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Bha mi ann an Loch Abar an t-seachdain sa chaidh ann an Lunn Dà Bhrà, deas air a’ Ghearasdan. Sin far a bheil mi fhathast an t-seachdain seo.

Air cladach a tuath Loch Lìobhainn, mu choinneimh beul Ghleanna Comhann air taobh thall an locha, tha Callaird. Tha taigh mòr ann air a bheil Taigh Challaird no Callert House. Gu siar air sin, faisg air an Omhanaich, tha Cùil Cheanna. Tha taigh mòr an sin cuideachd, air a bheil Taigh Chùil Cheanna no Cuilcheanna House. Tha Taigh Chùil Cheanna na thaigh-òsta an-diugh. Cha chreid mi gu bheil duine a’ fuireach ann an Taigh Challaird.

            Tha an dà thaigh sin gu math sean. Bha iad uaireigin leis na Camshronaich, agus tha mi airson innse dhuibh mu bheul-aithris co-cheangailte ris a’ chinneadh sin.

            Tha e a’ tòiseachadh le dithis a bha nam mic aig Camshron Challaird – Alasdair Dubh à Cùil Cheanna agus Ailean, leis an robh an taigh ann an Lunn Dà Bhrà. Bha e na chleachdadh aig cinn-chinnidh nan Camshronach an cuid mhac a chur gu sgoil anns an Fhraing. Bha dithis mhac dligheach aig uachdaran Lunn Dà Bhrà.

            Chan urrainn dhomh a ràdh co-dhiù b’ e an t-uachdaran Ailean fhèin no fear de shliochd Ailein. Ach bha an dithis mhac aige anns an Fhraing còmhla. Bha aon mhac eile aige, ge-tà – fear dìolain dom b’ ainm Aonghas. Leis gun robh e dìolain, cha d’ fhuair e àrd-fhoghlam anns an Fhraing.

            Fhad ʼs a bha an dithis mhac dligheach air falbh, rinn Aonghas a dhìcheall a bhith ann am fàbhar athar. Bha e an dòchas gur ann leis-san a bhiodh an oighreachd latha brèagha air choreigin.

            Latha a bha seo, nochd teachdaire às an Apainn. Thuirt e gum biodh an dithis mhac a’ tilleadh dhachaigh air an làrna-mhàireach. Bhiodh iad a’ nochdadh aig Cùil Cheanna air an ath oidhche. Bha an athair air leth toilichte agus chuir sin farmad ann an cridhe Aonghais. ʼS e Aonghas a chaidh gan iarraidh. An àite an toirt dhachaigh, ge-tà, mhuirt e an dithis agus thiodhlaic e an cuirp ann an glac ris an canar Glac nam Marbh.

            Tro thìde, fhuair daoine a-mach gur e Aonghas a mhuirt an dithis bhalach. Ach cha do chuir an t-uachdaran às an oighreachd e agus cha do dh’fhuiling e breith a’ cheartais. Bha cead aig Aonghas agus a theaghlach leantainn orra le bhith a’ fuireach air oighreachd Lunn Dà Bhrà. Ach bha muinntir an àite cinnteach gun tigeadh peanas orra – ʼs dòcha air an tìr gu lèir – uair no uaireigin.

            An dèidh grunn bhliadhnaichean, chaochail an t-uachdaran. Leis nach robh mac dligheach aige, b’ e fear de mhic a bhràthar no a phiuthar a bha na oighre. Bha còignear mhac agus dithis nighean aig an uachdaran ùr. B’ e tè de na nigheanan a b’ ainmeile dhiubh. ʼS e Màiri a bh’ oirre mar ainm agus, leis gur ann à Callaird a thàinig na Camshronaich sin bho thùs, ʼs e Màiri Challaird a bh’ oirre mar ainm.

            Bha iad ag ràdh gum b’ e Màiri an nighean a bu shnoige san tìr, agus gun robh gràdh aig a h-uile duine oirre, co-dhiù bha iad beartach no bochd. Innsidh mi dhuibh tuilleadh mu Mhàiri Challaird anns an ath Litir.

Faclan na Litreach: Loch Abar: Lochaber; Lunn Dà Bhrà: Lundavra; Callaird: Callert; teachdaire: messenger; an Apainn: Appin; an làrna-mhàireach: the next day; farmad: jealousy; oighre: heir; a bu shnoige: nicest, loveliest.

Abairtean na Litreach: cladach a tuath Loch Lìobhainn: the northern shore of Loch Leven; mu choinneimh beul Ghleanna Comhann air taobh thall an locha: opposite the mouth of Glencoe on the far side of the loch; gu siar air sin, faisg air an Omhanaich, tha Cùil Cheanna: west of that, near Onich, there is Cuilcheanna; cha chreid mi gu bheil duine a’ fuireach ann an: I don’t think anyone lives in; bha iad uaireigin leis na Camshronaich: they were at one time owned by the Camerons; bha e na chleachdadh: it was the custom; dithis mhac dligheach: two legitimate sons; fear de shliochd Ailein: one of Allan’s descendants; fear dìolain dom b’ ainm Aonghas: an illegitimate one called Angus; rinn X a dhìcheall a bhith ann am fàbhar athar: X made an effort to be in his father’s favour; gur ann leis-san a bhiodh an oighreachd latha brèagha air choreigin: that the estate would be his some day or other; a chaidh gan iarraidh: who went to fetch them; mhuirt e an dithis agus thiodhlaic e an cuirp ann an glac: he murdered the pair and he buried their bodies in a hollow; cha do chuir an t-uachdaran às an oighreachd e: the laird didn’t expel him from the estate; cha do dh’fhuiling e breith a’ cheartais: he didn’t suffer the judgement of justice; gun tigeadh peanas orra: that they would be punished; b’ e tè de na nigheanan a b’ ainmeile dhiubh: it was one of the daughters who was most famous: co-dhiù bha iad beartach no bochd: whether they were wealthy or poor.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: le dithis a bha nam mic aig: with two people who were the sons of. This use of the dative and the verb ‘to be’ is a common way of expressing identity; literally this phrase means ‘who were in their sons’ ie a bha anns na mic aca. Here’s another couple of examples. Bha iad nan oileanaich ‘they were students’ lit. ‘they were in their students’; bha iad nan gillean crosta ‘they were bad-tempered lads’ lit. ‘they were in their bad-tempered lads’.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: an cuid mhac a chur gu sgoil anns an Fhraing: to send their sons to school in France.