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Còmhdhail

B1
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Bilingual transcription: Eich Èirisgeigh

Bilingual transcription: Eriskay ponies

Why not take a trip in the company of Calum MacIlleathain?

This time: Eriskay Ponies

CALUM

Èirisgeigh.  The island of Eriskay.  Èirisgeigh

‘S ann an seo a thàinig am Prionnsa Teàrlach Eideard Stiùbhart air tìr air an treas là fichead den Iuchair, seachd ceud deug ceathrad ’s a còig.  Bonnie Prince Charlie landed on this island on the twenty-third of July 1745. Seachd ceud deug ceathrad ’s a còig.  1745 – that’s quarter to six in the digital age!

And that’s only one of many fantastic stories connected to this little neamhnaid.  Tha tlachd fa leth, particular pleasure, tlachd fa leth anns gach eilean agus chan eil Èirisgeigh eadar-dhealaichte san t-seagh sin. Each island has its own character, and Eriskay is no different.

Tha aon sgeulachd mun eilean seo a bha ainmeil air an sgrion mhòr, that’s the cinema to you and I, air an sgrion mhòr. I suspect I don’t have to tell you which film it was, but I will anyway seeing as I’m here:  Uisge-beatha gu Leòr – Whisky Galore – Uisge-beatha gu Leòr.  

Ann an naoi ceud deug ceathrad ’s a h-aon chaidh am bàta-smùid Am Politician air na creagan sa chaolas, she hit rocks in the channel, chaidh i air na creagan sa chaolas, le cargu de dh’uisge-beatha is rudan prìseil eile.  And with such a precious cargo, especially the whisky, who could resist? 

Agus a rèir na sgeòil, according to the story, a rèir na sgeòil, chaidh beagan a thoirt gu tìr gun fhiosta agus a roinn sa choimhearsnachd. Well, I suppose they deserved a share, didn’t they?

Ach, tha ulaidh eile air an eilean seo.  Tha Eich Èirisgeigh, Eriskay ponies, eich Èirisgeigh beag agus tapaidh agus tha iadsan a-nise air an dìon. 

‘S e Liam Alasdair Crouse aon den fheadhainn a tha an lùib Comann Each nan Eilean, the island’s pony society, Comann Each nan Eilean, agus ’s dòcha gun aithnich sibh e oir bha e san stiùidio cuide ri Joy san t-sreath mu dheireadh! 

Nise, bidh fios agaibh gu bheil an seanfhacal ag ràdh “Am fear a bhios fada aig an aiseig, gheibh e thairis uaireigin”.  Uill chan eil sin fìor do dhuine sam bith a tha a’ tighinn no a’ falbh, coming or going, a’ tighinn no a’ falbh às an eilean seo oir tha cabhsair, causeway, cabhsair a’ ceangal Èirisgeigh is Uibhist a Deas. Cha robh ann an latha Theàrlaich Eideard Stiùbhairt ach tha an-diugh! I wonder whether it would have made a difference to his story or that of Uisge-beatha gu Leòr? Best get back to the ponies.

Tha na h-eich bheaga seo, these ponies, na h-eich bheaga seo air a bhith aig Dòmhnall Iain MacAonghais ’s a theaghlach fad ghinealaich, for generations, fad ghinealaich agus tha esan a’ dol a dh’innse dhomh mun obair a bhiodh iad a’ dèanamh.

Chanadh cuid a’ coimhead air a’ bheathach seo nach robh dad inntinneach mu dheidhinn. Ach seo each obrach nan eilean, the island workhorse, each obrach nan eilean. Caraid nan croitear – the crofter’s friend – caraid nan croitear.  Nach math gu robh de lèirsinn ann airson an dìon agus coimhead às an dèidh. 

Gnàthas–cainnte/seanfhacal

Am fear a bhios fada aig an aiseag, gheibh e thairis uaireigin.

Good things come to those who wait. [lit. The man who is a long time at the ferry, he will get across sometime.]