748: Iain Guinne, am ‘mèirleach onarach’
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
Tha an litir ag obrachadh leis an fhaclair. Tagh an taba ‘teacsa Gàidhlig’ agus tagh facal sam bith san teacsa agus fosglaidh am faclair ann an taba ùr agus bidh mìneachadh den fhacal ann. The letter is integrated with the dictionary. Select the tab ‘Gaelic text’ and choose any word and the dictionary will open and you will see the English explanation of the Gaelic word.
Iain Guinne, am ‘mèirleach onarach’
Bidh mòran agaibh eòlach air an t-Slochd air an A9. Tha e deas air Inbhir Nis eadar Srath Èireann agus Srath Spè. ’S e seann litreachadh a th’ ann an S-L-O-C-H-D; thathar ga litreachadh S-L-O-C an-diugh.
Leis an fhìrinn innse, tha trì slocan an sin. ’S iad sin an Sloc Mòr, far a bheil an rathad mòr agus an loidhne-rèile ri taobh a chèile, an Sloc Beag, anns a bheil an loidhne-rèile agus rathad beag ionadail (an seann A9), agus Sloc Muic.
’S e Slochd Mhuic a th’ air na mapaichean OS, ach ’s e ‘Sloc Muic’ a chanas muinntir an àite. Gu dearbh, ’s e Sluch Muichk a th’ aig Uilleam Roy air a’ mhapa-airm a rinn e ann am meadhan an ochdamh linn deug.
Tha Allt Sloc Muic a’ sruthadh tron t-Sloc. Anns an t-seann aimsir, bha an rathad eadar Inbhir Nis agus meadhan na h-Alba a’ ruith co-shìnte ri Allt Sloc Muic. B’ e sin an rathad a thog an Seanalair Wade, agus gabhaidh e leantainn fhathast.
Tha coille anns an àite an-diugh ach tha amharas agam nach robh an uair sin. Tha mo bheachd stèidhichte air mapa Roy, nach eil a’ sealltainn coille. Co-dhiù bha coille ann gus nach robh, bha an t-àite math airson mèirlich a bhith a’ feitheamh ri luchd-taisteil.
Aig deireadh an ochdamh linn deug, bha mèirleach ann air an robh Iain Guinne mar ainm. Bha e a’ fuireach taobh a’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh ann am badeigin agus bha e mion-eòlach air gach pàirt dhen rathad eadar Inbhir Nis is Bàideanach. A dh’aindeoin ’s gun robh e ri mèirle, bha cliù aige mar dhuine onarach, mar a chì sinn bhon stòiridh a tha mi a’ dol a dh’innse dhuibh.
Bha teachdaire a’ dol eadar Inbhir Nis agus a’ Ghalltachd, le airgead mòr na sporan a bha e a’ dol a thoirt do chuideigin aig deas. Chan eil mi buileach cinnteach cà’ robh e, ach b’ fheudar dha an oidhche a chur seachad ann an taigh-òsta air an rathad. Thàinig fear eile a-steach don taigh-òsta. Bha am fear seo na Ghàidheal agus bha èideadh spaideil Gàidhealach air.
Ghabh an dithis suipear còmhla agus, leis gun robh an còmhradh a’ dol gu math, thuirt an teachdaire ris an fhear eile gun robh an t-eagal air ro Iain Guinne. Dh’inns e don fhear eile gun robh e a’ giùlan airgead. Agus thuirt am fear spaideil ris, ‘Na gabh eagal, bidh mi nam fhear-iùil dhut a-màireach agus cha tig trioblaid nad rathad.’
An ath mhadainn, dh’fhalbh an dithis còmhla. An dèidh greis, thionndaidh an Gàidheal spaideil air an teachdaire agus thuirt e, ‘Am bu toigh leat sealladh fhaighinn de dh’Iain Guinne?’
‘Cha bu toil,’ fhreagair am fear eile, ach cho luath ’s a bha na faclan a-mach às a’ bheul aige, thuig e a mhearachd.
