478: Sliochd Shomhairle Ruaidh
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
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Sliochd Shomhairle Ruaidh
Na bu tràithe dhen bhliadhna seo bha mi ann an Gleann Nibheis, faisg air a’ Ghearasdan. Tha ceann shuas a’ ghlinne dìreach àlainn. Tha Abhainn Nibheis a’ sruthadh eadar beanntan mòra tro ghleann is glòm a tha làn chraobhan dùthchasach.
Faisg air ceann an rathaid, tha uamh. Tha i air a comharrachadh air a’ mhapa mar Uamh Shomhairle. Tha eachdraidh inntinneach aice.
’S e Sliochd Shomhairle Ruaidh a chanar ris na Camshronaich a bhuineadh do Ghleann Nibheis. ’S e MacShomhairle ainm a’ chinnidh aca no, ann am Beurla, MacSorlie. Thathar a’ dèanamh ceangal eadar iad fhèin agus Camshronaich eile. Thathar ag ràdh gun d’ fhuair iad fearann anns a’ ghleann anns an treas linn deug. Tha cuid eile dhen bheachd, ge-tà, gur e Dòmhnallaich a bh’ annta bho thùs, agus gun d’ fhuair an tùsair aca, Somhairle, fearann anns a’ ghleann bho Iain, Triath nan Eilean, anns a’ chòigeamh linn deug.
Tha cnoc anns a’ ghleann air a bheil Dùn Dìge. Thathar ag ràdh gun robh daingneach aig Clann Shomhairle an sin. Feumaidh gun robh dìg timcheall an dùin uaireigin.
Bha Clann Shomhairle agus na Catanaich a-mach air a chèile gu dubh. Bha ceann-cinnidh Chlann Shomhairle ag iarraidh gum biodh sìth eatarra. Chuir e cuireadh do na Catanaich riochdairean a chur a Dhùn Dìge airson deagh chàirdeas a stèidheachadh eatarra.
Chaidh an gnothach gu math. Bha gach taobh a’ faighinn air adhart gu math le chèile. Thàinig an uair airson falbh. Dh’iarr ceann-cinnidh Chlann Shomhairle air a phìobaire port a ghabhail airson soraidh a leigeil leis na h-aoighean. Ge-tà, tha e coltach nach robh am pìobaire air a dhòigh. Agus chluich e port gu tur mì-iomchaidh air a bheil Thigibh an seo, a chlann nan con, ’s gheibh sibh feòil. ’S e sin port catha agus ghabh na Catanaich gu dona e. Dh’fhalbh iad len cuid armachd, is fearg orra. Bha iad air an tàmailteachadh.
Bha fios aig ceann-cinnidh Chlann Shomhairle gun tilleadh na Catanaich airson dìoghaltas a dhèanamh orra. Ach bha e a’ smaoineachadh gun rachadh iad dhachaigh an toiseach, airson feachd a chur ri chèile. Chaidh e fhèin ’s a h-uile duine eile innte.
Ach cha robh na Catanaich air a dhol fada. Stad iad air cnoc beag sa ghleann. Cho-dhùin iad an sin dhol air ais a Dhùn Dìge sa bhad airson dìoghaltas a dhèanamh. ’S e Cnocan na Mì-chomhairle an t-ainm a th’ air a’ chnoc sin chun an latha an-diugh, air sgàth sin.
Thill iad a Dhùn Dìge. Bha a h-uile duine na bhroinn na chadal. Chuireadh an taigh na theine. Chaidh a h-uile duine a theich às a chur gu bàs. Ach fhuair dithis a-mach lem beatha – searbhant don cheann-chinnidh agus mac òg a’ chinn-chinnidh, a bha na leanabh. Tha cuid ag ainmeachadh an t-searbhant mar Iain Mac Dhòmhnaill ’ic Raghnaill. Tha cuid eile a’ dèanamh dheth gur e Somhairle a bh’ air. Phaisg e an leanabh ann am plaide, dh’fhalbh e a-mach air uinneig air cùlaibh an taighe, agus chaidh e don uaimh.
Nuair a bha e sàbhailte, dh’fhalbh an searbhant leis an leanabh. Bha spàin airgid aige a thug e leis bhon taigh. An ceann greis chaidh e gu taigh piuthar an t-seann chinn-chinnidh. Dh’aithnich ise an spàin agus ghabh i ris an leanabh mar mhac a bràthar. Thogadh an gille an sin agus, aig aois seachd-deug, rinneadh ceann-cinnidh dheth. Mura b’ e Uamh Shomhairle bha eachdraidh air a bhith gu math eadar-dhealaichte.
Faclan na Litreach: Gleann Nibheis: Glen Nevis; Uamh Shomhairle: Sorley/Somerled’s Cave; fearann: land; tùsair: progenitor; daingneach: stronghold; Na Catanaich: Clan Chattan.
Abairtean na Litreach: faisg air a’ Ghearasdan: near Fort William; tha ceann shuas a’ ghlinne dìreach àlainn: the upper part of the glen is just beautiful; glòm a tha làn chraobhan dùthchasach: a ravine that is full of native trees; a chanar ris na Camshronaich a bhuineadh do X: which the Camerons who belonged to X are called; ainm a’ chinnidh aca: the name of their clan; gur e Dòmhnallaich a bh’ annta bho thùs: that they were originally MacDonalds; Triath nan Eilean: Lord of the Isles; feumaidh gun robh dìg timcheall an dùin uaireigin: there must have been a ditch/moat around the hill/fortress at one time; airson deagh chàirdeas a stèidheachadh eatarra: to establish good relations between them; dh’iarr ceann-cinnidh Chlann Shomhairle air a phìobaire port a ghabhail: the chief of the MacSorlies asked his piper to play a tune; airson soraidh a leigeil leis na h-aoighean: to farewell the guests; gu tur mì-iomchaidh: completely inappropriate; Thigibh an seo, a chlann nan con, ’s gheibh sibh feòil: come here, children of the dogs, and you’ll get meat; port catha: a battle tune; ghabh X gu dona e: X were deeply offended by it; air an tàmailteachadh: scandalised; airson dìoghaltas a dhèanamh orra: to get revenge on them; gun rachadh iad dhachaigh an toiseach: that they would go home first; chaidh X innte: X went to bed; sa bhad: immediately; na bhroinn: inside it [the house]; chuireadh an taigh na theine: the house was set alight; fhuair dithis a-mach lem beatha: two people got out with their lives; a bha na leanabh: who was a baby; phaisg e X: he wrapped X; bha spàin airgid aige a thug e leis bhon taigh: he had a silver spoon he had taken with him from the house; mura b’ e X: if it weren’t for X; bha eachdraidh air a bhith gu math eadar-dhealaichte: his [life] story would have been very different.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Cnocan na Mì-chomhairle: the hillock of the bad/evil counsel. Can you tell why it is not Cnocan a’ Mhì-chomhairle or Cnocan na Mì-comhairle? The first thing to do in example of this nature is to decide gender. Comhairle is feminine, so mì-chomhairle will also be feminine. Thus the article in the genitive singular will be na and the noun will not be lenited (the model would also apply to comhairle eg Eilean na Comhairle in Islay). But the prefix mì- causes the rest of the noun to be lenited, regardless of case. Another example would be latha na mì-chneastachd (feminine). A masculine noun (eg mì-chòrdadh), however, would work as follows: Cnoc a’ Mhì-chòrdaidh.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: nach robh am pìobaireair a dhòigh: that the piper wasn’t happy. Note these other examples: cha robh i air a dòigh, cha robh iad air an dòigh.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 174
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