1011: Dùghall MacIlleMhìcheil (2)
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.
Dùghall MacIlleMhìcheil (2)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Dhùghall MacIlleMhìcheil à Lios Mòr a bha ainmeil ann an saoghal nan lus-eòlaichean anns an naoidheamh linn deug. Ann an ochd ceud deug ʼs a deich (1810), bha MacIlleMhìcheil na shaighdear an sàs ann an iomairt armaichte aig Breatainn airson Mauritius a ghabhail thairis bho na Frangaich. Nuair a ràinig long MhicIlleMhìcheil Mauritius – no Eilean na Frainge mar a bh’ oirre aig an àm – bha cabhlach Breatannach ann mu-thràth. Bha iadsan air seòladh bho na h-Innseachan.
Nuair a ràinig e am prìomh bhaile, Port Louis, chunnaic Dùghall brataich gheala an-àirde. Bha na Frangaich air gèilleadh. Ach rinn iad sin air cumha gun gleidheadh iad lagh na Frainge agus an cànan aca. Bha rèisimeid Dhùghaill – na 72nd Highlanders – air a suidheachadh ann fad mhìosan. Ghabh Dùghall brath air a’ chothrom airson sùil gheur a thoirt air dualchas nàdarrach an eilein.
Trì bliadhna an dèidh sin, ghabh MacIlleMhìcheil fòrladh airson a dhol gu Eilean Bourbon no mar a chanas iad ris an-diugh Réunion. Sgrìobh e tòrr mu dheidhinn nàdar an sin cuideachd. Tha aithris ann gun robh e anns a’ chabhlach Bhreatannach a sheòl gu ruige Tristan da Cunha airson na h-eileanan iomallach sin a ghabhail thairis às leth Bhreatainn. Bha na Breatannaich airson dèanamh cinnteach nach biodh Frangaich a’ cleachdadh Tristan da Cunha ann an oidhirp gus Napoleon Bonaparte a shaoradh bhon phrìosan ann an St Helena. Dh’fhoillsich Dùghall leabhar mu dheidhinn Tristan da Cunha: Some Account of the Island of Tristan da Cunha and of its Natural Productions.
Ann an ochd ceud deug is ochd-deug (1818), dh’fhàg e an t-arm agus thill e a dh’Alba. Chaidh e a dh’fhuireach anns an Apainn mu choinneimh eilean a bhreith. Bha e na thuathanach an sin. Lean e air le a chuid rannsachaidh air lusan, a’ dèanamh leabhar air a bheil Mosses of Lorn. An uair sin, thug e sùil air algae agus chuir e seachad mòran uairean a thìde a-muigh, a’ cruinneachadh stuth. Gu tric, bhiodh e a’ dèanamh air a mhaicreasgop cho luath ʼs a ruigeadh e an taigh, gun a bhith a’ cur aodach tioram air. Thathar a’ smaoineachadh gun tug sin droch bhuaidh air a shlàinte.
Ged nach robh e a’ cumail gu math, chaidh e air dàna-thuras eile gu ruige Hiort. Ach, aig aois caogad ʼs a còig, chaochail e. Chaidh a thiodhlacadh anns an t-seann chladh ri taobh Eaglais Chill Moluag ann an Lios Mòr.
Bha e ainmeil gu leòr ri a linn. Mhol Teàrlach Darwin e mar shàr-eòlaiche air saidheans nàdarrach. Bha e na dheagh charaid aig Sir Uilleam Jackson Hooker a bha na chiad stiùiriche air Gàrraidhean Kew ann an Lunnainn. Dh’ainmich Hooker grunn lusan an dèidh MhicIlleMhìcheil, a’ gabhail a-steach Carmichaeliana no Bealaidh Sealain Nuaidh.
Carson nach eil sinn eòlach air an-diugh? Uill, a rèir choltais bha e car diùid. Ach tha muinntir Lios Mòr eòlach air, agus tha iad moiteil às mar mhac aig an eilean a choisinn cliù dha fhèin anns an t-saoghal mhòr air an taobh a-muigh. Ge-tà, cha b’ e Dùghall an t-aon duine leis a’ chinneadh MacIlleMhìcheil a tha aithnichte anns an t-saoghal mhòr. Bheir sinn sùil an-ath-sheachdain air fear eile. Tha amharas agam gum bi cuid agaibh gu math eòlach air, co-dhiù ma tha sibh air sùil a thoirt air Carmina Gadelica.
Faclan na Litreach: : Dùghall MacIlleMhìcheil: Dugald Carmichael; tuathanach:farmer; dàna-thuras: [adventurous]expedition; Lios Mòr:Lismore; Hiort: St Kilda; Eaglais Chill Moluag: St Moluag’s Church; Gàrraidhean Kew: Kew Gardens; Bealaidh Sealain Nuaidh: New Zealand Broom; diùid: shy.
Abairtean na Litreach: an sàs ann an iomairt armaichte aig na Breatannaich airson Mauritius a ghabhail thairis bho na Frangaich: involved in an armed action by the British to take Mauritius from the French; bha cabhlach Breatannach ann mu-thràth: a British fleet was already there; bha iadsan air seòladh bho na h-Innseachan: they had sailed from India; chunnaic X brataich gheala an-àirde: X saw white flags raised; bha na Frangaich air gèilleadh: the French had surrendered; rinn iad sin air cumha gun gleidheadh iad lagh na Frainge agus an cànan aca: they did that on condition that they would retain the law of France and their language; bha rèisimeid Dhùghaill air a suidheachadh ann fad mhìosan: Dugald’s regiment was established there for months;
gun robh e anns a’ chabhlach Bhreatannach a sheòl gu ruige Tristan da Cunha airson na h-eileanan iomallach sin a ghabhail thairis às leth Bhreatainn: that he was in the British fleet that sailed to take over those remote islands on behalf of Britain; ann an oidhirp gus Napoleon Bonaparte a shaoradh bhon phrìosan: in an effort to free Napoleon Bonaparte from prison; chaidh e a dh’fhuireach anns an Apainn mu choinneimh eilean a bhreith: he went to live in Appin opposite the island of his birth; bhiodh e a’ dèanamh air a mhaicreasgop cho luath ʼs a ruigeadh e an taigh, gun a bhith a’ cur aodach tioram air: he would make [a beeline] for his microscope as soon as he reached the house, without putting dry clothes on; thathar a’ smaoineachadh gun tug sin droch bhuaidh air a shlàinte: it’s thought that had a bad effect on his health; mhol Teàrlach Darwin e mar shàr-eòlaiche air saidheans nàdarrach: Charles Darwin commended him as a great scholar of natural sciences; moiteil às mar mhac aig an eilean a choisinn cliù dha fhèin: proud of him as a son of the island who built himself a reputation.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: When we consider important Gaelic-speaking scientists, we shouldn’t forget Dugald Carmichael of Lismore. He was a significant figure in his day, a friend of Sir William Hooker of Kew Gardens, and a correspondent with Charles Darwin. If you know anything more of his private life and his connections to Lismore, I’d love to hear from you on rmac@uags.scot.
Gnathas-cainnt na Litreach: ghabh MacIlleMhìcheil fòrladh : Carmichael took leave.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 707
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