Iorram (Boat Song) - Sgriobt film Gàidhlig agus Beurla / Gaelic and English Film Script
This booklet contains the full transcript of the 97 minute feature length documentary film, Iorram (Boat Song). To assist navigation, the text is divided into the onscreen minutes of this version of the film. You can find out more about the film, and download the PDF of the script at www.iorramfilm.com - Anns an leabhran seo gheibhear tàr-sgrìobhadh slàn den fhilm aithriseach fad 97 mionaidean, Iorram (Boat Song). Gus cuideachadh le stiùireadh, tha an teacsa air a bhriseadh suas gu na mionaidean air-sgrìn den tionndadh seo den fhilm. Gheibhear barrachd fiosrachadh mun fhilm, agus càite am faicear e, aig www.iorramfilm.com.
This booklet contains the full transcript of the 97 minute feature length documentary film, Iorram (Boat Song). To assist navigation, the text is divided into the onscreen minutes of this version of the film. You can find out more about the film, and download the PDF of the script at www.iorramfilm.com
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Anns an leabhran seo gheibhear tàr-sgrìobhadh slàn den fhilm aithriseach fad 97 mionaidean, Iorram (Boat Song). Gus cuideachadh le stiùireadh, tha an teacsa air a bhriseadh suas gu na mionaidean air-sgrìn den tionndadh seo den fhilm. Gheibhear barrachd fiosrachadh mun fhilm, agus càite am faicear e, aig www.iorramfilm.com.
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IORRAM
[BOAT SONG]
SGRIOBT FILM GÀIDHLIG AGUS BEURLA
GAELIC AND ENGLISH FILM SCRIPT
Anns an leabhran seo gheibhear tàr-sgrìobhadh slàn den fhilm aithriseach fad 97 mionaidean, Iorram (Boat Song). Gus cuideachadh le stiùireadh, tha an
teacsa air a bhriseadh suas gu na mionaidean air-sgrìn den tionndadh seo den fhilm. Gheibhear barrachd fiosrachadh mun fhilm, agus càite am faicear
e, aig iorramfilm.com.
Sionopsas den Fhilm
A’ chiad film aithriseachd gu tur ann an Gàidhlig, tha Iorram na dhealbh
liriceach air Innse Gall, an-diugh agus an-dè. Tha an Stiùiriche, Alastair
Cole, a’ toirt an luchd-amhairc air tu-ras-bogaidh a-steach do chridhe
coimhearsnachd a tha air maireadh 1,000 bliadhna, a’ measgachadh
clàran fuaim tasglainn de ghuthan bhon t-àm a dh’fhalbh le iomhaighean
de bheatha nan eilean san latha an-diugh agus ceòl ùr air a chruthachadh
leis an neach-ciùil cliùiteach, Aidan O’Rourke.
Aig cridhe an fhilm tha stòras iongantach de thasglann fuaim, air a
chlàradh le luchd-eitneòlais adhartach Albannach ann am meadhan an
20mh linn, a thadhal air na h-Eileanan an Iar airson glacadh cruadal
agus romansachd beatha air a chur seachad ann an cothromachadh
cugallach leis a’ mhuir.
Tha na clàraidhean seo a’ glèidheadh beul-aithris de dh’uirsgeulan,
ràbhairtean agus cùisean-mulaid a thàinig sìos tro
ghinealaichean de luchd-labhairt Gàidhlig.
An cois an traca-fuaime seo de ghuthan, sgeulachdan agus òrain bho na
làithean a dh’fhalbh, tha ìomhaighean dhrùidhteach de ruitheam obrach
làitheil nan eilean, air muir is tìr, air am filmeadh thairis air na trì
bliadhna mu dheireadh.
Tha na cruadalan an cois a bhith ag iasgach agus a’ cutadh anns gach
sìde agus ràithe beo taobh-ri-taobh le geasalanachd, seallaidhean de
mhaighdinnean-mara, sìthichean agus eileanan à sealladh.
Tha a’ chiad sgòr-film le Aidan O’Rourke (bhon chòmhlan Lau a tha air
iomadh duais a choisinn) a’ fighe fuaim agus ìomhaigh ri chèile ann an
cunntas faireachail agus lèirsinneach air saothair, gàire agus call. Bha
a’ mhuir a-riamh a’ beathachadh a’ choim-hearsnachd seo, ged a bha
a’ chumachd aice cuideachd beatha nan teaghlach a bha an urra rithe
a chreachadh.
Tha am film a’ tabhainn cagairean agus faileasan de dhaoine agus de
thachartasan duilich a ghabh àite o chionn fhada, cuimhneachain a tha
fhathast a’ toirt buaidh air beatha nan eilean. Aig àm nuair a tha Alba
agus an RA a’ coimhead ri àm ùr, tha seo mar chuimhneachan gu bheil
snàithleanan eachdraidh agus fèin-aithne aig fìor oir Bhreatainn air am
fighe, dha-rìribh, ann an cumhachd liriceadh a’ chànain Ghàidhlig.
This booklet contains the full transcript of the 97 minute feature length documentary film, Iorram (Boat Song). To assist navigation, the text is divided into
the onscreen minutes. You can find out more about the film, and where to view it at iorramfilm.com.
Film Synopsis
The first cinema documentary entirely in Scottish Gaelic, Iorram (Boat
Song) is a lyrical portrait of life in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides, past
and present. Director Alastair Cole takes the audience on an immersive
journey into the heart and soul of a 1,000-year-old community, blending
archive sound recordings of voices from the past with visuals of island life
today and an original score by acclaimed folk musician Aidan O’Rourke.
At the core of the film is an extraordinary trove of sound archive,
recorded by pioneering Scottish ethnographers in the mid-20th century,
who visited the Western Isles to capture the hardship and romance of life
lived in precarious balance with the sea.
These newly restored recordings preserve an oral history of lore and
legends, tall tales and tragedies, passed down through generations of
Gaelic speakers. This soundtrack of voices, stories and songs from the
past is accompanied by moving imagery of the daily working rhythm
of the islands, on land and on water, shot over the past three years.
The tough realities of fishing and gutting in all weathers and seasons
co-exist alongside superstitions and visions of mermaids, faerie folk and
mysterious vanishing islands.
The first film score by Aidan O’Rourke (of multi-award-winning folk group
Lau) weaves together sound and vision in an emotional and cinematic
narrative of toil, laughter and loss. The sea has always sustained this
community, while also holding the power to ravage the lives of the
families who rely upon it. The film offers whispers and shadows of people
and tragic events long since gone, yet whose memory continues to shape
life on the islands today. As Scotland and the UK enter a new future,
this provides a reminder that the threads of history and identity at this
furthest edge of the British Isles are woven, unmistakably, in the lyrical
power of the Gaelic language.
I O R R A M
minute 1.
Tha Gàidhlig air a bhith ga
bruidhinn ann an Innse Gall airson
còrr agus mìle bliadhna.
Chaidh guthan nan eilean an
clàradh airson a’ chiad uair anns
na 1930an.
