大象传媒

Bha mi ag innse dhuibh an t-seachdain sa chaidh mu Naomh Ciaran, a鈥� chiad naomh 脠ireannach a rugadh ann an 脠irinn. Chuir e manachainn air chois ann an Saighir ann an Contae Ua bhF谩il铆. Tha seann st貌iridh ann mu dheidhinn mar a thagh e an t-脿ite, seach 脿ite sam bith eile, airson a mhanachainn.

Fhuair e tr猫anadh anns an t-sagartachd ann an Tours agus anns an R貌imh agus, a r猫ir na sge貌il, thachair e ri Naomh P脿draig anns an Eadailt. Bhrosnaich Naomh P脿draig e a dhol a dh鈥櫭坕rinn roimhe. Thuirt P脿draig ris, 鈥淭halla do dh鈥檉huaran ann am meadhan na h-脠ireann agus cuir manachainn air chois ann a sin, oir 鈥檚 ann an sin a gheibh thu urram.鈥�

鈥淐han aithne dhomh an t-脿ite sin,鈥� arsa Ciaran. 鈥淎 bhrathair ch貌ir,鈥� fhreagair P脿draig, 鈥渂idh an Tighearna maille riut. Thoir an clag seo mar chompanach dhut air do thuras. Fanaidh e balbh gus an ruig thu an t-脿ite ach, nuair a ruigeas tu e, seinnidh an clag gu binn. 脌s d猫idh trithead bliadhna, leanaidh mi ort.鈥�

Thug an dithis beannachd do ch猫ile agus dh鈥檉halbh Ciaran gu ruige 脠irinn. Dh鈥檉huirich P脿draig anns an Eadailt. Bhon l脿 sin a-mach, bha an clag, a thug Ciaran leis, balbh. Bha sin gus an do r脿inig e am fuaran ann am meadhan na d霉thcha. Bha an clag na ph貌caid ach, nuair a r脿inig e an t-脿ite ceart, sheinn an clag gu binn. Stad Ciaran far an robh e ann am meadhan na coille, agus roghnaich e bothan a thogail dha fh猫in ann a sin. Ach bha e fh猫in is na beathaichean measail air a ch猫ile agus, a r猫ir beul-aithris, thog torc nimhe am bothan dha. Tro th矛de thog Ciaran agus luchd-taic aige manachainn anns an dearbh 脿ite.

Mar a bha mi ag aithris an t-seachdain sa chaidh, rugadh Naomh Ciaran ann an Eilean Cl猫ire, an t-eilean as fhaide deas ann an 脠irinn. Tha e air a chuimhneachadh gu m貌r ann a sin fhathast. Thathar ag r脿dh mu dheidhinn (is tha mi a鈥� cur seo anns a鈥� Gh脿idhlig againn fh猫in), 鈥淎nn an Comar cl霉mhor air taobh na gr猫ine, 鈥檚 ann a rinn Ciaran naomh air th霉s a chealla鈥�. Tha 鈥渃omar鈥� a鈥� ciallachadh an aon rud ri tairbeart an seo, agus 鈥檚 e sin an t-ainm a th鈥� air a bhaile bheag far am faicear a鈥� mhuir air gach taobh dhen eilean leis gu bheil e cho cumhang an sin. Ann an Comar cl霉mhor air taobh na gr猫ine, 鈥檚 ann a rinn Ciaran naomh air th霉s a chealla.

Suas am bruach bhon t-seann eaglais ann an Comar tha taigh-seinnse ann 鈥� no teach-tabhairne mar a chanas na h-脠ireannaich. Agus tha rudeigin anns a鈥� chumantas eadar am fear leis a bheil e agus an seann naomh a tha co-cheangailte ris an eilean. 鈥橲 e Ciaran, no Ciar谩n, an t-ainm a th鈥� airsan cuideachd. Ciar谩n Danny Mike.

