127: Gearastan Deòrsa
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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Gearastan Deòrsa
Tha Oidhche Ghuy Fawkes dìreach air a dhol seachad, agus iomadh cù anns a’ bhaile agam fhìn, Inbhir Nis, a’ gabhail eagal mòr ro na cleasan-teine a thig a-mach aig an àm seo a h-uile bliadhna. Tha sgeulachd annasach agam mu dheidhinn rudeigin car coltach ri Oidhche Ghuy Fawkes, agus cù, a thachair ann an Inbhir Nis o chionn fhada, agus innsidh mi sin dhuibh aig deireadh na Litreach.
Bidh sibh eòlach, ’s dòcha, air a’ ghearastan, faisg air Inbhir Nis, air cladach Linne Mhoireibh, air a bheil Gearastan Deòrsa, no Fort George, mar ainm. Nuair a thòisich an Seanailear Wade air a bhith a’ togail rathaidean air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, cha robh a leithid ann. Ach bha gearastan ann an Inbhir Nis, far a bheil an caisteal an-diugh, air an robh “Gearastan Deòrsa”.
Bha an Seanailear Wade dhen bheachd gu robh an gearastan sin cudthromach ann a bhith a’ cumail smachd air a’ cheann a tuath agus, mar sin, chaidh na rathaidean-airm a thog e, eadar an ceann a deas agus an ceann a tuath, a dh’ionnsaigh Inbhir Nis. Eadar Dùn Chailleann agus Inbhir Nis. Eadar Inbhir Nis agus Cille Chuimein, agus eadar Cille Chuimein agus an dà chuid, Gearastan Inbhir Lòchaidh agus Gearastan Bheàrnaraigh ann an Gleann Eilg, air a’ chost’ an iar.
Bha mi a-muigh an là eile, air là ciùin foghair, le dathan àlainn air na craobhan, air pìos de rathad a thog Wade ann an Srath Spè. Airson còrr is ochd mìle, faodaidh duine coiseachd air an t-seann rathad gun a dhol ro fhaisg air an A9, an rathad mòr ùr. Agus chithear seann drochaidean fhathast a bh’ air an togail le Wade no leis an fheadhainn a lean air anns an ochdamh linn deug. Tha iad gu math brèagha. Tha fhios nach robh iad a’ coimhead cho brèagha sin, ge-tà, do na Gàidheil nuair a chaidh an togail, oir ’s e am prìomh adhbhar a bh’ air an cùlaibh, smachd a chumail air muinntir an àite, is saighdearan is armachd a ghluasad orra.
Saoilidh mi gu bheil e rudeigin ìoranta gu robh na rathaidean sin na chuideachadh do dh’arm nan Seumasach ann am Bliadhna a’ Phrionnsa. Leig na rathaidean le saighdearan a’ Phrionnsa gluasad gu luath bhon iar-thuath don cheann a deas. Agus leig iad leotha tilleadh don cheann a tuath tràth sa bhliadhna, seachd deug, ceathrad ’s a sia (1746).
Nuair a ràinig iad Inbhir Nis bha Gearastan Deòrsa fhathast ann an làmhan nan Hanoibhèirianach. Ghèill iad do na Seumasaich agus cho-dhùin am Prionnsa Teàrlach gum b’ fheàrr leis an togalach a sgrios gus nach fhaigheadh an riaghaltas cothrom a chleachdadh a-rithist.
’S e oifigear Frangach a bha os cionn an spreadhaidh. Chuir e teine thuige agus dh’fhan e pìos beag air falbh. Às dèidh greis, bha e a’ smaoineachadh nach robh cùisean a’ dol ro mhath agus chaidh e a dh’ionnsaigh a’ chaisteil airson an cur ceart, airson am fùdar a lasadh a-rithist. Chaidh a chù cuide ris. Nuair a bha e cha mhòr aig an togalach, spreadh e agus chaidh am Frangach a shadail suas anns an adhar cho fada ’s gun tàinig e gu tìr, no gun tàinig a chorp loisgte gu tìr, trì cheud slat air falbh, air taobh thall na h-aibhne.
B’ e sin deireadh Gearastan Deòrsa, agus deireadh an oifigeir Fhrangaich. Ach an cù? Uill, bha esan fhathast beò as dèidh a thurais san adhar thairis air Abhainn Nis. Ach chaill e earball. Is iongantach mura chaill e, mar a chailleas mòran chon air Oidhche Ghuy Fawkes, beagan de chuid mhisneachd cuideachd.
Faclan na Litreach: cleasan-teine: fireworks; gearastan: garrison, barracks, fort; Dùn Chailleann: Dunkeld; Cille Chuimein: Fort Augustus; Gearastan Inbhir Lòchaidh: Fort William; Gearastan Bheàrnaraigh: Bernera Barracks; àlainn: beautiful; ghèill iad: they surrendered; a chorp loisgte: his burnt body; earball: (his) tail.
Abairtean na Litreach: cha robh a leithid ann: nothing of the sort existed; ann a bhith a’ cumail smachd air a’ cheann a tuath: in controlling the north; chaidh na rathaidean-airm a thog e a dh’ionnsaigh Inbhir Nis: the military roads he built went towards Inverness; ann an Gleann Eilg air a’ chost’ an iar: in Glenelg on the west coast; air là ciùin foghair: on a calm autumn day; gun a dhol ro fhaisg air an A9:without going too close to the A9; chithear seann drochaidean fhathast a bh’ air an togail le Wade:old bridges which were built by Wade can still be seen; ’s e am prìomh adhbhar a bh’ air an cùlaibh smachd a chumail air muinntir an àite: the main reason behind [their construction] was to control the local people; leig na rathaidean le saighdearan a’ Phrionnsa gluasad gu luath bhon iar-thuath don cheann a deas: the roads allowed the Prince’s soldiers to move quickly from the north-west to the south; bha e ann an làmhan nan Hanoibhèirianach: it was in the hands of the Hanoverians; gum b’ fheàrr leis an togalach a sgrios:that he would prefer to destroy the building; airson am fùdar a lasadh a-rithist: to light the (gun)powder again; chaidh a chù cuide ris: his dog went with him; chaidh am Frangach a shadail suas anns an adhar: the Frenchman was thrown up into the air; air taobh thall na h-aibhne: on the other side of the river; is iongantach mura chaill e beagan de chuid mhisneachd cuideachd: I would imagine he lost some of his confidence as well.
Puing-ghràmair na Litreach: (agus) iomadh cù a’ gabhail eagal mòr ro na cleasan-teine a thig a-mach aig an àm seo: (when) many dogs get frightened by the fireworks which come out at this time. The point I want to make this week is how you express fear of something in particular. To say, for example, the dog is scared, we say simply tha eagal air a’ chù (or tha an t-eagal air a’ chù ). The preposition is “air” ie you have fear “on” you. But to say you are scared of something in particular, you specify that with the preposition “ro” eg tha an t-eagal air Dòmhnall ro Iain (Donald is afraid of John); a bheil an t-eagal ort romham? (are you afraid of me?); bha an t-eagal orra ro na saighdearan (they were scared of the soldiers). You will note that “ro”, like “air” is a simple preposition and therefore commands a noun in the dative case. Where there is no article, “ro” lenites the following noun eg bha an t-eagal air ro mhèirlich (he was scared of robbers); bha eagal mo bheatha orm ro Theàrlach (I was petrified of Charles).
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: saoilidh mi gu bheil e rudeigin ìoranta: I think it’s somewhat ironic.
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