[Dòmhnall] Deireadh na h-ochdaimh linne deug agus toiseach na naoidheamh linne deug bha a’ Ghàidhealtachd troimh-a-chèile le aimhreit chreideimh. Bha na soisgeulaichean a’ toirt dùbhlan dhan Eaglais Stèidhichte. Bha cuid de mhinistearan Eaglais na h-Alba fo thàir aig an t-sluagh airson cho comasach ’s a bha iad nan dreuchd, cho aon ’s a bha iad dha na h-uachdaran agus cho saoghalta ’s cho sanntach ’s a bha iad.
[an t-Oll,Iain MacAonghais] Iain MacMhathain ann an Uibhist a Tuath, rinn e òran mun chreud a bh’ aig a’ mhinistear anns an Eaglais Stèidhichte. Tha a’ chreud a’ tòiseachadh “creideamh ann an Dia, an t-athair, creideamh ann an Dia a Mhac, creideamh ann an Dia Spiorad Naomh”. Creud a’ mhinisteir anns an Eaglais Stèidhichte, a rèir Iain MhicMhathain, “creideamh ann an crodh ’s ann an caoraich, creideamh anns na stipeanan mòra, creideamh anns an duais a tha mi a’ faotainn, an t-airgead, a’ ghlìob ’s an t-òr, creideamh anns na h-uachdaran shìomail a dh’aindeoin an an nì a their Pòl”.
[Dòmhnall] Bha taobh poilitigeach air a’ chùis cuideachd. Bhuineadh mòran de mhuinntir Asainte do theaghlaichean a chaidh fhuadach à srathan Chataibh. Cha robh càil aca mu dheidhinn eaglais a bh’ air taobhadh ri na h-uachdarain.
[Iseabail NicAmhlaigh] Bha na ministearan a-staigh leis na h-uachdarain sin, uachdarain a bha a’ cur a’ mhinisteir dha àite. Chan fhaodadh an sluagh, cha robh dad aca ri dhèanamh ri sin, bha iadsan a’ cur a’ mhinisteir a-staigh. Bha tuarastal mòr aige agus bha e leis an uachdaran, tha fhios. Bha e a’ faighinn còrr a bharrachd airgid na bha maighstir-sgoile agus cha robh Tormod, cha robh e a’ còrdadh ris na rudan a bha am ministear ag ràdh agus cha robh an sluagh a’ còrdadh ris. Cha robh iad leis idir agus bha e glè thoilichte gun robh duine mar a bha Tormod a’ feuchainn ri rudeigin a dhèanamh mu dheidhinn.
[Dòmhnall] An dèidh ceum a thoirt a-mach ann an Oilthigh Obar Dheathain thàinig MacLeòid a Dhùn Èideann a thoirt a-mach na ministearalachd. Ach bha an an-fhois a bheireadh buaidh air fad a bheatha air a shiubhal ma-thà.
[Dòmhnall] Cha tug MacLeòid ach glè bheag de dh’ùine ann an Dùn Èideann. Cha b’ fhada gus an do dh’fhàs e searbh de theagaisgean lòm ’s de dhòighean meadh-bhlàth na h-Eaglaise Stèidhichte. Bha cuideachd buaidh na stàite agus buaidh nan uachdaran air an eaglais a’ cur air. Rud ris nach robh e a’ dol a ghabhail gu bràth.
[Dòmhnall] Thill e chun na Gàidhealtachd a theagaisg ann an sgoil a bha a’ bhuidheann shoisgeulach, an SPCK, a’ ruith aig Loch Bhraoin. Ach cha b’ urrainn dha gabhail gu fois an seo a bharrachd.
[Dòmhnall] Tha a h-uile coltas gur e deasbad eadar e fhèin ’s ministear na h-Eaglaise Stèidhichte, An t-Urramach Tòmas Ros, a thug air Alba fhàgail mu dheireadh.
