331: An t-Urramach Tormod MacLeòid (1)
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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An t-Urramach Tormod MacLeòid (1)
An t-seachdain sa chaidh bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu na Cuimrich a dh’fhàg a’ Chuimrigh is a chaidh a dh’fhuireach ann an Argentina, agus an uair sin a dh’fhàg Argentina agus a chaidh a dh’fhuireach ann an Saskatchewan. Uill, bha buidheann de Ghàidheil ann a rinn an dearbh sheòrsa rud, ach chaidh iad mòran na b’ fhaide. Chanadh iad na Normanites riutha oir b’ e an ceannard fear air an robh Norman McLeod – an t-Urramach Tormod MacLeòid. Anns an Litir seo, agus anns an feadhainn a leanas oirre, tha mi airson innse dhuibh mu na daoine sin.
Rugadh Tormod MacLeòid ann an Asainte ann an seachd ceud deug is ochdad (1780). Bha a phàrantan ri croitearachd is iasgach ach bha Tormod na sgoilear math agus aig aois fichead ’s a seachd, chaidh e a dh’Oilthigh Obair Dheathain. Dh’ionnsaich e Seann Ghreugais, Matamataig, Eòlas-nàdair, Feallsanachd Nàdarrach agus Feallsanachd Mhoralta. Nuair a cheumnaich e ann an ochd ceud deug ’s a dhà-dheug (1812), bhuannaich e am bonn òir airson Feallsanachd Mhoralta.
Chaidh e dhachaigh a dh’Asainte agus phòs e a leannan, Màiri NicLeòid. An uair sin, airson dreuchd fhaighinn mar mhinistear, b’ fheudar dha dhol a Dhùn Èideann airson cùrsa a dhèanamh ann an Diadhachd. Ach airson ùine mhòr bha Tormod air a bhith a’ fàs na bu theagmhaiche mun Eaglais mar a bha i agus gu seachd àraidh mu na ministearan innte. Bha iad ro dhìleas do na h-uachdarain agus do dh’ùghdarrasan na stàite. Bha cus ùidh aca, na bheachd, ann an gnothaichean saoghalta, seach gnothaichean spioradail. Rinn Tormod co-dhùnadh mòr. Leig e seachad a’ mhinistrealachd. “B fheàrr leam,” sgrìobh e, “a bhith ceangailte le sèine ri tràill nan Innsean an Iar, agus cogais shaor agam, seach a bhith ceangailte ri pearsaichean-eaglais na h-Alba mar a tha iad an-dràsta…”
Ged a bha an Eaglais a-nise dùinte dha, bha cothrom aige na dh’ionnsaich e ann am foghlam a chur gu feum mar fhear-teagaisg. Fhuair e obair mar thidsear sgoile ann an Ulapul. ’S iad an fheadhainn a dh’fhastaich e buidheann air an robh The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. A bharrachd air a bhith a’ teagasg tron t-seachdain, bhathar an dùil gun leughadh e na Sgriobtaran do mhuinntir an àite air an t-Sàbaid. Cha robh am ministear, an t-Ollamh Ross, ann an Ulapul gu tric air an t-Sàbaid oir bha an sgìre aige ro mhòr.
Agus nuair a bha e a’ searmonachadh ann an Ulapul, ged is e duine foghlamaichte a bh’ ann, cha do chòrd na thuirt e bhon chùbaid ri Tormod idir. Bha Tormod dhen bheachd gu robh na searmonan aige farsaing ach eu-domhain. Sguir e dhol don Eaglais nuair a bha an t-Oll. Ross anns a’ chùbaid. Cha robh e diùid ann a bhith ag innse do dhaoine carson nach robh e a’ frithealadh na h-eaglais air an t-Sàbaid.
Bha am ministear mì-thoilichte mu dheidhinn dol-a-mach Thormoid. Sàbaid a bha seo, bha e a’ searmonachadh ann an Ulapul agus dh’fhàs e feargach. Thuirt e ris a’ choitheanal, nan robh duine aca a’ toirt taic don tidsear, agus na beachdan a bha e a’ cur an cèill, gum faodadh iad falbh sa bhad. Ach chaidh e na b’ fhaide na sin. Dh’òrdaich e do mhuinntir a’ bhaile an cuid cloinne a thoirt a-mach à sgoil Thormoid. Thug a’ chuid a bu mhotha dhiubh an taic do Thormod, ge-tà.
Dh’iarr am ministear air an tidsear nochdadh mu choinneamh seisean na h-Eaglais. Agus chì sinn dè thachair ann an ath-sheachdain.
Faclan na Litreach: cheumnaich: graduated; bonn òir: gold medal; Diadhachd: Theology; sèine: chain; tràill: slave; pearsaichean-eaglais: clergy; Ulapul: Ullapool; diùid: shy.
Abairtean na Litreach: a dh’fhàg Argentina agus a chaidh a dh’fhuireach ann an Saskatchewan: who left Argentina and went to live in Saskatchewan; chaidh iad mòran na b’ fhaide: they went much further; chanadh iad X riutha: they called [would call] them X; agus anns an feadhainn a leanas oirre:and in the ones which follow it [on her]; Seann Ghreugais, Matamataig, Eòlas-nàdair, Feallsanachd Nàdarrach agus Feallsanachd Mhoralta: Ancient Greek, Mathematics, Natural History, Natural Philosophy and Moral Philosophy; phòs e a leannan: he married his sweetheart; b’ fheudar dha dhol a Dhùn Èideann: he had to go to Edinburgh; bha Tormod air a bhith a’ fàs na bu theagmhaiche: Norman had been growing more dubious; ro dhìleas do na h-uachdarain: to loyal to the landlords; bha cus ùidh aca ann an gnothaichean saoghalta: they were too interested in wordly matters; seach gnothaichean spioradail: rather than spiritual matters; an fheadhainn a dh’fhastaich e: the ones who hired him; bha an sgìre aige ro mhòr: his parish was too large; ged is e duine foghlamaichte a bh’ ann: although he was an educated man; gu robh na searmonan aige farsaing ach eu-domhain: that his sermons were broad but shallow; nuair a bha an t-Oll. Ross anns a’ chùbaid: when Dr. Ross was in the pulpit; dh’fhàs e feargach: he grew angry; nan robh duine aca a’ toirt taic don tidsear: if any of them supported the teacher; gum faodadh iad falbh sa bhad: that they could leave immediately; an cuid cloinne a thoirt a-mach à sgoil Thormoid: to remove their children from Norman’s school; nochdadh mu choinneamh seisean na h-Eaglais: to appear in front of the Kirk session.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Sàbaid a bha seo: this particular Sunday/Sabbath. Do you notice that I have not used the common phrase Là/Latha na Sàbaid (Sabbath Day) here, but simply the noun Sàbaid(Sabbath). This is a common usage and not only for religious purposes; eg we might say bidh am prògram sin air an teilidh a h-uile Sàbaid(that programme is on the telly every Sunday). Sàbaid is a feminine noun (hence Là na Sàbaid ); for “Sunday afternoon” we might say feasgar na Sàbaid. Note the alternative Didòmhnaich for Sunday.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: bhathar an dùil gun leughadh e na Sgriobtaran do mhuinntir an àite air an t-Sàbaid it was expected that he would read the Scriptures to the local people on the Sabbath. Bhathar/bhathas an dùil: it was expected. Thathar/thathas an dùil: it is expected.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 27
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