‘An t-Sultain’ is the Scottish Gaelic for the month of September (roughly pronounced ‘an tool teen’). This is commonly thought to mean the ‘time of fattening’ in terms of livestock and getting them ready for winter and perhaps going off to market. The root word of this is ‘sult’ which in Gaelic means ‘fat’ or ‘plumpness’ and of course this was also the time of harvest, when crops and fruits would be at their most full.

September traditionally marks the middle of the harvest time in the Highlands and coincidently September in Irish Gaelic is ‘meán fómhair’ which literally means the ‘middle of harvest’. Here in Scotland ‘Am Foghar’ is the word for the season of Autumn and again connected to this time of Harvest. However, the root of this word is ‘fogh’ and this can mean ‘hospitality’ and so it was also a time of feasting and rejoicing celebrating the harvest in Celtic culture and we still have these harvest festivals that happen in many places in Britain today.

These ancient customs were often taken from their pagan origins and became feast days with the Christian church. ‘Michaelmas’ is the feast day of St Michael and is celebrated on the 29th of September and this was an important day in the calendar in many parts of the Highlands. Various customs were associated with this day such as the pulling of your carrots from the ground and if you found a 2 pronged one you would have good luck! But also this was also the day that a cake called ‘bonnach struthan’ or Struan Cake was baked, usually by the eldest daughter in the family and this represented the fruits of the harvest. A blessing was also given to the household in the Highlands too and this was:

Là Fhèill Mìcheil nì sinn struthan. Gabhaidh sinn dheth gu cridheil càirdeil. Mar bu chòir a bhith.
(On St Michael’s Day we will make a cake. We will partake of it in a joyful friendly manner. As is proper.)

We also have in September of course the Harvest Moon, which in Gaelic is sometimes called ‘gealach bhuidhe na Fèill-Mhìcheil’ or the ‘yellow moon of Michealmas’. This was very evident here at Eilean Iarmain this week! So why not enjoy the fruits of the Highland Harvest with great food in our bar and restaurant and perhaps book a stay with us this Autumn?