The Celts (10)
This week, I’m finishing the series of programmes about the Celts. I’ll
have a wee look at Ireland. After the Normans established themselves in
England and Wales, some of them went to Ireland. They grabbed land.
Among the families were some that are now very Irish – Burke,
Fitzgerald, Butler, Walsh ...
As early as the fourteenth century, the English authorities were
concerned that many people of Norman ancestry were behaving like Irish.
They were even abandoning the English and French languages and speaking
Irish!
In 1366, the Duke of Clarence called an Irish parliament in Kilkenny.
He was working on behalf of the English king, Edward III. The
parliament agreed the Statutes of Kilkenny. Under the statutes,
marriage between Irish and English people was illegal. The English were
not permitted to use an Irish given-name. The English had to learn the
English language. And it was not permitted to allow Gaelic storytellers
into English areas. They feared that the storytellers were spying!
The Statutes didn’t work. The ‘Old English’ grew more Gaelic. It’s in
the time of the Tudors and Stuarts that the division we see today arose
in Ireland.
In 1607, the Flight of the Earls took place. The two most powerful
Gaelic lords – the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell – fled. They were
hoping to return to Ireland with the assistance of the Spanish. But
they didn’t return.
The Flight of the Earls was a terrible blow to the Gaels of Scotland as
well. The relationship between the Gaels of the two countries was never
again as it had been before.
It’s interesting to contemplate – if southern Britain had remained Celtic,
what would Britain and Ireland look like today? Would Ireland be a united
country? Would Wales exist? Would the Cornish be speaking British? Would
Gaelic be the primary language of Scotland? Ach ... well ... it is but a
dream!
Na Ceiltich (10)
An t-seachdain seo, tha mi a’ cur crìoch air an t-sreath phrògraman air na
Ceiltich. Bheir mi sùil bheag air Èirinn. An dèidh gun do stèidhich na
Normanaich iad fhèin ann an Sasainn agus sa Chuimrigh, chaidh feadhainn
dhiubh a dh’Èirinn. Ghabh iad grèim air fearann. Am measg nan teaghlaichean
bha feadhainn a tha a-nise gu math Èireannach – Burke, FitzGerald, Butler,
Walsh ...
Cho tràth ris a’ cheathramh linn deug, bha dragh air na h-ùghdarrasan
Sasannach gun robh mòran, aig an robh sinnsireachd Normanach, gan giùlan
fhèin mar Èireannaich. Bha iad eadhon a’ trèigsinn na Beurla ʼs na Fraingis
agus a’ bruidhinn Gaeilge!
Ann an trì cheud deug, seasgad ʼs a sia (1366), ghairm Diùc Chlarence
pàrlamaid Èireannach ann an Cill Chainnigh. Bha e ag obair às leth rìgh
Shasainn, Eideard III. Dh’aontaich a’ phàrlamaid Reachdan Cill Chainnigh.
Fo na reachdan, bha pòsadh eadar Èireannaich agus Sasannaich mì-laghail.
Cha robh cead aig Sasannaich ainm-baistidh Èireannach a chleachdadh. Bha
aig na Sasannaich ri Beurla ionnsachadh. Agus cha robh e ceadaichte
seanchaidhean Gàidhealach a leigeil a-steach gu sgìrean Sasannach. Bha an
t-eagal orra gun robh na seanchaidhean ri obair-brathaidh!
Cha do dh’obraich na Reachdan. Dh’fhàs na ‘Seann Sasannaich’ na bu
Ghàidhealaiche. ʼS ann ri linn nan Tudoran agus nan Stiùbhartach a
dh’èirich an sgaradh a chì sinn an-diugh ann an Èirinn.
Ann an sia ceud deug ʼs a seachd (1607), thachair Imeachd nan Iarlan.
Theich an dithis thighearnan Gàidhealach a bu chumhachdaiche – Iarlan Thìr
Eòghainn agus Thìr Chonaill. Bha iad an dòchas tilleadh a dh’Èirinn le taic
nan Spàinnteach. Ach cha do thill.
Bha Imeachd nan Iarlan na buille chruaidh do Ghàidheil na h-Alba cuideachd.
Cha robh an càirdeas eadar Gàidheil an dà dhùthaich a-chaoidh tuilleadh mar
a bha e roimhe.
Tha e inntinneach a bhith a’ meòrachadh – nam biodh ceann a deas Bhreatainn
air fuireach Ceilteach, dè an coltas a bhiodh air Breatainn is Èirinn
an-diugh? Am biodh Èirinn na rìoghachd aonaichte? Am biodh a’ Chuimrigh
ann? Am biodh na Còrnaich a’ bruidhinn Breatannais? Am biodh a’ Ghàidhlig
mar phrìomh chànan na h-Alba? Ach ... uill ... chan eil ann ach bruadar!
