222 STIRK 



old " by winter time. Do-bhliadhnach is the form used in the 

 Outer Islands ; as pronounced in some places it sounds very like 

 "dorlunnach " or ** dobhlunnach." 



Certain black sea-rocks off the island of Gigha are called " Na 

 gamhna," the stirks. The nan e O'Gamhna is found in the Book 

 of Kells. Gamhna was the name of an illegitimate scion, it is 

 said, of Glen Nevis family, being called "An gamhainn maol 

 donn," the hornless brown stirk, and his descendants "Sliochd 

 a ghamhna," the stirk race. A lullaby or cradle song composed 

 for one of them runs : — 



Pru dhe mhic a ghamhna, 



Pru dhe mhie a ghamhna, cheann-f hionn, 



Pru dhe mhic a ghamhna, 



Bhrist thu 'm braidein 's dh* ol thu 'm bainne, 



Pru, etc., 

 'S dh' fhalbh thu thu'n oidhche ris a ghealaich, 



Pru, etc., 

 Ach ma dh' fhalbh 's ann duit nach b'aithreach, 

 'S boidheach air lianaig ar n' aighean, 



Pru, etc., 

 'S boidheach calg-fhionn ar crodh-bainne, 



Pru, etc., 

 Chuala tu 'n damh donn ri langan, 



Pru, etc., 

 Ach ma chuala fhuair e 'n t-saighead, 



Pru, etc., etc. 



The *' Saighead " refers to the death of one of the Glen Nevis 

 Cameron chieftains at a buaile, being shot by an arrow from the 

 ambush or cover of a burden of heather. 



In County Cavan, Ireland, there is a loch named Loch Gamhna, 

 corrupted into Gowna ; a w^ell, whence a stream flows into this loch, 

 is called tobar Gowna, the well of the stirk (or calf, as rendered 

 in Irish), whence a magical calf sallied. Another place of note in 

 Ireland is named Inis-mor-loch-a-ghamhna, the great island of 

 Loch Gowna. On this island there was once a church called 

 Teampull Choluim-cille, Columbcill's church or temple. The 

 name Mac-a-Ghamhna appears in Dermott na'n gamhnach, 

 i.e., Dermot, Diarmaid, Jeremy or Darby of the strippers, or, as 

 rendered in the Annals of the Four Masters, milch cows. The 

 name O'Gamhna is common in Ireland, and has been anglicised 

 "Gaffney." In King's County, Ireland, is Cluain nan gamhna, 

 the lawn, meadow or pasturage of the calves or stirks, now 

 corrupted into Cloneygowan. The honeysuckle has as one of its 

 Gaelic names "Bainne ghamhnach," lit. a young farrow cow, or 

 young cow's milk, from the juice in the berries. 



Proverbial sayings strictly applicable to the stirk are : — 



Am bronnach geamhraidh 's an seang earraich, cuma' gamhna. 

 Rough in winter and thin in spring — a stirk's shape. 



