Â鶹ԼÅÄ

O chionn mìle, ceithir cheud is caogad bliadhna, bha turas ainmeil tarsainn Alba bhon taobh an iar chun an taoibh an ear. Seo liosta de na daoine a bha an sàs ann: Baithene, Cobthach, Ernan, Diormit, Rus, Fechno, Scandal, Luguid, Echoid, Tochannu, Cairnan agus Grillan. Bha dusan ann.

            Bha an sguad seo cuide ri Calum Cille nuair a shiubhail e tron Ghleann Mhòr bho Eilean Ì gu ruig’ Inbhir Nis – anns a’ bhliadhna còig ceud, seasgad ’s a còig (565). ’S e Naomh Adamnan a thug an liosta dhuinn anns an làmh-sgrìobhainn Laidinn aige, Vita Columbae, ‘Beatha Chaluim Chille’.

            Ach an robh feadhainn eile anns a’ bhuidhinn nach eil air an liosta? Dè mu dheidhinn Lugne Mocumin a tha ainmichte ann an co-cheangal ri uilebheist na h-aibhne – a’ chiad turas a tha Niseag a’ nochdadh ann an litreachas na h-Alba? ’S dòcha gum b’ esan an ‘Luguid’ – Luguid mocu-Theimne – air an liosta.

Tha cunntas eile ag innse dhuinn gun robh dithis naomh eile ann an cuideachd Chaluim Chille nuair a chaidh e a thadhal air Rìgh Brùd nan Cruithneach ann an Inbhir Nis. Tha Adamnan a’ cumail sàmhach mun deidhinn-san. An e gun robh e ag iarraidh gum biodh an t-urram air fad airson iompachadh an rìgh – mas e sin a thachair – aig Calum Cille?

            Bha Naomh Comhghall à Bangor ann an ceann a tuath na h-Èireann. A rèir cunntas a bheatha, bha e fhèin agus caraid dha còmhla ri Calum Cille air an turas. B’ e a charaid Naomh Cainneach, no Coinneach mar a chanas sinn an-diugh, a bhuineadh do dh’Achadh Bhó ann an Contae Laoise. A rèir a’ chunntais, chaidh iad ann oir bha Cruithnis aca agus bhiodh iad comasach air còmhradh ri Cruithnich na h-Alba. Cha robh an cànan sin aig Calum Cille. Ann am Beatha Chomhghaill, ’s iad an triùir naomh a rinn na mìorbhailean anns a’ Ghleann Mhòr. Anns a’ chunntas aig Adamnan, ’s e Calum Cille a-mhàin a rinn na mìorbhailean.

            Bha Comhghall mu chòig bliadhna na bu shine na Calum Cille. Bhuineadh e do Chruithnich na h-Èireann. A rèir cuid, bha na Cruithnich Èireannach air an cànan a chall. Ma bha Cruithnis aig Comhghall, ’s dòcha gun do dh’ionnsaich e i nuair a bha e a’ fuireach ann an Tiriodh, far an do thog e manachainn. Cha do mhair a’ mhanachainn fada, oir chaidh a sgrios le daoine a bha fo stiùireadh dhraoidhean. Agus feumaidh gun robh e luath gus cànan ionnsachadh, oir thàinig e a dh’Alba ann an còig ceud, seasgad ’s a ceithir (564), dìreach bliadhna mus deach Calum Cille a dh’Inbhir Nis.

            Bha Coinneach ceithir bliadhna na b’ òige na Calum Cille agus bha e gu math beag. Bha athair na bhàrd à Doire Chaluim Chille. Bha Coinneach air a bhith na phears-eaglais ann an grunn mhanachainnean, an dà chuid ann an Èirinn agus sa Chuimrigh. Bha e ag obair greis am measg nan Cruithneach ann am Muile.

            ’S dòcha gur e gun robh Cruithnis aig an dithis a bu choireach gun robh iad ann an cuideachd Chaluim Chille air a thuras mhòr. Air an làimh eile, bha an triùir naomh nan caraidean do chèile; ’s dòcha gun robh Calum Cille dìreach ag iarraidh a bhith air a chuairteachadh le caraidean Crìosdail nuair a rinn e a shlighe tro gharbh-chrìochan nam pàganach.

Faclan na Litreach: làmh-sgrìobhainn: manuscript; Niseag: Nessie; litreachas: literature; Rìgh Brùd nan Cruithneach: King Brude of the Picts; Tiriodh: Tiree; Muile: Mull.

Abairtean na Litreach: Bha an sguad seo cuide ri Calum Cille: this group was with Saint Columba; nuair a shiubhail e tron Ghleann Mhòr bho Eilean Ì gu ruig’ Inbhir Nis: when he travelled through the Great Glen from Iona to Inverness; a tha ainmichte ann an co-cheangal ri uilebheist na h-aibhne: who is named in connection with the river monster; gun robh dithis naomh eile ann an cuideachd Chaluim Chille: that there were two other saints in Columba’s company; gum biodh an t-urram air fad airson iompachadh an rìgh aig Calum Cille?: that Columba would take all the credit for the conversion of the king; bha e fhèin agus caraid dha còmhla ri X: he and a friend of his were along with X; a bhuineadh do dh’Achadh Bhó ann an Contae Laoise: who belonged to Aghaboe in County Laois; bhiodh iad comasach air còmhradh ri Cruithnich na h-Alba: they would be able to converse with Scottish Picts; ’s iad an triùir naomh a rinn na mìorbhailean: it is the three saints that performed the miracles; mu chòig bliadhna na bu shine na: about five years older than; bha na Cruithnich Èireannach air an cànan a chall: the Irish Picts had lost their language; cha do mhair a’ mhanachainn fada: the monastery did not last long; chaidh a sgrios le daoine a bha fo stiùireadh dhraoidhean: it was destroyed by people who were under the instruction of druids; bha athair na bhàrd à Doire Chaluim Chille: his father was a poet from Derry; an dà chuid ann an Èirinn agus sa Chuimrigh: in both Ireland and Wales; bha an triùir naomh nan caraidean do chèile: the three saints were friends of each other; ag iarraidh a bhith air a chuairteachadh le caraidean Crìosdail: wanting to be surrounded by Christian friends; nuair a rinn e a shlighe tro gharbh-chrìochan nam pàganach: when he made his way through the wild country of the pagans.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: bhon taobh an iar chun an taoibh an ear: from the west to the east. The preposition bho takes the dative case, so taobh is still taobh (the dative form is the same as the nominative). In contrast, the preposition chun takes the genitive case, thus we have the form taoibh.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Tha Adamnan a’ cumail sàmhach mun deidhinn-san: Adamnan keeps quiet about them.