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An t-seachdain sa chaidh, bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu chriomag a leugh mi anns an leabhar ainmeil aig an Oll. Somhairle MacIain – A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland. Mus fhàg mi an leabhar sin, tha mi airson cunntas a dhèanamh de rudeigin eile a leugh mi ann.

Bha MacIain ann an Colla, agus a’ fuireach aig an uachdaran agus ceann-cinnidh, MacIllEathain. Bha an taigh aige spaideil. Ach, faisg air làimh, bha seann chaisteal far an robh na cinn-chinnidh a’ fuireach o shean. B’ e sin Caisteal Bhreac-achaidh. 

Air balla a’ chaisteil anns an t-seann aimsir bha seo air a shnaigheadh air clach: Ma nochdas duine sam bith a bhuineas do Chlann Ghill’ Eonaidh mu choinneimh a’ chaisteil seo, ged a thigeadh e aig meadhan-oidhche, le ceann duine na làimh, gheibh e fasgadh agus dìon an aghaidh a h-uile duine ach a-mhàin an Rìgh.

Tha MacIain a’ mìneachadh a’ ghnothaich. Ri linn Sheumais II (tha mi a’ dèanamh dheth gun robh e a’ ciallachadh Seumas VII na h-Alba) bha fearann air a thoirt seachad leis an Rìgh do na Leathanaich. B’ e fearann a bh’ ann a bhuineadh do na Camshronaich.

Cha robh na Camshronaich deònach am fearann a thoirt seachad. Mar sin, chaidh MacIllEathain le feachd airson a ghabhail thairis aig bior a’ chlaidheimh. Airson adhbhar air choreigin, thug e a bhean leis.

Bha cath ann aig ceann Loch Nis faisg air Cille Chuimein. Chaill na Leathanaich gu dubh. Chaidh bean a’ chinn-chinnidh a thoirt am bruid. Bha i trom le leanabh. Bha i air a cur fo smachd aig fear Mac Gill’ Eonaidh – fear a bhuineadh do na Camshronaich. Bha esan fo òrdugh aig ceann-cinnidh nan Camshronach, nuair a bhiodh an leanabh air a bhreith, gum biodh e air a chur gu bàs nam b’ e gille a bh’ ann. Bhiodh nighean air a fàgail beò.

Aig an dearbh àm sin, bha a’ bhean aig Mac Gill’ Eonaidh cuideachd trom. Rugadh leanabh-nighinne dhi. Rugadh gille don bhanntraich aig ceann-cinnidh nan Leathanach. Agus rinn Mac Gill’ Eonaidh suaip eatarra. Mar sin, mhair an Leathanach òg beò. Thogadh e anns an taigh aig Mac Gill’ Eonaidh.

Tro thìde, fhuair e a cheannas aig na Leathanaich air ais. Bha e cho taingeil do Mhac Gill’ Eonaidh ʼs gun do chuir e roimhe an caisteal aige fhèin a bhith na thèarmann do dhuine sam bith dhen chinneadh sin a bh’ ann an cunnart. A bharrachd air sin, bhiodh ceann-cinnidh nan Leathanach a’ pàigheadh airson foghlam oighre Mhic Gill’ Eonaidh.

Tha Somhairle MacIain ag innse dhuinn gun do thachair gun do ghabh fear de Chlann Ghill’ Eonaidh brath air a’ chùmhnant sin. B’ esan Eòghann Camshron. Bha e air a bhith an sàs ann an dòigh air choreigin ann am bàs fir air an robh MacMhàrtainn mar ainm.

Mar pheanas, bha Loch Iall, ceann-cinnidh nan Camshronach, air Eòghann a chur air fògradh don Fhraing airson ùine. Nuair a bha an ùine sin seachad, thill Eòghann dhachaigh. Ach cha robh Clann ʼic Mhàrtainn riaraichte leis a’ pheanas a fhuair e. Mhaoidh iad air gun robh iad a’ dol ga mharbhadh. Agus theich Eòghann a Cholla far an d’ fhuair e tèarmann ann an Caisteal Bhreac-achaidh.

Faclan na Litreach: Colla: Coll; o shean: in old times; Caisteal Bhreac-achaidh: Breacacha Castle; Clann Ghill’ Eonaidh: The Maclonichs; cath: battle; Cille Chuimein: Fort Augustus; trom: pregnant; suaip: swap; a cheannas: his leadership; tèarmann: refuge.

Abairtean na Litreach: an leabhar ainmeil aig an Oll. Somhairle MacIain: the famous book by Dr Samuel Johnson; a’ fuireach aig an uachdaran agus ceann-cinnidh, MacIllEathain: staying with the laird and clan chief, Maclean; ged a thigeadh e aig meadhan-oidhche: though he should come at midnight; le ceann duine na làimh: with a man’s head in his hand; gheibh e fasgadh agus dìon an aghaidh a h-uile duine ach a-mhàin an Rìgh: he’ll find safety and protection against all but the King; ri linn Sheumais II: at the time of James II; bha fearann air a thoirt seachad do na Leathanaich: land was given to the Macleans; le feachd airson a ghabhail thairis aig bior a’ chlaidheimh: with a force to take it over at the point of a sword; airson adhbhar air choreigin, thug e a bhean leis: for some reason or other, he took his wife with him; nuair a bhiodh an leanabh air a bhreith: when the baby would be born; gum biodh e air a chur gu bas nam b’ e gille a bh’ ann: that he would be put to death if he were a boy; rugadh gille don bhanntraich aig ceann-cinnidh nan Leathanach: a boy was born to the widow of the chief of the Macleans; foghlam oighre Mhic Gill’ Eonaidh: the education of the heir to Maclonich; an sàs ann an dòigh air choreigin: involved in some way; bàs fir air an robh MacMhàrtainn mar ainm: the death of a man called MacMartin; riaraichte leis a’ pheanas: satisfied with the punishment.

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Mhaoidh iad air gun robh iad a’ dol ga mharbhadh: they threatened him that they were going to kill him. There are two verbs commonly used to express ‘threaten’ – maoidh and bagair, both of which are followed by the preposition air. Bhagair iad air ‘they threatened him’. Bha iad a’ bagairt/a’ bagradh air ‘they were threatening him’. Bha iad a’ maoidheadh air ‘they were threatening him'.

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: ag innse dhuinn gun do thachair gun do ghabh fear de Chlann Ghill’ Eonaidh brath air a’ chùmhnant sin: telling us that it so happened that one of the Maclonichs took advantage of that compact.