[An t-Oll. Dòmhnall Meek] Bha e fada an aghaidh Tòmas Ros, am ministear modarat, a chionn ’s gun robh smachd aig Tòmas Ros air na sgoiltean, bha cumhachd aige anns a’ chùbaid agus aig an aon àm bha Tormod a’ smaoineachadh nach robh e idir fallain na theagasg. Agus mar sin bha Tormod airson, bha e air leth deònach dol na aghaidh ’s dùbhlan a thoirt dha agus rinn e sin uair no dhà. Agus ’s e duine connspaideach a bh’ ann an Tòmas Ros cuideachd. Bha e air leth connspaideach, agus bha an dà dhuine a bha siud agad agus bha iad a’ dol an aghaidh a chèile.
[Dòmhnall] Bha sgaradh cho mòr ’s nach b’ urrainn dhaibh tighinn beò còmhla.
[Dòmhnall] Mu dheireadh cha b’ urrainn do Thormod cur suas leis an t-suidheachadh na b’ fhaide.
[Dòmhnall] Ann an ochd deug ’s a seachd deug chaidh MacLeòid ’s na bha a’ falbh còmhla ris air bòrd na soithich Am Frances Ann. Bha a bhean, aig an robh dùil ris an dàrna mac, a’ dol ga leantainn an ath-bhliadhna a-rithist. Cha robh anns a’ Frances Ann ach aon dhe na bàtaichean eilthireach a sheòl à Loch Bhraoin a’ bhliadhna ud. Bhiodh a’ chuid mhòr dhe na daoine a dh’fhalbh gu math teagmhach gum faiceadh iad Alba a-chaoidh tuilleadh. Do MhacLeòid, a bh’ air a dhol a-mach air daoine cho mòr, cha robh dà dhòigh air. Cha b’ urrainn dha tilleadh.
[Dòmhnall] Thàinig am Frances Ann air tìr ann am port beag, trang Phictou ann an Alba Nuadh, ach cha tigeadh am baile saoghalta a bha seo air MacLeòid ’s a dh’ easbaigeal ro fhada. A rèir beul-aithris ’s ann le tuchairt a thàinig iad air Bail’ Anna ann an ceann a tuath Eilean Cheap Breatainn.
[Dòmhnall] Tha sgìre Bail’ Anna a cheart cho àlainn an-diugh ’s a bha i nan latha fhèin. Do MhacLeòid bha cothrom an seo tòiseachadh às ùr ’s coimhearsnachd a stèidheachadh dha fhèin ’s a chuid dhaoine air leth. Bha e coltach ’s dòcha ri Gàrradh Eden.
Chaidh am prògram seo, Na h-Eilthirich, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 1999.
[Donald] At the end of the eighteenth century and the start of the nineteenth century the Highlands was mixed-up with religious unrest. The evangelists were challenging the Established Church. Some of the Church of Scotland’s ministers were despised by the people for their ability in their profession, how at one they were with the landowners and how worldly and greedy they were.
[Doctor John MacInnes] Iain Matheson in North Uist, he wrote a song about the minister of the Established Church’s creed. The creed begins “Faith in God, Faith in the Father, faith in the son of God, Faith in God the Holy Spirit”. The Established Church minister’s creed, according to Iain Matheson, “Faith in cattle and in sheep, faith in the great stipends, faith in the reward that I receive, the money, the glebe and the gold, faith in the high landowners despite what they do according to Paul”.
[Donald] There was also a political element to the matter. Much of Assynt’s population belonged to families that were cleared from the straths of Sutherland. They disliked a church that was siding with the landowners.
[Ishbel MacAulay] The ministers were in with those landowners, landowners that sent the minister to the area. The people were not allowed, they had nothing to do with that, they appointed the minister. He had a large salary and he belonged to the landowner. He received much more money than a schoolmaster and Norman did not, he did not like the things that the minister was saying and he did not like the people. They did not agree with him at all and he was very happy that someone like Norman was trying to do something about it.
