DASG Blog

Mìosachan nan Gàidheal: An t-Earrach (Pàirt 2)

Welcome back to part two of Mìosachan nan Gàidheal: An t-Earrach! In this blog we shall be having a look at the fayres and changes of weather to come this month.

Am Màirt/Mìos na Bà Riabhaich/Mee-veanagh yn arree/Yn-mart
With the changing of the weather it is likely that there will be an idiom or proverb to mark it, especially in Mann:

• “Share craagh ve ’sy cheer, na mee ny Vayrnt cheet stiagh meein.” [“Better a slaughter in the country than the month of March should come in mild.”]
• “Sheeu hishan dy yoan Mayrnt maaill bleeney Vannin.” [“A peck of March dust is worth a year’s rent in the Isle of Man.”]
• “Ta’n Vayrnt chionney as yn nah bee fanney.” [“March tightens and the next month skins.”]

There is a custom that it is unlucky to have a full moon on a Saturday in March in Mann; “Ta eayst jesarn ’sy Vayrnt dy-liooar ayns shiaght bleeantyn.” [“A Saturday’s moon in March is enough in seven years.”]

We have “Tiormachd-na-Màirt” ["Drying of March"] in Scotland as well, with the weather improving little by little.

Rochd and smòt can be gathered this time of year.

In Scotland the change of weather can be well-known, so well-known that we have respective names for each different sort of wind we'll have!:
 
An Fheadag – The "Feadag" ["Little whistler"] will come after January winds and it's said that she'll endure from the first day of March until the eighth day. There is a verse by Hugh MacLachlann in “The Gaelic Otherworld” that is very interesting about the "Feadag":
“Ràidhe ’n tig am Faoilleach feannaidh,
Fuar chloch-mheallain, stoirm nam peileir,
Feadag, sguabag, gruaim a’ ghearrain –
Crainntidh ’chailleach as beurra friodhan.”
[“Season in which comes the flaying wolf-month,
Cold hailstones, a storm of bullets,
Feadag, Sguabag, the Gearran’s gloom
And shrivelling Cailleach, sharp bristled.”]

There is another one that is just as interesting:
“Feadag, feadag, màthair faoilleach fuar,
Marbhaidh i caoraich is uain,
Marbhaidh i ’n crodh mòr mu seach
’S an t-each ris an aon uair.”
[“Feadag, feadag, mother of the cold Faoilleach,
It kills sheep and lambs,
It kills the big kine one by one
And horses at the same time.”]
 
A’ Ghobag – It is said that the Gobag ["Mouthy-one"] will endure for the length of a week but others say she will endure three, four or nine days.

An Sguabag – The “Ioma-sguaba na Faoilleach” [“The eddy winds of the storm month”] is said about her and that "Sguabag" ["Little sweeper"] lasts for about a week.
 
An Gearran – It is said that the "Gearran" ["Little Cutting-one"] for a monthnd it is said in the Isle of Skye that she will follow soon after "an Fhaoillich," from the middle of January until the start of March. The phrase is said around this time, having a joke about the similarity of the appearance of the month of "Gearran" ["February"] and a "Gearran" ["Gelding"], a sort of horse, who will also be around by this time of month too:
“Thuirt an Gearran ris an Fhaoilleach,
“Càit’ an d’ fhàg thu ’n gamhainn bochd?
“Dh’fhàg mi e aig an Fhear rinn na dùilean
’S a dhà shùil air an t-sop.”
“Ma bheireas mis’,” thuirt am mìos-Màigh,
“Air an anail am barraibh a chluas,
Cuiridh mi ruideis air an tràigh e
’S fheaman air a ghualainn.”
[“Then said the Gearran to Faoilleach
‘Where left you the poor stirk?’
‘I left it with Him who made the elements,
Staring at a stack of fodder.’
‘If I catch it,’ said the May month,
‘With the breath in the points of his ears,
I will send it racing to the hill
With its tail upon its shoulders.’”]

The wind around this time is said to be very fierce and violent, shown in these phrases here:

• “Chuireadh an Gearran seachd bola staigh air aon toll tora, leis cho gailbheach ’s a bha ’n t-sìd’.

[“The cutter [“Gearran”] would send seven bolls of blizzard into one wimble-hole, so stormy was the weather.”]

• “Sin thuirt an gearran geàrr, “Nì mi farran/caran ort nas fheàrr

Cuiridh mi bhò mhòr sa pholl Gus an d’thig an tonn far a ceann.”
[“Then said the short Gearran, ‘I will play you a trick that is no better –
I will put the big cow in the Mud Till the waves come over my head.”]
 
05/03 – Là Fhéill Ciarain ["Saint Ciaran's Day."]

10/03 – Féill Mo Cheasaig ["Saint Kessock's Day."] 
“Latha Fèill mo Cheasaig bidh gach easgann torrach” ["Saint Kessock's Day every eel will be fertile"] is said on this day.

We shall continue with part three of the end of Spring next week. You must have days and fayres that I haven't mentioned but do you have any holy day or fayre that I haven't mentioned? Let us know onr facebook, twitter and our website!