大象传媒

O chionn ghoirid, bha mi a鈥� leughadh seann ph脿ipear leis an Urramach Iain MacRuairidh. Chaidh a l矛bhrigeadh do Chomunn G脿idhlig Inbhir Nis ann an ochd ceud deug, naochad 鈥檚 a ceithir (1894). Tha e a鈥� d猫iligeadh ri beul-aithris mu rudeigin a thachras gu n脿darrach, no anns an robh daoine a鈥� creidsinn co-dhi霉. Mus inns mi dhuibh mun ph脿ipear aige, bu math leam rudeigin a thuirt Mgr MacRuairidh aig deireadh 貌raid aithris dhuibh. Tha e a鈥� buntainn ris an fheallsanachd a th鈥� air c霉l m貌ran dhen obair a bhios mi fh矛n a鈥� d猫anamh.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥業s fhe脿irrde gach neach leis an 脿ill fiosrachadh fhaotainn,鈥� thuirt Mgr MacRuairidh, 鈥榝ios a bhith aige air na beachdan a bha cumanta am measg an t-sluaigh san 脿m a dh'fhalbh. Is e seo aon de na d貌ighean air am faighear a-mach seann eachdraidh nan G脿idheal. Am fear a tha aineolach air na seann naidheachdan, air na seann 貌rain, agus air na seanfhacail, tha e ann an tomhas m貌r aineolach air seann eachdraidh a dh霉thcha. An G脿idheal a tha aineolach air seann eachdraidh a dh霉thcha is gann gun urrainnear 鈥渇矛or Gh脿idheal鈥� a r脿dh ris.鈥�

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥橲 d貌cha gu bheil 鈥榝矛or Gh脿idheal鈥� no dh脿 a tha ag 猫isteachd an-dr脿sta nach aontaicheadh ris an Urramach MacRuairidh! Ach saoilidh mi fh矛n bheil tomhas m貌r dhen fh矛rinn aige 鈥� gun robh e f矛or an uair sin is gu bheil e f矛or fhathast. Chan fheum beul-aithris a bhith 鈥榗eart鈥�. Ma tha i G脿idhealach, n矛 sin an gnothach dhuinn!

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Bha am ministear a鈥� toirt 貌raid mu dheidhinn rud n脿darrach. Uill, n脿darrach no os-n脿darrach, chan eil mi cinnteach. Ann an Uibhist, canaidh daoine 鈥楢n Teine M貌r鈥� ris. Anns an Eilean Sgitheanach, 鈥檚 e 鈥楢n Teine Biorach鈥� a chanar ris. Agus tha ainmean eile air a bharrachd 鈥� sionnachan, teine sionnachain, coinneal bianain, srada bianain, spiorad lodain agus teine dreallsach. Abair sreath de dh鈥檃inmean airson rud a tha cuid a鈥� cumail a-mach nach eil ann ach sa mhac-meanmna!

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Ann am Beurla, canaidh daoine 飞颈濒濒-辞鈥�-迟丑别-飞颈蝉辫 ris. No jack o鈥� lantern. 鈥橲 e a th鈥� ann ach solas lag coltach ri teine a chithear air oidhche dhorch. Gu tric, bithear 鈥� no bhathar 鈥� ga fhaicinn os cionn bhoglaichean. Tha cuid a鈥� cumail a-mach gur e as coireach gasaichean mar meatan a th鈥� air an d猫anamh anns na boglaichean agus a tha so-loisgeach. Ma tha lasair de she貌rsa sam bith timcheall, bidh an gas a鈥� losgadh.

聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Agus 鈥檚 d貌cha gur e sin as coireach gum biodh daoine ga fhaicinn anns an t-seann aimsir. Nam biodh solas sam bith aca, agus iad a-muigh air an oidhche, 鈥檚 e lasair a bhiodh ann 鈥� coinneal no l貌chran. No uaireannan leus (no coinneal-ghiuthais). Nam biodh gas so-loisgeach ann, bhiodh e a鈥� losgadh. Agus chitheadh na daoine sin oir bha na solais aca cho lag. Ach an-diugh, le tordsaichean dealain cumhachdach, cha bhi na gasaichean a鈥� losgadh, agus chan fhaiceamaid an teine m貌r co-dhi霉.

leis an Urramach Iain MacRuairidh: by the Rev. John MacRury; no anns an robh daoine a鈥� creidsinn co-dhi霉: in which people believed, at least; a鈥� buntainn ris an fheallsanachd a th鈥� air c霉l m貌ran dhen obair: it is relevant to the philosophy that is behind much of the work; is fhe脿irrde gach neach leis an 脿ill fiosrachadh fhaotainn: each person who desires to get information is better off; fios a bhith aige air na beachdan a bha cumanta am measg an t-sluaigh san 脿m a dh'fhalbh: to know the opinions that were common among the people in past time[s]; aon de na d貌ighean air am faighear a-mach seann eachdraidh nan G脿idheal: one of the ways to find out the old history of the Gaels; is gann gun urrainnear X a r脿dh ris: he can hardly be called X; n矛 sin an gnothach dhuinn: that will suffice for us; a chithear air oidhche dhorch: that is seen on a dark night; bithear 鈥� no bhathar 鈥� ga fhaicinn os cionn bhoglaichean: it is 鈥� or was 鈥� seen above bogs; ma tha lasair de she貌rsa sam bith timcheall: if any form of flame is present; 鈥檚 e lasair a bhiodh ann 鈥� coinneal no l貌chran: it would be a flame 鈥� a candle or lantern; chitheadh na daoine sin oir bha na solais aca cho lag: the people would see that because their lights were so weak; le tordsaichean dealain cumhachdach鈥�chan fhaiceamaid an teine m貌r: with powerful electric torches鈥�we wouldn鈥檛 see the 飞颈濒濒-辞鈥�-迟丑别-飞颈蝉辫; gu le貌r dhen t-saidheans: enough of the science; aithnichte ann an diofar 脿iteachan: known in different places.

coinneal-ghiuthais: pine candle. Are you familiar with the coinneal-ghiuthais (sometimes called leus)? In many parts of the G脿idhealtachd, resinous pine was dug up from peat bogs; once dried, it made a good torch and could be used outside. In places where pines (craobhan-giuthais) grew, people would sometimes cut pine candles from the heartwood of the living tree 鈥� I was sent a picture recently of such a tree in Lochaber. This was the norm in Glenmoriston, where the pine forest was extensive, leading to the expression 鈥楪leann Moireastan, far nach ith na coin na coinnlean鈥� (Glenmoriston, where the dogs don鈥檛 eat the candles). Dogs, of course, would eat candles made from animal fat but not those made of pine wood!

tha e ann an tomhas m貌r aineolach: he is, to a great degree, ignorant.