| Death and Silence | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Native name | Máireolth 's Táibhelùic |
| Etymology | Named for its deceptive state of calm and silence despite the waters underneath being lethal. |
| Basin | |
| River system | Óibh Dhéru |
| Progression | Naint Táibhelùic - Láic Táibhelùic |
| Main source | Glenn Táibhelùic |
| River mouth | Láic-o'n-dTéaiseoig-Máire |
| Alt. difference | 50 metres |
| Physiognomy | |
| Length | 1.2 km |
| Width |
|
| Depth |
|
| Discharge |
|
| Features | |
| Waterfalls | Reaidhrin-áirt - Reaidhrin-cóich |
The Máireolth 's Táibhelùic[1] (Sceilgeaig: Muirealg 's Tuailg[2]), Fernolian for Death and Silence, is a river and townland located on Eoil Sceilge in Rockall. The river is notable for its unusual geological structure where the surface of the river seems calm and safe, whereas the subsurface part of it is a lethal rapid running through a deep crevice with many corners which have proven deadly.
Access[]
The river can be accessed most easily from the north. Car drivers can park at the car park along the road between Point nan Eoil Máibheuirr and Táibhelùic, whilst visitors using the train can alight at Láic Táibhelùic Halt, just to the north of Láic Táibhelùic. A footpath around the lake provides access to the river; it takes a hike of approximately 2 kilometres to reach the outflow, which is located on the southwestern shore.
The Glenn Trail, which runs from Point nan Eoil on Eoil Sceilge to Dáillódhghapéointe on Gléaoinnenoileun, runs along the eastern side of the river.
Progression[]
With a length of 1.2 km, the Máireolth 's Táibhelùic is a relatively short river running from Láic Táibhelùic in the north to Láic-o'n-dTéaiseoig-Máire in the south. More precisely, it runs towards the south-southwest along its entire length.
The source of the river system that Máireolth 's Táibhelùic belongs to is a small well near the village of Táibhelùic, from where the Naint Táibhelùic runs towards the Láic Táibhelùic. The river runs for 1.2 km through the forest on the plateau, descending 50 metres as it runs towards and eventually empties into the Láic-o'n-dTéaiseoig-Máire.
The Láic-o'n-dTéaiseoig-Máire is drained by the Óibh Dhéru, which runs through the Glenn Déru and empties into the sea at Óiberdéru.
Geography[]
Waterfalls[]
There are two named waterfalls in the river: Reaidhrin-áirt and Reaidhrin-cóich. The Reaidhrin-áirt are located approximately 250 metres downriver from Láic Táibhelùic and falls down 6 metres, followed by a smaller fall of only 2 metres. The Reaidhrin-cóich descend 10 metres over a length of 50 metres at the mouth of the river into Láic-o'n-dTéaiseoig-Máire.
History[]
A famous story involving the Máireolth 's Táibhelùic is the story of Elsin, Prince of the Two Rivers, who was heir-apparent to the throne of the Kingdom of Gréine under Queen Dráigea II in the 13th century.
The story goes that the young prince, then in his later teens, decided to disregard the advice of his mother and the court councillors and rode with a couple of friends to the infamous river. In his misjudgement there, he decided to try and jump over the narrowest part of the river (incidentally the part that is also the wildest under the surface), and he slipped following a wrong landing after the fourth jump across, falling into the waters below.
According to the story, all that was found of the young prince was a torn off arm covered in deep cuts to the bone, and that the outlet of the river into the lake turned red, coloured by the blood of the young prince. The lake thus became known as Láic-o'n-dTéaiseoig-Máire, or "Dead Prince Lake", and the waterfalls at the outlet as Reaidhrin-cóich, or "Red Waterfalls".