A bad omen on the Titanic
Peter Morrison from Grimsay
was working in Belfast. He was
working on a vessel [ship]. That
was in the year 1911. He saw the
big ship, the Titanic, being
launched. It was a great day.
Many of the city’s folk
were on the river bank. They
were watching the Titanic being
launched. They were waiting
quietly. The Titanic started to
slide down. The people were
shouting, “There she goes! There
she goes!”
There were two old
Irishmen close to Peter. Each
had a clay pipe. They had tweed
jackets on. And hats. Peter was
listening to them. They were
speaking to each other. One of
them said something surprising
to the other man. I’ll tell you in a
moment what he said.
The boat went into the river.
She was floating. Many people
were delighted. But the old man
next to Peter was not. He turned
to the other man. He took his
pipe out of his mouth. He said in
English, “Mark my word, Pat,she’ll be an unlucky ship.”
What did the old Irishman see on that day? Did he see an omen/supernatural warning? Peter and the crew of his boat went back to their vessel. They were talking to each other about the matter. They were talking about it for days. Why did he say, “Mark my word, Pat, she’ll be an unlucky ship.”?
Whatever he saw, he was correct. You’ll know what happened to the Titanic on her first voyage.
If you are interested in Peter Morrison’s stories, there is a collection of them. Grimsay Community Association printed
the collection. The book is called
Thugam agus Bhuam [to me and from me]. And that’s it from me just now.
Manadh air an Titanic
Bha Pàdruig Moireasdan à Griomasaigh
ag obair ann am Beal Feirste. Bha e ag
obair air soitheach. Bha sin anns a’
bhliadhna naoi ceud deug ’s a h-aon-deug (1911). Chunnaic e an soitheach
mòr, an Titanic, a’ dol air bhog. ’S e
latha mòr a bha ann.
Bha mòran de shluagh a’ bhaile
air bruach na h-aibhne. Bha iad a’
coimhead na Titanic a’ dol air bhog. Bha
iad a’ feitheamh gu sàmhach. Thòisich
an Titanic air slaighdeadh sìos. Bha na
daoine ag èigheachd, “There she goes!
There she goes!”
Bha dà bhodach Èireannach faisg
air Pàdruig. Bha pìob chrèadhach aig
gach duine aca. Bha seacaidean clò orra.
Bha, agus bonaidean. Bha Pàdruig ag
èisteachd riutha. Bha iad a’ bruidhinn ri
chèile. Thuirt fear aca rudeigin iongantach ris an fhear eile. Innsidh mi dhuibh
ann an tiotan dè thuirt e.
Dh’fhalbh am bàta don abhainn.
Bha i air flod. Bha mòran a’ dèanamh
gàirdeachas. Ach cha robh am bodach ri
taobh Phàdruig. Thionndaidh e ris an
fhear eile. Thug e a phìob a-mach às a
bheul. Thuirt e ann am Beurla, “Mark my word, Pat, she’ll be an unlucky
ship.”
Dè chunnaic am bodach Èireannach air an latha sin? Am faca e manadh? Chaidh Pàdruig agus criutha a’ bhàta aige air ais don t-soitheach aca. Bha iad a’ bruidhinn ri chèile mun chùis. Bha iad a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn airson làithean. Dè chunnaic am bodach? Carson a thuirt e, “Mark my word, Pat,
she’ll be an unlucky ship.”?
Ge bith dè chunnaic e, bha e ceart. Bidh fios agaibh dè thachair don Titanic air a’ chiad turas aice aig muir.
Ma tha ùidh agaibh anns na stòiridhean aig Pàdruig Moireasdan, tha cruinneachadh dhiubh ann. Chuir Comann Coimhearsnachd Ghriomasaigh an cruinneachadh ann an clò. ’S e an t-ainm air an leabhar Thugam agus Bhuam. Agus sin e bhuam an-dràsta.
