Gàidhlig / English
Grioglachan

Grioglachan

Posted by Kate on Thursday 23rd April 2015

Pleiades

Look above your heads to the heavens for this week’s word! It’s Grioglachan,  “Pleiades” or “the Seven Sisters."

One of our readers got in touch this week with another name for it: Sruth Ghoraidh Chròbain, and that this is the word they had for it on the Isle of Man. Goraidh Chròbain had a connection to Islay, and it is said that he is buried nar Ceanntragh.

This word was recorded in Harris, and this is indeed the name that Duncan MacNair Connell of Taynuilt had for it in his book: “Astronomy.” Conall described this group of stars in the context of the Plough. He described them as “Grunnan neo Grioglachan nan Seachd-Rionnag.”  Donnachadh M. Conall, Reul-Eolais, p25. or a group of seven stars. The word Grioglachan denotes a group of several small things, such as stars. Indeed, this is confirmed in the last pages of Reul-Eolais: “These stars were divided up by astronomers a very long time ago and there are now in small groups (nan grioglachanaibh or grunnanaibh) as they are identified and recognised.” Donnachadh Conall, Reul-Eolais, p121.

In the novel An t-Ogha Mòr, by Angus Robertson, a beautiful picture is described with the Milky Way in harmony with all of nature on earth. The Milky Way: “winking and watching: busy counting the procession of souls whose fates met their ends before their time.” Aonghas MacDhonnachaidh, An t-Ogha Mòr, p. 138.

And as you’ll hear, the Grioglachan have appeared in songs of the Gael. Here is Òran a’ Ghrioglachain, which another reader provided for us.

It is Sgriob Chlann Uisnich, or the Trail of the Children of Uisneach. This name comes from a legend about Deirdre and the Children of Uisneach. The story tells of how the souls of the Children of Uisneach grew into trees on their graves. An evil king tried to get rid of them by felling the trees and burying them in different places. Thus Clann Uisnich fled to live as the white trail of stars that you see so clearly sometimes in the heavens.

We would like to give a big thank you to the people that contacted us with their suggestions.Do get in touch and tell us about a particularly beautiful view you may have had of the Seven Sisters, The Milky Way or indeed any marvel in the heavens above. Get in touch on Facebook or Twitter.

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