1065: Muileann Bheannchair (1)
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.
Muileann Bheannchair (1)
O chionn grunn sheachdainean bha mi ann an Gleann Bheannchair ann am Bàideanach. Tha e faisg air Bail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh. Bha mi air chuairt anns a’ ghleann còmhla ri feadhainn eile airson sùil a thoirt air na seann bhailtean far an robh sluagh a’ fuireach uaireigin. Chan eil duine a’ fuireach ann an-diugh.
Tha ceangal làidir ann eadar Gleann Bheannchair agus Naomh Brìde. Bha uaireigin caibeal ann a bha coisrigte do Bhrìde, agus ʼs e Eaglais Brìde a th’ air an eaglais ann am Bail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh an-diugh.
Air latha Fèill Brìde, a’ chiad latha dhen Ghearran, no an dàrna latha deug dhen Ghearran air an t-seann mhìosachan, cha bhiodh duine a’ cleachdadh a’ mhuilinn air an abhainn – muileann Ghleann Bheannchair. Bhiodh am muileann aig tàmh an latha sin. Bhiodh muinntir an àite ga ghlanadh an latha roimhe gus nach biodh gràn arbhair air fhàgail ann. Agus air Latha Fèill Brìde fhèin, cha bhiodh duine eadhon a’ dol faisg air a’ mhuileann.
A rèir beul-aithris, ʼs ann mar a leanas a dh’èirich an deas-ghnàth sin. Bha uaireigin banntrach a’ fuireach ann an Gleann Bheannchair, rudeigin faisg air a’ mhuileann. Cha robh airgead aice, ach bhiodh i a’ pàigheadh a màil ann an arbhar.
Bliadhna a bha seo, ge-tà, bha i beò ann am bochdainn – agus ann am fiachan. Bha i fhèin agus a dithis chloinne ann an cunnart gum biodh iad air an cur a-mach às an taigh aca. Bha iad feumach air biadh, ge-tà, agus chuir am boireannach an t-arbhar air fad aice chun a’ mhuilinn airson a bhleith.
Bha am muillear na thrustar agus chuir e fios gu duine eile aig an robh airgead air a’ bhoireannach. Thug esan leis an t-arbhar air fad aice. Cha b’ fhada gus an robh i fhèin is a cuid cloinne air am fuadachadh às an taigh aca.
ʼS e an geamhradh a bh’ ann. Gu dearbh, ʼs e Latha Fèill Brìde a bh’ ann. Rinn an triùir air taigh seanmhair a’ bhoireannaich. Bha sin ann am baile beag ri taobh Loch Ubhaidh, deas air Bail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh. Bha cliù aig a seanmhair gur e bana-bhuidseach a bh’ innte.
Gu mì-fhortanach, thàinig cur is cathadh, agus cha do ràinig am boireannach no a dithis chloinne an taigh. Chaill iad am beatha anns an stoirm.
Nuair a chuala i an naidheachd, bha seanmhair a’ bhoireannaich fiadhaich. Rinn i mallachd an dà chuid air a’ mhuillear agus air an duine aig an robh airgead air a ban-ogha. Goirid an dèidh sin, thug am fear sin a chuid arbhair don mhuileann. Chuir e anns an àth e, airson tiormachadh. ʼS e an oidhche a bh’ ann. An ath mhadainn, bha an àth air a losgadh gu làr. Bha cuirp na dithis fhear nan laighe còmhla, agus botal briste eatarra.
A rèir choltais, bha a’ mhallachd fhathast a’ dol. Thog bràthair a’ mhuilleir an ath às ùr. Taobh a-staigh bliadhna, chaill e làmh ann an uidheamachd a’ mhuilinn, agus dh’fhàs e cho tinn ʼs gun do chaochail e. An uair sin, bha am muileann air fad air a sgrios le teine.
Bha muinntir na sgìre a’ tuigsinn gun robh an t-seanmhair – a’ bhana-bhuidseach – air am muileann a chur fo mhallachd. Chaidh feadhainn aca a bhruidhinn rithe. Agus innsidh mi dhuibh an ath sheachdain dè thachair.
Abairtean na Litreach: airson sùil a thoirt air na seann bhailtean far an robh sluagh a’ fuireach uaireigin: to look at the old settlements where people once lived; bha caibeal ann a bha coisrigte do Bhrìde: there was a chapel there that was dedicated to St Bride; cha bhiodh duine a’ cleachdadh a’ mhuilinn air an abhainn: nobody was using the mill on the river; bhiodh muinntir an àite ga ghlanadh an latha roimhe gus nach biodh gràn arbhair air fhàgail ann: the local people would clean it the day before so that there was not a grain of corn left in it; ʼs ann mar a leanas a dh’èirich an deas-ghnàth: the custom arose in the following way; bhiodh i a’ pàigheadh a màil ann an arbhar: she would pay her rent in corn; bliadhna a bha seo, ge-tà, bha i beò ann am bochdainn – agus ann am fiachan: this particular year, however, she was living in poverty – and in debt; ann an cunnart gum biodh iad air an cur a-mach às an taigh aca: in danger that they would be put out of their house; chuir am boireannach an t-arbhar air fad aice chun a’ mhuilinn airson a bhleith: the woman sent all her corn to the mill for grinding; bha am muillear na thrustar: the miller was a scoundrel; aig an robh airgead air a’ bhoireannach: who was owed money by the woman; rinn an triùir air taigh seanmhair a’ bhoireannaich: the three [of them] made for the woman’s grandmother’s house; bha cliù aig a seanmhair gur e bana-bhuidseach a bh’ innte: the grandmother had the reputation of being a witch; chuir e anns an àth e, airson tiormachadh: he put it in the kiln to dry; air a losgadh gu làr: burned to the ground.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: an dàrna latha deug dhen Ghearranair an t-seann mhìosachan:the twelfth of February on the old calendar . Or you might say mìosachan an t-seann nòis or am mìosachan Iulianach . This is the old ‘Julian’ calendar, replaced in most parts of Europe in 1582 by am Mìosachan Griogarach (the Gregorian Calendar). A few places in Scotland still celebrate the ‘old’ Hogmanay on the night of 11 January.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: an duine aig an robh airgead air a ban-ogha: the man who was owned money by the granddaughter.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 761
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