Scottish baptism in Gaelic

[Rosezi]

Help needed to decipher and translate a Scottish marriage record written in Gaelic for a Hugh and Janet Mackay

[newbeginings]

Oh boy ! they like making it hard don't they ! - Sorry I can't help, hope someone who can is along soon.

[djct59]

It's not in Gaelic 

It's on the  Durness Parish register from 1784, written by Reverend John Thomson.

It says "Hugh MacKay alias MacNish MacEan late Grenadier N.F now in Mussel married Janet MacKay alias ninEan MacEmish in Islandreir Second May"

Hugh was the son of Angus, the son of John, and was a grenadier in the Northern Fencibles. He was in the community of Muiseal, a tiny hamlet on the east side of Loch Hope, long since abandoned. Janet was the daughter of John the son of James.

[Rosezi]

Thanks for the info, but what does the alias Macnish and MacEan etc  refer to?

[djct59]

Around 40-50% of the population of the parish was MacKays. To tell them apart you used patronymics, going back a couple of generations.  There are 88 references to a Hugh MacKay in the parish records 1764-1814. To identify "this" Hugh MacKay, you describe him as "macNishMacEan". He is the only Hugh MacKay whose father was Angus (Aonghas - Gaelic used a soft "g", so its genitive case sounds in English like "nish". Angus MacKay's father was John MacKay. There would only be one Hugh in the parish with a father called Angus and a grandfather called John, so the Minister's records would identify him. In fact, the record of the birth of their son George (baptised 23rd April 1786) reveals that Hugh's great-grandfather was Alastair MacKay

The same applies to his wife. She was Janet Mackay, daughter of John MacKay the son of James MacKay.

Records show they had five children; George, Barbara, John, Angus and John, the last born in 1795

[Karen McDonald]

Thanks very much, djct59! Fascinating stuff. I had no idea about that.

This may not be my thread, but it has helped me!
I love this Forum. 

Thanks again,
Karen