[Donald] After graduating from Aberdeen University MacLeod came to Edinburgh to become a minister. But the unease that would affect him all his life was bothering him already.
[Donald] MacLeod spent only a short period of time in Edinburgh. It was not long until he became bitter about the Established Church’s empty teachings and their lukewarm ways. The influence of the state and the influence of landowners on the church was also bothering him. Something that he was never going to accept.
[Donald] He returned to the Highlands to teach in a school that the evangelist group, the SPCK, was running at Lochbroom. But he could not find peace here either.
[Donald] It appears that it was a dispute between himself and Established Church minister, the Reverend Thomas Ross, that made him finally leave Scotland.
[Prof. Donald Meek] He was very against Thomas Ross, the moderate minister, because Thomas Ross had control of the schools, he had power in the pulpit and at the same time Norman thought that his teachings were not at all sound. And so Norman wanted, he was very willing to go against him and challenge him and he did that once or twice. And Thomas Ross was a controversial character too. He was very controversial, and you had those two men and they were going against each other.
[Donald] The divide was so deep that they could not co-exist.
[Donald] Eventually Norman could not put up with the situation any longer.
[Donald] In 1817 MacLeod and those that left with him boarded the Frances Ann vessel. This wife, who was expecting their second son, was going to follow him the next year again. The Frances Ann was just one of the emigrant boats that sailed from Lochbroom that year. The majority of the people that left would have been very dubious whether they would see Scotland ever again. For MacLeod, who had so badly fallen out with people, there were no two ways. He could not return.
[Donald] The Frances Ann came ashore in the small, busy port of Pictou in Nova Scotia, but this worldly town would not suit MacLeod and his congregation for too long. According to oral history by chance they came to St Anns in the north of Cape Breton Island.
[Donald] The district of St Anns is as beautiful today as it was in their own day. For MacLeod here was an opportunity to start afresh and establish a separate community for himself and his people. It was perhaps like the Garden of Eden.
This programme, Na h-Eilthirich, was first broadcast in 1999.
[Dòmhnall] Deireadh na h-ochdaimh linne deug agus toiseach na naoidheamh linne deug bha a’ Ghàidhealtachd troimh-a-chèile le aimhreit chreideimh. Bha na soisgeulaichean a’ toirt dùbhlan dhan Eaglais Stèidhichte. Bha cuid de mhinistearan Eaglais na h-Alba fo thàir aig an t-sluagh airson cho comasach ’s a bha iad nan dreuchd, cho aon ’s a bha iad dha na h-uachdaran agus cho saoghalta ’s cho sanntach ’s a bha iad.
[an t-Oll,Iain MacAonghais] Iain MacMhathain ann an Uibhist a Tuath, rinn e òran mun chreud a bh’ aig a’ mhinistear anns an Eaglais Stèidhichte. Tha a’ chreud a’ tòiseachadh “creideamh ann an Dia, an t-athair, creideamh ann an Dia a Mhac, creideamh ann an Dia Spiorad Naomh”. Creud a’ mhinisteir anns an Eaglais Stèidhichte, a rèir Iain MhicMhathain, “creideamh ann an crodh ’s ann an caoraich, creideamh anns na stipeanan mòra, creideamh anns an duais a tha mi a’ faotainn, an t-airgead, a’ ghlìob ’s an t-òr, creideamh anns na h-uachdaran shìomail a dh’aindeoin an an nì a their Pòl”.
[Dòmhnall] Bha taobh poilitigeach air a’ chùis cuideachd. Bhuineadh mòran de mhuinntir Asainte do theaghlaichean a chaidh fhuadach à srathan Chataibh. Cha robh càil aca mu dheidhinn eaglais a bh’ air taobhadh ri na h-uachdarain.
