[Innes Rothach – Preseantair] Bu chòir barrachd eòlais a bhith aig daoine mu strì an fhearainn ann an Gleann Dail san Eilean Sgitheanach. Sin a rèir an ùghdair Roger Hutchinson a th’air leabhar ùr a sgrìobhadh mun iomairt a dh’ fhàg croitearan anns a’ phrìosan agus a chuir an oighreachd fo smachd na coimhearsnachd aig a’ cheann thall. Chaidh an leabhar, ‘Martairich Ghlinn Dail agus ar-a-mach san Eilean Sgitheanach fhoillseachadh ann an Eaglais Shaoir na sgìre, togalach a bha aig teis-meadhan na sgeòil. Tha tuilleadh aig Calum MacIlleathain.
[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Anns an 19mh Linn bha Gleann Dail a’ cur thairis is àireamh mhòr de daoine air tighinn ann ri linn nam Fuadaichean. Bha strì mhòr ann eadar croitearan agus na h-uachdarain a thaobh cò leis a bha am fearann.
[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Aig deireadh na linn, thàinig cùisean gu ceann. Chruinnich na ceudan chroitearan, fireannaich, boireannaich agus an clann, an seo aig Abhainn Hamara, far an do chuir iad stad air na poilis tighinn tarsainn na h-aibhne. Thug iad ionnsaigh air na poilis. Ri linn na thachair, chaidh ceathrar a dhìteadh agus a chur dhan phrìosan.
[Roger Hutchinson] They were effectively dictating to Inverness Castle and from there onwards to Edinburgh and to the Government in Westminster. Exactly who had authority over this part of the Highlands? And the people with authority over this part of the Highlands were the crofters who lived here.
[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Chaidh an leabhar a chur air bhog ann an Eaglais Shaor Ghleann Dail. B’ e seo an dearbh thogalach anns an do chùm na croitearan coinneamhan agus far an do ghabh coimisean Napier fianais. Lean sin gu Achd nan Croitearan. Air a’ cheann thall fhuair a’ choimhearsnachd cothrom sealladh a ghabhail air an oighreachd, a’ chiad turas a thachair a leithid. Reic mòran an croitean agus sgap iad air feadh an t-saoghail.
[Ailean Caimbeul] Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh mar a bha na bliadhnaichean a’ dol seachad agus mòran dhe na daoine sin a’ sgaoileadh air feadh an t-saoghail gur dòcha gun do lagaich an aithne a bha sin. Tha mi smaoineachadh nach robh tuigse aig mòran air an àite a bh’ aig Gleann Dail ann an strì an fhearainn. Bha daoine na b’ eòlaiche air a’ Bhràighe ‘s air àitichean eile agus mar a tha Roger Hutchinson ag argamaid anns an leabhar a bha seo, faodaidh e bhith gu robh Gleann Dail uabhasach fhèin bunaiteach anns na thachair a thaobh Napier agus na lean sin.
[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Tha dòchas ann a-nise gun tèid eachdraidh Ghleann Dail, a thaobh strì an fhearainn, a thoirt am follais do bharrachd dhaoine. Calum MacIlleathain, BBC An Là, Gleann Dail.
[Innes Munro – Presenter] The land struggle in Glendale in the Isle of Skye should be more widely known. That’s according to author Roger Hutchinson, who has written a new book about the campaign which left crofters in prison and ultimately placed the estate under the community’s control. The book Martyrs: Glendale and the Revolution in Skye was launched in the local Free Church, a building which was at the heart of the story. Calum MacLean has more.
[Calum MacLean – Reporter] In the 19th Century Glendale was overflowing with people as a large number moved there as a result of the Clearances. There was a great dispute between the crofters and the landlords over who owned the land.
[Calum MacLean – Reporter] At the end of the century, matters came to a head. Hundreds of crofters, men, women and their children gathered here, at Hamera River, where they stopped the police from crossing the river. They attacked the police. As a result of this, four people were convicted and sent to prison.
[Roger Hutchinson] They were effectively dictating to Inverness Castle and from there onwards to Edinburgh and to the Government in Westminster, exactly who had authority over this part of the Highlands. And the people with authority over this part of the Highlands were the crofters who lived here.
[Calum MacLean – Reporter] The book was launched in Glendale Free Church. This was the very building in which the crofters held their meetings and where the Napier Commission heard evidence. This led to the Crofters Act. Ultimately, the community had the opportunity to own the estate, the first time anything such as this had happened. Many sold their crofts and moved worldwide.
[Allan Campbell] I think as the years passed and with many of those people having moved all over the world that perhaps that knowledge weakened. I don’t think many people in the area understood Glendale’s role in the land struggle. People knew more about the Braes and other places and as Roger Hutchinson argues in this book, it could be that Glendale played a very significant part in what happen with Napier and what followed.
[Calum MacLean – Reporter] It is hoped now that the history of Glendale, relating to the land struggle, will become known to more people. Calum MacLean, BBC An Là, Glendale.