An-diugh, is e coimhearsnachd an
iasgaich fear de na h-àitichean mu
dheireadh far a bheil an cànan
làidir,
ach tha an t-àm ri teachd mìchinnteach
do gach cuid.
Scottish Gaelic has been spoken
in the Outer Hebrides for over a
thousand years.
The voices of the islands were
recorded for the first time in the
1930s.
Today the fishing community is
one of the last strongholds of the
language
but both face an uncertain future.
minute 2.
Uair is uair agus mi briste
thig mo smuain ort is tu òg
is lìonaidh an cuan do thuigsinn le
làn-mara is mìle seòl
Falamhaichear cladach na trioblaid
le bhuairean is tiùir a’ bhròin
is bualaidh an tonn gun bhriseadh
mum chasan le suathadh sròin
Again and again when I am broken
my thought comes on you when you
were young,
and the incomprehensible ocean fills
with floodtide and a thousand sails.
The shore of trouble is hidden with
its reefs and the wrack of grief,
and the unbreaking wave strikes
about my feet with a silken rubbing.
iorramfilm.com 5
minute 3.
An t-iasgach..airson a' bheò-shlaint
a bheireadh duine ann a sheo le
teaghlach beag
na croitean beaga bochda, cha
dèanadh e sìon ann gun leth-stoc
air choreigin
agus 's e iasgach nan giomach an
leth-stoc a b' fheàrr a bh' ann.
Cha robh an còrr seirbheis ann
‘S e Barraigh am port-iasgaich a b’
fheàrr a bh’ ann an Alba an uairsin
airson iasgach an sgadain
‘S e bha na taobh Searaich a’
tighinn an sin agus bhiodh iad ann
gu meadhan September
‘s gun chàil a’ dol ach eathraichean
siùil
Bhiodh na b’ urrainn falbh às de na
daoine.
Chaidh sinn a Mhalaig le dà
fhichead crann sgadain
Fishing was a way for anyone with
a small family to make a living.
On small infertile crofts they would
need something to supplement their
income
and lobster fishing was the best
way to do that.
There was no other work.
Barra was the best port in Scotland
at that time for herring fishing.
The east-coasters would be there
until mid-September
and it was all sailing boats.
All the men who were able went off
to work.
We went to Mallaig with 40 cran of
herring.
ann an June 1917. That was in June 1917.
Bha, a' fuireach ann am
Beàrnaraigh fad an t-samhraidh
We stayed on Berneray all summer.
6 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 7
minute 4.
minute 5.
Triùir is ceathrar anns na
h-àireachan, 's cadal ann a shineach
Bha iad a' fuireach 's na
h-àireachan 's cha robh iad ach a'
dol a dh'iarraidh provisions mar a
dh'fheumadh iad
Ach an fheadhainn a bha sgothan
aca bha iad a' dol a Bhàgh a'
Chaisteil a dh'iasgach an sgadain
Sgothan a bh' againn, fichead
troigh a dh'fhaid, trì siùil is ràimh
...deich mìle an iar-dheas air Ceann
Bharraigh
Is ga h-iomramh cuideachd
Cha robh einnsean againn, ach seòl
dearg brèagha
There were three or four folk in
each shieling. They slept there.
They stayed in the shielings and
just went for provisions when they
had to.
Those who had their own boats
went to Castlebay to fish for
herring.
We had skiffs. They were 20 feet
long with three sails, and oars.
We'd go out ten miles southwest of
Barra Head.
Rowing, too.
We had no engine, just a nice red
sail.
Nam biodh sìde fhuar ann
dh'fheumadh tu barrachd air a'
ghiomach
Sheasadh an giomach.
A’ cumail nan giomach dh’fheumadh
iad a dhol a-null leotha a h-uile
seachdain
Cha robh thu a’ faighinn airgead
ann gus an robh an seusan ullamh.
Cha robh e gu diofar cha robh
agad ach gabhail a-null rud sam
bith a bha a dhìth ort
Ga roinn a-mach a-rithist
Cha robh an langa ro phailt ann.
Bhiodh trosg ann is sòrnain,
leòbagan agus bodaich
If the weather was cold you needed
more than lobster.
The lobster would keep.
Lobsters had to be taken across
every week.
You didn't get paid until the end of
the season.
It didn't matter. Ruaraidh would
give you anything you needed.
It was shared out.
Ling was scarce. There was cod,
skate, sole, flounder and Atlantic
cod.
Leigeadh seachad an seòl canaidh
mi an dèidh a' chogaidh mu
dheireadh
We stopped using sails, I'd say,
after the last world war.
Lìon mòr airson gu faigheadh tu
iasg mòr lethid sòrnan, easgannan
mòra grànnda
The long line was for catching big
fish like skate and big ugly eels.
Bha ceabain innte
There was a cabin.
Iorram
Boat Song
Bha thu a' dèanamh biadh 's a
h-uile càil a bh' ann.
You cooked food and everything.
Cha robh càil ach mar bu trice
briosgaid, 's dòcha gum biodh
uaireannan ìm againn
It was usually biscuits, occasionally
butter.
8 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 9
minute 6.
Och bha, Bha iasg fad na bliadhna
mu chuairt san loch a-mach ann a
sheo.
Uill a-nis, tha e dìreach a' togail
h-uile facal a tha sinn ag ràdh mar
seo. - A bheil?
Chan eil agaibh ach bruidhinn. Tha
e a’ togail a h-uile facal
A h-uile facal! A h-uile facal
O uill, uill. Nach eil sin math.
Tha e cho soirbh obrachadh leis.
Dìreach a chumail nam làimh agus a
tha a h-uile facal a' dol air. Eil sibh
gam chluinntinn a-nis?
Tha e math.
Taobh Port na h-Àirde, chunnaic
mise bàta, dà dheagh ràmh agus
seòl innt'
N uair sin mi smaointinn an
gabhadh ise faotainn
Oh, yes. Yes, there were fish here
all year round.
- It picks up every word we're
saying. - Does it?
You just have to speak. It picks up
every word.
- Every word! - Every word.
Oh, well, well. Isn't that good.
Yes. It's so easy to use.
You just hold it in your hand and
it records every word. Wait till you
hear it.
It's good.
By Port na h-Àirde way I saw a
boat There were two good oars
and a sail in her
I started to think if she could be
got
10 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 11
minute 7.
Am fanainn fad na h-oidhche gu
seòladh
Would I stay all night just to get
sailing.
Bidh mi gabhail an cuairt leis an
còmhnaidh
I'll be taking a trip with her always.
O tha mi smaointinn a' togail mo
chuid aodaich
Oh, I am thinking of hoisting my
sails
Nuair rachadh tu suas an cnoc air
a' chiad latha de Mhay
When you went to the hill on May
1st
Bàta beag mo ghaoil 's i bha
bòidheach
Little boat of my love she was
beautiful
chan fhaiceadh tu ach bàtaichean
oir ri oir
all you could see was an endless line
of boats
Bàta beag bha uasal a fhuair mi
aig na Suainich
Bidh mi dol an cuairt leis an
còmhnaidh
Little boat that was noble I got
from the Swedes
I'll be taking a trip with her always.
