in Scotland rather than Ireland (Meek 1991).
Gleann Síodh an gleann so rém thaoibh
am binn faoidh éan is lon;
minic rithidis an Fhéin
air an t-srath so an déidh a gcon.
An glean so fà Bheinn Ghulbainn ghuirm
as h-áilde tulcha fá ghréin,
níorbh annamh a shrotha gu dearg
an déidh shealg ó Fhionn na bhFéin.
Éisdidh beag, madh áil libh laoidh,
a chuideachta chaomh so, bhuam,
air Bheinn Ghulbainn ’s air Fhionn fial,
is air Mac Uí Dhuibhne, sgial truagh.
The glen beside me is Glen Shee,
Where birds and ousels sweetly sing;
Often did the Fian run
In this valley behind their hounds.
Below Ben Ghulbainn lies this glen
Of the fairest knolls beneath the sun,
Not seldom were its rivers red
After the hunts of Fionn of the Fian.
Gentle company, listen a while
If you’d like to hear a lay from me,
About Ben Ghulbainn and generous Fionn,
And Mac Uí Dhuibhne – a sorry tale.
(in Bateman & McLeod 2007, 332-33)
Local tradition in Glen Shee identifies a steep rugged gulley on the south side of Beinn Ghulbainn as the ‘Boar’s Den or Bed’ (Withrington 1977). Leabaidh or leaba, meaning bed, is quite common in Gaelic place-names and describes a place where deer and cattle might lie up, whilst ruminating or resting. In Gleann Beag – Little Glen, just to the east of the mountain is Tobar nam Fiann – The Well of the Fianna, where Fionn might have filled his golden cup intended off and on for Diarmaid, as Fionn’s mood swings alternated. On the opposite side of the road is Ossian’s Well. Across the river opposite Old Spittal Farm, is a lochan (plate 15) called Loch an Tuirc – Loch of the Boar (NO113704), where Fionn flung his cup in shame after Diarmaid’s death. To the south, a group of four stones (NO122701) marks the last resting place of Gràinne, Diarmaid and his white hounds on Tulach Diarmaid – Diarmaid’s Hilllock (plate 16). The Laird of this domain was once known as Fear Tulach Diarmaid – Laird of Diarmid’s Hillock (ibid, 1977). A neighbouring glen, Strath Ardle, was also once known as Srath na Muice Brice – Strath of the Speckled Pig.
Plate 15: Loch an Tuirc – Loch of the Boar and Ben Gulabin - Beinn Ghulbainn in the background, Glen Shee, Perthshire.
These places reflect how people placed the telling of Laoidh Dhiarmaid in the landscape. In Glen Shee this had a more complex and structured relationship than that between Laoidh Fhraoich and its setting by Loch Freuchie. In the profile of a snout-shaped mountain we have a massively exaggerated and zoomorphic symbol of the legendary boar given pride of place in the landscape. Secondly, we have places which complement two more episodes in the tale: the burial site of Diarmaid and the well where Fionn