291: An Doras Mòr
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
Tha an litir ag obrachadh leis an fhaclair. Tagh an taba ‘teacsa Gàidhlig’ agus tagh facal sam bith san teacsa agus fosglaidh am faclair ann an taba ùr agus bidh mìneachadh den fhacal ann. The letter is integrated with the dictionary. Select the tab ‘Gaelic text’ and choose any word and the dictionary will open and you will see the English explanation of the Gaelic word.
An Doras Mòr
Bidh cuimhne agaibh, ’s dòcha, gu robh mi a-mach air iasgach crodh aig muir an t-seachdain sa chaidh. No cò-dhiù air an aithris a rinn am bàrd ainmeil, Seumas Hogg, mu a leithid ann an Earra-Ghàidheal. Aig deireadh na Litreach thug mi iomradh air crodh-mara, agus bu mhath leam rudeigin a ràdh mu dheidhinn crodh-mara an-diugh. Tuigidh sibh gur e a th’ annta beathaichean a bhuineas do bheul-aithris is do dhualchas nan Gàidheal. Cha lorgar ann an leabhar saidheans iad.
Ann an Uibhist bhathar a’ creidsinn gum biodh an crodh-mara a’ tighinn gu tìr aig amannan air an oidhche. Bha iad airson a bhith ag ionaltradh air lus a bha a’ fàs air a’ mhachair. Dh’fheumadh a’ ghealach a bhith ann an suidheachadh àraidh, agus dh’fheumadh i bhith aig àirde àraidh gus am biodh i fhèin agus an seòl-mara a’ freagairt air a chèile. Bhiodh an crodh-mara a’ tighinn gu tìr goirid ron mhuir-tràigh.
Bhiodh buachaillean cuide riutha air tìr, a rèir choltais, ach bhiodh an ceannard aca – am prìomh bhuachaille, mar gum biodh – a’ fuireach aig muir. Nuair a thionndadh an lìonadh, bhiodh am mòr-bhuachaille sin a’ tighinn faisg air a’ chladach. Is dh’èigheadh e, “Donnach, Tromach, Sgiathan, Liathan, thigeadh an crodh-laoigh, co-dhiù thig no fanaidh na buachaillean.”
B’ e sin an t-àm airson nan daoine a bh’ air a bhith gan cumail am falach air a’ mhachair. Nuair a chluinneadh iad an glaodh a bha seo bhon fhairge, bha fios aca gum biodh an crodh a’ tighinn seachad orra, agus a’ tilleadh don mhuir. Bha làn an dùirn aig gach duine aca de dh’ùir agus, nuair a thigeadh am beathach seachad orra, bhiodh iad a’ tilgeil na h-ùrach air – mu chliathaich no mu cheann. Bhiodh e a’ stad far an robh e.
’S dòcha gum faigheadh iad dhà no thrì dhiubh air an oidhche sin, agus gach oidhche a thigeadh an crodh-mara gu tìr. Agus chan eil teagamh nach còrdadh e ri muinntir an àite na faclan sin a chluinntinn air an oidhche far a’ mhachair - “Donnach, Tromach, Sgiathan, Liathan, thigeadh an crodh-laoigh, co-dhiù thig no fanaidh na buachaillean.”
Nuair a chunnaic Seumas Hogg crodh a’ snàmh aig muir bha e faisg air Rubha Chreag Innis ann an Earra-Ghàidheal. Agus anns an sgìre sin, tha àite ann ris an canar An Doras Mòr. ’S e sin an caolas eadar an rubha agus eilean faisg air làimh. Tha e ainmeil airson cho luath ’s a bhios an sruth-mara a’ dol troimhe. Eadhon an-diugh ma nì sibh rannsachadh air an eadar-lìon fon tiotal “Dorus Mor” (leis an t-seann litreachadh, oir ’s e sin a th’ air a’ mhap), gheibh sibh tòrr thuairisgeulan de thursan mara ann an gheataichean is canùthaichean. Agus tha a’ chuid as mò aca a’ toirt rabhadh mun t-sruth-mhara.
