Robert Cunningham Graham
Robert belonged to the gentry. But he was a
socialist. He was also a Scottish
nationalist. To start with he was a
Liberal member of parliament. But
they weren’t far enough on the left
wing.
Robert stood up for the rights
of poor people. He also stood up for
the rights of people to protest
peacefully on the street. In the autumn of 1887, things were [getting]
disorderly. There was a big day on
the 13th of November. Thousands of
people were in Trafalgar Square in
London.
The day is remembered as
Bloody Sunday. Robert was there.
The police beat him up. The police
beat up many people that day. But
Robert got six weeks in prison for
protesting.
Robert was radical. He left the
Liberal Party. He established the
Scottish Labour Party with Keir
Hardie. He stood for that party in
Glasgow. That was in the general
election in 1892. He wasn’t successful. His life as a parliamentarian
was over.
But his political life wasn’t over. He believed in self-government for Scotland. He was the first president of the Scottish National Party.
Robert’s life outside politics was also interesting. He left for Morocco on one occasion. He was aiming to ride [on a horse] through the Atlas Mountains to a town called Taroudant. But the town was off-limits to foreigners. It was most especially off-limits to Christians.
Graham disguised himself as a Turkish doctor. He was near Taroudant when he was arrested. He related the history of the affair in the book Mogreb-El-Acksa.
He wrote many books about horses, travel and history. And he was a personal friend to many famous authors and artists. Robert Cunninghame Graham was himself famous in his day. We ought not to forget him today.
Raibeart Coineagan Greumach
Bhuineadh Raibeart Coineagan
Greumach do na h-uaislean. Ach bha e
na shòisealach. Bha e cuideachd na
nàiseantach Albannach. An toiseach bha
e na bhall pàrlamaid Libearalach. Ach
cha robh iadsan fada gu leòr air an taobh
chlì.
Sheas Raibeart còraichean nan
daoine bochda. Sheas e cuideachd
còraichean daoine fianais a thogail gu
sìtheil air an t-sràid. As t-fhoghar ochd
ceud deug, ochdad ’s a seachd (1887),
bha cùisean mì-rianail. Bha latha mòr
ann air an treas latha deug dhen t-Samhain. Bha na mìltean ann an
Ceàrnag Trafalgar ann an Lunnainn.
Thathar a’ cuimhneachadh an
latha mar “Dòmhnach na Fala” no
Bloody Sunday. Bha Raibeart ann. Rinn
na poilis dochann air. Rinn na poilis
dochann air mòran air an latha sin.
Fhuair Raibeart sia seachdainean sa
phrìosan airson a bhith a’ togail fianais.
Bha Raibeart radaigeach. Dh’fhàg
e am Pàrtaidh Libearalach. Stèidhich e
Pàrtaidh Làbarach na h-Alba còmhla ri
Keir Hardie. Sheas e airson a’ phàrtaidh
sin ann an Glaschu. Bha sin anns an
taghadh nàiseanta ann an ochd ceud
deug, naochad ’s a dhà (1892). Cha
deach leis. Bha a bheatha mar bhall pàrlamaid seachad.
Ach cha robh a bheatha phoilitigeach seachad. Bha e a’ creidsinn ann am fèin-riaghladh do dh’Alba. B’ esan a’ chiad cheann-suidhe aig a’ Phàrtaidh Nàiseanta, an SNP.
Bha beatha Raibeirt taobh a-muigh phoilitigs inntinneach cuideachd. Dh’fhalbh e a Mhorogo turas. Bha e ag amas air marcachd tro na beanntan Atlas gu baile air a bheil Taroudant. Ach bha am baile toirmisgte do choigrich. Bha e gu sònraichte toirmisgte do Chrìosdaidhean.
Chuir an Greumach e fhèin ann an riochd dotair Tuirceach. Bha e faisg air Taroudant nuair a chaidh a chur an grèim. Dh’innis e eachdraidh a’ ghnothaich anns an leabhar Mogreb-El-Acksa.
Sgrìobh e mòran leabhraichean air eich, siubhal agus eachdraidh. Agus bha e na charaid pearsanta do mhòran ùghdaran is luchd-ealain ainmeil. Bha Raibeart Coineagan Greumach fhèin ainmeil ri a linn. Cha bu chòir dhuinn a dhìochuimhneachadh an-diugh.
