543: Dòmhnall Dubh na Cuthaig
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.
Dòmhnall Dubh na Cuthaig
Tha an Litir a’ fuireach ann an Eilean Chanaigh an t-seachdain seo. Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mun Chorra-dhùn air cladach an eilein far a bheil seann togalach beag a tha a’ tuiteam às a chèile. A rèir beul-aithris chùm fear de chinn-chinnidh Chloinn Raghnaill a bhean na prìosanach ann. ’S e an t-ainm a bh’ air a’ cheann-chinnidh Dòmhnall Dubh na Cuthaig. Bha e beò anns an t-seachdamh linn deug.
Bha gunna mòr aig Dòmhnall. Tha e coltach, nuair a bha e air a losgadh, gun do rinn an gunna fuaim car coltach ri fuaim na cuthaig. Mar sin ’s e “a’ chuthag” a bh’ aig Dòmhnall fhèin, agus càch, air a’ ghunna. Gu tric anns an t-seann aimsir bhiodh ainmean dhen t-seòrsa sin aig na Gàidheil air na gunnaichean aca.
A rèir choltais chan e duine laghach a bh’ ann an Dòmhnall idir. Nam biodh cuideigin a’ cur dragh air, bhiodh e a’ maoidheadh air gun cuireadh e a’ chuthag an sàs na aghaidh.
Chaidh Dòmhnall agus an sagart ann an Canaigh a-mach air a chèile. Tha cuid a’ dèanamh dheth gun do rinn an sagart searmon an aghaidh Dhòmhnaill, ga chàineadh airson a bhean a chumail anns a’ phrìosan bheag air a’ Chorra-dhùn. Tha cuid eile ag ràdh gun robh an sagart ag iarraidh dhol a dh’Uibhist ach gun robh Dòmhnall ag iarraidh stad a chur air.
Co-dhiù, chaidh Dòmhnall a Chanaigh anns a’ bhàta aige. Air an t-slighe bha ainmhidh annasach a’ leantainn a’ bhàta. Thathar ag ràdh gur e muile-mhàgag mhòr a bh’ ann. Dh’fhàs i stoirmeil. Bha fairge mhòr ann. Agus chunnacas an creutair a bha seo air mullach gach stuaigh. Bha an criutha dhen bheachd gun rachadh am bàta fodha. Bha Dòmhnall fhèin aig an stiùir agus dh’iarr e air a’ chreutair thighinn air bòrd. Chaidh e air bòrd agus ràinig am bàta Canaigh gu sàbhailte.
Thug Dòmhnall Dubh clàr fiodha a-mach às gach bàta anns an eilean, gus nach fhaigheadh an sagart air falbh. Ach, latha a bha seo, chunnaic an sagart bàta a’ dol seachad air Canaigh. Dh’iarr e air a’ chriutha thighinn gu tìr agus rinn e dol-às – ged a bha am bàta a’ dol don Eilean Sgitheanach, seach a dh’Uibhist. Fhad ’s a bha e a’ seòladh air falbh, dh’èigh an sagart, mar gum biodh, air Dòmhnall Dubh, “biodh do dhust an seo gun a bhith air a thiodhlacadh a cheart cho fada ’s a chùm thu mise ann.”
Nuair a bha Dòmhnall a’ bàsachadh bha e ann an èiginn. Chuala e fead taobh a-muigh an taighe. Dh’fhalbh e a-mach ach bha mac banntraich an sin. Chuir esan Dòmhnall Dubh air ais na leabaidh.
Thachair sin dàrna turas. Chuir mac na banntraich stad air a-rithist. Ach chunnaic iad fear na sheasamh air cnoc mu choinneamh an taighe. Bha am fear sin cho àrd ’s gun robh iad a’ faicinn Eilein Rùim eadar a chasan. Dh’fhalbh am famhair, a’ coiseachd air uachdar na mara gu ruige Rùm. Bhon uair sin tha an linne eadar Canaigh is Rùm air a bhith air leth garbh.
Nuair a chaochail Dòmhnall Dubh thàinig droch shìde. Bha a dhust glaiste ann an Canaigh airson seachd seachdainean – dìreach mar a dh’iarr an sagart. Mu dheireadh thall, ràinig a chiste an Tobha Mòr ann an Uibhist far an robh seann chladh Chloinn Raghnaill. ’S iomadh ball de Chloinn Raghnaill a chaidh a thiodhlacadh an sin, agus cha b’ e Dòmhnall Dubh am fear a b’ fheàrr dhiubh.
Faclan na Litreach: Eilean Chanaigh: the Isle of Canna; An Corra-dhùn: Coroghan (Castle); Dòmhnall Dubh na Cuthaig: Black Donald of the Cuckoo; fuaim: noise, sound; muile-mhàgag: toad; mac banntraich: a widow’s son; famhair: giant.
Abairtean na Litreach:: a’ tuiteam às a chèile: falling to pieces; chùm fear de chinn-chinnidh Chloinn Raghnaill a bhean na prìosanach ann: one of the chiefs of Clanranald kept his wife a prisoner there; nam biodh cuideigin a’ cur dragh air: if somebody were annoying him; bhiodh e a’ maoidheadh air: he would threaten him; gun cuireadh e a’ chuthag an sàs na aghaidh: that he would use the cuckoo against him; chaidh X agus an sagart a-mach air a chèile: X and the priest fell out; bha ainmhidh annasach a’ leantainn a’ bhàta: a strange animal was following the boat; air mullach gach stuaigh: on the crest of each wave; gun rachadh am bàta fodha: that the boat would sink; dh’iarr e air a’ chreutair thighinn air bòrd: he asked the creature to come aboard; mu choinneamh an taighe: opposite the house; a’ coiseachd air uachdar na mara: walking on the surface of the sea; ràinig a chiste an Tobha Mòr: his coffin reached Howmore; ’s iomadh ball de X a chaidh a thiodhlacadh an sin: many members of X were buried there; cha b’ e X am fear a b’ fheàrr dhiubh: X was not the best of them.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: biodh do dhust an seo gun a bhith air a thiodhlacadh a cheart cho fada ’s a chùm thu mise ann: you might not find it easy to locate the word dust in a Gaelic dictionary. It is used euphemistically in some dialects for human remains or a human body following death. The word corp is acceptable in some places, where dust is not used at all. But in other communities you would say dust Dhòmhnaill for “Donald’s remains” not corp Dhòmhnaill. If you live in a traditional Gaelic speaking area, find out what people there say. If you don’t, ask your teacher’s advice. The sentence in the Litir means “let your body remain here without being buried for as long as you kept me [here].”
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Thug Dòmhnall Dubh clàr fiodha a-mach às gach bàta anns an eilean: Black Donald took a wooden plank out of every boat on the island. Clàr has many meanings (perhaps too many!), including several types of flat surface or object. Clàr fiodha here is a wooden plank in a boat.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 239
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