1134: Griogal Cridhe (1)
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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Griogal Cridhe (1)
Eudail mhòir de shluagh an domhain,
Dhòirt iad d’ fhuil an-dè,
ʼS chuir iad do cheann air ploc daraich
Tacan beag bhod chrè
A bheil sibh ag aithneachadh nam faclan sin? Tha iad à fìor sheann òran – òran ainmeil a bhuineas don t-siathamh linn deug. Seo an t-sèist. ʼS dòcha gum bi sibh ga h-aithneachadh:
Òbhan, òbhan, òbhan-iri, òbhan-iri ò,
Òbhan, òbhan, òbhan-iri. ʼS mòr mo mhulad ʼs mòr.
A bheil sibh eòlach air an òran? ʼS e an t-ainm a th’ air ‘Griogal Cridhe’. Tha e cho sean ʼs gu bheil barrachd air aon dreach air, agus air an t-sèist. Ged a tha an t-òran muladach, saoilidh mi gun robh feadhainn ga sheinn mar thàladh do leanaban. Seo agaibh sèist eile – a tha aig Anna Latharna NicIllÌosa anns an leabhar sgoinneil aice ‘Songs of Gaelic Scotland’.
Bà, bà, bà, mo leanaibh, bà, mo leanaibh, bà,
Bà, hù, hó, mo leanaibh,
Chan eil thu ach bà.
Tha an t-òran mu dheidhinn bàs agus mulad. Chaidh a chruthachadh timcheall na bliadhna còig ceud deug is seachdad (1570). B’ i an tè a chruthaich e Mòr Chaimbeul. ʼS ann à Gleann Lìomhann ann an Siorrachd Pheairt a bha i. B’ e a h-athair Donnchadh Caimbeul à Gleann Lìomhann – Donnchadh Ruadh na Fèile. Bha Caimbeulaich Ghleann Lìomhann càirdeach do Chaimbeulaich Ghleann Urchaidh, cinneadh gu math cumhachdach.
Phòs Mòr fear à Gleann Srèith faisg air Gleann Urchaidh. B’ esan Griogair Mac Ghriogair no Griogair Ruadh – agus ‘Griogal Cridhe’ an òrain. Bha am fearann ann an Gleann Srèith aig na Griogairich le taic – agus uachdranas – nan Caimbeulach.
Tràth anns an t-siathamh linn deug, chrìon cumhachd Caimbeulaich Ghleann Urchaidh. Cha robh ceannas aca tuilleadh air na Griogaraich. Ann am meadhan an linne, thàinig fear ùr gu bhith na cheann-cinnidh aig Caimbeulaich Ghleann Urchaidh. B’ esan Cailean Liath. Bha e fhèin agus a mhac – Donnchadh Dubh a’ Churraic – gu math trom air an nàbannan. Bho Iarla Earra-Ghàidheal, fhuair iad cead a bhith nan uachdarain a-rithist air Griogaraich Ghleann Srèith.
Ann an còig ceud deug, seasgad ʼs a dhà (1562), bha Griogair Ruadh air a dhol na cheann-cinnidh aig na Griogaraich. Chuir Cailean Liath brath thuige. Ro Latha na Bliadhn’ Ùire, dh’fheumadh Griogair gabhail ri cumhachan a’ Chaimbeulaich nam biodh e ag iarraidh a chuid fearainn a chumail ann an Gleann Srèith. Am measg sin, bha gun toireadh e seachad dithis de na daoine aige a bh’ air Caimbeulach a mharbhadh.
Cha tug Griogair Ruadh na daoine seachad. An àite sin, thug e fhèin is feadhainn eile ionnsaigh air dà bhuidhinn de Chaimbeulaich a bha a’ siubhal dhachaigh a Ghleann Lìomhann. Mharbh iad naoinear. Tuigidh sibh gun deach cùisean bhuaithe eadar na Caimbeulaich agus na Griogaraich an uair sin.
Shocraich cùisean beagan airson greis, ge-tà. Anns an ùine bhig sin phòs Griogair Ruadh Mòr Chaimbeul. Tha e coltach gun robh gaol mòr aige oirrese agus gun robh gaol mòr aicese airsan. Ge-tà, bha Donnchadh dlùth-chàirdeach do Chailean Liath. Tuigidh sibh gun robh gnothaichean a’ fàs gu math fillte!
Anns an Iuchar còig ceud deug, seasgad ʼs a seachd (1567) chaidh cùisean bhuaithe a-rithist, mar a mhìnicheas mi anns an ath Litir.
Faclan na Litreach: Anna Latharna NicIllÌosa: Anne Lorne Gillies; sgoinneil: excellent; bàs agus mulad: death and grief; Mòr Chaimbeul: Marion Campbell; Gleann Lìomhann: Glenlyon; Gleann Srèith: Glen Strae; Gleann Urchaidh: Glenorchy; Griogair Ruadh: red-haired Gregor; chrìon: declined, withered; Cailean Liath: grey-haired Colin; Iarla Earra-Ghàidheal: The Earl of Argyll; dlùth-chàirdeach do: closely related to; An t-Iuchar: July.
Abairtean na Litreach: Eudail mhòir de shluagh an domhain: great treasure of the world’s people; dhòirt iad d’ fhuil an-dè: they spilled your blood yesterday; chuir iad do cheann air ploc daraich: they put your head on an oaken block; tacan beag bhod chrè: a little way from your body; òran ainmeil a bhuineas don t-siathamh linn deug: a famous song that belongs to the sixteenth century; ʼs mòr mo mhulad: great is my grief; cho sean ʼs gu bheil barrachd air aon dreach air: so old that there is more than one version of it; gun robh feadhainn ga sheinn mar thàladh do leanaban: that some people were singing it as a lullaby for young children; cinneadh a bha gu math cumhachdach: a clan that was very powerful; le taic – agus uachdranas – nan Caimbeulach: with help – and overlordship – of the Campbells; bha an dà chinneadh a’ fuireach gu sìtheil còmhla: the two clans were living together peacefully; gu math trom air an nàbannan: till-disposed towards their neighbours; bha X air a dhol na cheann-cinnidh aig na Griogaraich: X had become the MacGregors’ chief; am measg sin, bha gun toireadh e seachad dithis de na daoine aige a bh’ air Caimbeulach a mharbhadh: amongst that was that he would surrender two of his men who had killed a Campbell; mharbh iad naoinear: they killed nine people; shocraich cùisean beagan airson greis, ge-tà: matters settled down for a while, however; anns an ùine bhig sin phòs X Y: in that short period, X married Y; gun robh gaol mòr aige oirrese agus gun robh gaol mòr aicese airsan: that he was deeply in love with her and that she was deeply in love with him; tuigidh sibh gun robh gnothaichean a’ fàs gu math fillte: you’ll understand that matters were getting very complicated.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: ʼS dòcha gum bi sibh ga h-aithneachadh: perhaps you’ll recognise it. Sèist is a feminine noun, and that is why I say ga h-aithneachadh which means ‘recognising her’. For a masculine noun such as òran, I would say ga aithneachadh.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Tuigidh sibh gun deach cùisean bhuaithe: you’ll understand that matters deteriorated.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 830
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