Tighinn a-nuas timcheall a’ Charbh
‘s a’ tighinn ron a’ Mhinch a’ dol a
Bharraigh
coming down round Cape Wrath,
through the Minch, going to Barra.
Bha sinn latha ag iasgach 's gu
dearbh bha i fialaidh
Since we went fishing indeed she
was generous
Chaidh sinn seachad sìos air Maol
Dòmhnaich
We went down past Maol Dòmhnaich
Iasg a bha brèagha ga fhaighinn
mar bu mhiann leinn
Fish that was lovely acquired as we
desired
Chuir sinn dhachaigh biadh de gach
seòrsa
We got every kind of food from it.
O tha mi smaointinn a' togail mo
chuid aodaich
Oh, I am thinking of hoisting my
sails
Bàta beag mo ghaoil 's i bha
bòidheach
Little boat of my love she was
beautiful
Bàta beag bha uasal a fhuair mi
aig na Suainich
Little boat that was noble I got
from the Swedes
12 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 13
minute 8.
Bhiomaid a’ dol a-mach timcheall
air leth May ‘s bhiomaid a-muigh gu
leth September
We would go out around mid-May
and continue until mid-September.
agus buain a' choirce le corran,
ga thiormachadh 's ga chur dhan
iodhlainn
cut the oats with a sickle, dried it
and put it in the stackyard.
S bha sinn an uair sin nar tàmh ag
obair air na clèibh
Nuair a thigeadh November a-staigh
bhiodh an uair sin sgadan an loch
a' tòiseachadh
After that we worked at the creels.
Come November, herring fishing
began in the loch.
Cha robh mar sin cha leithid de
rud ri holiday idir idir agad ga
fhaighinn
There was no such thing as a
holiday.
Aig am mìos February bhiodh tu a'
tòiseachadh air na lìn mhòra
In February, you started on the
long-line fishing
s bhiodh tu ag obair air na lìn
mhòra gu deireadh March
and worked on that until the end
of March.
Mar sin cha robh sguir idir idir idir
ann o rud gu rud
There were no breaks, just one
thing after another.
S aig an aon àm bha againn ri
moine a bhuainn as t-samhradh
At the same time, we had to cut
peats in summer,
Bha againn ri earrach a dhèanamh
airson dà mhart a bheathachadh,
am buntàta airson cosgais na
bliadhna
we needed enough hay to feed
two cows and a year's worth of
potatoes.
bha sin againn ri dhèanamh as
t-earrach
We had to do that in spring.
Nuair a thigeadh am foghar bha
againn ri buain an eòrna le corran
And then in the autumn we cut the
barley with a sickle,
14 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 15
minute 9.
Thòisich mise aig na giomaich
an toiseach còmhla ri Coinneach
Aonghais
I started lobster fishing with
Coinneach Aonghais
Abair thus nam b' e gaoth on iar a
bhiodh ann dh'fheumadh an seòl a
dhol suas
Now, if there was a west wind, the
sail had to go up.
agus gu dearbh 's e fear cho
greannach 's chuala tu riamh. Bha
e laghach gu leòr, ach o uill bha e
greannach
Nan dèanadh tusa, 's nuair a
thòisicheas tu air na giomaich an
toiseach, chan eil...
..bha mise lucky gu leòr, bha m'
athair air mo chùlaibh 's bha e ag
innse dhomh tòrr de rudan a bh'
agam ri dhèanamh
and he was the grumpiest man you
ever met. He was nice enough, but
grumpy.
When you first start lobster fishing,
you don't...
I was lucky, I had my father behind
me, telling me what to do.
“Cuiribh an seòl oirre” chanadh
Dòmhnall Iain, “Och, cuiridh sinn an
t-einnsean oirre”
“Cha chuir sinn an t-einnsean idir.
Cuiribh an seòl oirre.”
Dh'fheumadh tu an uair sin an seòl
fhuasgladh, 's a chur rithe.
Dh’fhalbhadh sinn an uair sin.
Bhiodh Dòmhnall Iain agus athair
shìos anns an deireadh
“Put up the sail.” Dòmhnall Iain
would say, “Let's use the engine”.
“We won't use the engine. Put up
the sail.”
And then you had to unfurl the sail
and hoist it.
We'd set off then. Dòmhnall Iain and
his father astern
agus 's e bhiodh a' dèanamh nan
clèibh dhomh cuideachd
He made my creels, too.
agus mise agus Iain Eairdsidh shuas
anns an toiseach. Suas an seòl.
and Iain Eardsaidh and I at the
bow. Up with the sail.
Coinneach, an eathar beag a bh’
aige. Cha robh innte ach troigh air
fhichead a dh’fhad a bha innte
Coinneach had a small boat, a
21-footer.
Chan fhaigheadh tu sìos ach
tarsainn air gob Gob Àird na Rèidh
's bhiodh a' ghaoth nad aghaidh
You'd barely be past Àird na Rèidh
Point when the west wind would be
in your face.
Agus bha einnsean beag aige
a fhuair e o Nogaran, Tormod
Aonghais,
And he had a small engine he got
from Nogaran, Tormod Aonghais,
seven horsepower
seven horsepower.
Agus shaoileadh tu gur e einnsean
an jumbo a bh' ann. Cha chuireadh
e an t-einnsean a bha siud air.
You'd think it was a jumbo jet
engine. He wouldn't use it.
Rachamaid a-mach as a' gheòla
bheag
We'd set out in the dinghy.
16 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 17
minute 10.
Dh'fheumadh an seòl tighinn
a-nuas agus an crann, “Start i a
Dhòmhnaill Iain”.
Bhiodh e an còmhnaidh le chois,
bualadh “Start i a Dhòmhnaill Iain.
Start i a Dhòmhnaill Iain”.
Naoi uairean às gach deich cha
startadh an rud a bha sin idir.
“Faigheabh a-mach na ràimh. A
Ruairidh, faigh ràmh. Bidh sinn air
tìr. Bidh sinn a-null air fuaidh.”
The sail and mast would have to
come down. “Start it, Dòmhnall
Iain”.
He would kick Dòmhnall Iain. “Start
it, Dòmhnall Iain. Start it Dòmhnall
Iain.”
Nine times out of ten it wouldn't
start.
“Get out the oars. Ruaraidh, get an
oar. We'll be on the rocks.”
O uill, 's e obair dhoirbh a bh' ann.
A-nis, Ruairidh Òg, Dòmhnall Ailig
Dhòmhnaill agus na h-eathraichean
eile
air falbh, shuidheadh iad air an
tòin air an ride
S dh'fhalbhadh iad a-mach gu
Sgeirean Ìomhair agus a-mach gu
Spuir
Oh, well, it was hard work.
Now, Ruaraidh Òg and Dòmhnall
Ailig Dhòmhnaill and the other
boats
would be away, sitting on their
backsides on the ride
and heading out to Sgeirean
Iomhair and Spuir.
Co-dhiù, dh'fhalbhadh an t-einnsean
's dh'fhalbhamaid an uair sin
Anyway, the engine would start and
we'd set off.
dh'fheumadh an seòl 's na ràimh a
phasgadh
The oars and sail had to be put
away.
