Gàidhlig / English
Goibhre

Goibhre

Posted by Kate on Thursday 16th March
Have you ever heard the following phrase: “as deaf as a goat in autumn!?” It is only in the Gaelic version that rhyme may be found. I didn’t manage to find it in our Fieldwork Archive, but I did find numerous meanings behind the word ‘gobhar’ or ‘goat’, in addition to the hairy creature we’d recognise on the mountain top.
 
The name ‘gobhair adhair’ is common in many places, even if the folk living there would not agree entirely on what exactly it could be. This is what the folk of Killin, Kingussie and Glenurquhart would recognise as a snipe. But the gobhar adhair was a corncrake, or indeed a curlew in Kyleakin, on the Isle of Skye. Take a look at the Fieldwork Archive, to find out what the people of Tiree say of this phrase.
 
In Invergarry, a gobhar-dubh-an èisg is what is known by the wee brown bird often seen fishing in the stream, or as is known in English as the dipper. I know this bird as a gobha-uisge or a water smith. Imagine a blacksmith so dirty with soot and smoke of the forge, but with his clean, white chest visible under his open shirt. This is a very nice description of the bird’s markings.But how can this bird be likened to a goat?
 
There are ‘goats’ at our feet as well. A snail with its shell is known as a gobhar bhreac, or speckled goat. Above you, in the sky, fiasag nan gobhar can be seen, telling you that it is about to rain.
 
The last sheaf of corn in autumn is kept for the coming year, and this is known as the gobhar bhacadh. If you celebrated St Bride’s day this year, perhaps you made a Bride doll from this.
 
I have a question for the reader: why is the goat so prevalent in the imagination of the Gael? If you have an answer, please get in touch below or on Facebook or Twitter.
 
Your comment has been submitted for moderation
There are no comments for this post