755: Tormod an t-Seòladair (5)
Litir sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is mìneachadh. A weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and explanation.
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Tormod an t-Seòladair (5)
Ma bhios sibh ag èisteachd ri prògraman naidheachd Radio nan Gàidheal, bidh fios agaibh gur e fear le Gàidhlig a tha na Àrd-rùnaire air Caidreachas nam Poileas an Alba. Tha Calum Steele, a bhuineas do dh’Uibhist a Deas, a’ leantainn cas-cheum eileanach eile le Gàidhlig a chuir an Caidreachas air chois. B’ esan ar caraid Tormod MacIlleMhoire, Tormod an t-Seòladair, à Siabost ann an Leòdhas.
Tha mi air a bhith ag innse dhuibh mu Thormod agus saoghal nàdair. Ach bha e ainmeil cuideachd ann an seirbheis a cho-chreutairean a bha ag obair mar phoilis. Anns an fhèin-eachdraidh aige My Story, tha e ag aithris gun robh àrd-urrachan na seirbheis gu math mì-thoilichte gun robh poilis ann an aonadh. Bha sin gu dubh an aghaidh nan riaghailtean. Ach bha Tormod dhen bheachd gun robh e riatanach gum biodh aonadh aca, oir bha am pàigheadh cho truagh agus an uairean obrach cho fada.
Eadar naoi ceud deug ’s trì-deug (1913) agus naoi ceud deug ’s ochd-deug (1918), bha an t-aonadh ag obair ann an dìomhaireachd. Bha Tormod dhen bheachd gun robh an t-àm ann a thoirt don fhollais.
Anns a’ Ghearran naoi ceud deug ’s naoi-deug (1919) chaidh an t-Àrd-chonstabal don Òban airson bruidhinn ris na h-oifigearan an sin, far an robh Tormod na shàirdseant. An oidhche roimhe, bha coinneamh dhìomhair eadar Tormod ’s na poilis eile san aonadh. Dh’aontaich iad gu h-aona-ghuthach aideachadh gun robh iad nam buill. Bhiodh iad a’ diùltadh am ballrachd a leigeil seachad.
Chaidh Tormod a ghairm a-steach na aonar don Àrd-chonstabal. Thuirt an t-Àrd-chonstabal ris gu feumadh e an t-aonadh fhàgail no an t-seirbheis fhàgail. Bhiodh còig mionaidean aige, na sheasamh gu dìreach, airson a cho-dhùnadh a dhèanamh. Thuirt Tormod gum fàgadh e an t-seirbheis. Cha do sheas ach dithis de na h-oifigearan eile ri a ghualainn, ge-tà.
Ach cha b’ e sin deireadh a’ ghnothaich. Bha muinntir an Òbain cho mì-thoilichte ’s gun do rinn iad coiteachadh mòr. Sgrìobh iad chun a’ Phrìomhaire, Lloyd George. Bha esan air dearbhadh a’ bhliadhna roimhe ann an Sasainn gun robh e tuigseach mu shuidheachadh nam poileas. An ceann seachdain, fhuair Tormod agus a dhithis chompanach an dreuchdan air ais.
Bha stailc aig na poilis ann an naoi ceud deug is naoi-deug (1919) agus thuig an riaghaltas gu feumadh iad rudeigin a dhèanamh. Chuir iad achdan tron Phàrlamaid. Chruthaich iad Caidreachas nam Poileas an Alba agus Caidreachas fa leth ann an Sasainn ’s a’ Chuimrigh.
Cha robh àrd-urrachan nam poileas toilichte le Tormod, ge-tà. Chuir iad a-mach às an Òban e agus dh’fheuch iad ri toirt air a dhreuchd a leigeil seachad tràth air adhbharan slàinte. Nuair a leig e dheth a dhreuchd, le thoil fhèin, bha aige fhèin ’s aig a bhean ’s an ceathrar cloinne ris an taigh-poilis aca fhàgail taobh a-staigh seachdain.
Thuirt Tormod, ‘Tha an duine a reiceas a phrionnsabalan airson àrdachadh tuarastail … aig an aon ìre ri beathaichean an achaidh.’ Bha a phrionnsabalan aige agus chùm e riutha gu daingeann. Chaochail Tormod ann an Ceann Loch Chille Chiarain ann an naoi ceud deug, ceathrad ’s a naoi (1949). ‘Athair Caidreachas nam Poileas’. ‘Rìgh nan Nathraichean’. Abair beatha a bh’ aige.
Faclan na Litreach: Tormod MacIlleMhoire: Norman Morrison; fèin-eachdraidh: autobiography; Àrd-chonstabal: Chief Constable; coiteachadh: lobbying; stailc: strike; Ceann Loch Chille Chiarain: Campbeltown.
Abairtean na Litreach: tha na Àrd-rùnaire air Caidreachas nam Poileas an Alba: who is the General Secretary of the Scottish Police Federation; a bhuineas do dh’Uibhist a Deas: who belongs to South Uist; a’ leantainn cas-cheum eileanach eile le Gàidhlig: following the footsteps of another Gaelic-speaking islander; a chuir an Caidreachas air chois: who established the Federation; gun robh àrd-urrachan na seirbheis gu math mì-thoilichte: that the service’s leaders were very unhappy; gun robh e riatanach gum biodh aonadh aca:that it was necessary for them to have a union; bha am pàigheadh cho truagh agus an uairean obrach cho fada: their pay was so poor and their working hours so long; ag obair ann an dìomhaireachd: working in secrecy; gun robh an t-àm ann a thoirt don fhollais: that it was time to bring it into the open; bhiodh iad a’ diùltadh am ballrachd a leigeil seachad: they would refuse to give up their membership; chaidh X a ghairm a-steach na aonar: X was called in on his own; gu feumadh e an t-aonadh fhàgail no an t-seirbheis fhàgail: that he would have to leave the union or the service; cha do sheas ach dithis de na h-oifigearan eile ri a ghualainn: only two of the other officers stood with him; gun robh e tuigseach mu shuidheachadh nam poileas:that he understood the police officers’ situation; dh’fheuch iad ri toirt air a dhreuchd a leigeil seachad tràth air adhbharan slàinte:they tried to get him to retire on health grounds; le thoil fhèin: of his own volition; aig an aon ìre ri beathaichean an achaidh:at the same level as the beasts of the field; chùm e riutha gu daingeann: he kept to them strictly; abair beatha a bh’ aige: what a life he had.
Puing-chànain na Litreach: Dh’aontaich iad gu h-aona-ghuthach aideachadh gun robh iad nam buill: they unanimously agreed to admit that they were members. Nam buill means literally ‘in their members’; we use this dative formation quite frequently in this type of construction (and not that it includes the possessive) eg tha mi nam ball ‘I’m a member’, a bheil thu nad bhall? ‘are you (sing) a member?’, an robh sibh nur buill ‘were you (pl) members?’, bha sinn nar buill ‘we were members’.
Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: gu dubh an aghaidh nan riaghailtean: completely against the rules.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri An Litir Bheag 451
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