Nan tigeadh tu ro fhaisg air a'
chliabh a bha sin
And if you got too close to the
creels,
O a Ruairidh gheibh sinn am ball sa
phropellor
“Oh, Ruaraidh, we'll get the rope
caught in the propeller!”
agus nam biodh tu ro fhada bhon
chliabh
And if you were too far from the
creels,
“Och a Ruairidh, a chruthaidhear
bheannaichte, an dèan sinn nas
fheàrr na sin idir?”
“Och, Ruaraidh, can't you do better
than that?”
Dh'fheumadh tu an uair sin
tòiseachadh air bacadh a-staigh
chun a' chliabh
Then you'd have to start backing
into the creels.
18 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 19
minute 11.
Einnsean fad an t-siubhail
Engine all the way.
Smaoinich e
He had a think.
Bha an t-seinnsean aca, a' togail
nan clèibh leis an einnsean agus
sinne gan togail leis na ràimh
O, 's e duine greannach a bh' ann.
'S chan fhaodadh tu a bhith a'
feadaireachd.
Nam biodh tu a' dèanamh
feadaireachd, dh'fhàsadh e cho
greannach. Dh'fhàsadh e cho
greannach.
They lifted the creels with the
engine and we lifted them with the
oars.
Oh, he was grumpy. And you
weren't allowed to whistle.
Oh, if you were whistling, he'd get
so grumpy. So grumpy.
Thuirt i “Till dachaigh, till dachaigh,
till dachaigh” thuirt i
“'S mi nach till!” “Thèid do
bhàthadh, thèid do bhàthadh, thèid
do bhàthadh.”
“Saoil thusa an tèid?” thuirt e
She said, “Return home, return
home, return home”.
“I will not!” “You'll be drowned,
you'll be drowned, you'll be
drowned.”
“I wonder,” he said.
Bodach 's bha e falbh a dh'iasgach.
'S e sin an dreuchd a bh' aige
daonnan, a bhith ag obair air an
iasgach
An old man was going fishing. He
was always working at the fishing.
Ach bha e latha bha seo a' falbh,
dè bh' aige ach leth-bhotal uisgebeatha
na phòcaid
But he set off this day with a half
bottle of whisky in his pocket.
Bha e sunndach sa mhadainn a'
falbh
He set off cheerfully in the morning.
Chuala e smeòrach a’ cur dhith,
“Thèid thu Wick, Thèid thu Wick,
Thèid thu Wick”
He heard a thrush singing, “Go to
Wick, go to Wick, go to Wick”.
“Tà, thèid a ghalghad” thuirt e
“I certainly will”, he replied.
20 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 21
minute 12.
“Co-dhiù, eadar dà cheist agus a
h-uile rud a th' ann, gabhaidh sinn
steall às a' bhotal” thuirt e
Chuir e botal ri cheann
“Anyway, between one thing and
another, I'll take a drink,” he said.
He put the bottle to his lips.
Bha iad ga chunntais mì-lucky.
Tòiseachadh Diluain. Tòiseachadh
Diluain
The first day was thought to be
unlucky.
- Starting on Monday? - Starting on
Monday.
“Dideag eile, dideag eile, dideag eile
fhathast” thuirt i. Ghabh e siud
Smaoinich e. Chuir an smeòrach
dheth a-rithist agus thuirt i
“Another drop, another drop”, she
said. He took one.
He had a think. The thrush piped
up again,
Nan tachradh boireannach ri fear
a bhiodh a' dol a dh'iasgach bha e
deònach tilleadh an uair sin
If a woman met a man on his way
to the fishing, he would turn back.
“Sgob às e, sgob às e, sgob às e”
“Down the hatch, down the hatch,
down the hatch”
S dh'òl e na bha sa bhotal
and he drained the bottle.
Agus an uair sin 's ann a bha an
duine a' gabhail òran ris fhèin
And then, the man was singing a
song to himself,
“'S mairg nach gabh comhairle”
agus thill e dhachaigh
“It's silly to ignore advice,” and he
went home.
Agus cha deach e chun an iasgaich
idir, air obair na smeòraich.
He didn't go fishing, thanks to the
thrush.
Cha robh iad ach a-staigh Diluain.
Cha bhiodh iad deònach a dhol
a-mach Diluain idir
They weren't keen on going out on
a Monday at all.
Nach biodh? Cha bhiodh, nuair a
bhiodh iad a' startadh an toiseach,
a' chiad latha
- Weren't they? - No. They didn't like
starting then.
22 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 23
minute 13.
Seadh? Chan fhaigheadh e sgath
- Really? - He wouldn't catch a
thing.
Bha bodach eile nan luib agus bha e
uabhasach geasagach
But there was an old man there
who was awfully superstitious
Ma b' fhìor cho mì-lucky 's a bha na
boireannaich
Women were supposed to bring
bad luck.
Agus nuair a dh'inns iad dha gun
tug iad an t-uisge do sgothaidh eile
and when they told him that they
had given water to another boat
Bhiodh geasagan uabhasach aig na
h-iasgairean uaireigin an t-saoghail
Fishermen used to be terribly
superstitious.
Bha iad a' creidsinn nan itheadh
iad ugh man rachadh iad chun a'
chuain
They believed that, if they ate an
egg before going to sea,
nach fhaigheadh iad iasg idir
they wouldn't catch any fish.
agus bha feadhainn eile a bha a'
smaoineachadh nam faiceadh iad
coineanach
And there were others who thought
that if they saw a rabbit
nach fhaigheadh iad iasg na bu
mhotha 's gum faodadh iad tilleadh
dhachaigh
they wouldn't catch any fish either
and they may as well go home.
Bha m' athair fhèin turas eile sna
lochannan
My father was at the lochs one
time.
Bhiodh iad a' dol dha na lochannan
an àm a' gheamhraidh, an toiseach
a' gheamhraidh
They would go to the lochs at the
beginning of winter.
An triop a bha seo, thàinig sgoth
eile a dh'iarraidh uisge orra
On this occasion, another boat
came to ask them for water.
Co-dhiù, ge b' e an fheadhainn a
bha mun cuairt aig an àm, thug iad
seachad an t-uisge
Anyway, the crew gave them water.
24 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 25
minute 14.
cha mhòr nach do leum e às a
chraiceann leis an fheirg.
Rug e air dòrnan mòr salainn agus
chaith e san teine e
Thàinig iad a Bhatarsaigh, thàinig
iadsan a thogail nan seadaichean
an toiseach
agus thug iad sin leotha na
teaghlaichean. Bha sin ann an 1908.
Thàinig na teaghlaichean air fad.
he almost jumped out of his skin
with anger.
He grabbed a handful of salt and
threw it in the fire.
They came to Vatersay to build the
sheds first
and then they brought the families
over. That was in 1908. All the
families came.
Bha iad ag iarraidh às a thaobh
nach fhaigheadh iad na bàtaichean
iasgaich a thoirt ann.
Dh'fheumadh iad a bhith ris an
iasgach 's cha robh iad ach ag
iarraidh taigh ri taobh a' chladaich
bhiodh iad toilichte gu leòr nam
faigheadh iad an taigh an taobh a'
chladaich.
