1170: An t-Albannach Fiadhaich (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.
An t-Albannach Fiadhaich (1)
An cuala sibh riamh mu fhear às a’ Ghàidhealtachd a choisinn cliù dha fhèin ann an Astràilia mar ‘An t-Albannach Fiadhaich’ no ‘The Wild Scotsman’? B’ esan Seumas Mac a’ Phearsain. Bhuineadh e do Shrath Spè agus ʼs e droch chliù, seach deagh chliù, a choisinn e. Bha e na mhèirleach-rathaid no, mar a chanas iad ann am Beurla Astràilia, bushranger. Cha chreid mi gu bheil mòran ga chuimhneachadh an-diugh, co-dhiù ann an Alba. Tha mi airson innse dhuibh mu dheidhinn.
Rugadh Seumas ann an ochd ceud deug, ceathrad ʼs a h-aon (1841) faisg air an Aghaidh Mhòir. Chaidh a bhaisteadh ann an Daothal. Thathar a’ smaoineachadh gun deach e gu sgoil ann an Daothal cuideachd.
Bha cùisean doirbh anns an sgìre nuair a bha e a’ fàs suas. Nuair a bha e òg, bha gort a’ bhuntàta ann. Bha Seumas mu thrì bliadhn’ deug a dh’aois nuair a roghnaich a phàrantan eilthireachd a dhèanamh gu Astràilia. Fhuair iad taic airgid airson sin bhon uachdaran aca, an Granndach, agus bho Chomann Eilthireachd na Gàidhealtachd.
Rinn iad an slighe sìos an Canàl Cailleannach agus an uair sin gu ruige Liverpool. Ann am meadhan na Dàmhair, sheòl iad air an t-soitheach, am William Miles.
Bhiodh a’ chuid a bu mhotha de shoithichean eilthireachd gu Astràilia a’ dol seachad air ceann a deas na tìre gu ruige Port Phillip no Port Jackson – Melbourne no Sydney. Ach, an àite sin, chaidh am William Miles gu tuath air Astràilia oir bha iad a’ dèanamh air Bàgh Mhoreton. Sin far a bheil baile mòr Bhrisbane an-diugh. ʼS e Brisbane prìomh bhaile Tìr na Banrigh.
Ràinig Seumas agus a theaghlach Bàgh Mhoreton anns an Fhaoilleach, ochd ceud deug, caogad ʼs a còig (1855). Aig an àm sin, bha Tìr na Banrigh fhathast mar phàirt de Chuimrigh Nuadh a Deas. ʼS ann ceithir bliadhna an dèidh sin a fhuair i inbhe mar thuineachadh Breatannach fa leth.
Bu mhath leam aithris gun robh an turas-cuain gun duilgheadas. Ach, a rèir choltais, cha robh. Bha an criutha gu lèir air an tilgeil don phrìosan nuair a ràinig iad Bàgh Mhoreton! Is beag fios a bh’ aig Seumas gum fàsadh esan gu math eòlach air taobh a-staigh a’ phrìosain ann am Brisbane an ceann beagan bhliadhnaichean!
Fhuair athair Sheumais obair air oighreachd, pìos suas Abhainn Bhrisbane, ris an canar Cressbrook. Bha e ag obair mar threabhaiche. Is iongantach mura robh Seumas agus a bhràithrean ag obair le crodh is caoraich. An ceann ùine, bha Seumas fìor sgileil mar mharcaiche. Bhiodh na sgilean sin air leth feumail nuair a ghabh e slighe a’ mhèirlich.
An dèidh ceithir bliadhna, ghluais an teaghlach a Bhrisbane agus fhuair Seumas preantasachd le fear-togail. Dh’ionnsaich e clachaireachd. Ceithir bliadhna an dèidh sin, ghluais an teaghlach a-mach gu sgìre dhùthchail. Bha Seumas mu dhà bhliadhna fichead a dh’aois agus bha e airson a bhith neo-eisimeileach. Ge-tà, ʼs ann an uair sin a thòisich cùisean a dhol ceàrr.
Gun rabhadh sam bith, dh’fhàg e a phreasantachd. Thachair e ri dithis fhear eile ann am Brisbane. Dh’iarr iad air a dhol cuide riutha gu tuath. Bha iad ri obair ràitheil, leithid rùsgadh chaorach. Agus, nuair nach robh obair aca, bha iad ri eucoir. Aig a’ cheann thall, mar a chì sinn, bha Seumas gu bhith na eucoireach na bu chliùitiche na ʼn dithis eile.
Faclan na Litreach: Seumas Mac a’ Phearsain: James McPherson; mèirleach: robber; mèirleach-rathaid: highwayman, bushranger; An Aghaidh Mhòr: Aviemore; meadhan na Dàmhair: the middle of October; oighreachd: estate; treabhaiche: ploughman; eucoir: crime; na bu chliùitiche: more renowned.
Abairtean na Litreach: a choisinn cliù dha fhèin ann an Astràilia: who earned a reputation for himself in Australia; bhuineadh e do Shrath Spè: he belonged to Strathspey; chaidh a bhaisteadh ann an Daothal: he was baptised in Duthil; mu thrì bliadhn’ deug a dh’aois nuair a roghnaich a phàrantan eilthireachd a dhèanamh: about thirteen years of age when his parents chose to emigrate; fhuair iad taic airgid airson sin bhon uachdaran aca, an Granndach: they received financial assistance for that from their landlord, the (Ogilvy-)Grant; Comann Eilthireachd na Gàidhealtachd: Highlands and Islands Emigration Society; rinn iad an slighe sìos an Canàl Cailleannach: they made their way down the Caledonian Canal; a’ chuid a bu mhotha de shoithichean eilthireachd: most of the emigrant ships; gu tuath air Astràilia oir bha iad a’ dèanamh air Bàgh Mhoreton: to the north of Australia because they were making for Moreton Bay; bha Tìr na Banrigh fhathast mar phàirt de Chuimrigh Nuadh a Deas: Queensland was still part of New South Wales; ʼs ann ceithir bliadhna an dèidh sin a fhuair i inbhe mar thuineachadh Breatannach fa leth: it’s four years after that it obtained status as a distinct British colony; gun robh an turas-cuain gun duilgheadas: that the voyage was without difficulty; bha an criutha gu lèir air an tilgeil don phrìosan: the entire crew was thrown into prison; is beag fios a bh’ aig X gum fàsadh esan gu math eòlach air taobh a-staigh a’ phrìosain: little did X know that he would become very familiar with the inside of the prison; fìor sgileil mar mharcaiche: very skilful as a horse rider; nuair a ghabh e slighe a’ mhèirlich: when he took the route of the robber; preantasachd le fear-togail: an apprenticeship with a builder; dh’ionnsaich e clachaireachd: he learned stonemasonry; obair ràitheil, leithid rùsgadh chaorach: seasonal work, such as shearing sheep.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Cha chreid mi gu bheil mòran ga chuimhneachadh an-diugh: I don’t think that many (people) remember him today. Remember to try to work this very idiomatic use of cha chreid mi into your everyday language. A bheil sin ceart? ‘is that correct?’ Cha chreid mi gu bheil ‘I don’t think so’.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: ʼs e droch chliù, seach deagh chliù, a choisinn e: it’s a bad reputation, rather than a good one, that he earned.
Tha “Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh” air a maoineachadh le MG ALBA
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 866
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