大象传媒

An cuala sibh riamh mun Urramach Alexander Pope? Bha e na mhinistear ann am Meaghrath ann an Gallaibh anns an ochdamh linn deug. Bha G脿idhlig aige 鈥� gu dearbh, 鈥檚 e coitheanal G脿idhlig a bh鈥� aige.

Chan eil mi cinnteach d猫 chanadh muinntir an 脿ite ris ann an G脿idhlig. Tha ainm athar air a chl脿radh ann am Beurla mar Hector Paip agus Hector Pope. Ach, leis nach eil mi cinnteach mu dheidhinn sin, canaidh mi Alexander Pope. Ach tha aon rud cinnteach 鈥� nuair a thathar a鈥� bruidhinn air dualchas G脿idhlig Ghallaibh chan urrainn Mgr Pope fh脿gail an d脿rna taobh.

Thogadh e ann an Loth ann an Cataibh. Bha athair na mhinistear anns an Eaglais Easbaigich. Ach chaidh Alexander a-null gu Eaglais na h-Alba. Rinn e ceum ann an diadhachd ann an Obar Dheathain. A bharrachd air a鈥� Gh脿idhlig, bha comas aige anns na c脿nanan clasaigeach.

鈥橲 e duine foghainteach l脿idir a bh鈥� ann agus bhiodh e a鈥� seasamh 霉ghdarrais le bata a chumadh e na dh貌rn. Bhiodh e a鈥� cleachdadh a鈥� bhata air muinntir a鈥� choitheanail airson am 鈥渂rosnachadh鈥� a dh鈥檌onnsaigh na h-eaglaise. Nam faiceadh e daoine ri sp貌rs no dibhearsain air an t-S脿baid, rachadh e a-mach leis a鈥� bhata airson an iomain don eaglais. Bha ainm aige air a鈥� bhata 鈥� 鈥渁m b脿illidh鈥�.

Seo st貌iridh a chaidh a chl脿radh mu dheidhinn, ged nach urrainn dhomh dearbhadh co-dhi霉 tha e f矛or gus nach eil. Bha fear dom b鈥� ainm D貌mhnall air iomall na sg矛re a bha a鈥� di霉ltadh a-muigh no mach a dhol don eaglais. Bha am ministear air fios a chur thuige gu tric, ag iarraidh air dhol don mhansa. Ach dhi霉lt D貌mhnall. Mar sin, chuir Mgr Pope roimhe dhol a ch猫ilidh air D貌mhnall.

Latha a bha seo, chaidh am ministear gu taigh Dh貌mhnaill. R脿inig e an taigh anmoch feasgar agus cha do dh鈥檌nns e do Dh貌mhnall c貌 e. Bhiodh na G脿idheil a鈥� toirt cuid na h-oidhche do dhuine sam bith air an robh feum, agus fhuair am ministear f脿ilte is furan.

Chuir an dithis am feasgar seachad c貌mhla ann an deagh shunnd, le seanchas gu le貌r. Th脿inig an t-脿m airson a dhol a laighe agus thuirt Mgr Pope, 鈥淔eumaidh tu 霉rnaigh a ghabhail, a Dh貌mhnaill.鈥�

鈥淐ha d猫an mi sin,鈥� fhreagair D貌mhnall.

鈥淔eumaidh tu,鈥� thuirt Mgr Pope. 鈥淏heir mi ort a dh猫anamh, agus air do ghl霉inean.鈥�

鈥淗uh,鈥� arsa D貌mhnall. 鈥淐ha b鈥� urrainn do eadhon Mgr Pope, am ministear, toirt orm 霉rnaigh a ghabhail, l脿idir 鈥檚 ged a tha e.鈥�

鈥淚s mise Mgr Pope,鈥� thuirt am ministear. 鈥淎gus leis gur e peacach rag-mhuinealach a th鈥� annad, tha mi a鈥� toirt 貌rdugh dhut dhol air do ghl霉inean no bidh thu a鈥� gabhail aithreachas.鈥�

Bha D貌mhnall feargach. Sheas e an aghaidh a鈥� mhinisteir. Rinn an dithis sabaid len d霉irn. Agus 鈥檚 e Mgr Pope a thug buaidh. Gh猫ill D貌mhnall dha agus ghabh e 霉rnaigh.

Th脿inig atharrachadh air D貌mhnall air an oidhche sin. Th貌isich e air a dhol don eaglais is dh鈥櫭╥rich e gu bhith na 猫ildear. Thathar ag r脿dh gun robh sp猫is mh貌r aige don mhinistear agus aig a鈥� mhinistear dhasan.

An cuala sibh mun Urramach Alexander Pope?: have you heard of the Rev Alexander Pope?; d猫 chanadh muinntir an 脿ite ris: what the local people called him; tha ainm athar air a chl脿radh: his father鈥檚 name is recorded; nuair a thathar a鈥� bruidhinn air dualchas G脿idhlig Ghallaibh: when the Gaelic heritage of Caithness is being spoken of; chan urrainn X fh脿gail an d脿rna taobh: X can鈥檛 be left out; anns an Eaglais Easbaigich: in the Episcopalian Church; ceum ann an diadhachd ann an Obar Dheathain: a divinity degree in Aberdeen; na c脿nanan clasaigeach: the classical languages; bhiodh e a鈥� seasamh 霉ghdarrais le bata a chumadh e na dh貌rn: he would back up his authority with a stick he kept in his fist; airson am 鈥渂rosnachadh鈥�: to 鈥渆ncourage鈥� them; nam faiceadh e daoine ri sp貌rs no dibhearsain air an t-S脿baid: if he saw people involved in sports or fun on the Sabbath; rachadh e a-mach airson an iomain don eaglais: he would go out and drive them to church; a鈥� di霉ltadh a-muigh no mach: refusing outright; ag iarraidh air dhol don mhansa: asking him to go to the manse; chuir X roimhe dhol a ch猫ilidh air Y: X decided to go and visit Y; a鈥� toirt cuid na h-oidhche do dhuine sam bith: giving a night鈥檚 lodging to anybody; bheir mi ort a dh猫anamh, agus air do ghl霉inean: I鈥檒l force you to do it, and on your knees; l脿idir 鈥檚 ged a tha e: strong and all as he is; leis gur e peacach rag-mhuinealach a th鈥� annad: since you are a stubborn sinner; sabaid len d霉irn: fighting with their fists; gh猫ill X dha: X submitted to him; gu bhith na 猫ildear: to be an elder; gun robh sp猫is mh貌r aige don mhinistear: that he greatly respected the minister.

fear dom b鈥� ainm 顿貌尘丑苍补濒濒: a man called Donald.

听

Tha 鈥淟itir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh鈥� air a maoineachadh le MG ALBA