Because they couldn't land their
fishing boats.
They had to fish and all they
wanted was a place to build a
house beside the sea.
They were happy as long as they
had a house by the shore.
An robh iad riamh ann am
Miùghalaigh ag obair air giomaich
ma-thà?
Sin an obair a bhiodh aig na seann
bhodaich nach b' urrainn an t-àite
fhàgail, fhios agad, ag obair air na
giomaich
Did Mingulay folk ever fish for
lobsters?
That's what the old men did when
they could no longer leave the
place.
Carson a bha iad ag iarraidh às
co-dhìu, à Miùghalaigh?
Why did they want to leave
Mingulay anyway?
26 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 27
minute 15.
Bhiodh iad ag obair fad an
t-samhradh, pìos math dhen
fhoghar gus an tòisicheadh an
t-sìde a' fàs dona
Bhiodh iad gan toirt do mharsantan
a bh’ ann am Bàgh a’ Chaisteil
They worked throughout the
summer and the autumn until the
weather turned bad.
They sold them to merchants in
Castlebay.
Bha banca againn sna Bàigh ris an
canadh iad Banca nam Bàgh
Agus 's ann ann an còmhnaidh a
bhiomaid ag iasgach as t-samhradh
We had a bank in the Bays of Harris
called Bays Bank.
And we always fished there in
summer.
Mar sin dh'fheumadh iad fhèin na
clèibh agus a h-uile sìon mar sin a
dhèanamh iad fhèin
And they would have to make the
creels and everything themselves.
O iad fhèin a bhiodh a' dèanamh an
iasgaich sin air fad
Oh, they made everything
themselves.
Le fiodh a gheibheadh iad air a’
chladach. - Seadh
- From wood they found on the
shore. - Yes.
Cha robh coilltean ann.
There were no woods for material.
Seadh, 's cha robh craobhan ann.
- Cha robh
- That's right. There were no trees.
- No.
Sgadan Bharraigh an sgadan a b’
fheàrr a bha ri fhaighinn air an
t-saoghal air fad
Barra herring was the best in the
whole world.
O cheann gu ceann dhen t-saoghal
's e sgadan Bharraigh
The best in all the world.
An sgadan a b' fhaisge air sgadan
Bharraigh 's e sgadan na Hearadh
The next best was Harris herring.
28 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 29
minute 16.
Agus sgadan an còrr air a sin a bha
sgadan a bha sinn a’ faighinn ann
a sheo
agus a bha na Barraich a' faighinn
bha a h-uile aonan dhe sin a' dol a
dh'Aimeireaga
The extra herring we caught here,
and the Barra herring,
it all went to America.
Bha tùr anns an iasgach nach eil
duine measrachadh
Ma bha tràghadh ann bha thu
guess dè an ùine a dh'fhanadh tu
on bhanca
There was a knack to fishing that
people don't realise.
At ebbtide, you would guess how
long to stay off the bank,
Sgadan mòr
The big herring.
Agus bha e cho dìomhair
It was very mysterious.
nuair a gheibheamaid sìos air sròn
a th' air a' Phàirc Leòdhasach
When you went beyond a headland
in the Pairc district of Lewis
ris an can iad Rubha Uisinis, bha an
sgadan ag atharrachadh.
called Rubha Uisinis, the herring
changed.
Cha robh an aon bhlas air, cha
robh an aon mheud ann agus cha
robh an aon rèimhreachd ann.
It didn't taste the same, it was
smaller and not so fat.
Dh'fhalbh an sgadan sin - chan eil
e ri fhaighinn an-diugh idir idir. An
sgadan mòr a bha sin a bha sinne
a' faighinn.
That herring has gone. The big
herring we caught is nowhere to be
found now.
A' cheart cho cinnteach 's a
chanaist anns an latha sin, bha tùr
ri iarraidh ann
In those days, you had to have the
know-how.
30 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 31
minute 17.
minute 18.
a rèir neart na tide airson a bhith
ann aig àm an tràghaidh
Oir mura guessadh tu sin ceart cha
robh thu a' dol a dh'fhaighinn dà
chrann sgadain
Nis cha robh leithid de rud ri
sealltainn air combaist no gnè nì
dhen t-seòrsa sin
Cha robh gnè nì ann a bha a'
sealltainn dhut an sgadan ach muc
is sùlaire
Mar sin cha robh thu ach a' dol le
guess gu sìorraidh
depending on the strength of the
tide, in order to hit it at slack
water.
If you didn't guess right, you would
be lucky to get two cran of herring.
And there was no such thing as
looking at a compass or anything
like that.
There was nothing to show where
the herring were except whales and
gannets.
It was just guesswork.
airson an sgadan bheag
Bha thu gad ionnsachadh fhèin aon
uair 's gun dèidheadh tu air bòrd
innte
Bha thu gad ionnsachadh fhèin
anns a h-uile càil a bh’ agad ri
dhèanamh
Bha thu a' piceadh an àirde a h-uile
càil, 's cha bhiodh tu leth-bhliadhn'
nuair a bhiodh tu cho math ri fear
sam bith a bha na broinn
Uill, innsidh ma-thà, chan eil sin
duilich dhomh innse.
for the smaller herring.
You taught yourself once you went
aboard.
You taught yourself everything you
needed to do.
You picked everything up and in
six months, you were as good as
anyone.
Well, I'll tell you, then. That's no
problem.
Na lìn a bh' againn san latha sin
dh'fheumadh iad an dèanamh
special dhuinn fhèin
The nets we had in those days had
to be made especially for us.
Le mogal a bhith na b' fharsainge
na mogal lìn an taobh sear
They had a bigger mesh than the
east-coast nets,
airson an sgadain mhòir a bha seo
for the big herring.
Nuair a thigeadh iasgach August
ann an Snìosort
When the August fishing started in
Loch Snizort,
bha na lìn sin gam pasgadh agus
seat eile a' dol a-mach an uair sin
de mhogal cumhang
these nets were folded away and
another set with a smaller mesh
was used,
32 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 33
minute 19.
Bha Iain, ann a shin, mo
bhràthair, nuair a bha e a' dol a
dh'fheuchainn an test air a' bhan
Iain, my brother, was going to take
the van for the test.
Bha an t-òran agamsa air a
dhèanamh dhaibh mus do ràinig mi
dhachaigh
I had made the song about them
before I reached home.
Ach nuair a thàinig an turn aige,
cha d' fhuair e roimhe idir
Agus thill sinn air ais agus bha am
bàr fosgailte
But when his turn came, it failed.
When we got back, the bar was
open.
Agus seo mar a bhe e a' dol:
S air feasgar dhomh 's mi
faireachdainn pàite, chaidh mi
steach a' bhàr an Tàirbeirt
And this is how it went:
This evening I was feeling parched I
went into the bar in Tarbert
Thadhail sinn ann agus bha
ceathrar de mhuinntir Scalpaigh
ann a shin
We called in and there were four
Scalpay folk there.
