[Iain MacIlleathain – Preseantair] An comhairliche Dòmhnall Crichton an sin. Nise ‘s iongantach mura h-eil sinn uile eòlach air caistealan agus dùin a tha ri oir na mara. Gu dearbha tha e nas dorra smaoineachadh air feadhainn nach eil fo gheasaibh na h-aitearachd bhuain. Ge-tà, carson a tha iad cho pailt mu na h-oir-thìrean? Bha sin ga chnuasachadh aig co-labhairt nan eòlaichean ann am Barraigh aig an deireadh-sheachdain. Tha Andreas Wolff ag aithris.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Chaidh Bagh a’ Chaisteil ann am Barraigh a thaghadh airson co-labhairt air Caistealan nam Birlinn le Urras Leabhraichean nan eilean.
[Alasdair MacEachainn] Chuala sinn air aon làimh ‘s dòcha cho cudromach ‘s a bha na caistealan a thaobh slighean mara ach an uair sin chuala sinn taobh eile dheth ag ràdh, uill, chan ann a thaobh slighean mara a-mhàin a bha na caistealan rudeigin cudromach ach airson rudan eile a bha dol a thaobh dìon an àite ‘s ma dh’ fhaodte seòrsa marsantachd a bha dol aig an àm.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Tha beachd ann gun deach Caisteal Chiosmuil a thogail o chionn timcheall air 500 bliadhna. Ach chualas mu oidhirpean nan arc-eòlaichean gus bliadhnaichean togail nan caisteal a stèidheachadh nas fheàrr, tro bhith ag ùisneachadh teicneòlas sgrùdaidh charbon. Agus tha ùidh mhòr aig MacNèill fhèin ann an eachdraidh nan caistealan.
[Ruairidh MacNèill] Bha m’ athair ag obair airson deich bliadhna a-muigh ann an caistealan nan eilean, mu dheidhinn eachdraidh nan caistealan eileanach. Bha mo mhàthair, agus mise, bha sinn a’ smaointinn gum biodh e math nam biodh conference ann.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Agus thèid eòlas na co-labhairt a chur gu feum aig Caisteal Chiosmuil.
[Curstaidh NicDhòmhnaill] An ath-bhliadhna bidh sinn a’ coimhead air ath-mhìneachadh a dhèanamh taobh a-staigh a’ chaisteil mar gum biodh. Bùird taisbeanaidhean ùra agus rudan mar sin. Agus tha sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ri bhith cleachdadh an rannsachaidh a thàinig bhon cho-labhairt seo airson fios a thoirt dhuinn airson nam pannalan ùra againn.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Ach chan ann a-mhàin mu Chaisteal Chiosmuil a bhathar a’ bruidhinn. Thàinig eòlaichean bho fad is farsaing.
[Brigadier Iain MacPhàrlain] Bha mi dìreach a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn nan caistealan a tha ann an Caol Mhuile agus gu sònraichte bha sinn a’ bruidhinn an toiseach mu dheidhinn Caisteal Mhiughalaigh agus am blàr a thachair ann am Bàgh na Fala dìreach dlùth air Miughalaigh an sin ach air an taobh Mhuile.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Bidh leabhar a’ tighinn a-mach leis an fhiosrachadh bhon cho-labhairt seo ann an ùine gun a bhith ro fhada. Andreas Wolff, BBC An Là ann am Barraigh.
[Iain MacLean – Presenter] That was Councillor Donald Crichton. Now, most of us will know of castles and forts that are by the edge of the sea. Indeed it’s more difficult to think of ones that are not under the spell of the surge of the sea. But why are they so common on the coasts? This was discussed at a conference of experts in Barra at the weekend.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] Castlebay in Barra was chosen to hold the Islands Book Trust conference on Galley Castles.
[Alasdair MacEachan] We heard on the one hand how important the castles were with regards to seaways. But we heard on the other hand, well, that the castles were not only rather important as seaways but also to support the kind of trading that was happening at the time.
[Andreas Wolff - Reporter] It is thought that Kisimul Castle was built around 500 years ago. The delegates heard about the efforts of archaeologists to determine the exact year it was built, by using carbon dating. The MacNeil of Barra has a big interest in the history of these castles.
[Ruairidh MacNeil] My father worked for 10 years in the island castles, finding out about the history of them. My mother and I both thought it would be a good idea to hold a conference on them.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] The findings of the conference will be put to use at Kisimul Castle.
[Kirsty MacDonald] Next year we will be looking at redesigning things inside the castle. New display boards and things like that. We’re looking forward to using the research from this conference to provide
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] But Kisimul Castle was not the only thing being discussed. Experts came from far and wide.
[Brigadier Iain MacFarlane] I was just talking about the castles in the Sound of Mull and in particular about Mingarry Castle and the Battle of Bloody Bay which took place near Mingarry there, but on the Mull side.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] There will be a book coming out shortly on the findings of the conference. Andreas Wolff, BBC An Là in Barra.