[Iseabail NicAmhlaigh] Bha na ministearan a-staigh leis na h-uachdarain sin, uachdarain a bha a’ cur a’ mhinisteir dha àite. Chan fhaodadh an sluagh, cha robh dad aca ri dhèanamh ri sin, bha iadsan a’ cur a’ mhinisteir a-staigh. Bha tuarastal mòr aige agus bha e leis an uachdaran, tha fhios. Bha e a’ faighinn còrr a bharrachd airgid na bha maighstir-sgoile agus cha robh Tormod, cha robh e a’ còrdadh ris na rudan a bha am ministear ag ràdh agus cha robh an sluagh a’ còrdadh ris. Cha robh iad leis idir agus bha e glè thoilichte gun robh duine mar a bha Tormod a’ feuchainn ri rudeigin a dhèanamh mu dheidhinn.
[Dòmhnall] An dèidh ceum a thoirt a-mach ann an Oilthigh Obar Dheathain thàinig MacLeòid a Dhùn Èideann a thoirt a-mach na ministearalachd. Ach bha an an-fhois a bheireadh buaidh air fad a bheatha air a shiubhal ma-thà.
[Dòmhnall] Cha tug MacLeòid ach glè bheag de dh’ùine ann an Dùn Èideann. Cha b’ fhada gus an do dh’fhàs e searbh de theagaisgean lòm ’s de dhòighean meadh-bhlàth na h-Eaglaise Stèidhichte. Bha cuideachd buaidh na stàite agus buaidh nan uachdaran air an eaglais a’ cur air. Rud ris nach robh e a’ dol a ghabhail gu bràth.
[Dòmhnall] Thill e chun na Gàidhealtachd a theagaisg ann an sgoil a bha a’ bhuidheann shoisgeulach, an SPCK, a’ ruith aig Loch Bhraoin. Ach cha b’ urrainn dha gabhail gu fois an seo a bharrachd.
[Dòmhnall] Tha a h-uile coltas gur e deasbad eadar e fhèin ’s ministear na h-Eaglaise Stèidhichte, An t-Urramach Tòmas Ros, a thug air Alba fhàgail mu dheireadh.
[An t-Oll. Dòmhnall Meek] Bha e fada an aghaidh Tòmas Ros, am ministear modarat, a chionn ’s gun robh smachd aig Tòmas Ros air na sgoiltean, bha cumhachd aige anns a’ chùbaid agus aig an aon àm bha Tormod a’ smaoineachadh nach robh e idir fallain na theagasg. Agus mar sin bha Tormod airson, bha e air leth deònach dol na aghaidh ’s dùbhlan a thoirt dha agus rinn e sin uair no dhà. Agus ’s e duine connspaideach a bh’ ann an Tòmas Ros cuideachd. Bha e air leth connspaideach, agus bha an dà dhuine a bha siud agad agus bha iad a’ dol an aghaidh a chèile.
[Dòmhnall] Bha sgaradh cho mòr ’s nach b’ urrainn dhaibh tighinn beò còmhla.
[Dòmhnall] Mu dheireadh cha b’ urrainn do Thormod cur suas leis an t-suidheachadh na b’ fhaide.
[Dòmhnall] Ann an ochd deug ’s a seachd deug chaidh MacLeòid ’s na bha a’ falbh còmhla ris air bòrd na soithich Am Frances Ann. Bha a bhean, aig an robh dùil ris an dàrna mac, a’ dol ga leantainn an ath-bhliadhna a-rithist. Cha robh anns a’ Frances Ann ach aon dhe na bàtaichean eilthireach a sheòl à Loch Bhraoin a’ bhliadhna ud. Bhiodh a’ chuid mhòr dhe na daoine a dh’fhalbh gu math teagmhach gum faiceadh iad Alba a-chaoidh tuilleadh. Do MhacLeòid, a bh’ air a dhol a-mach air daoine cho mòr, cha robh dà dhòigh air. Cha b’ urrainn dha tilleadh.
[Dòmhnall] Thàinig am Frances Ann air tìr ann am port beag, trang Phictou ann an Alba Nuadh, ach cha tigeadh am baile saoghalta a bha seo air MacLeòid ’s a dh’ easbaigeal ro fhada. A rèir beul-aithris ’s ann le tuchairt a thàinig iad air Bail’ Anna ann an ceann a tuath Eilean Cheap Breatainn.
