92: The loss of the Flannan Isles (1) 92: Call na h-Eileanan Flannach (1)

Bha mi ag innse dhuibh, an t-seachdain sa chaidh, mu bhàs dithis. Bha iad ag obair ann an Taigh-solais Heisgeir. Ach bha call eile ann gu tuath air Heisgeir – ann an taigh-solais eile. Chaill triùir am beatha. Agus bha e uabhasach neònach.

Bha iad ag obair ann an taigh-solais anns na h-Eileanan Flannach. Tha na h-eileanan sin gu siar air Leòdhas. Bha an tubaist anns a’ bhliadhna naoi ceud deug (1900). Chan eil fios aige duine dè dìreach a thachair.

Thadhail Màrtainn MacIlleMhàrtainn air Leòdhas aig deireadh an t-seachdamh linn deug. Sgrìobh e mu dheidhinn anns an leabhar aige A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland. Sgrìobh e gun robh daoine a’ dol do na h-Eileanan Flannach airson eunachadh.

Anns na h-eileanan, tha tobhta ann. Tobhta de sheann chaibeal. Bha e coisrigte don Naomh Flannan. Bha Flannan beò anns an t-seachdamh linn. ’S e àite naomh a bh’ anns na h-eileanan sin.

Bha na h-eunadairean cràbhach agus saobh-chràbhach. Nuair a ràinig iad an t-eilean, thug iad am bonaidean dhiubh. Thionndaidh iad gu deiseil. Thug iad taing do Dhia airson an cumail sàbhailte. Gach latha bha iad ag ùrnaigh trì tursan.

Cuideachd, bha faclan ann nach robh iad a’ labhairt anns an eilean idir. Cha robh na faclan sin, mar gum biodh, ceadaichte. Mar eisimpleir, cha tuirt iad am facal “creag” uair sam bith. An àite sin, ’s e “cruaidh” a bha iad ag ràdh. Thuirt iad “uamh” an àite “cladach”. Agus cha robh e ceadaichte “Na h-Eileanan Flannach” a ràdh idir nuair a bha iad ann.

Chaidh taigh-solais a thogail ann sa bhliadhna mu dheireadh dhen naoidheamh linn deug. Dusan mìos às dèidh sin, bha an tubaist ann. Bha sin anns an Dùbhlachd, naoi ceud deug (1900).

Bha soitheach a’ dol eadar Ameireaga is Alba. Chaidh i seachad air na h-Eileanan Flannach. Cha robh an solas ag obair. Dh’innis an sgiobair sin do na h-ùghdarrasan anns an Òban.

Chaidh soitheach a-mach do na h-eileanan. Ach cha robh sgeul air duine ann. Bha an triùir luchd-obrach air a dhol à fianais. Innsidh mi tuilleadh dhuibh mu dheidhinn an ath-sheachdain.

Faclan is abairtean: mu bhàs dithis: about the death of two people; Taigh-solais Heisgeir: The Heisker Lighthouse; bha call eile ann gu tuath air:there was another loss to the north of; chaill triùir am beatha: three people lost their lives [lit. their life]; uabhasach neònach: exceptionally strange; Na h-Eileanan Flannach: The Flannan Isles; tubaist: mishap; chan eil fios aige duine dè dìreach a thachair: nobody knows exactly what happened; thadhail Màrtainn MacIlleMhàrtainn air Leòdhas: Martin Martin visited Lewis; deireadh an t-seachdamh linn deug: the end of the 17th Century; sgrìobh e mu dheidhinn: he wrote about it; eunachadh:wildfowling, hunting birds; tobhta de sheann chaibeal: [the] ruin of an old chapel; bha e coisrigte don Naomh Flannan: it was dedicated to St Flannan; ’s e àite naomh a bh’ anns na h-eileanan: the islands were a holy place; bha na h-eunadairean cràbhach agus saobh-chràbhach: the bird hunters were religious and superstitious; thug iad am bonaidean dhiubh: they took their bonnets off; thionndaidh iad gu deiseil: they turned sunwise; thug iad taing do Dhia airson an cumail sàbhailte: they gave thanks to God for keeping them safe; bha iad ag ùrnaigh trì tursan: they were praying three times; nach robh iad a’ labhairt: they weren’t speaking; cha robh na faclan sin, mar gum biodh, ceadaichte: those words were not, as it were, permitted; cha tuirt iad am facal “creag” uair sam bith: they never said the word “creag” [rock]; an àite sin: instead of that; chaidh taigh-solais a thogail ann: a lighthouse was built there; sa bhliadhna mu dheireadh dhen naoidheamh linn deug: in the last year of the 19th Century; dusan mìos às dèidh sin: twelve months after that; An Dùbhlachd: December; bha soitheach a’ dol: a ship was en route; dh’innis an sgiobair sin do na h-ùghdarrasan anns an Òban: the captain told that to the authorities in Oban; cha robh sgeul air duine ann:there was no sign of anybody there; bha an triùir luchd-obrach air a dhol à fianais: the three workers [in the lighthouse] had disappeared.

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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh

This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 396

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