Anns a’ bhliadhna seo a tha a’ comharrachadh òigridh, tha e iomchaidh a bhith a’ cuimhneachadh an fhaoinsgeil mu thìr anns nach fhàsadh daoine sean / In this year marking young people, it is fitting to recall the ancient Gaelic legend of a land where none grew old.

Beinn Ghulbain in Glenshee from the burial mound of Diarmad, Oisean’s cousin. © Roddy Maclean

Tìr nan Òg agus Tobar Oisein

Tha Gàidheil na h-Alba ’s na h-Èireann gu math eòlach air na sgeulachdan mu Thìr nan Òg, far nach fhàs na daoine sean. Fada a-mach sa Chuan Siar, tha an tìr seo na dachaigh do dh’Oisean mac Fhinn airson trì cheud bliadhna, agus Niamh an Fhuilt Òir ga tharraing ann.

Bithear a’ cuimhneachadh gaisgich is sgeulachdan na Fèinne ann am mòran àiteachan air aghaidh na h-Alba, ach a bheil àite sam bith ann a tha gar ceangal gu sònraichte ri Oisean agus Tìr nan Òg? Uill, ’s dòcha gu bheil aonan ann, agus tha e fada bhon chladach an iar. Tha Tobar Oisein air leathad an ear Beinn Ghulbain faisg air Spideal Ghleann Sìth, àite a tha làn dualchas na Fèinne agus a tha ainmeil airson an fhaoinsgeil ‘Diarmad agus Gràinne’.

An-diugh, chan eil anns an ‘tobar’ ach fuaran às am bi uisge ruadh a’ sruthadh (gabhaidh e lorg faisg air NO 112722 ma tha sibh èasgaidh!) Ach ’s dòcha gur e seo an t-àite, co-dhiù ann am beul-aithris, far a bheil Oisean, air dha thighinn gu beinn-seilg òige air sgàth cianalas, a’ seasamh sìos bho each airson deoch uisge fhaighinn. Nuair a bhuaileas a chasan an talamh, tha e a’ call geasan Tìr nan Òg agus tha e a’ fàs sean agus dall sa mhionaid. ’S dòcha gu bheil e a’ cur nar cuimhne a bhith a’ gabhail tlachd às ar n-òige fhad ’s a tha i againn!

The Land of the Ever-Young, and Ossian’s Well

The legend of Tìr nan Òg – the Land of the Ever-Young – is well known among the Gaelic peoples of Scotland and Ireland. Lying out in the Atlantic, this mythical place plays a significant role in Fingalian legend, becoming home to Oisean (Ossian), the son of Fionn MacCumhail, after he meets the beautiful Niamh (she of the Golden Hair).

The Fingalian heroes and their legends are remembered in many locations and feature in the Scottish landscape, but are there any places which link us to Oisean and Tìr nan Òg? Well, there might be one – and it’s far from the Atlantic coast. Tobar Oisein ‘Oisean’s Well’ lies on the eastern slopes of Beinn Ghulbain (Ben Gulabin) close to the Spittal of Glenshee, a location peppered with references to the Fianna, most notably the tale of ‘Diarmad and Gràinne’.

Today the ‘well’ is little more than a spring from which reddish water dribbles (it can be located close to NO 112722 if you’re keen!). But it just might be the place, at least in tradition, where Oisean, having returned to the hunting lands of his youth because of homesickness, steps down from his horse to take a drink, loses the age-defying magic of Tìr nan Òg as his feet touch the ground, and becomes an old, blind man. Perhaps it’s a reminder to enjoy our youth while we have it!