S aithne dhomh dithis aca glè
mhath agus 's aithne dhomh an
dithis eile rim faicinn
I knew two of them very well and
the other two by sight.
Bha iad a' sealltainn an graf aig an
echosounder dha na bàrmein ann
They were showing the graph of the
echosounder to the barmen.
Thòisich e air innse dhomh “Siud an
grunnd” ars esan
He started to explain it to me.
“That's the seabed,” he said.
“Siud an sgadan. Chan eil sgadan
ann a sheo idir ach tha e ann a
sheo”
“That's the herring. There's no
herring here, but there is, here.”
“Tarraing siud 's cuir na do phòca e
agus saoilidh iad gur e iasgair thu”
“Put that in your pocket and they'll
think you're a fisherman.”
34 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 35
minute 20.
minute 21.
S dh'iarr mi dràm air a' bhàrman a
chàraich e air mo bheulaibh
S bha Scalpaich anns a' chòmhlan
aig an robh eòlas air an iasgach
I requested a dram at the bar
before he turned to face me
And there were Scalpay men in a
group who had knowledge of the
fishing
Nuair a bhathar a' taghadh
sgiobair, bha an sgioba a' dèanamh
sin
Ged bu leatsa am bàta, cha b' e
tusa an sgiobair
The skipper was chosen by the crew.
You might own the boat, but you
weren't the skipper.
S le graf an echosounder gun d'
rinn iad an clobhd duine dhìomsa
Ach b' e chuimhn' leam o thoiseach
m' òige air na h-eòlaich a b' aithne
dhomh
Chan fheumadh na seòid ud ach
ròpa agus balaiste
Eòlas air a’ chùrsa ‘s air an grunnd
far am biodh bancaichean
S air na fasanan ùra cha b' fhiù
dhaibh bhith fantail
Ach saoilidh fear nach eil eòlach
gu bheil mise an còmhnaidh nam
amadan
On 's e cromagan an dùbhlais rinn
mo leòn le aineòlas
Ach 's iomadh innleachd air an
dèanainn innse air bheil sibhse cho
aineòlach
With a graph on their echosounder
They sought to make fun of me.
But as I remember the beginning
of my youth and the experts that
I knew
The heroes needed nothing but rope
and ballast
Knowledge of the course and where
the ground had banks
They didn't need to wait for the
new fashions
But I imagine that to the unlearned
I shall remain always a fool
It's the damned hooks that grieved
me with ignorance
I could tell of many contraptions of
which you are ignorant
Bha iad a' taghadh mar sgiobair
fear a bha eòlach air seòladh,
eòlach air an tìde-mhara
a leughadh na nèamhan, aig an
robh eòlas farsaing air obair
nàdair gu lèir
Agus am fear a chanadh iad a
bheireadh dhachaigh iad nuair a
bhiodh an Cuan Siar oillteil
sin a bha iad a' taghadh mar
sgiobair
Nise nuair a thigeadh air tìr le iasg
‘s e bean an sgiobair a bha a’ roinn
an èisg
agus ‘s ann nuair a bhiodh iad a’
roinn an èisg,
bhiodh an sgiobair a' faighinn
comharra bhon h-uile duine
A skipper was chosen for his
knowledge of sailing, the tides,
reading the skies, and wide
knowledge of nature in general.
The man they believed would bring
them home from the Atlantic at its
wildest,
that's who they chose as skipper.
When they brought their catch
ashore the skipper's wife divided
the fish.
When the catch was divided
the skipper was given a tag by each
person to mark their share.
S nan tionndaidhean a’ chuibhle
bheirinn dhuibh ur cuibhreann le
fanaidean
If the wheel should turn I would do
my share of mocking.
36 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 37
minute 22.
minute 23.
S e daoine taghte a bh' annta agus
bha iad a' saoilsinn tòrr dhiubh
fhèin 's bha na mnathan a' saoilsinn
an dearbh rud
They had a high opinion of
themselves and so did their wives.
Bhiodh na boireannaich a' falbh a
dh'ionnsaigh a' chutaidh,
A h-uile duine a b' urrainn falbh ach
na cailleachan
The women would be away gutting.
Everyone who could go, went, apart
from the old women
agus feadhainn aig am biodh clann
òga 's mar sin
and those with young children.
Bhiodh iad a' dol a Bhàgh a'
Chaisteil an toiseach gu meadhan
an t-samhraidh
They went to Castlebay first, until
midsummer.
Och bhiodh iad ag obair gu pìos a
dh'fhoghar
They worked until the autumn.
S bha seusan Bhàgh a' Chaisteil,an
uair sin, a' chiad seusan, ullamh
That was the end of the first season
in Castlebay.
S bhiodh iad an uair sin a' falbh
a dh'ionnsaigh a' chost an ear, a
dh'ionnsaigh a' chutaidh
And then, the women would go to
the east coast, to the gutting.
Nise bha Loch Ùrn uabhasach
ainmeil a-muigh an seo airson
sgadain
Loch Hourn was once famous for
herring.
Bha bràthair mo sheanmhair,
Soloman a theireadh iad ris,
My grandmother's brother,
Solomon, his name was,
bha e ag iasgach còmhla ri m'
athair, fhios agad
he was fishing with my father.
Uill, cha do chuir e riamh air ach
bonaid chruinn Balmoral
He always wore a Balmoral bonnet.
38 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 39
minute 24.
minute 25.
Uill, aon oidhche fhuair iad uabhas
sgadain
s cha b' urrainn dhaibh na lìn a
thogail uile
Well, one night they caught so much
herring
that they couldn't haul all the nets.
“Uill” thuirt esan
“leis a h-uile ùpraid is buil a bh'
ann, cha robh cuimhn' agam air
ainm a' bhàta a ghabhail”
“Well”, he said,
“with all the commotion, I forgot to
take the name of the boat.”
Bha bàta a' dol seachad, bàta
deasach às an Fhìn, bha Gàidhlig gu
leòr aca an uair ud
Dh'èigh iad thuca feuch an togadh
iad a dhà dhe na lìn
“Nì sinne sin. Gu dearbh tha àite gu
leòr againn dha.”
Nis an dòigh a th' ann, ma tha bàta
a' togail lìn bàta eile
Tha iad a' faighinn an sgadain agus
a' toirt seachad an lìn
A Loch Fyne boat was passing by.
They spoke plenty of Gaelic in those
days.
They called to them to ask if they
would haul two of the nets.
“We'll certainly do that. We have
plenty of room”, they said.
What happens, if a boat hauls
another boat's nets is,
they keep the herring and return
the nets.
“Bidh sinn gun na lìn a-nis”
Cha robh bàta sam bith a’ dol a
chumail nan lìn bhuapa, ach…
Feasgar a bh' ann, bha bàta a' dol
seachad. “Àh” dh'èigh an sgiobair
“’S e sibhse a thug dhuinne na lìn
a-raoir” “Uill”, thuirt m’ athair, “leis
an fhìrinn,
cò dha a thug sinn na lìn cha robh
cuimhn’ againn air ur n-ainm a
ghabhail.
“We'll have lost the nets now.”
No boat would have kept their nets.
