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Am faca sibh riamh am film, An Ranger? Chaidh a dhèanamh ann an 2008. Tha e ann an Gàidhlig na h-Èireann air fad. Gheibh sibh e air YouTube. Chan eil e ach deich mionaidean a dh’fhaid agus tha fo-thiotalan Beurla air.

Tha am film mu dheidhinn saighdear Èireannach – Gàidheal à Conamara – a tha a’ tilleadh dhachaigh, an dèidh a bhith thall thairis. Bha e ann an seirbheis na h-Ìmpireachd fad bliadhna thar fhichead. Nuair a ruigeas e a sheann dachaigh, chan eil mullach air. Chan eil sgeul air duine beò. Agus tha mucan a’ fuireach anns an tobhta. Tha an saighdear air a sgreamhachadh.

Fhad ʼs a bha e air falbh, bha gort a’ bhuntàta ann. Bha fuadaichean ann cuideachd. Tha e a’ dol gu taigh co-ogha a mhàthar – am fear leis a bheil na mucan. Tha an co-ogha a’ cur na coire airson na thachair air na Sasannaich – agus Albannach no dhà. Bha màthair an t-saighdeir air a fuadachadh às a dachaigh, agus chaochail i ann an taigh nam bochd. 

Ach chan eil an saighdear a’ gabhail ri leisgeul an duine eile. Tha e a’ toirt sgian mhòr a-mach – khukuri a fhuair e ann an Àisia. Tha e a’ dol a dh’fhaighinn dìoghaltas air an fheadhainn a rinn sgrios air a theaghlach. Airson a’ chòrr, feumaidh sibh am film fhaicinn!

ʼS dòcha gum bi feadhainn agaibh ag ràdh – ist, a Ruairidh, tha thu a’ bruidhinn air a’ film Black 47. Nochd sin air sgàileanan mòra an t-saoghail an-uiridh. 

Agus bhiodh sibh ceart. Bha Black 47 stèidhichte air An Ranger – ged a tha e mòran nas fhaide. Agus tha a’ chuid as motha dheth ann am Beurla.

Nam biodh sibh a’ coimhead airson film a tha làn àbhachdais, cha mholainn Black 47 dhuibh. Tha e dorch, dòrainneach. Ach tha e air a dheagh dhèanamh. Agus thug e toileachas dhomh na bh’ ann de Ghàidhlig na h-Èireann ann.

Cha robh facal Gaeilge aig a’ phrìomh chleasaiche mus do thòisich e air a’ phròiseact. Gu dearbh, tha e Astràilianach. ʼS e Seumas Frecheville an t-ainm a tha air. Saoilidh mi gun do rinn e sioba mhath.

Have you ever seen the film An Ranger? It was made in 2008. It’s entirely in Irish Gaelic. You’ll get it on YouTube. It’s only ten minutes long and it has English subtitles.

The film is about an Irish soldier – a Gael from Connemara – who is returning home, after being overseas. He was in the service of the Empire for 21 years. When he reaches his old home, it is roofless. There is nobody living [there]. And pigs are living in the ruins. The soldier is sickened.

While he was away, the potato famine happened. There were also clearances. He goes to the house of his mother’s cousin – the man who owns the pigs. The cousin blames the English for what happened – and a Scot or two. The soldier’s mother was cleared from her house, and she died in the poorhouse.

But the soldier doesn’t accept the other man’s excuse. He brings out a big knife – a khukuri he got in Asia. He’s going to wreak revenge on the people who destroyed his family. For the rest, you have to see the film!

Perhaps some of you will be saying – hey, Ruairidh, you’re talking about the film Black 47. That appeared on the world’s big screens last year.

And you’d be correct. Black 47 was based on An Ranger – although it is much longer. And most of it is in English.

If you were looking for a film that is full of humour, I wouldn’t recommend Black 47 to you. It is dark and harrowing. But it is well made. And I was pleased how much Irish Gaelic was in it.

The star actor spoke no Irish before he started the project. Indeed, he is Australian. His name is Seumas Frecheville. I reckon he did a good job.