大象传媒

Gleanna Gollaidh,聽
Gleanna Gollaidh,
Gleanna Gollaidh nan craobh,
C貌 a ch矛 e nach mol e,
Gleanna Gollaidh nan craobh

A bheil sibh ag aithneachadh sin? 鈥橲 e sin an t-s猫ist aig d脿n ainmeil 脿 ceann a tuath 鈥揻矛or cheann a tuath 鈥� na G脿idhealtachd. Tha Gleanna Gollaidh ann an D霉thaich MhicAoidh.
Agus c貌 am b脿rd? Uill, c貌 eile ach am b脿rd G脿idhlig a b鈥� ainmeile a bhuineadh do Dh霉thaich聽MhicAoidh 鈥� Rob Donn. Chuala mi clann a鈥� gabhail an 貌rain sin ann an D霉thaich MhicAoidh聽na bu tr脿ithe dhen bhliadhna seo, agus tha ceangal eadar sin agus Litir na seachdain sa chaidh.聽M矛nichidh mi sin an ceartuair.

Ach an toiseach tha mi airson ceist a thogail mu cho e貌lach 鈥檚 a tha daoine anns a鈥檆heann a tuath air d矛leab Rob Dhuinn 鈥� taobh a-muigh nan sgoilearan a tha ag ionnsachadh na聽G脿idhlig co-dhi霉. Rugadh Rob ann an Allt na Caillich, faisg air Gleanna Gollaidh. Tha Allt na聽Caillich gu deas air Beinn H貌b, p矛os bhon chosta tuath. Chan eil m貌ran a鈥� fuireach anns an聽sg矛re sin an-diugh. Ach chaidh Rob a thiodhlacadh ann an cladh an cois a鈥� chladaich 鈥� gu聽dearbh, an cois tr脿igh mh貌r bhr猫agha air am bi m貌ran luchd-turais a鈥� tadhal. 鈥橲 e sin Baile na聽Cille.

Suas an rathad bhon chladh, tha b霉th leabhraichean. Bha mi air chuairt anns an sg矛re an-uiridh聽agus chaidh mi a dh鈥檉haicinn carragh-uaighe Rob Dhuinn. Chuir mi romham an leabhar聽The World of Rob Donn le Ian Grimble a cheannach anns a鈥� bh霉th.

Bha an latha grianach is bl脿th agus chaidh mi fh矛n is caraid a choimhead air uaigh a鈥檅h脿ird. Tha carragh m貌r ann 鈥� ach chan eil e ann an staid ro mhath an-diugh. Ge-t脿, tha e nas聽motha na a鈥� chuid mh貌r de na clachan-uaighe anns a鈥� chladh.

Co-dhi霉, chaidh mi suas gu ruige b霉th nan leabhraichean ann an deagh shunnd.Chunnaic mi an leabhar a bha mi a鈥� sireadh air na sgeilpichean. Chuir mi an leabhar air a鈥櫬燾hunntair. 鈥淭ha mi cho toilichte an leabhar seo fhaighinn,鈥� thuirt mi ris an t猫-reic (tuigidh sibh聽gun robh mi a鈥� bruidhinn a鈥� ch脿nain eile). Cha tuirt i guth. Lean mi orm gu neoichiontach. 鈥淕u聽h-脿raidh anns an sg矛re seo,鈥� thuirt mi. 鈥淭ha e d矛reach iomchaidh.鈥�

Thog am boireannach an leabhar. Leugh i an tiotal 鈥� The World of Rob Donn. 鈥淩ob Don鈥� who was he then?鈥� dh鈥檉haighnich i ann am blas Gallta. D猫 chanainn?鈥淒矛reach an duine a b鈥� ainmeile a th脿inig 脿s an sg矛re seo riamh,鈥� fhreagair mi. Cuiridhmi geall gum biodh l脿n fhios aice gun robh John Lennon anns an sg矛re sin airson l脿ithean-saora
uaireigin na bheatha. Ach cha chuala i guth riamh air a鈥� bh脿rd Gh脿idhlig, Rob Donn, agus a鈥櫬燽h霉th aice leth-mh矛le bhon uaigh aige, ma tha i sin. Mo chreach! Gu fortanach, chan ionann a suidheachadh-se agus suidheachadh nan sgoilearan ann am聽Bun-sgoil Thunga. Tha m貌ran dhiubh anns an aonad Gh脿idhlig agus bidh c脿ch anns an sgoil ag聽ionnsachadh na G脿idhlig. Mo bheannachd air ceannard na sgoile, agus na tidsearan.
Agus bidh Ruairidh MacLe貌id gan cuideachadh leis a鈥� Gh脿idhlig. Dh鈥檃inmich mi Ruairidh anns an Litir an t-seachdain sa chaidh. Bha e uaireigin na iasgair anns a鈥� Chaolas聽Chumhang.

Bha mi ann an D霉thaich MhicAoidh as t-earrach am-bliadhna agus thug Ruairidh cuireadh dhomh dhol a choimhead air a鈥� chloinn-sgoile, agus iad a鈥� gabhail 貌rain. Am measg聽na ghabh iad, bha Gleanna Gollaidh le Rob Donn.

Gleanna Gollaidh,聽
Gleanna Gollaidh,聽
Gleanna Gollaidh nan craobh,
C貌 a ch矛 e nach mol e,
Gleanna Gollaidh nan craobh.

Gleanna Gollaidh: Glen Golly; D霉thaich MhicAoidh: The Mackay Country (of N Sutherland); Beinn H貌b: Ben Hope; Baile na Cille: Balnakeil; carragh-uaighe: gravestone memorial; iomchaidh: fitting, correct; c脿ch: the others; cuireadh: invitation.

C貌 a ch矛 e nach mol e: who could see it and not praise it; an t-s猫ist aig聽d脿n ainmeil: the refrain of a famous poem/song; m矛nichidh mi sin an ceartuair: I鈥檒l explain that聽shortly; d矛leab Rob Dhuinn: Rob Donn鈥檚 legacy; ann an cladh an cois a鈥� chladaich: in a聽cemetery beside the shore; uaigh a鈥� bh脿ird: the poet鈥檚 grave; gu ruige b霉th nan leabhraichean聽ann an deagh shunnd: to the bookshop in good spirits; an leabhar a bha mi a鈥� sireadh: the book聽I was looking for; cha tuirt i guth: she didn鈥檛 say anything; lean mi orm gu neoichiontach: I聽continued innocently; d猫 chanainn?: what could I say?; cuiridh mi geall: I鈥檒l bet; gum biodh l脿n聽fhios aice: that she would know well; gun robh X anns an sg矛re sin airson l脿ithean-saora聽uaireigin na bheatha: that X was once [in his life] in that area on holiday; chan ionann a聽suidheachadh-se agus suidheachadh nan sgoilearan: her situation and that of the pupils are not聽the same; bidh Ruairidh MacLe貌id gan cuideachadh: Roddy MacLeod helps them; dh鈥檃inmich聽mi: I named [mentioned]; as t-earrach am-bliadhna: in the spring of this year.

I thought I鈥檇 briefly tell you what an uplifting experience I had visiting Bun-sgoil Thunga (Tongue Primary School) in the Mackay Country of N. Sutherland in聽the spring of this year. The head of the school is also the Gaelic Medium teacher, and the English Medium teachers respect the Gaelic language. The ethos of the school is inclusive so聽not only are the Gaelic Medium pupils bilingual but the children who are in the English Medium stream also receive some Gaelic tuition and can sing Gaelic songs, as well as doing聽basic conversation. The Gaelic language is valued in the whole school and not treated with聽disdain by some of those who don鈥檛 speak it. And I鈥檇 say they all know who Rob Donn is! Well聽done to the head, the staff, Roddy MacLeod and, of course, the scholars themselves. There鈥檚 a聽model there for other small communities in Scotland.

agus a鈥� bh霉th aice leth-mh矛le bhon uaigh aige, ma tha i sin: her shop being half a mile from his grave, if it鈥檚 [even] that [far].
Tha 鈥淟itir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh鈥� air a maoineachadh le MG ALBA