Cad Is Féidir Somhairlidh chiallaíonn i nGàidhlig

What Somhairlidh May Mean in Gaelic

According to the 17th century Gaelic “Black & Red Books of Clanranald”, found in the Reliquiæ Celticæ our ancestor Giolla Bhrighde (Gillebride) was a caoraigheacht (Gaelic for nomadic people who followed, and lived off the wild cattle). These Celtic cattlemen had chiefs & clans that were known as fierce warriors. They often acted as mercenaries for other clan chiefs. But Gillebride had been displaced from his native lands of Morvern and Ardgòur by Viking raids. So he met with his kinsmen at Fermanach (Fermanagh), Northern Ireland (around 1110 AD) where he was able to raise an army to retake his rightful inheritance in Morvern and Ardgòur, the same lands known anciently as Albain Dalriada. At least two things are significant within this account. Gillebride’s kinsmen, in a very Celtic part of Ireland, acknowledged Gillebride as a deposed relative and were willing to go to battle for him. The name Gillebride is a very Gaelic name meaning “servant of Bridget (a Celtic Goddess)”. Gillebride was not successful in regaining his ancestral lands, but his son, who different documents refer to as Somhuirle, Somhairle or Somhairlidh (centuries later changed to Somerled) did succeed in establishing himself as King of Argyle and the Isles.

By going back to the oldest Gaelic documents such as the 1467 manuscripts, the 1164 entry to the Annals of the Four Masters, and in the MacVurich manuscripts, seanchaidh (historians) to the Lords of the Isles, we find the more ancient form of the Gaelic name which looks more like “yogle” than Somhairle or, Somhairlidh But this is how our ancestors wrote the name, pronounced “Sorley”.

Gaelic Names Contain Several Gaelic WorDs

Gaelic names were frequently given or changed later in life rather than retaining the same name given at birth. Gaelic names were made up of several Gaelic words such as Dhomnaill meaning “world ruler” or Vurich meaning “of those from an island on the sea”. In England the name Vurich became Murdock or even Currie, but only by going back to the original, Gaelic spelling Muiredach it is evident the name contains the Gaelic word for sea (muir) , the Gaelic word for island (e or i), & the prepositional ending “ach” meaning “from” or “belonging to” (as in Sassenach or Lochlannach). Following this Gaelic naming pattern we see Gaelic words in the name Somhairlidh that convey a significant event in his life. Beginning with Somh, a Gaelic word meaning “to convert, to change, or drive off“. Then the Gaelic word air means “upon” and lidh is Gaelic for “steep grassy slope” or “grassy hill”. It is also used as an abbreviation of milidh the Gaelic word for “champion” (abbreviations were very common in Gaelic manuscripts, especially in names). Double meanings were also very common in Gaelic names so both meanings for lidh should be considered. So the original Gaelic name appears to be a compilation of three Gaelic words that may relate a significant characteristic or event in the life of this man. A change upon a steep hill.

Somhairle anD Comhairle

A common Gaelic word associated with Clan Donald is Comhairle, pronounced “coarley.” When searching for a possible meaning for the name Somhairle, we need to consider the Gaelic word comhairle which means to counsel, to direct or influence. Several “Eilean nan Comhairle” or counsel isles were located in various branches of Clan Donald. They were the center of government. The Gaelic saying “Cuirfidh a shrón féin comhairle air” meaning “one who will learn (take counsel) from his mistakes” may also provide a clue that refers to this man’s history. Somhairle’s story includes his changing from a recluse fisherman (uninvolved) to leading the Gaelic armies against the Vikings. The Gaelic language often abbreviates or contracts two words. The Gaelic word shrón or srón means nose (used for both the nose on your face and the prow of a boat). When speaking of someone who was the head of large naval force as well as the head of the governing counsel of the isles’, a fitting title could be srón comhairle (the prow of the governing counsel) abbreviated s’omhairle. Still another possibility is that the Gaelic word seo commonly abbreviated s’ meaning “this” was combined with the Gaelic word for council (comhairle) to make s’omhairle. We can really only surmise because somhairle is not found in any Gaelic dictionary, but comhairle is.

The LegenD BehinD the Name anD The Genesis of Clan DonalD

The best known Highland legend of Somhairlidh is preserved in detail in the “History of The Ancient Scots” by Duncan McCallum. It gives the full account of Somhairlidh‘s victory over the Lochlannach (Gaelic for Vikings) at Acharacle (original Gaelic = Ath Tharracaill.) Some place-name authorities have correctly identified the Norse name Torquil, but missed the local legend that it was Somhairlidh who defeated the Vikings there on the ancient Ardnamurchan shore. This account explains the valiant deed behind the name Somhairlidh. To sum it up briefly, Somhairlidh had fought valiantly against the Vikings under the clan chiefs’ leadership, but the first attempt to drive the Vikings out of Morvern failed losing most of the clan chief’s lives putting them in disarray. Somhairlidh became a recluse fisherman in the forests. A delegation was sent to seek Somhairlidh‘s leadership of the clans of Morvern. He initially refused and as the group left one of the men said, “he would have to have the salmon jump out of the stream and land at his feet! (as in the legend of Fionn) to lead us. When a large salmon jumped from the stream at Somhairlidh‘s feet they all took it as a sign, including Somhairlidh that he would lead the clans to victory. He succeeded in soundly defeating the Vikings on a steep, grassy hill of Morvern and then took the battle to the waters assembling an armada of Celtic Naibhig (galleys) to became the first King of Argyll and the Isles.

Some modern historians (Marsden, Thompson, & now Sykes) follow the early Scottish histories that discredit these traditions or downplay his Celtic roots while others (McDonald, MacPhee, Roberts, & Paterson, & of course Donald J. Macdonald) recognize the Lordship of the Isles (Clan Donald) as the last truly Celtic society in Scotland. R. Andrew McDonald, in his excellent work, “Kingdom of the Isles “ theorized “historians tend to only discuss kingdoms that “failed” to survive to the extent they contributed to countries that thrived.” This is certainly the case with Somhairlidh and Clan Donald who are only casually mentioned in most histories of Great Britain as rebellious subjects who “fashioned themselves not subject to their rightful King”.

(Continue reading about how Somhairlidh became King of Argyll & the Isles.)

Note: This web site is based upon Donald J. Macdonald’s 1978 compilation of the history of Clan Donald. He followed the practice of the 1896 three volume work entitled The Clan Donald which substituted Anglicized names for the Gaelic originals. This article returned to the original Gaelic in order to better understand our heritage.