‘Is mise Iain Guinne,’ thuirt am fear spaideil. Rinn e fead. Nochd buidheann de dhaoine sa bhad – an luchd-taice aige. Bha an t-eagal air an teachdaire.
‘Na gabh eagal,’ thuirt an Guinneach, ‘Bha mi a’ dol a thoirt do chuid airgid bhuat ach chuir thu earbsa annam. Agus, mar sin, leigidh mi leat falbh.’ Sheall e an t-slighe air adhart don teachdaire agus dh’fhalbh e fhèin ’s na daoine aige don mhonadh. Sin agaibh am ‘mèirleach onarach’ – Iain Guinne.
Faclan na Litreach: mapa-airm: military map; an Seanalair Wade: General Wade; Bàideanach: Badenoch; teachdaire: message; Iain Guinne: John Gunn; fead: whistle.
Abairtean na Litreach: Bidh mòran agaibh eòlach air an t-Slochd air an A9: many of you will know the Slochd on the A9 (main road); deas air Inbhir Nis eadar Srath Èireann agus Srath Spè: south of Inverness between Strathdearn and Strathspey; far a bheil an rathad mòr agus an loidhne-rèile ri taobh a chèile: where the main road and the railway line come close to each other; gabhaidh e leantainn fhathast: it can still be followed; tha amharas agam nach robh an uair sin: I suspect there wasn’t at that time; nach eil a’ sealltainn coille: which doesn’t show a wood; co-dhiù bha coille ann gus nach robh: whether or not there was a wood there; airson mèirlich a bhith a’ feitheamh ri luchd-taisteil:for robbers to wait for travellers; taobh a’ Mhonaidh Ruaidh: in the region of the Cairngorms; a dh’aindeoin ’s gun robh e ri mèirle: despite the fact that he was involved in robbery; bha cliù aige mar dhuine onarach: he was renowned as an honourable man; b’ fheudar dha an oidhche a chur seachad ann an taigh-òsta: he had to spend the night in a hostelry; bha èideadh spaideil Gàidhealach air:he was smartly dressed in Highland clothes; ghabh an dithis suipear còmhla: the two men took supper together; na gabh eagal:don’t be afraid; bidh mi nam fhear-iùil dhut a-màireach agus cha tig trioblaid nad rathad:I’ll act as your guide tomorrow and no trouble will come your way; am bu toigh leat sealladh fhaighinn de?:would you like to get a view of?; cho luath ’s a bha na faclan a-mach às a’ bheul aige, thuig e a mhearachd: as soon as the words were out of his mouth, he appreciated his mistake; chuir thu earbsa annam: you put trust in me; leigidh mi leat falbh: I’ll let you leave.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Have you ever had a look at William Roy’s map of Scotland, based on his military survey of 1747-55? If not, I’d recommend you to have a look at what he recorded in your part of the country. You’ll see (an anglicised form of) the Gaelic names of settlements in the 18th Century, including some which no longer exist. It’s available as a zoomable, seamless map on the website of the National Library of Scotland.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: a’ ruith co-shìnte ri: running parallel to.
Download the text of this week's letter as a PDF:Thoir a-nuas Litir mar PDF:
PDF documents are especially suited for printing out. Most computers can open PDF files, but if you have problems viewing them you may need to install reader software such as Tha faidhleachan PDF gu sònraichte math airson clò-bhualadh. Tha e furasta gu leòr do chuid de choimpiutairean faidhleachan PDF fhosgladh, ach ma tha trioblaid agad ‘s dòcha gum biodh e feumail bathar-bog mar Adobe Acrobat Reader. fhaighinn.
Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 444
Podcast
BBC offers this litir as a podcast: Visit the programme page for more info and to download or subscribe. Tha am BBC a’ tabhainn seo mar podcast. Tadhail air an duilleag-phrògraim airson barrachd fiosrachaidh no airson podcast fhaighinn