747: Sgrios Àird na Riadh (2)
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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Sgrios Àird na Riadh (2)
Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Sir Richard Bingham. Bha e na riaghladair aig Banrigh Ealasaid Shasainn ann an Connacht, ann an taobh an iar na h-Èireann, anns an t-siathamh linn deug. Bha e a’ sabaid as leth na Banrigh anns na cogaidhean ris an canar ‘Cogaidhean Ealasaid’. Agus bha e os cionn feachd ann an Èirinn nuair a chaidh sgrios mhòr a dhèanamh air armailt Albannach. Thachair e aig Àird na Riadh ann an Contae Mhaigh Eò anns a’ bhliadhna còig ceud deug, ochdad ’s a sia (1586).
Thàinig sluagh mòr Albannach gu tìr ann an Loch Feabhail ann an Innis Eòghainn, ann an ceann a tuath na h-Èireann. ’S e Gàidheil a bh’ annta, agus bha iad ann airson taic a thoirt do na co-Ghàidheil aca a bha a’ strì an aghaidh nan Sasannach ann an Connacht. Ach thog iad creach ann an Innis Eòghainn agus cha robh na daoine an sin measail orra.
’S e muinntir Chloinn Dòmhnaill a bha sa chuid mhòir aca. Nam measg bha uaislean a’ chinnidh, agus Dòmhnall Gorm am fear a b’ ainmeile dhiubh. B’ esan mac Sheumais nan Ruaig à Ìle. Bha Dòmhnall gu bhith a’ call a bheatha ann an Èirinn.
Ghluais na h-Albannaich gu deas agus cha b’ fhada gus an cuala na h-ùghdarrasan riaghlaidh mun deidhinn. Chuir Richard Bingham luchd-brathaidh a-mach airson sùil a chumail air an armailt. Bha làn-fhios aige cà’ robh iad, agus an t-slighe aca.
Ràinig na Dòmhnallaich Àird na Riadh ann an Contae Mhaigh Eò. Bha sin mu choinneimh Beul an Àtha air Abhainn Muaidhe. Rinn iad campa an sin.
Bha na Sasannaich deiseil air an son. Ach cha robh fios aig na h-Albannaich gun robh feachd aig Bingham anns an nàbachd. An ath mhadainn thug na Sasannaich ionnsaigh chruaidh air na Dòmhnallaich, gan iomain air ais don abhainn. Bha mòran dhiubh air am bàthadh. Bha mòran eile air am marbhadh.
Bha Bingham gu math moiteil às a’ ghnothach. Sgrìobh e gun deach a’ mhòr mhòr-chuid de na h-Albannaich a mharbhadh ’s nach d’ fhuair às lem beatha ach nas lugha na ceud duine. Sgrìobh e air an latha sin do na ceannardan Sasannach ann am Baile Atha Cliath: ‘An uiread de na saighdearan aca a chaidh a mharbhadh is a bhàthadh air an latha sin, rinn sinn tomhas is cunntas orra gun robh ceithir ceud deug no còig ceud deug, a bharrachd air gillean, boireannaich, sgalagan agus clann…’
Tha e doirbh a bhith cinnteach cia mheud a chaill am beatha. ’S dòcha gun robh Bingham ri bòstadh agus gun do mheudaich e an àireamh. Ach tha cuid de luchd-eachdraidh air tomhas gum b’ e àireamh nam marbh dà mhìle is trì cheud. ’S dòcha gun robh e a cheart cho fuilteach ri Blàr Chùil Lodair, air a bheil sinn uile cho eòlach.
A bharrachd air Sir Richard Bingham fhèin, sgrìobh fear de na h-oifigearan aige mu dheidhinn. B’ esan an Caiptean Tòmas Woodhouse. Sgrìobh e gun do lorgadh poca litrichean às dèidh a’ bhatail. Am measg nan litrichean, bha tè a bha a’ dearbhadh gun deach mìle is sia ceud Albannach air tìr ann an Loch Feabhail. ’S e glè glè bheag dhiubh a chunnaic Alba a-rithist.
Faclan na Litreach: riaghladair: governor; Banrigh Ealasaid Shasainn: Queen Elizabeth of England; Connacht: Connaught; Cogaidhean Ealasaid: The Elizabethan Wars; Àird na Riadh: Ardnarea; Contae Mhaigh Eò: County Mayo; Loch Feabhail: Lough Foyle; Baile Atha Cliath: Dublin; moiteil às: proud of.
Abairtean na Litreach: anns an t-siathamh linn deug: in the sixteenth century; a’ sabaid as leth na Banrigh: fighting on behalf of the Queen; nuair a chaidh sgrios mhòr a dhèanamh air armailt Albannach: when a Scottish army suffered destruction; bha iad ann airson taic a thoirt do na co-Ghàidheil aca: they were there to help their fellow Gaels; ’s e muinntir Chloinn Dòmhnaill a bha sa chuid mhòir aca: most of them belonged to Clan Donald; uaislean a’ chinnidh: gentlemen of the clan; am fear a b’ ainmeile dhiubh: the best known of them; bha Dòmhnall gu bhith a’ call a bheatha: Donald was to lose his life; cha b’ fhada gus an cuala na h-ùghdarrasan riaghlaidh mun deidhinn: it wasn’t long until the governing authorities heard about them; mu choinneimh Beul an Àtha air Abhainn Muaidhe:opposite Ballina on the River Moy; deiseil air an son: ready for them; gun robh feachd aig Bingham anns an nàbachd:that Bingham had a force in the neighbourhood; thug na Sasannaich ionnsaigh chruaidh air na Dòmhnallaich: the English fiercely attacked the MacDonalds; gan iomain air ais don abhainn: driving them back to the river; bha mòran dhiubh air am bàthadh: many of them were drowned; ’s nach d’ fhuair às lem beatha ach nas lugha na ceud duine: and that less than a hundred people escaped with their lives; gun do lorgadh poca litrichean: that a bag of letters was found; bha tè a bha a’ dearbhadh gun deach mìle is sia ceud Albannach air tìr: there was one that confirmed that 1,600 Scots landed.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: : ’S dòcha gun robh Bingham ri bòstadh agus gun do mheudaich e an àireamh: perhaps Bingham was boasting and he exaggerated the figure(s). We can sometimes use ‘ri’ instead of ‘a’’ with the verbal noun. It effectively means the same thing but has the sense of ‘being engaged in’, perhaps over a period of time or with a regularity. So we get the sense that Bingham might have been a bit of a boaster, who would emphasize his success against the Irish Gaels to his superiors in Dublin and London.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: thog iad creach ann an Innis Eòghainn they engaged in plunder in Inishowen.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 443
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