[Iain MacIlleathain – Preseantair] An comhairliche Dòmhnall Crichton an sin. Nise ‘s iongantach mura h-eil sinn uile eòlach air caistealan agus dùin a tha ri oir na mara. Gu dearbha tha e nas dorra smaoineachadh air feadhainn nach eil fo gheasaibh na h-aitearachd bhuain. Ge-tà, carson a tha iad cho pailt mu na h-oir-thìrean? Bha sin ga chnuasachadh aig co-labhairt nan eòlaichean ann am Barraigh aig an deireadh-sheachdain. Tha Andreas Wolff ag aithris.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Chaidh Bagh a’ Chaisteil ann am Barraigh a thaghadh airson co-labhairt air Caistealan nam Birlinn le Urras Leabhraichean nan eilean.
[Alasdair MacEachainn] Chuala sinn air aon làimh ‘s dòcha cho cudromach ‘s a bha na caistealan a thaobh slighean mara ach an uair sin chuala sinn taobh eile dheth ag ràdh, uill, chan ann a thaobh slighean mara a-mhàin a bha na caistealan rudeigin cudromach ach airson rudan eile a bha dol a thaobh dìon an àite ‘s ma dh’ fhaodte seòrsa marsantachd a bha dol aig an àm.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Tha beachd ann gun deach Caisteal Chiosmuil a thogail o chionn timcheall air 500 bliadhna. Ach chualas mu oidhirpean nan arc-eòlaichean gus bliadhnaichean togail nan caisteal a stèidheachadh nas fheàrr, tro bhith ag ùisneachadh teicneòlas sgrùdaidh charbon. Agus tha ùidh mhòr aig MacNèill fhèin ann an eachdraidh nan caistealan.
[Ruairidh MacNèill] Bha m’ athair ag obair airson deich bliadhna a-muigh ann an caistealan nan eilean, mu dheidhinn eachdraidh nan caistealan eileanach. Bha mo mhàthair, agus mise, bha sinn a’ smaointinn gum biodh e math nam biodh conference ann.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Agus thèid eòlas na co-labhairt a chur gu feum aig Caisteal Chiosmuil.
[Curstaidh NicDhòmhnaill] An ath-bhliadhna bidh sinn a’ coimhead air ath-mhìneachadh a dhèanamh taobh a-staigh a’ chaisteil mar gum biodh. Bùird taisbeanaidhean ùra agus rudan mar sin. Agus tha sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ri bhith cleachdadh an rannsachaidh a thàinig bhon cho-labhairt seo airson fios a thoirt dhuinn airson nam pannalan ùra againn.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Ach chan ann a-mhàin mu Chaisteal Chiosmuil a bhathar a’ bruidhinn. Thàinig eòlaichean bho fad is farsaing.
[Brigadier Iain MacPhàrlain] Bha mi dìreach a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn nan caistealan a tha ann an Caol Mhuile agus gu sònraichte bha sinn a’ bruidhinn an toiseach mu dheidhinn Caisteal Mhiughalaigh agus am blàr a thachair ann am Bàgh na Fala dìreach dlùth air Miughalaigh an sin ach air an taobh Mhuile.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Bidh leabhar a’ tighinn a-mach leis an fhiosrachadh bhon cho-labhairt seo ann an ùine gun a bhith ro fhada. Andreas Wolff, BBC An Là ann am Barraigh.
[Iain MacLean – Presenter] That was Councillor Donald Crichton. Now, most of us will know of castles and forts that are by the edge of the sea. Indeed it’s more difficult to think of ones that are not under the spell of the surge of the sea. But why are they so common on the coasts? This was discussed at a conference of experts in Barra at the weekend.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] Castlebay in Barra was chosen to hold the Islands Book Trust conference on Galley Castles.
[Alasdair MacEachan] We heard on the one hand how important the castles were with regards to seaways. But we heard on the other hand, well, that the castles were not only rather important as seaways but also to support the kind of trading that was happening at the time.
[Andreas Wolff - Reporter] It is thought that Kisimul Castle was built around 500 years ago. The delegates heard about the efforts of archaeologists to determine the exact year it was built, by using carbon dating. The MacNeil of Barra has a big interest in the history of these castles.
[Ruairidh MacNeil] My father worked for 10 years in the island castles, finding out about the history of them. My mother and I both thought it would be a good idea to hold a conference on them.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] The findings of the conference will be put to use at Kisimul Castle.
[Kirsty MacDonald] Next year we will be looking at redesigning things inside the castle. New display boards and things like that. We’re looking forward to using the research from this conference to provide
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] But Kisimul Castle was not the only thing being discussed. Experts came from far and wide.
[Brigadier Iain MacFarlane] I was just talking about the castles in the Sound of Mull and in particular about Mingarry Castle and the Battle of Bloody Bay which took place near Mingarry there, but on the Mull side.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] There will be a book coming out shortly on the findings of the conference. Andreas Wolff, BBC An Là in Barra.