[Innes Rothach – Preseantair] Bu chòir barrachd eòlais a bhith aig daoine mu strì an fhearainn ann an Gleann Dail san Eilean Sgitheanach. Sin a rèir an ùghdair Roger Hutchinson a th’air leabhar ùr a sgrìobhadh mun iomairt a dh’ fhàg croitearan anns a’ phrìosan agus a chuir an oighreachd fo smachd na coimhearsnachd aig a’ cheann thall. Chaidh an leabhar, ‘Martairich Ghlinn Dail agus ar-a-mach san Eilean Sgitheanach fhoillseachadh ann an Eaglais Shaoir na sgìre, togalach a bha aig teis-meadhan na sgeòil. Tha tuilleadh aig Calum MacIlleathain.
[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Anns an 19mh Linn bha Gleann Dail a’ cur thairis is àireamh mhòr de daoine air tighinn ann ri linn nam Fuadaichean. Bha strì mhòr ann eadar croitearan agus na h-uachdarain a thaobh cò leis a bha am fearann.
[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Aig deireadh na linn, thàinig cùisean gu ceann. Chruinnich na ceudan chroitearan, fireannaich, boireannaich agus an clann, an seo aig Abhainn Hamara, far an do chuir iad stad air na poilis tighinn tarsainn na h-aibhne. Thug iad ionnsaigh air na poilis. Ri linn na thachair, chaidh ceathrar a dhìteadh agus a chur dhan phrìosan.
[Roger Hutchinson] They were effectively dictating to Inverness Castle and from there onwards to Edinburgh and to the Government in Westminster. Exactly who had authority over this part of the Highlands? And the people with authority over this part of the Highlands were the crofters who lived here.
[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Chaidh an leabhar a chur air bhog ann an Eaglais Shaor Ghleann Dail. B’ e seo an dearbh thogalach anns an do chùm na croitearan coinneamhan agus far an do ghabh coimisean Napier fianais. Lean sin gu Achd nan Croitearan. Air a’ cheann thall fhuair a’ choimhearsnachd cothrom sealladh a ghabhail air an oighreachd, a’ chiad turas a thachair a leithid. Reic mòran an croitean agus sgap iad air feadh an t-saoghail.
[Ailean Caimbeul] Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh mar a bha na bliadhnaichean a’ dol seachad agus mòran dhe na daoine sin a’ sgaoileadh air feadh an t-saoghail gur dòcha gun do lagaich an aithne a bha sin. Tha mi smaoineachadh nach robh tuigse aig mòran air an àite a bh’ aig Gleann Dail ann an strì an fhearainn. Bha daoine na b’ eòlaiche air a’ Bhràighe ‘s air àitichean eile agus mar a tha Roger Hutchinson ag argamaid anns an leabhar a bha seo, faodaidh e bhith gu robh Gleann Dail uabhasach fhèin bunaiteach anns na thachair a thaobh Napier agus na lean sin.
[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Tha dòchas ann a-nise gun tèid eachdraidh Ghleann Dail, a thaobh strì an fhearainn, a thoirt am follais do bharrachd dhaoine. Calum MacIlleathain, BBC An Là, Gleann Dail.
[Innes Munro – Presenter] The land struggle in Glendale in the Isle of Skye should be more widely known. That’s according to author Roger Hutchinson, who has written a new book about the campaign which left crofters in prison and ultimately placed the estate under the community’s control. The book Martyrs: Glendale and the Revolution in Skye was launched in the local Free Church, a building which was at the heart of the story. Calum MacLean has more.
[Calum MacLean – Reporter] In the 19th Century Glendale was overflowing with people as a large number moved there as a result of the Clearances. There was a great dispute between the crofters and the landlords over who owned the land.
[Calum MacLean – Reporter] At the end of the century, matters came to a head. Hundreds of crofters, men, women and their children gathered here, at Hamera River, where they stopped the police from crossing the river. They attacked the police. As a result of this, four people were convicted and sent to prison.
[Roger Hutchinson] They were effectively dictating to Inverness Castle and from there onwards to Edinburgh and to the Government in Westminster, exactly who had authority over this part of the Highlands. And the people with authority over this part of the Highlands were the crofters who lived here.
[Calum MacLean – Reporter] The book was launched in Glendale Free Church. This was the very building in which the crofters held their meetings and where the Napier Commission heard evidence. This led to the Crofters Act. Ultimately, the community had the opportunity to own the estate, the first time anything such as this had happened. Many sold their crofts and moved worldwide.
[Allan Campbell] I think as the years passed and with many of those people having moved all over the world that perhaps that knowledge weakened. I don’t think many people in the area understood Glendale’s role in the land struggle. People knew more about the Braes and other places and as Roger Hutchinson argues in this book, it could be that Glendale played a very significant part in what happen with Napier and what followed.
[Calum MacLean – Reporter] It is hoped now that the history of Glendale, relating to the land struggle, will become known to more people. Calum MacLean, BBC An Là, Glendale.