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A landscape design of planted trees representing different letters in the Gaelic alphabet. A number of Caithness stone slabs are inscribed with poetry and identify the trees. A panel depicts a plan of the work.

Title

A'chraobh

Date

2000

Medium

trees & stone

Measurements

H 150 x W 5000 x D 5000 cm (E)

Accession number

KW14_DO_S088

Work type

Landscape

Owner

The Highland Council

Custodian

The Highland Council

Work status

extant

Access

at all times

Inscription description

introductory stone (Gaelic): AIBIDEIL NA CRAOIBH OGAM / Thainig seann Aibideil Chraobhan na / Gàidhlig a'Chraobh Ogam, à Eirinn o / chionn aon 1500 bliadhna nuair a ghabh na / Cruithnich ri sgriobhaidhean ogam Chaidh / a'Chraobh Ogam ath-bheothachadh airson / greis sna meadhan linntean le sgoilearan. / Tha mòran co-cheangailte ris an aibideil / agus mar a thòisich i a tha na cheist ach 's / e an diamhaireachd seo a tha ga dèanamh / cho tarraingeach. / The na litrich air an ainmeachadh air / craoibh no preas. Tha a sgeulachd thèin aig gach tè. Eist.; introductory stone (English): GAELIC TREE ALPHABET / The ancient Gaelic Tree Alphabet, the Ogam Chraobh, came to Scotland from / Ireland some 1500 years ago when it was / adopted by the Picts throughout their / territories. The Ogam Chraobh was revivied / by Gaelic scholars in the Middle Ages. The / alphabet and its origins are still something / of a puzzle, but the mystery is part of its / charm. / The letters are all named after a tree or / shrub. They each have a story to tell. / Listen. Summary stone: A'Chraobh the tree / Beith birch / Luis rowan / Nuin ash / Feàrn alder / Suil willow / H-Uath hawthorn / Dair oak / Tinne holly / Coll hazel / Muin honeysuckle / Gort ivy / Peith downy birch / Ruis elder / Ailm wych elm / Onn whin / Ur heather / Eadha aspen / Iogh yew Slab group: Tagh seiloch nan allt, tagh calltain nan creag / Choose willow of the burn, choose hazel of the rock / tagh fearna nan on, tagh beithe nan eas / choose alder of the bog, choose birch of the waterfall / tagh uinnseann na dubhair, tagh lubhar na leum / choose ash of the shade, choose yew of the resilience; slab 1: Is e galar a bheireadh air na gobhair / nach itheadh iad an eidheann. Sickness alone would keep the / goats away from eating ivy.; slab 2: Bu tu 'n t-iubharthar gach coilidh, / Bu tu 'n darach daingean làidir, / Bu tu 'n cuileann 's bu tu 'n draigheann, / Bu tu 'nt-adhall molach blàth mhor, / Cha robh ao dhaimh ris a' chritheann, / Na do dhigheadhris an fhearna, / Cha robh bheag ionnad de 'n leamhan, / Bu tu leannan nam ban àlainn. You were the yew above every wood, / You were the strong steadfast oak, / You were the holly and the blackthorn, / You were the rough-barked, flower-laden apple tree, / You had no affinity with the aspen, / You were not obliged to the alder, / You had nothing of the lime (or elm) in you, / You were beloved of beautiful women.; slab 3: Theid an nathair troimhn teine dhearg / mun tèid i troimh dhuilleach an uinnsinn. The snake will go through the red blazing fire / rather than through the leaves of the ash.

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