15/03/2002

Cha robh cùisean furasta do bhoireannaich air a’ Ghaidhealtachd anns an ochdamh linn deug. Bha aca ri obair mhòr a dhèanamh, a-muigh agus fo chabair, agus bhiodh na fir a’ sùileachadh gum biodh prìomhachas acasan ann am mòran ghnothaichean, gu h-àraidh ann am poileataics. Ach, uaireannan, cha ghabhadh am mnàthan ris a sin

Bha dithis air an robh “Anna” mar ainm-baistidh timcheall Inbhir Nis a thog cliù dhaibh fhèin aig àm Cogadh nan Seumasach. Tha an dàrna tè ainmeil fhathast ach chan eil an t’ eile.

Bha Anna Nic an Tòisich na bhean-uasal agus bha i gu math bòidheach. Bha i pòsta aig Aonghas Mac an Tòisich, ceann a’ chinnidh, aig an robh taigh mòr anns a’ Mhòigh, deas air Inbhir Nis. Ach cha robh i fhèin is an duine aice idir a’ tarraing air an aon ràmh a thaobh poileataics. Fhad ’s a bha esan air falbh anns an arm, a’ sabaid as leth an Rìgh, bha a bhean a’ cur fàilte air Teàrlach Òg. Oir bha i na Seumasach!

Là a bha seo, bha am Prionnsa ann an cuideachd Anna anns a’ Mhòigh, agus chuala feachd riaghaltais mu dheidhinn. Chaidh buidheann de shaighdearan dearga a dh’ionnsaigh an àite, ach chaidh fios a chur gu Anna agus chuir i gobha, Dòmhnall Friseal, agus ceathrar shearbhantan aice a-mach airson a bhith ri faire.

Ach rinn iad barrachd na sin. Nuair a bha na saighdearan a’ tighinn dlùth, dh’iarr Dòmhnall air a chompanaich, a bha sgapte air feadh a’ mhonaidh, an gunnaichean a losgadh, fhad ’s a bha esan ag èigheachd mar gu robh e aig ceann feachd mhòir. Smaoinich na Hanoibhèirianaich gu robh arm ann agus theich iad a dh’Inbhir Nis!

Aig an àm sin, bha Anna eile ann an Inbhir Nis, Anna NicAoidh, a dhearbh gu robh i fhèin na Seumasach làidir as dèidh Blàr Chuil Lodair. Bha seilear fon taigh aice, a chaidh a chleachdadh mar phrìosan airson dithis shaighdearan a bh’ air a bhith ann an arm a’ Phrionnsa. Rinneadh plana airson fear dhiubh a shaoradh agus ghabh Anna pàirt ann.

Tharraing i fear de na freiceadanan air falbh o dhoras a’ phrìosain – ’s dòcha le bhith a’ cleachdadh a bòidhchead, ma tha sibh gam thuigs’ – agus fhuair am prìosanach air falbh. Bha fear de dh’àrd-oifigearan an airm, an Coirneal Leighton, feargach agus dh’òrdaich e do na saighdearan aige Anna a thoirt thuige. Thòisich e air a ceasnachadh ach cha deach gu math leis, oir bha Anna às an Eilean Sgitheanach bho thùs agus cha robh facal Beurla aice. Bha uiread de Ghàidhlig ann an Inbhir Nis anns na làithean ud, ’s nach robh feum air a bhith aice a’ Bheurla ionnsachadh.

Dh’iarr Leighton air bàillidh às a’ bhaile, fear Friseal, eadar-theangachadh a dhèanamh agus dh’fheuch e a h-uile dòigh a b’ urrainn airson faighinn a-mach cò an fheadhainn a bh’ air cùl a’ phlana airson am prìosanach a shaoradh, ach chan innseadh i càil dha. Dh’fheuch e ri airgead a thabhann dhi ach cha deach leis. Thugadh deoch làidir dhi, ach cha do dh’obraich sin. Chum iad air a cois i airson trì là sreath chèile agus chuir iad anns a’ phrìosan i airson seachd seachdainean. Ach bha i treun is smiorail agus chum i sàmhach.

