麻豆约拍

Bha mi ann an Uibhist a Deas o chionn ghoirid agus abair gun do ch貌rd e rium. Bha a鈥� ghrian a鈥� de脿rrsadh, bha i bl脿th, is bha fl霉raichean a鈥� mhachaire d矛reach 脿lainn. 鈥橲 iad na lusan a bu mhotha a ghlac m鈥� aire Seileastair, Buidheag an t-Samhraidh 鈥� a tha le ch猫ile buidhe 鈥� agus fear a tha dearg. 鈥橲 e sin a鈥� Chaorag L猫ana. Lus beag br猫agha le fl霉r-bhileagan a tha rudeigin luideagach. Canaidh daoine ragged robin ris ann am Beurla. A鈥� Chaorag L猫ana. Tha an t-ainm G脿idhlig a鈥� ciallachadh 鈥渓ittle spark of the meadow鈥�. 鈥橲 e an dath as coireach ri sin, chanainn 鈥� agus gu bheil e a鈥� f脿s air l猫anan. Agus 鈥檚 e an dath as coireach gu bheil sinn a鈥� gabhail caor air na dearcan dearga a tha a鈥� f脿s air an 鈥渞owan tree鈥� 鈥� no craobh chaorainn.

Co-dhi霉, cha deach mi a dh鈥橴ibhist airson na fl霉raichean fhaicinn, ged a bha iad br猫agha dha-r矛reabh. Chaidh mi ann airson p脿irt a ghabhail anns an fh猫is bhliadhnail ris an canar 鈥淐e貌las鈥�. Tha Ce貌las air a bhith ann airson deich bliadhna a-nise, agus 鈥檚 ann bho neart gu neart a tha i a鈥� dol.

Tha an fh猫is st猫idhichte air ceithir rudan gu h-脿raidh 鈥� ce貌l, seinn, danns agus a鈥� Gh脿idhlig. Uaireannan tron t-seachdain bidh a h-uile rud sin a鈥� tighinn c貌mhla, agus dannsairean a鈥� gabhail cheumannan air an 霉rlar fhad 鈥檚 a tha daoine a鈥� seinn 貌rain Gh脿idhlig agus daoine eile a鈥� cluich ionnstramaidean mar an fhidheall is a鈥� ph矛ob.

Bha mi a鈥� moladh Ce貌las do charaid dhomh air t矛r-m貌r, 脿s d猫idh dhomh tilleadh dhachaigh. Agus bha mi cuideachd ag innse dha cho math 鈥檚 a bha muinntir Uibhist a Deas fh猫in a thaobh ce貌l is danns 鈥� gu h-脿raidh le bhith a鈥� dannsadh na quadrilles. 鈥淭ha fios a鈥檓,鈥� thuirt e. 鈥淭ha ce貌l annta. Bha mi a-riamh a鈥� mothachadh sin aig na c猫ilidhean G脿idhealach ann an Glaschu. An coimeas rinn fh猫in, bha na h-Uibhistich air leth aotrom air an casan.鈥�

鈥橲 e sluagh eile a tha air an aon d貌igh muinntir Cheap Bhreatainn ann an Canada. Agus nuair a chaidh Ce貌las a chur air chois, rinneadh ceangal eadar Uibhist a Deas agus Ceap Breatainn 鈥� ceangal a tha ann fhathast. Tha an-c貌mhnaidh feadhainn ann 脿 Ceap Breatainn a tha a鈥� teagasg na f矛dhle no dannsa-ceum.

Bha mi fh矛n ann an clas seinn cuide ri t猫 de na seinneadairean G脿idhlig 脿s fhe脿rr a th鈥� ann an-diugh. Bha an clas s貌nraichte math. Am measg nan 貌ran a dh鈥檌onnsaich sinn bha fear car aotrom mu dheidhinn banais nach robh uabhasach soirbheachail. Tuigidh sibh mar a bha gnothaichean aig a鈥� bhanais bhon d脿 loidhne mu dheireadh: 鈥淒h鈥檕lc no 猫iginn fhuair mi [a] leagail, 鈥檚 bhuail mi breab san t貌in air.鈥�

Co-dhi霉, bha sinn a鈥� beachdachadh air c貌 脿s a bha an t-貌ran. 鈥橲 e an tiotal a th鈥� air 鈥淎鈥� Bhanais a bha 鈥檔 Ciostal Odhar.鈥� C脿ite a bheil Ciostal, ge-t脿? Cha robh fios aig duine sa chlas. Thuirt cuideigin a bhuineadh do eilean gu deas air Beinn a鈥� Bhadhla, 鈥淔eumaidh gu bheil e ann an Uibhist a Tuath oir 鈥檚 ann mar sin a tha cuid de na bainnsean an sin!鈥� Tha mi a鈥� smaoineachadh gun robh i ri fealla-dh脿. Agus cha chreidinn fh矛n facal dheth.

鈥橲 ann mar sin a bha a鈥� ch霉is gus an robh mi a鈥� dr脿ibheadh dhachaigh. Anns an Eilean Sgitheanach eadar 脵ige is Port R矛gh, chunnaic mi soidhne rathaid air an robh 鈥淐iostal鈥�. Airson tiotan bha m鈥� inntinn air ais ann an Uibhist, am measg ghuthan binn is fl霉raichean a鈥� mhachaire.

Faclan na Litreach: Uibhist a Deas: South Uist; Seileastair: flag iris; Buidheag an t-Samhraidh: meadow buttercup; A鈥� Chaorag L猫ana: ragged robin; Ceap Breatainn: Cape Breton; aotrom: light.

Abairtean na Litreach: abair gun do ch貌rd e rium: I really enjoyed it; 鈥檚 iad na lusan a bu mhotha a ghlac m鈥� aire: the plants which most caught my attention; a tha le ch猫ile buidhe: which are both yellow; fl霉r-bhileagan a tha rudeigin luideagach: petals that are somewhat ragged; 鈥檚 e an dath as coireach ri sin, chanainn: the colour is responsible for that, I would say; 鈥檚 ann bho neart gu neart a tha i a鈥� dol: it is going from strength to strength; a鈥� gabhail cheumannan air an 霉rlar: taking steps on the floor; tha ce貌l annta: they are musical [there is music in them]; an coimeas rinn fh猫in: in comparison to ourselves; bha na h-Uibhistich air leth aotrom air an casan: the Uist folk were particularly light on their feet; 鈥檚 e sluagh eile a tha air an aon d貌igh: another people who are similar; nuair a chaidh Ce貌las a chur air chois, rinneadh ceangal: when Ce貌las was set up, a link was made; tha an-c貌mhnaidh feadhainn ann a tha a鈥� teagasg na f矛dhle no dannsa-ceum: there are always some who teach the fiddle or stepdance; cuide ri t猫 de na seinneadairean G脿idhlig 脿s fhe脿rr: along with one of the best Gaelic singers; banais nach robh uabhasach soirbheachail: a wedding which was not particularly successful; bhuail mi breab san t貌in air: I kicked him on the backside; bha sinn a鈥� beachdachadh air c貌 脿s a bha an t-貌ran: we were discussing where the song came from; a bhuineadh do eilean gu deas air Beinn a鈥� Bhadhla: who belonged to an island south of Benbecula; feumaidh gu bheil e ann an Uibhist a Tuath: it must be in North Uist; gun robh i ri fealla-dh脿: that she was joking; 鈥檚 ann mar sin a bha a鈥� ch霉is: that was how the matter remained.

Puing-ch脿nain na Litreach: bha mi a鈥� moladh Ce貌las do charaid dhomh air t矛r-m貌r: I was recommending Ce貌las to a relation of mine on the mainland. We last looked at the use of do rather than aig to express possession more than four years ago in Litir 136 (18.01.02), although you may have reread it recently if you bought my book 鈥淟eabhar nan Litrichean鈥� (available from Cl矛 G脿idhlig). It is included here to revise the point 鈥� although it should be noted that it the usage is more common in some dialects than others. Dhomh, of course, is the prepositional pronoun formed from do + mi (and it occurs again in the same sentence). Make sure you give it full nasal impact 鈥� it is quite unlike any sound in the English language and sometimes takes learners a bit of time to master.

Gn脿ths-cainnt na Litreach: Dh鈥檕lc no 猫iginn (fhuair mi [a] leagail): by hook or by crook (I managed to fell him).