’S dòcha nach bi sibh eòlach air an Doras Mhòr. Ach tha mi cinnteach gun cuala sibh uile mun chuairt-shruth faisg air làimh a tha ainmeil air feadh an t-saoghail. ’S e sin Coire Bhreacain.
Dìreach sia bliadhn’ deug às dèidh do Sheumas Hogg a bhith anns an àite sin, chaidh soitheach air leth ainmeil a sguabadh le sruth an Dorais Mhòir air na creagan. B’ e sin an Comet agus thachair an tubaist ann an stoirm mhòr anns an Dùbhlachd, ochd ceud deug is fichead (1820). Aig an stiùir bha am fear a chruthaich an soitheach – Eanraig Bell.
Is carson a bha an Comet cho ainmeil? Uill, b’ ise a’ chiad bhàta-smùid air an t-saoghal a bha a’ ruith aig muir gu coimearsalta le luchd-siubhail air bòrd. Bheir sinn sùil air a h-eachdraidh an ath-sheachdain.
Faclan na Litreach: Uibhist: Uist; seòl-mara: tide; buachaille: herdsman; glaodh: shout; fairge: sea; Rubha Chreag Innis: Craignish Point; caolas: sea channel; tuairisgeul: description; cuairt-shruth: whirlpool; Coire Bhreacain: Corryvreckan; gu coimearsalta: commercially.
Abairtean na Litreach: iasgach crodh: fishing for cattle; mu a leithid ann an Earra-Ghàidheal: about such a thing in Argyll; thug mi iomradh air crodh-mara:I mentioned sea-cattle; beathaichean a bhuineas do bheul-aithris: creatures which belong to oral tradition; bhathar a’ creidsinn:it was believed; bha iad airson a bhith ag ionaltradh: they wanted to graze; lus a bha a’ fàs air a’ mhachair:a plant which was growing on the machair; dh’fheumadh a’ ghealach a bhith ann an suidheachadh àraidh:the moon had to be in a particular phase; goirid ron mhuir-tràigh: shortly before low tide; nuair a thionndadh an lìonadh:when the tide turned [would turn]; thigeadh an crodh-laoigh: let the milk-cattle come; co-dhiù thig no fanaidh na buachaillean: whether the herdsmen come or stay; bha làn an dùirn aig gach duine aca de dh’ùir: each person of them had a fistful of soil; airson cho luath ’s a bhios an sruth-mara a’ dol troimhe: for how quickly the sea current [tidal race] goes through it; leis an t-seann litreachadh: with the old spelling; de thursan mara ann an gheataichean is canùthaichean: of marine journeys in yachts and canoes; tha a’ chuid as mò aca a’ toirt rabhadh: most of them give a warning; aig an stiùir bha am fear a chruthaich an soitheach: at the wheel was the man who invented the vessel; a’ chiad bhàta-smùid a bha a’ ruith aig muir: the first sea-going steamer; bheir sinn sùil air a h-eachdraidh: we will look at her story.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Bhiodh buachaillean cuide riutha air tìr: herdsmen would be with them on land. You will be familiar with the common phrase còmhla ri meaning “along with, in the company of”, which can refer to people or other objects. It is a preposition but, even though it appears to be of a compound nature and might be expected to take the genitive, it ends with ri – and thus takes the dative. Cuide ri is an equivalent phrase, more common in some areas than others. And maille ri is yet another, commonly found in the Bible. Both of these also command a noun in the dative, eg thàinig e maille ri Seumas; bha e cuide ris a’ bhalach ud. And, of course, the ri often combines to form a prepositional pronoun eg bha mi còmhla ris; thig e cuide riutha. Note that còmhla may also be an adverb and can stand on its own – bha iad aig a’ chonsart còmhla.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Cha lorgar ann an leabhar saidheans iad: they will not be found in a science book.
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