麻豆约拍

An ath-mh矛os bidh deich bliadhna ann bho cheannaich muinntir Eige an t-eilean aca. Anns an 脪gmhios naoi ceud deug, naochad 鈥檚 a seachd (1997), fhuair Urras Eige sealbh air an eilean. Roimhe sin bha m貌ran anns an eilean m矛-thoilichte leis na h-uachdarain a bh鈥� aca.

Bha mi ann an Eige anns na naochadan mar neach-naidheachd. Bha sin as t-samhradh, naoi ceud deug, naochad 鈥檚 a ceithir (1994). Bha muinntir an eilein a鈥� faighinn smachd air Urras Eige air an latha sin. 鈥橲 e Urras Eige a鈥� bhuidheann a bha ag iarraidh an t-eilean a cheannach. Ach cha robh an t-uachdaran ag iarraidh an t-eilean a reic dhaibh.

Rinn mi agallamhan airson Radio nan G脿idheal. Bha sin le seann daoine a bhuineadh don eilean. Ach bha bonaid na Beurla orm cuideachd. Bha mi ann cuideachd as leth Radio Alba 鈥� seirbheis r猫idio Bheurla a鈥� BhBC. Bha mi ag iarraidh agallamh a dh猫anamh leis an uachdaran, Keith Schellenberg. Choisich mi suas am bruthach don taigh mh貌r. Bha Mgr Schellenberg a-staigh.

Cha robh e idir coltach ris an dealbh anns na meadhanan. Bha e uabhasach laghach. Bha e 猫ibhinn. Bha e d貌igheil. Uill, bha sin mus tug mi am maicreaf貌n a-mach.

Chuir mi ceistean air mun choimhearsnachd, agus gun robh iad ag iarraidh an t-eilean a cheannach. Dh鈥檃tharraich a shunnd. Dh鈥檉h脿s e feargach. Bha e a鈥� cur s矛os air 鈥渃omannaich鈥� is 鈥渃omannachas鈥�. Bha droch bheachd aige air uachdranachd phoblach. Bha meas aige air na daoine a bha 脿 Eige bho th霉s. Ach cha robh deagh bheachd aige air cuid eile a bha a鈥� fuireach anns an eilean. Agus cha robh deagh bheachd aig na daoine sin air an uachdaran.

Bha mi a鈥� smaoineachadh nach robh Keith Schellenberg a鈥� dol a bhith ann fada. Agus cha robh. Ach chan e Urras Eige a cheannaich an t-eilean. Nochd fear eile 脿s an adhar. Fear air an robh 鈥淢aruma鈥�. A bheil cuimhne agaibh air?

Faclan is abairtean: an ath-mh矛os: next month; bidh deich bliadhna ann bho cheannaich muinntir Eige an t-eilean aca: ten years will have elapsed since the people bought their island; sealbh: ownership; roimhe sin bha m貌ran anns an eilean m矛-thoilichte leis na h-uachdarain: before that many on the island were unhappy with the landlords; anns na naochadan: in the nineties; smachd: control; a bha ag iarraidh an t-eilean a cheannach: that wanted to buy the island; cha robh an t-uachdaran ag iarraidh an t-eilean a reic dhaibh: the landlord didn鈥檛 want to sell the island to them; bha bonaid na Beurla orm: I had the English language hat on; bha mi ag iarraidh agallamh a dh猫anamh: I was wanting to do an interview; choisich mi suas am bruthach don taigh mh貌r: I walked up the slope to the big [estate] house; coltach ris an dealbh anns na meadhanan: like the picture in the media; uabhasach laghach: very nice; 猫ibhinn: funny; d貌igheil: reasonable; mus tug mi am maicreaf貌n a-mach: before I brought out the microphone; chuir mi ceistean air mun choimhearsnachd: I asked him questions about the community; dh鈥檃tharraich a shunnd: his mood changed; feargach: angry; bha e a鈥� cur s矛os air 鈥渃omannaich鈥� is 鈥渃omannachas鈥�: he was dismissive of 鈥渃ommunists鈥� and 鈥渃ommunism鈥�; bha droch bheachd aige air uachdranachd phoblach: he had a poor opinion of public landlordism; bha meas aige air na daoine a bha 脿 Eige bho th霉s: he respected the people who belonged to Eigg originally; chan e Urras Eige a cheannaich an t-eilean: it is not the Eigg Trust that bought the island; nochd fear eile 脿s an adhar: another man appeared out of the blue [sky]; fear air an robh 鈥淢aruma鈥�: a man called 鈥淢aruma鈥�; a bheil cuimhne agaibh air?: do you remember him?.