731: Birlinn Chlann Raghnaill (1)
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.
Birlinn Chlann Raghnaill (1)
Tha mi a’ dol a dh’innse dhuibh ainmean a th’ againn airson creutair air am bi sibh uile eòlach, ged nach eil e cumanta . Fiolan-fada, Gille-nan-corc, Ana-bhiorach, Mial-chòsach agus Iol-chasach. A bheil sibh eòlach air? Uill, seo ainmean eile airson an dearbh rud – Fiolan nan ceud cas agus Gobhlachan mòr nan ceud cas. Tuigidh sibh gur e an Ceud-chasach a th’ ann. Ann am Beurla – centipede.
Tha ceist agam dhuibh co-cheangailte ris a’ cheud-chasach. A rèir beul-aithris, thug ceud-chasach air fear de na bàird Ghàidhlig as ainmeile dàn ainmeil a sgrìobhadh. ’S i mo cheist – cò am bàrd agus dè an dàn?
Tha mi a’ dol a dh’innse beagan dhen dàn dhuibh. ’S dòcha gum bi fios aig feadhainn agaibh cò fear a th’ ann. Tha an earrann seo mu dheidhinn stoirm aig muir:
Nuair a thuiteamaid bho bhàrr nan àrd-thonn giobach, gur beag nach dochainneadh a sàil an t-aigeal sligneach. An fhairge ga maistreadh ’s ga sluistneadh roimh a chèile, gun robh ròin is mialan mòra ’m barrachd èiginn.
Anfhadh is confhadh na mara , is falbh na luinge, sradadh an eanchainnean geala feadh gach tuinne. Gach mion-iasg a bha san fhairge, tàrr-gheal tionndaidht’, le gluasad confhadh na gailbhinn, marbh gun chunntas.
A bheil fios agaibh dè an dàn a tha sin? Dè ach Birlinn Chlann Raghnaill le Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair. Bha Alasdair, a bha beò eadar sia ceud deug, naochad ’s a còig (1695) agus seachd ceud deug is seachdad (1770), na bhàrd air leth. B’ e Birlinn Chlann Raghnaill fear de na dàin a b’ fheàrr aige. Bha e stèidhichte air turas mara ann am birlinn eadar Loch Aoineart ann an Uibhist a Deas agus Carraig Fhearghais ann an ceann a tuath na h-Èireann.
Bha Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair na bhàillidh aig Clann Raghnaill ann an Canaigh eadar seachd ceud deug, ceathrad ’s a seachd (1747) agus caogad ’s a dhà (1752). Thathar a’ smaoineachadh gun do thòisich e Birlinn Chlann Raghnaill ann an Canaigh ’s gun do chuir e crìoch air ann an Uibhist fichead bliadhna às dèidh sin.
A rèir beul-aithris, thòisich am bàrd air an dàn nuair a bha e na laighe anns an dorchadas fo bhata a bha bun-os-cionn ann an àite ris an canar Lag nam Boitean. Tha e coltach gur e cleachdadh cumanta a bh’ ann o shean. Seo na sgrìobh Màrtainn MacIlleMhàrtainn aig deireadh an t-seachdamh linn deug mu mar a bhiodh bàird Ghàidhlig a’ cruthachadh bàrdachd: They shut their Doors and Windows for a day’s time, and lie on their backs, with a Stone upon their Belly, and Plaids about their Heads, and their Eyes being cover’d, they pump their Brains for Rhetorical Encomium or Panegyrick…
Chan eil fhios agam an robh clach air brù Mhic Mhaighstir Alasdair nuair a bha e a’ cruthachadh Birlinn Chlann Raghnaill. Ach, a rèir beul-aithris, nuair a bha e na làighe fo shlige an eathair, thuit ceud-chasach far tobhta. Bha an creutair bun-os-cionn ann an glumag uisge, agus a’ dèanamh spàirn le chasan. Chuir sin ràimh birlinn ann an inntinn a’ bhàird, agus thòisich e air an dàn! Uill, chan eil mi cinnteach mu cho fìrinneach ’s a tha an sgeul, ach tha an ìomhaigh gam dhèanamh nas toilichte mu dheidhinn Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. Carson? Innsidh mi dhuibh anns an ath Litir.
Faclan na Litreach: mion-iasg: small fish; bàillidh: factor; Canaigh: Canna; Lag nam Boitean: the hollow of the sheaves; Màrtainn MacIlleMhàrtainn: Martin Martin; brù: belly; glumag: puddle.
Abairtean na Litreach: ainmean eile airson an dearbh rud: other names for the same thing; thug ceud-chasach air fear de na bàird Ghàidhlig as ainmeile dàn ainmeil a sgrìobhadh: a centipede inspired one of the most famous Gaelic bards to write a famous poem; nuair a thuiteamaid bho bhàrr nan àrd-thonn giobach:when we’d fall from the tops of the ragged high waves; gur beag nach dochainneadh a sàil an t-aigeal sligneach:seldom would her keel not hit the shelly seabed; an fhairge ga maistreadh ’s ga sluistneadh roimh a chèile: the ocean was churning and mixing together; gun robh ròin is mialan mòra ’m barrachd èiginn: that seals and whales were in more trouble; sradadh an eanchainnean geala feadh gach tuinne: dashing their white brains through each billow; tàrr-gheal tionndaidht’:white bellies turned [upwards]; le gluasad confhadh na gailbhinn, marbh gun chunntas: with the raging motion of the storm, dead in their thousands; turas mara ann am birlinn: a sea voyage in a birlinn; eadar Loch Aoineart ann an Uibhist a Deas agus Carraig Fhearghais ann an ceann a tuath na h-Èireann: between Loch Eynort in South Uist and Carrickfergus in northern Ireland; gun do chuir e crìoch air: that he finished; na laighe anns an dorchadas fo bhata a bha bun-os-cionn: lying in the darkness under a boat that was upside-down; gur e cleachdadh cumanta a bh’ ann o shean: that it was a common practice in olden times; nuair a bha e na làighe fo shlige an eathair: when he was lying under the hull of the boat; thuit ceud-chasach far tobhta: a centipede fell from a thwart; a’ dèanamh spàirn le chasan: struggling with its legs; tha an ìomhaigh gam dhèanamh nas toilichte: the image makes me happier.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Gaelic has many words for the centipede. The standard word, universally understood, is ceud-chasach (meaning the same as the English). But there are many other names – fiolan-fada ‘long insect’, gille nan corc ‘lad of the knives’ (its legs look like knives), ana-bhiorach ‘very sharp one’, mial-chòsach ‘small animal abounding in recesses’, iol-chasach ‘many-footed one’, fiolan nan ceud cas ‘insect of 100 legs’ and gobhlachan mòr nan ceud cas ‘big earwig of 100 legs’. There is also another name – madadh-ruadh which reflects the colour of some centipedes but could be confused with a mammal of the same name!
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Anfhadh is confhadh na mara : the rage and fury of the sea.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 427
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