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22/05/2006

Sreath de litrichean don fheadhainn a tha a' toiseachadh air Gàidhlig ionnsachadh. Series of letters for those at an early stage in learning Gaelic.

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An Litir Bheag 54

Thachair rud uabhasach air a’ Ghàidhealtachd ann an seachd ceud deug, trithead ’s a naoi (1739). Sheòl long a-steach a Loch Bràcadail anns an Eilean Sgitheanach. ’S e an William an t-ainm a bh’ oirre. Bha i à ceann a tuath na h-Èireann. ’S e Uilleam MacDhaibhidh an t-ainm a bh’ air an sgiobair. ’S e droch dhuine a bh’ ann.

Ann an Loch Bràcadail, chaidh daoine às an àite air bòrd. Fhuair iad cuireadh dhol air bòrd. Bha iad air an toirt am bruid. Bha iad air an cur ann an toll na luinge. Bha iad air an glasadh ann. Bha na Sgitheanaich gu bhith nan tràillean ann an Ameireagaidh. Dh’fhàg an William an t-Eilean Sgitheanach le seasgad duine air bòrd.

Chaidh i a-null gu Fionnasbhagh anns Na Hearadh. Agus chaidh i gu Loch Portain ann an Uibhist a Tuath. Thug an criutha tuilleadh dhaoine am bruid anns na h-àiteachan sin. Bha a-nise còrr is ceud duine air bòrd. Bha iad ann an toll na luinge. Bha an toll salach is dorch. Bha na daoine ag ithe dìreach aran. Bha iad ag òl dìreach uisge fuar.

Chaidh an soitheach a dh’Èirinn. Bha na Gàidheil air an glasadh ann an dà shabhal. Bha an criutha a’ dèanamh an long deiseil airson a dhol a dh’Ameireagaidh. Air an oidhche, theich mòran de na Gàidheil. Anns a’ mhadainn bha dìreach ochd duine deug ann.

Chuala maighstir-lagha mar a thachair do na daoine. Chuala e gu robh iad air an toirt am bruid. Chuir e barantas a-mach airson MacDhaibhidh a chur an grèim.

Ach chan e MacDhaibhidh a-mhàin. Dh’iarr fear eile air MacDhaibhidh an obair aige a dhèanamh. B’ esan Tormod MacLeòid à Beàrnaraigh na Hearadh. Cha robh sgeul air MacLeòid no MacDhaibhidh. Theich iad. Cha tàinig iad riamh gu cùirt.

Agus dè thachair do na Gàidheil? Uill, chaidh mòran aca dhachaigh do na h-eileanan. Ach dh’fhuirich feadhainn ann an Èirinn. Agus thathar a’ cuimhneachadh an William an-diugh mar “Long nan Daoine”.

Faclan is abairtean

Faclan is abairtean: thachair rud uabhasach: a terrible thing happened; sheòl long a-steach a Loch Bràcadail: a ship sailed into Loch Bracadale; Uilleam MacDhaibhidh: William Davidson; chaidh daoine às an àite air bòrd: people from the place went on board; bha iad air an toirt am bruid: they were kidnapped; bha iad air an cur ann an toll na luinge: they were put in the hold of the ship; air an glasadh ann: locked in [it]; bha na Sgitheanaich gu bhith nan tràillean: the Skye folk were going to be slaves; seasgad duine: sixty people; chaidh i a-null gu Fionnasbhagh anns Na Hearadh: she went over to Finsbay in Harris; thug an criutha tuilleadh dhaoine am bruid: the crew kidnapped more people; chaidh an soitheach a dh’Èirinn: the vessel went to Ireland; sabhal: barn; bha an criutha a’ dèanamh an long deiseil: the crew were making the ship ready; theich mòran: many fled; chuala maighstir-lagha mar a thachair do na daoine: a magistrate heard what happened to the people; chuir e barantas a-mach airson MacDhaibhidh a chur an grèim: he put out a warrant to arrest Davidson; ach chan e X a-mhàin: but not only X; dh’iarr fear eile air MacDhaibhidh an obair aige a dhèanamh: another man asked Davidson to do his work; b’ esan Tormod MacLeòid à Beàrnaraigh na Hearadh: he was Norman MacLeod from Berneray Harris; cha robh sgeul air: there was no sign of; chaidh mòran aca dhachaigh: many of them went home; thathar a’ cuimhneachadh an William an-diugh: the William is remembered today.

All the letters

Tha gach Litir Bheag an seo / All the Little Letters are here.

Podcast: An Litir Bheag

The Little Letter for Gaelic Learners

An Litir Bheag air LearnGaelic

An Litir Bheag is also on LearnGaelic (with PDFs)

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