1072: Taigh-seinnse Dhurais (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.
Taigh-seinnse Dhurais (2)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu thachartas ann an Taigh-seinnse Dhurais, taobh Loch Nis, goirid an dèidh Blàr Chùil Lodair. Chaidh màthair Sìne, Hannah, a mhurt le saighdear dearg a bh’ air an rathad a Chille Chuimein. Chaidh Sìne fhèin air muin eich a Chille Chuimein, còmhla ri Iain Bàn à Duras agus fear eile. Bha a h-uile duine aca sgeadaichte ann an aodach dubh. Air muin a’ cheathraimh eich, bha corp Hannah.
Chuir na freiceadain stad orra aig geatachan Gearasdan Cille Chuimein. ‘Is mise Alasdair Friseal à Druim Athaisidh,’ thuirt Iain Bàn riutha. Cha robh iad eòlach air Alasdair, a bha na cho-ogha do dh’Iain. Ach bhiodh fios aca, ’s dòcha, gur e uachdaran a bh’ ann a bha taiceil don riaghaltas. Bha fios aig Iain gun robh Diùc Chumberland anns a’ ghearasdan, agus thuirt e ris na freiceadain gun robh e ag iarraidh bruidhinn ris an Diùc. Bidh cuimhne agaibh gun robh Cumberland mar cheannard aig arm an riaghaltais aig Cùil Lodair.
Thàinig leifteanant a bhruidhinn ri Iain. A-rithist, thuirt Iain gum b’ esan Alasdair Friseil agus gun robh e ag iarraidh bruidhinn ris an Diùc. Dh’fhalbh an leifteanant agus thàinig màidsear na àite. Dh’inns Iain dha gun robh corp boireannaich aige, agus gun deach a murt na dachaigh fhèin le saighdear Breatannach. Cha ghabhadh esan – mar dhuin-uasal Gàidhealach a bha ‘dìleas’ don Chrùn – fois gus an robh e air bruidhinn ri Cumberland mu dheidhinn.
Dh’fhalbh am màidsear agus, mu dheireadh thall, chaidh Iain a thoirt gu ruige àite-còmhnaidh Chumberland fhèin. Thàinig Iain far eich. Thàinig an Diùc a-mach. Sheall Iain dha corp Hannah. Mhìnich e gun robh a nighean gun sgillinn ruadh is gun dlùth-charaid, agus gur iad saighdearan dearga a bu choireach. A bharrachd air a’ mhurt, bha na saighdearan air an taigh-seinnse a sgrios. Cha robh cothrom aig Sìne fhosgladh às ùr airson bith-beò a dhèanamh dhi fhèin.
Dh’èist an Diùc ris an tagradh aig Iain. Dh’iarr e air a dhol a thaigh-seinnse ann an Cille Chuimein agus feitheamh an sin gus an cluinneadh e tuilleadh. Beagan uairean a thìde an dèidh làimhe, thàinig còirneal a-steach don taigh-seinnse, le màileid leathair fo achlais. Bha na h-oifigearan a bha ciontach dhen eucoir air airgead a chur ri chèile. Bha gu leòr ann airson tiodhlacadh math a thoirt do Hannah, agus airson Taigh-seinnse Dhurais a chur air a chasan a-rithist.
Thill an còmhlan beag a Dhuras. Chaidh Hannah a thiodhlacadh anns a’ chladh an sin. Thòisich Sìne air an taigh-seinnse a chur air dòigh às ùr. Agus tha fios agaibh gu bheil e a’ dol fhathast. Bidh e loma-làn luchd-turais as t-samhradh.
Agus dè thachair do na saighdearan? Am b’ e sin e airson ceartas? Uill, cha b’ e. Bha Cumberland dhen bheachd gum biodh e na b’ fheàrr nam biodh iad air an cur a-null thairis ann an seirbheis a’ Chrùin.
A rèir choltais, cha do thuig duine aca riamh gum b’ e an duine a fhuair an t-airgead bhuapa fear de na reubaltaich a bha iad a’ lorg ann am monadh Loch Nis. Seadh, ’s e sin a bh’ ann an Iain Bàn – reubaltach Seumasach! ’S e mo thuigse gun do thill e gu bheatha mar ruagalaiche, co-dhiù airson beagan bhliadhnaichean.
Faclan na Litreach: Taigh-seinnse Dhurais: Dores Inn; Alasdair Friseil à Druim Athaisidh: Alexander Fraser from Drumashie; leifteanant:lieutenant; àite-còmhnaidh: dwelling-place; tagradh:appeal; còirneal: colonel; reubaltach Seumasach: a Jacobite rebel; ruagalaiche: fugitive.
Abairtean na Litreach: Chaidh X air muin eich a Chille Chuimein: X went on horseback to Fort Augustus; air muin a’ cheathraimh eich, bha corp Hannah: on the back of the fourth horse was Hannah’s body; sgeadaichte ann an aodach dubh: wearing black clothes; a bha na cho-ogha do dh’Iain: who was a cousin of John’s; thuirt e ris na freiceadain gun robh e ag iarraidh bruidhinn ris an Diùc: he said to the sentries that he was wanting to speak to the Duke; gun robh corp boireannaich aige: that he had a woman’s corpse; gun deach a murt na dachaigh fhèin: who was murdered in her own home; cha ghabhadh esan – mar dhuin-uasal Gàidhealach a bha ‘dìleas’ don Chrùn – fois: he – as a Highland gentleman who was ‘loyal’ to the Crown – would not rest; gun sgillinn ruadh is gun dlùth-charaid: without a penny and without a close relative; gur iad saighdearan dearga a bu choireach: it is redcoat soldiers who were responsible; gus an cluinneadh e tuilleadh: until he heard [would hear] more; le màileid leathair fo achlais: with a leather satchel under his arm; a bha ciontach dhen eucoir: who were guilty of the crime; loma-làn luchd-turais as t-samhradh: heaving with tourists in summer; gum biodh e na b’ fheàrr nam biodh iad air an cur a-null thairis ann an seirbheis a’ Chrùin: that it would be better if they were sent overseas in the service of the Crown; fear de na reubaltaich a bha iad a’ lorg ann am monadh Loch Nis: one of the rebels that they were seeking in the hills of Loch Ness.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Cha robh cothrom aig Sìne fhosgladh às ùr airson bith-beò a dhèanamh dhi fhèin:Jean had no opportunity to open it anew to make a living for herself. Can you explain why fosgladh is lenited here? It is because there is a hidden third person singular masculine possessive pronoun in front of it (hidden because it is a vowel – a – between two other vowel sounds – fh being silent). It is masculine because taigh-seinnse is masculine. If she had been opening, say, a palace [lùchairt – a feminine noun], I would have said Cha robh cothrom aice a fosgladh às ùr as the feminine possessive article does not incur lenition. A plural [of either gender] would be Cha robh cothrom aice am fosgladh às ùr.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: : Thàinig Iain far eich: John came off his horse (dismounted).
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 768
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