麻豆社

Tha mi d矛reach air a bhith a鈥� coimhead air map de sg矛re air a鈥� Gh脿idhealtachd far nach eil daoine a鈥� fuireach an-diugh, a鈥� coimhead airson che脿rnagan beaga a dh鈥檌nnseadh dhomh gu bheil bothan ann. Tha e math a bhith a鈥� campachadh sna beanntan ann an deagh sh矛de ach, ann an droch sh矛de, tha e nas cofhurtaile oidhche a chur seachad ann am bothan. Eadhon ged a bhiodh e gr脿nda, salach.

鈥橲 iomadh trup a dh鈥檉haodainn aontachadh ris an t-seanfhacal: Ge h-olc am bothan bochd, 鈥檚 e a tha olc a bhith gun olc 鈥檚 gun mhath. Is fhe脿rr rudeigin truagh a bhith agad na bhith as aonais, 鈥檚 d貌cha. Ge h-olc am bothan bochd, 鈥檚 e a tha olc a bhith gun olc 鈥檚 gun mhath.

Is iongantach an dualchas a tha co-cheangailte ri bothain na h-Alba oir anns an t-seann aimsir 鈥檚 e dachannan a bh鈥� annta. Bha mi ann am fear an-uiridh a bha c貌rr is ceud bliadhna a dh鈥檃ois, is a chaidh a thogail le teaghlach de Dh貌mhnallaich. Bidh sliochd an teaghlaich sin a鈥� tilleadh 脿 Sasainn as t-samhradh gach bliadhna airson fuireach anns an taigh anns an robh an sinnsirean a鈥� fuireach. Chuir mi seachad an oidhche ann agus bha e uabhasach s脿mhach s矛theil na bhroinn. Ged a bha mi a鈥� leughadh st貌iridhean mu thaibhsean mus deach mi innte, cha robh droch aisling sam bith agam.

Ach tha cuid de bhothain ann far a bheil daoine ag aithris gum bi rudan f矛or annasach a鈥� tachairt. B鈥� e fear dhiubh sin bothan nach eil ann an-diugh 鈥� seann Loids na Beithneig ann an ceann shuas Ghleann Teilt ann an Athall. Sgr矛obh ceannard aig c貌mhlan de Scouts 脿 P脿islig mu dheidhinn na thachair dhaibh sa bhothan ann an naoi ceud deug caogad 鈥檚 a h-ochd (1958).

Bha an togalach a鈥� tuiteam 脿s a ch猫ile agus cha robh ach aon se貌mar air fh脿gail ann a bha d矛onach. Ach bha an talamh a-muigh bog fliuch agus bha a鈥� bhuidheann toilichte a bhith ann an 脿ite tioram. Air aon bhalla bha sgeilp ann, air an robh botail is canaichean. Bha na balaich a鈥� gabhail sr霉pag nuair a thuit 鈥� gu h-obann is gun rabhadh - botal falamh, anns an robh coinneal. Bha am botal briste ann an loidhne dh矛reach ceithir 貌irlich os cionn a bhuinn. Bha na balaich dhen bheachd gu robh sin annasach dha-r矛reabh.

An uair sin, thuit seann chana meargach don l脿r far na sgeilp. Choimhead na balaich air an sgeilp 脿s an t脿inig e, agus iad dhen bheachd gun deach a phutadh thairis le ainmhidh beag air choreigin. Ach anns an duslach air an sgeilp cha robh comharra sam bith ann gu robh dad be貌 air a bhith ann. Bha cearcall sl脿n anns an duslach far an robh an cana roimhe ach cha robh c脿il eile air an duslach a bhriseadh. Agus bha deich 貌irlich eadar an cearcall sin agus oir na sgeilp. Chan e sin a-mh脿in ach bha cana eile air an sgeilp agus cha robh sin air gluasad idir.