But that evening, a boat was
passing by. “Ah!” cried the skipper.
“You gave us your nets last night.”
“Well,” my father said, “to be
honest,
We didn't know who we'd given the
nets to. We forgot to take your
name.”
Sin an rule. - 'S e
Bha fear seo a’ ceannach an
sgadain. Chaidh iad thuige agus
chreic iad an sgadan.
S thuirt m’ athair, “A Sheumais, cò
dha a thug sinn na lìn a-raoir?”
- That's the rule. - Yes.
They sold their catch to the fish
buyer.
My father said, “Seumas, who did
we give the nets to last night?”
“Tha sibh sàbhailte gu leòr a
dhuinechoir,” thuirt am fear
“Tha 400 bàta ann an Loch Ùrn
aig an àm seo agus tha mi a’
smaointinn gu bheil suas ri 1000
pearsa ann”
“agus tha mi dearbhte cinnteach
nach eil aon duine air a bheil
bonaid chruinn ach e fhèin.”
“You’re safe enough”, said the man.
“There are 400 boats in Loch Hourn
just now and up to 1,000 men, I
think.”
“And I'm pretty sure nobody else is
wearing a Balmoral!”
Ag iasgach an sgadain a shamhradh
san earraich
Fishing for herring in summer and
spring
40 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 41
minute 26.
minute 27.
A' Bhruach, 's ann an Sealtainn 's
a-mach gun an Caol
In the Broch and in Shetland and
out to the Kyle
Bha mi bliadhna ann an Yarmouth
agus cha robh mi ach gu math òg
I spent a year in Yarmouth when I
was pretty young.
Nuair ruigear an cala 's a reicear
an sgadan
Gun tèid ise laiseadh gu daingeann
gach taobh
Gun iongnadh gun tèid iad a-mach
air an òlach
S bidh fuaim ach air òrain 's an
chorus le ....
Och, lost it!
When we reach harbour and the
herring is sold
She will be lashed firmly on each
side
It's no surprise that they go
drinking
They'll make a noise singing songs
with a chorus.
Och, lost it!
Bhiomaid a' falbh aig an Fhèill
Mhìcheil. 'S math tha cuimhn' agam
gum biodh na srùthain againn a'
falbh.
S bhiodh cearcan againn a’ falbh
m’eudail, air a’ phassage.
Bha is aran brèagha. Is iomadach
rud a bhiomaid a' toirt leinn
An t-astar cho mòr on a
dh'fhàgamaid an t-Òban
We would leave at Michaelmas. I
remember taking the struan cake
with us.
And we'd take hens with us on the
passage.
Yes, and lovely bread. We took all
sorts of things with us.
It was such a long way from Oban,
Agus cha robh mòran Beurla aig
an fheadhainn a bha còmhla rinn,
nigheanan òga mar mi fhìn
And young girls like me didn't speak
much English.
Còt' oillsginn oirnn
We wore oilskins.
Jersey boireannaich le putain air a
bheulaibh
A woman's jersey with buttons down
the front.
Agus bhiodh sinn fhìn gam fighe
We knitted them ourselves.
Agus na cragaichean oirnn, na
cragaichean leathair agus an còt’
oilsginn a’ crochadh sìos seachad
orra
And we wore waders, leather
waders with the oilskin on top,
air chor 's nach biodh na casan air
am fliuchadh
to stop our feet getting wet.
42 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 43
minute 28.
Agus bhiodh cuailein air ar làmhan.
Uill, 's e cutair a bh' annamsa
And there were bandages on our
hands. Well, I was a gutter.
seadh, ged a bhiodh sgadan gu leòr
againn
even though we had plenty of
herring.
Bhiomaid ag èirigh aig ceithir
uairean sa mhadainn nuair a
dh'fhàgadh iad sgadan na h-oidhche
Agus a’ dol a dh’obair aig sia
uairean a dh’ionnsaigh bhogsa
chutaidh
Bhiodh an deigh air uachdar an
sgadain nuair a ruigeamaid e
We'd get up at 4am when that
night's herring was landed.
We started work at 6am at the
gutting box.
There would be ice on the herring
when we got there,
Agus nuair a thiginn dhachaigh,
cha b’ urrainn dhomh greim ithe
dhen bhiadh a dhèanadh a bhean
Shasannach
Cha dèanadh iad biadh airson
muinntir Alba ann. Cha b' aithne
dhaibh e.
And when I got home, I couldn't
eat a bite of the food the English
woman made.
They wouldn't make food suitable
for Scottish folk. They didn't know
how.
sa gheamhradh, an Sasainn
in the winter, in England.
Agus chunnaic mise nigheanan
glè fhoghainteach rim thaobh, à
Barraigh
And I saw sturdy Barra girls
fainting.
a' dol ann an laige leis an fhuachd
- O bha bha
- Oh, yes. I can believe that. - With
the cold.
‘S ann aig bean-loidsidh a bhiomaid
a’ fuireach.
We stayed with a landlady.
Bha sinn a' tighinn dachaigh gu ar
dìnnear
We would come home for dinner,
44 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 45
minute 29.
minute 30.
Chan eil fhios agam dè am biadh a
bh' aca fhèin aig an àm.
Chan eil cuimhne ro mhath agam
air
ach cha dèanadh iad soup no grèim
sam bith mar sin idir dhuinn.
Bha mo mhàthair aig a' chutadh,
air falbh ann am Fraserburgh, i
fhèin agus bean Chon
I don't know what sort of food they
ate themselves.
I don't really remember.
But they didn't make things like
soup,
My mother was at the gutting,
away in Fraserburgh, herself and
Con's wife.
Bha mi air a bhith san àird an Ear
's ann an Sasann agus thòisich an
cogadh
’s cha robh sinn tuilleadh a’ dol a
Shasann, sìos an siud.
Bha mise sa Bhruaich nuair a
thòisich an Cogadh Mòr. Bha.
Nach sibh tha sean! - Tha mi sean
ach chan eil mi sean.
I'd been on the east coast and in
England, then the war began
and we didn't go down to England
any more.
I was in the Broch the year the
Great War started. Yes.
- You're very old! - I am old, but
I'm not.
Bha iad an seo latha a' dol a
nigheadaireachd agus cha robh
sgath siabainn aca
They were going to do washing one
day, and had no soap.
O Dhia, tha. - Od ist, dùin do bheul!
- Oh, you are! - You be quiet!
1914 - Cha robh mi sean an uair sin. - 1914. - I wasn't old, then.
Dh'fhalbh i dhan bhùth a
dh'iarraidh siabainn
Cha robh fios aig an duine bhochd,
cha robh e ach a’ toirt a-nall a
h-uile sgath feuch am faigheadh i
an rud a bha i ag iarraidh
B' fheudar dhi mu dheireadh
tòiseachadh air suathadh a làmhan
feuch an tuigeadh e gur ann a’ dol
a nigheadaireachd a bha i.
Cha robh na truaghain ud ach mar
gum biodh balbhain
She went to the shop for soap.
The shopkeeper brought her
everything to see if she could find
what she wanted.
Eventually, she had to start rubbing
her hands
to try to make him understand she
was going to do washing.