Mu dheireadh bha Leighton airson Anna a thilgeil a-mach às a’ bhaile ach dh’iarr am Pròbhost air a leigeil ma sgaoil. ’S e sin a thachair ach cha robh e gun chall don bhana-ghaisgich. As dèidh dhi faighinn a-mach às a’ phrìosan, rinn buidheann de shaighdearan dochann air a’ ghille aice, a bha na dheugaire. Agus trì là as dèidh sin, chaochail e.

Faclan na seachdaine: furasta: easy; ainm-baistidh: first (Christened) name; Cogadh nan Seumasach: the Jacobite War; Anna Nic an Tòisich: Ann Mackintosh; a’ Mhòigh: Moy; feachd riaghaltais: government (fighting) force; gobha: blacksmith; ceathrar shearbhantan: four servants; sgapte: scattered; ag èigheachd: shouting; Hanoibhèirianaich: Hanoverians; theich iad: they fled; Anna NicAoidh: Ann Mackay; freiceadan: guard; bàillidh: baillie; treun is smiorail: strong and spirited.

Abairtean na seachdaine: bhiodh na fir a’ sùileachadh gum biodh prìomhachas aca ann am mòran ghnothaichean: the men expected that they would be pre-eminent in many matters; cha ghabhadh am mnàthan ris a sin: their wives wouldn’t accept that; tha an dàrna tè ainmeil fhathast ach chan eil an t’ eile: the first one is still well-known but the other is not; cha robh i fhèin is an duine aice a’ tarraing air an aon ràmh a thaobh poileataics: she and her husband did not see eye-to-eye on politics; a’ sabaid as leth an Rìgh: fighting for the King; bha a bhean a’ cur fàilte air Teàrlach Òg: his wife was welcoming Bonnie Prince Charlie; nuair a bha na saighdearan a’ tighinn dlùth: when the soldiers were getting close; mar gu robh e aig ceann feachd mhòir: as if he were at the head of a large (fighting) force; airson dithis shaighdearan a bh’ air a bhith ann an arm a’ Phrionnsa: for two soldiers who had been in the Prince’s army; rinneadh plana airson fear dhiubh a shaoradh: a plan was made to free one of them; dh’òrdaich e do na saighdearan aige Anna a thoirt thuige: he ordered his soldiers to bring Ann to him; bha uiread de Ghàidhlig ann ’s nach robh feum air a bhith aice a’ Bheurla ionnsachadh: there was so much Gaelic there that she had not needed to learn English; thugadh deoch làidir dhi ach cha do dh’obraich sin: she was given strong drink but that didn’t work; chum iad air a cois i airson trì là sreath chèile: they kept her on her feet for three days in a row; dh’iarr am Pròbhost air a leigeil ma sgaoil: the Provost asked him to free her; cha robh e gun chall don bhana-ghaisgich: it was not without loss for the heroine; rinn saighdearan dochann air a’ ghille aice: soldiers beat up her son.

Puing-ghràmair na seachdaine: Bha aca ri obair mhòr a dhèanamh: they had to do a lot of work (lit. big work). Does the presence of “ri” in this phrase confuse you? When you see a prepositional pronoun incorporating “aig” (eg aca), or aig followed by a noun or personal name, then followed by “ri”, it means that somebody “had to” do something – it is a Gaelic figure of speech and widely used. Keep an eye (or ear) open for it. Here are some examples so you can see how it works: Bha aig Iain ri dhol dhachaigh (John had to go home); tha agam ris an obair a dhèanamh an-dràsta fhèin (I have to to the work right now); bha aige ris an t-airgead air fad a phàigheadh (he had to pay all the money); bha aca ris am bàta a thoirt gu tìr (they had to bring the boat to land); mura bi i tioram, bidh agad ri tilleadh dhachaigh (if it is not dry, you will have to go home).

Gnàths-cainnt na seachdaine: a-muigh agus fo chabair: outside and inside. Fo chabair literally means “under rafters” ie indoors.