An uair sin dh鈥檉hosgail uinneag bheag leatha fh猫in gun ghaoth ga putadh, agus rinn i brag air a鈥� bhalla. B鈥� e sin e do na Scouts. Bha an t-eagal orra. Theich iad 脿s an togalach agus champaich iad a-muigh, p矛os beag air falbh. Bha iad dhen bheachd gu robh taibhse no b貌can a鈥� fuireach ann, dhen t-se貌rsa ris an can sinn b貌can 霉praideach. Cha chreid mi gum bi e ann an-diugh, ge-t脿, oir chan eil sgeul air a bhothan tuilleadh. Tha e air tuiteam 脿s a ch猫ile buileach agus is iongantach mura h-eil am b貌can air a dhol 脿 bith leis.

Faclan na seachdaine: ce脿rnag: square; dachannan: homes; sinnsirean: ancestors; aisling: dream; Loids na Beithneig: Bynack Lodge; P脿islig: Paisley; d矛onach: weather-proof; bog fliuch: saturated; coinneal: candle; duslach: dust; comharra: mark, sign; be貌: alive; oir: edge; b貌can: ghost, apparition, spectre.

Abairtean na seachdaine: a dh鈥檌nnseadh dhomh gu robh bothan ann: which would tell me there is a bothy there; ann an droch sh矛de, tha e nas cofhurtaile: in bad weather it is more comfortable; 鈥檚 iomadh trup a dh鈥檉haodainn aontachadh ri X: it is many a time I could agree with X; is iongantach an dualchas a tha co-cheangailte ri bothain: the heritage associated with bothies is extraordinary; bidh sliochd an teaghlaich a鈥� tilleadh 脿 Sasainn gach bliadhna: the descendants of the family return from England every year; bha e s脿mhach s矛theil na bhroinn: it was quiet and peaceful inside; mus deach mi innte: before I went to bed (idiom); ann an ceann shuas Ghleann Teilt ann an Athall: in upper Glen Tilt in Atholl; bha an togalach a鈥� tuiteam 脿s a ch猫ile: the bothy was falling to pieces; bha sgeilp ann, air an robh botail is canaichean: there was a shelf there on which were bottles and cans; bha na balaich a鈥� gabhail sr霉pag: the boys were taking a drink (sr霉pag can refer to alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks); ceithir 貌irlich os cionn a bhuinn: four inches above its base; thuit seann chana meargach don l脿r: an old rusted can fell to the floor; gun deach a phutadh thairis le ainmhidh beag air choreigin: that it was pushed over by some small animal or other; chan e sin a-mh脿in ach bha cana eile air an sgeilp: not only that, but there was another can on the shelf; gun ghaoth ga putadh: without wind pushing it [fem]; champaich iad a-muigh: they camped outside; dhen t-se貌rsa ris an can sinn b貌can 霉praideach: of the sort we call a poltergeist; cha chreid mi gum bi e ann an-diugh: I don鈥檛 reckon it鈥檚 there today; chan eil sgeul air a bhothan tuilleadh: there is no longer any sign of the bothy.

Puing-ch脿nain na seachdaine: Eadhon ged a bhiodh e gr脿nda, salach: even if it were ugly and dirty. You won鈥檛 often see ged as a translation of 鈥渋f鈥� in dictionaries, if ever 鈥� but it can be in a construction of this nature. Of course, the above might also be a translation of 鈥渆ven should it be ugly and dirty鈥� 鈥� with the verb in the conditional. Gaelic learners tend to use 鈥済ed鈥� constructions less often than native speakers and it is worth listening out for them on the radio and in conversation. Such finer points will take you from being a good 鈥渓earner鈥� to being considered a fully fluent and idiomatic speaker of the language. Here is another example where ged might stand for 鈥渋f鈥�: Q: Am biodh tu de貌nach cluich anns an sgioba againn? (would you be willing to play in our team?) A: Ged a bhitheadh, chan urrainn dhomh 鈥� tha mo chas briste (even if I were, I cannot 鈥� my leg is broken).

Seanfhacal na seachdaine: Ge h-olc am bothan bochd, 鈥檚 e a tha olc a bhith gun olc 鈥檚 gun mhath: bad as the poor bothy is, what is truly bad is to be without bad or good.