Air an taobh a-staigh dhen taigh-sheinnse, os cionn an dorais aghaidh, tha sanas m貌r ann an G脿idhlig na h-脠ireann. Tha mi a鈥� tuigsinn gur e seanfhacal a th鈥� ann a bhuineas do dh鈥櫭坕lean Cl猫ire. Seo e ann an G脿idhlig na h-Alba: 鈥淭art an d猫idh an 貌il, br貌n an d猫idh an airgid.鈥� Tha tart a鈥� ciallachadh 鈥減athadh鈥�. Tart an d猫idh an 貌il, br貌n an d猫idh an airgid.

Bha mi greis a鈥� me貌mhrachadh air, agus mi a鈥� gabhail pinnt Ghuinness, is saoilidh mi gu bheil t貌rr gliocais anns an t-seanfhacal. Cha mhair rud sam bith gu s矛orraidh. Agus air an oidhche an d猫idh sin chaidh mi air ais airson pinnt eile.

Faclan na seachdaine: manachainn: monastery; Contae Ua bhF谩il铆: County Offaly; sagartachd: priesthood; an R貌imh: Rome; an Eadailt: Italy; fuaran: spring; arsa: said; clag: bell; companach: companion; beannachd: blessing; torc nimhe: wild boar; Eilean Cl猫ire: Cape Clear Island; tairbeart: isthmus; tobhta: ruin; taigh-seinnse: pub; pathadh: thirst.

Abairtean na seachdaine: bhrosnaich Naomh P脿draig e: St Patrick encouraged him; a gheibh thu urram: that you will obtain reverence; chan aithne dhomh an t-脿ite sin: I don鈥檛 know that place; bidh an Tighearna maille riut: The Lord will be with you; fanaidh e balbh gus an ruig thu X: it will remain mute until you reach X; seinnidh an clag gu binn: the bell will ring sweetly; bha e fh猫in is na beathaichean measail air a ch猫ile: he and the animals were fond of each other; anns an dearbh 脿ite: in the very same place; tha e air a chuimhneachadh fhathast: he is still remembered; ann an Comar cl霉mhor air taobh na gr猫ine: in snug sheltered Comar on the sunny side; 鈥檚 ann a rinn Ciaran naomh air th霉s a chealla: it was that saintly Ciaran originally built his church; far am faicear a鈥� mhuir: where the sea is (can be) seen; 鈥檚 e Ciaran an t-ainm a th鈥� airsan cuideachd: his name is also Ciaran; os cionn an dorais aghaidh: above the front door; a bhuineas do X: which belongs to X; cha mhair rud sam bith gu s矛orraidh: nothing lasts for ever; chaidh mi air ais airson pinnt eile: I went back for another pint.

Puing-ch脿nain na seachdaine: Tha seann st貌iridh ann mu dheidhinn mar a thagh e an t-脿ite: there is an old story about how he chose the place. Let us consider an t-脿ite. 脌ite is a masculine noun with an initial vowel and is here in the singular nominative or nominal case (in modern Gaelic there is no separate accusative case), as it is the direct object of a verb, but not a verbal noun (which would command the genitive). The grammatical standard in this instance is that the article is an t-. However, I am sometimes challenged on this by speakers of Lewis Gaelic or by learners who have picked up their Gaelic from speakers who belong to that island. They tell me that in fact no 鈥渢鈥� is pronounced (or that it is hardly pronounced) in their dialect and that it should therefore not be written. It is certainly true that in Lewis there is a degree of consonant mutation, and a reduction of consonant enunciation, not found elsewhere in Scotland. Nevertheless, a standard form for the written language is essential so that we all know exactly what the written word is saying. Thus, regardless of dialect, the t- should always be written. The same applies across the language: gheibh is pronounced 鈥測iv鈥� or 鈥測o鈥�; abhainn is pronounced 鈥渁vin鈥� or 鈥渁win鈥�; cunnart is pronounced 鈥渒oonurt鈥�, 鈥渒oonurst鈥� or 鈥渒oonust鈥�, and so on. If we were to alter the spelling for each dialect to satisfy the differing pronunciations, the written language would become a 鈥渂rochan鈥�. Please stick to the spelling conventions!

Seanfhacal na seachdaine: Tart an d猫idh an 貌il, br貌n an d猫idh an airgid: thirst after drinking, sorrow after money (ie riches). Nothing lasts for ever...