Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh: Niall Mòr nam Breac

le Ruairidh MacIlleathain

Niall Mòr nam Breac


Each week the West Highland Free Press publishes the text for Ruairidh ‘s “Letter to Gaelic Learners” on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal (103.5-105 FM). Broadcasts are as follows: 10.00 pm on Sunday, following the Gaelic Learners’ programme ‘Beag air Bheag’, with a repeat at 10.30 pm on Wednesday. This is Litir 1,087. There is also a simpler version – An Litir Bheag – which is broadcast at 4.03 pm each Sunday. Litir Bheag 783 corresponds to Litir 1,087. The Litir is also available at www.bbc.co.uk/litir and www.learngaelic.scot/litir.

Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mun Bhaintighearna Liondsaidh, ban-ogha aig Rìgh Seumas I. Bha i glaiste ann an caisteal os cionn Uisge Eireachd, an dèidh dhi an duine aice a mhurt. Gach latha, bha aice ri snàithlean a shnìomh a ruigeadh an abhainn trì cheud troigh fòidhpe. Chan fhaigheadh i biadh gus an robh an snàithlean deiseil. Rinn i sin cho fada ʼs gun robh na corragan aice air an caitheamh gu mòr mus do chaochail i.

An dèidh a bàis, thill an taibhs aice don chaisteal. Agus lean i oirre le bhith a’ snìomh a snàithlein gach latha. Chùm i a dol airson còrr is dà cheud bliadhna mar sin, latha an dèidh latha, gu h-aonaranach anns a’ chaisteal aice air Creag an Fhithich.

Faisg air dà cheud bliadhna an dèidh a bàis, bha Blàr Chùil Lodair ann, nuair a thàinig Ar-a-mach nan Seumasach gu ceann. Bha cuid de na fir à Gleann Eireachd air a bhith ann an arm nan Seumasach. Bha iad a-nise nan ruagalaichean. Nam measg, bha Niall Mòr nam Breac.

Fhuair Niall a fhrith-ainm leis gun robh e fìor mhath mar iasgair-slait. Bha e a’ leantainn air feadhainn eile san teaghlach aige. Rinn fear dhiubh rudeigin math airson rìgh air choreigin. Dh’fhaighnich an rìgh gu dè an duais a bha e ag iarraidh. ‘Tha,’ thuirt e, ‘gum bi na h-uachdarain, air gach taobh dhen abhainn os cionn Bhlàr Ghobharaidh, a’ leagail a h-uile craobh a chuireas stad air iasgair bho bhith a’ siabadh le slat.’ Dh’aontaich an rìgh, agus bha còraichean iasgaich aig cinneadh Nèill fad bhliadhnaichean.

Bha e nàdarrach, ma-thà, gum biodh Niall a’ dol am falach ri taobh na h-aibhne. Bha saighdearan dearga stèidhichte faisg air làimh ann an Srath Àrdail. Lorg Niall còs eadar na creagan, dìreach os cionn bonn Creag an Fhithich. Bha e toilichte gu leòr an sin. Ghlac e bric gu leòr anns an abhainn – dha fhèin is do fheadhainn eile a bha am falach faisg air.

Bha e sàbhailte bho na saighdearan dearga, ach cha robh bho thuiltean. Bha uisge mòr ann an Srath Àrdail, agus thàinig tuil – coltach ri làgaraid – sìos Uisge Àrdail agus a-steach don Eireachd. Cha robh fios aig Niall gun robh e a’ tighinn. Gu h-obann thàinig an t-uisge a-steach don chòs aige, agus chaidh a sguabadh a-mach.

Bha e ann an cunnart a bheatha. Ach, nuair a bha e fo Chreag an Fhithich, mhothaich e gun robh snàithlean crochte bhon bhearradh gu h-àrd. Ghabh e grèim air agus, ged a bha e tana, bha e làidir gu leòr airson leigeil leis bruach na h-aibhne a ruigsinn. Ghabh e grèim air preas feàrna agus tharraing e e fhèin a-mach às an uisge.

Nuair a thug e sùil an-àirde, cò chunnaic e ach taibhs na Baintighearna Liondsaidh le cuigeal na làimh. Ghabh e eagal agus thilg e an ceann aigesan dhen t-snàithlean don uisge. Nuair a rinn e sin, thilg ise a’ chuigeal agus an còrr dhen t-snàithlean don abhainn, agus dh’fhalbh i à fianais.

Chan fhacas bhon uair sin i. Bha a h-obair deiseil. Bha a peanas seachad. Bha a’ Bhaintighearna Liondsaidh, murtair, air beatha a-nise a shàbhaladh – fear-leantainn aig cinneadh a seanar, na Stiùbhartaich. Dh’fhaodadh i a bhith marbh a-nise ann an sìth.

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Faclan na Litreach: Uisge Eireachd: River Ericht; Blàr Chùil Lodair: The Battle of Culloden; Niall Mòr nam Breac: big Neil of the trout; Blàr Ghobharaidh: Blairgowrie.

Abairtean na Litreach: mun Bhaintighearna Liondsaidh, ban-ogha aig Rìgh Seumas I: about Lady Lindsay, a grand-daughter of King James I; bha aice ri snàithlean a shnìomh a ruigeadh an abhainn trì cheud troigh fòidhpe: she had to spin a thread that would reach the river three hundred feet below; cho fada ʼs gun robh na corragan aice air an caitheamh gu mòr mus do chaochail i: for so long that her fingers were greatly worn away before she died; thill an taibhs aice don chaisteal: her ghost returned to the castle; bha iad nan ruagalaichean: they were fugitives; fhuair Niall a fhrith-ainm leis gun robh e fìor mhath mar iasgair-slait: Neil obtained his nickname because he was excellent as an angler; gu dè an duais a bha e ag iarraidh: what reward he wanted; gum bi na h-uachdarain a’ leagail a h-uile craobh a chuireas stad air iasgair bho bhith a’ siabadh le slat: that the landowners would fell every tree that prevents a fisherman from casting with a rod; bha còraichean iasgaich aig cinneadh Nèill fad bhliadhnaichean: Neil’s people had fishing rights for years; còs eadar na creagan: a crevice among the rocks; ghlac e bric gu leòr anns an abhainn: he caught plenty of trout in the river; uisge mòr: heavy rain; thàinig tuil – coltach ri làgaraid – sìos Uisge Àrdail: a flood – like a tidal bore – down the River Ardle; chaidh a sguabadh a-mach: he was swept out; gun robh snàithlean crochte bhon bhearradh gu h-àrd: that there was a thread hanging from the cliff above; airson leigeil leis bruach na h-aibhne a ruigsinn: to allow him to reach the bank of the river; ghabh e grèim air preas feàrna: he got hold of an alder bush; taibhs X le cuigeal na làimh: the ghost of X with a distaff in her hand; dh’fhalbh i à fianais: she disappeared; chan fhacas bhon uair sin i: she hasn’t been seen since then; fear-leantainn aig cinneadh a seanar, na Stiùbhartaich: a follower of her grandfather’s people, the Stuarts.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: An dèidh a bàis: after her death.Bàs is slenderised here because it is in its genitive form following the compound preposition an dèidh. It is not lenited because it is commanded by the possessive pronoun ‘a’ which means ‘her’. After his death would be an dèidh a bhàis.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: nuair a thàinig Ar-a-mach nan Seumasach gu ceann: when the Jacobite rebellion came to an end.

Tha “Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh” air a maoineachadh le MG ALBA