321: McGregor's Leap 321: Leum MhicGriogair

B1 - Intermediate - The Little LetterB1 - Eadar-mheadhanach - An Litir Bheag

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Gaelic & English Text Teacsa Gàidhlig & Beurla

Leum MhicGriogair

Gaelic Gàidhlig

Tha sinn fhathast ann an Gleann Lìomhann ann an Siorrachd Pheairt. Gu siar air Fairtirchill, tha an rathad faisg air an abhainn. Tha coille thiugh ann. Tha an abhainn ann an glòm. Tha i bras is cumhang.

Air a’ mhapa, ’s e Macgregor’s Leap a tha air an àite mar ainm. Leum MhicGriogair. Ach cò an Griogarach a bha ann? Carson a bha e a’ leum?

’S e Griogar MacGriogair a bha air. ’S e ceann-cinnidh a bha ann aig Griogaraich Ghleann Sreith. Bha sin anns an t-siathamh linn deug.

Oidhche a bha seo anns an Ògmhios còig ceud deug, seasgad ’s a còig (1565), chaidh dithis de na Griogaraich a mhurt. B’ iad Griogar eile, mac Deadhan Lios Mòr, agus fear Raibeart MacConaill. A rèir choltais, ’s e murtair proifeiseanta a mharbh iad. Rinn e sin às leth Caimbeulaich Ghleann Urchaidh.

Beagan seachdainean às dèidh a’ mhuirt, bha am murtair fhèin air a mharbhadh. ’S e Griogar MacGriogair a rinn e. Fhuair e dìoghaltas. Ach bha Caimbeulaich Ghleann Urchaidh feargach. Chaidh Griogar am falach anns na coilltean.

Cha robh e anns na coilltean fad na h-ùine, ge-tà. Bha e a’ coinneachadh ris a’ bhean aige uaireannan. Bha sin anns a’ chaisteal aig a h-athair. Ach chùm Caimbeulaich Ghleann Urchaidh sùil air a’ chaisteal.

Latha bha seo, fhuair iad lorg air Griogar. Chuir iad na coin aca air a thòir. Ruith Griogar air falbh. Ruith e thar a’ mhonaidh is tro na coilltean. Ràinig e bruach na h-aibhne. Bha taghadh aige – leum far na creige agus ’s dòcha adhbrann a bhriseadh – no eadhon a mharbhadh fhèin – no a bhith air a mharbhadh leis na Caimbeulaich. Leum e agus ràinig e taobh thall na h-aibhne slàn, sàbhailte. Rinn e a dhol-às. Agus ’s e “Leum MhicGriogair” a tha air a bhith air an àite sin bhon latha sin a-mach.

Bha Griogar saor airson greis. Ann an còig ceud deug is seachdad (1570), ge-tà, chaidh a mharbhadh leis na Caimbeulaich. Ach an e Griogar MacGriogair an aon duine riamh a dh’fheuch an leum ainmeil sin? Uill, chan e, mar a chì sinn anns an ath Litir.

McGregor's Leap

English Beurla

We’re still in Glenlyon in Perthshire. West of Fortingall, the road is close to the river. There is a thick wood there. The river is in a gorge. It is fast-running and narrow.

On the map it’s called MacGregor’s Leap. Leum MhicGriogair. But who was the MacGregor? Why was he jumping?

He was called Gregor MacGregor. He was a clan chief of the MacGregors of Glenstrae. That was in the sixteenth century.

One night in June 1565, two of the MacGregors were murdered. They were another Gregor, the son of the Dean of Lismore, and a Robert MacConnell. Apparently, it was a professional assassin who murdered them. He did that on behalf of the Campbells of Glenorchy.

A few weeks after the murder, the murderer himself was killed. It was Gregor MacGregor that did it. He [had] got revenge. But the Campbells of Glenorchy were angry. Gregor hid in the forests.

He wasn’t in the forests all the time, however. He was meeting with his wife at times. That was in her father’s castle. But the Campbells of Glenorchy kept an eye on the castle.

One day, they found Gregor. They put their dogs in pursuit of him. Gregor ran away. He ran over the hills and through the woods. He reached the bank of the river. He had a choice – jump from the rock and perhaps break his ankle – or even kill himself – or be killed by the Campbells. He jumped and he reached the other side of the river in one piece. He made his escape. And that place has been called “MacGregor’s Leap” since that day on.

Gregor was free for a while. In 1570, however, he was killed by the Campbells. But was Gregor MacGregor the only man who ever tried that famous leap? Well, no, as we’ll see in the next Litir.

Gaelic TextTeacsa Gàidhlig