[Dòmhnall] Tha sgìre Bail’ Anna a cheart cho àlainn an-diugh ’s a bha i nan latha fhèin. Do MhacLeòid bha cothrom an seo tòiseachadh às ùr ’s coimhearsnachd a stèidheachadh dha fhèin ’s a chuid dhaoine air leth. Bha e coltach ’s dòcha ri Gàrradh Eden.
Chaidh am prògram seo, Na h-Eilthirich, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 1999.
[Donald] At the end of the eighteenth century and the start of the nineteenth century the Highlands was mixed-up with religious unrest. The evangelists were challenging the Established Church. Some of the Church of Scotland’s ministers were despised by the people for their ability in their profession, how at one they were with the landowners and how worldly and greedy they were.
[Doctor John MacInnes] Iain Matheson in North Uist, he wrote a song about the minister of the Established Church’s creed. The creed begins “Faith in God, Faith in the Father, faith in the son of God, Faith in God the Holy Spirit”. The Established Church minister’s creed, according to Iain Matheson, “Faith in cattle and in sheep, faith in the great stipends, faith in the reward that I receive, the money, the glebe and the gold, faith in the high landowners despite what they do according to Paul”.
[Donald] There was also a political element to the matter. Much of Assynt’s population belonged to families that were cleared from the straths of Sutherland. They disliked a church that was siding with the landowners.
[Ishbel MacAulay] The ministers were in with those landowners, landowners that sent the minister to the area. The people were not allowed, they had nothing to do with that, they appointed the minister. He had a large salary and he belonged to the landowner. He received much more money than a schoolmaster and Norman did not, he did not like the things that the minister was saying and he did not like the people. They did not agree with him at all and he was very happy that someone like Norman was trying to do something about it.
[Donald] After graduating from Aberdeen University MacLeod came to Edinburgh to become a minister. But the unease that would affect him all his life was bothering him already.
[Donald] MacLeod spent only a short period of time in Edinburgh. It was not long until he became bitter about the Established Church’s empty teachings and their lukewarm ways. The influence of the state and the influence of landowners on the church was also bothering him. Something that he was never going to accept.
[Donald] He returned to the Highlands to teach in a school that the evangelist group, the SPCK, was running at Lochbroom. But he could not find peace here either.
[Donald] It appears that it was a dispute between himself and Established Church minister, the Reverend Thomas Ross, that made him finally leave Scotland.
[Prof. Donald Meek] He was very against Thomas Ross, the moderate minister, because Thomas Ross had control of the schools, he had power in the pulpit and at the same time Norman thought that his teachings were not at all sound. And so Norman wanted, he was very willing to go against him and challenge him and he did that once or twice. And Thomas Ross was a controversial character too. He was very controversial, and you had those two men and they were going against each other.
[Donald] The divide was so deep that they could not co-exist.
[Donald] Eventually Norman could not put up with the situation any longer.
[Donald] In 1817 MacLeod and those that left with him boarded the Frances Ann vessel. This wife, who was expecting their second son, was going to follow him the next year again. The Frances Ann was just one of the emigrant boats that sailed from Lochbroom that year. The majority of the people that left would have been very dubious whether they would see Scotland ever again. For MacLeod, who had so badly fallen out with people, there were no two ways. He could not return.
[Donald] The Frances Ann came ashore in the small, busy port of Pictou in Nova Scotia, but this worldly town would not suit MacLeod and his congregation for too long. According to oral history by chance they came to St Anns in the north of Cape Breton Island.
[Donald] The district of St Anns is as beautiful today as it was in their own day. For MacLeod here was an opportunity to start afresh and establish a separate community for himself and his people. It was perhaps like the Garden of Eden.
This programme, Na h-Eilthirich, was first broadcast in 1999.