They were like poor souls who were
mute.
Cha robh an uair sin. - Seadh
Uill, chan eil mi, air a bhios sinn
a’ bhruidhinn mar seo, chan eil an
inntinn agam a’ faireachdainn sean.
Thuirt e rium aig ceann a chìdh,
's thuirt e rium aig ceann a'
ghàrraidh
Nan tigeadh e a’ Yarmouth leinn
Thuirt e rium aig ceann a chìdh, 's
thuirt e rium aig ceann a' chlobhsa
Nan tigeadh e a’ Lowestoft leinn
Not then, no.
Well, talking like this, my mind
doesn't feel old.
He told me at the end of the quay
He told me at the end of the wall
If he'd come to Yarmouth with us.
He told me at the end of the quay
He told me at the end of the close
If he'd come to Lowestoft with us.
Fear a bh' agam fhìn a-raoir, fear
a bh' agam fhìn a bhòn-raoir
The man I had last night The man I
had the night before
S e bhios còmhla rium a chaoidh
He'll be with me forever.
46 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 47
minute 31.
minute 32.
Fear a bh' agam fhìn a-raoir, fear
a bh' agam fhìn an-uiridh
The man I had last night The man I
had last year
Tha cuimhn' agams nuair a bha mi
nam bhalach san sgoil
Well, I remember when I was a boy,
S e chuireas mun cheann a' ruith
S fhada leam gu ruith an uair, 's
fhada leam gu ruith an seusan
Gus an dèan an trèan am fuaim
Nuair a sheinneas is’ an fheadag,
nuair a sheinneas i na trì
Bidh càch a' dealachadh rin
leannan, 's ann a' teannadh a bhios
mi
Dh'fhigh mi geansaidh dha mo
leannan, dh'fhigh mi geansaidh dha
mo ghràdh
Gus bhith air a' cur nan lìon
He makes my head spin.
I long for the time to pass I long
for the season to end
Till the train will make a noise.
When it plays the whistle When it
plays the three
Others parting from their lovers
While I am going back.
I'll make a jersey for my love I'll
make a jersey for my lover
To wear when he's casting nets.
bha loch shuas os cionn na sgoile ris
an canaiste Loch Bhasaraidh. Tha
an loch ann fhathast.
Agus an àite dhol dhachaigh an
dèidh na sgoile, bhiomaid a' falbh
suas chun na locha bha seo
a sheòlaireachd anns an eathar
bheag a bha seo
eathar a bh' aig Sasannaich ann an
Loidse a' Chaolais nuair a bhiodh
iad ag iasgach
Bhiodh m' athair agus feadhainn
eile a' maoidheadh oirnn, sinn
fuireach air falbh bhon bhàta a
bha siud
there was a loch up above the
school called Loch Vassary. It's still
there.
And instead of going home after
school, we used to go up to this
loch
to sail in this little boat
which the English folk at Kyles Lodge
would use when they were fishing.
My father and others would warn
us to stay away from the boat,
ag ràdh gun dèanadh i call
fhathast, agus cha do dh'èist
sinn riutha co-dhiù, chùm sinn air
adhart
saying we'd come to harm, but we
ignored them and carried on.
Ach co-dhiù, dh'fhàg mise an sgoil
Anyway, I left school
agus ùine an dèidh làimh dh'fhàg
mi na Hearadh uile gu lèir, chaidh
mi gu muir
and some time later I left Harris
altogether and went to sea.
48 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 49
minute 33.
Ach co-dhiù, chaidh Loidse a'
Chaolais a reic.
Chaidh na h-eathraichean a thoirt
far nan lochan iasgaich a bha sin a
bha ceangailte ris an loidse.
Bha feadhainn ann am Beàrnaraigh,
Beàrnaraigh na Hearadh, aig an
robh motor-boat mòr agus bha iad
airson eathar beag a bhiodh aca
Anyway, Kyles Lodge was sold.
The boats were taken off its fishing
lochs.
Some folk on Berneray had a big
motor boat and wanted a small
boat
agus tha cuimhne agam fhathast
gur e mo mhàthair a dh’innis
dhomh ann an litir an rud a
thachair
Fear a bhuineadh, a thàinig à
Scalpaigh, phòs e boireannach
a mhuinntir Bheàrnaraigh agus
thàinig e a dh'fhuireach a
Bheàrnaraigh
and I still remember my mother
writing to tell me about it.
A man from Scalpay married a
Berneray woman and came to live
on Berneray.
a’ ruith air ais ‘s air adhart gu tìr
nuair a bhiodh iad a’ fàgail a’ bhàt
aig acair
to take them back and forth to
shore when they were at anchor.
Thàinig iad a-nall air a' chaolas,
Caolas Stiadair
They came over to Caolas Stiadar
agus thug iad leotha an t-eathar a
bha seo, an t-eathar a bhiodh air
Loch Bhasaraidh
and took this boat away, the boat
that used to be on Loch Vassary.
Cha robh i glè fhada aca, am
feasgar a bha seo bha iad a'
tighinn gu tìr
They hadn't had it very long, when
they were coming ashore one
evening
an dèidh am bàta mòr fhàgail air
acaire.
having left the big boat at anchor.
Chuir an t-eathar car dhi agus
chaidh an triùir bhràithrean a
bhàthadh innte
The boat capsized and three
brothers drowned.
Bha mise air falbh on taigh nuair a
thachair seo
I was away from home when this
happened
50 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 51
minute 34.
Bha eathar beag aige ‘s bhithinn
fhìn ‘s e fhèin a’ dol a-mach leis an
eathar bheag seo, a’ sealgaireachd
‘s ag iasgach.
Bha sinn a’ coimhead air eathar
Iain Ghobha a’ falbh, a’ dèanamh
deiseil airson falbh
Agus le gaoith tuath chaidh iad
a-mach a Loch na Madadh, a' cur
chlèibh
He had a small boat and he and I
used to go out hunting and fishing
in it.
This day we were watching Iain
Gobha's boat getting ready to go.
They went out with a north wind,
out to Lochmaddy to set creels.
Dh'fhalbh i a-mach 's cha robh i fad
air falbh
nuair a bha mi fhìn 's e fhèin aig
ceann an taighe ann a shin agus
chuala mi noise a bha sin
mar gum biodh aeroplane
nowadays
Agus shaoileadh tu gun robh
cliathaich beinne ann 's an noise
a bha seo a' tighinn a-nuas à
cliathaich na beinne
It sailed away and it hadn't got
very far out
when he and I were at the end of
his house, and I heard this noise.
It was like an aeroplane nowadays.
It was as if this noise was coming
down from the side of a mountain.
Thainig e a-nuas. Shaoileadh tu gum
faiceadh tu e gus am buaileadh e
an dachaigh air an rathad a-nuas.
It came down. You could almost
see it and thought it would hit the
house.
Chaidh e chun an t-sabhail, thàinig
an noise agus thàinig e far am
biodh pier anns am biodh a’ gheòla
acasan a’ falbh chun an eathair
When it got to the barn, the noise
went to the pier from where their
boat had left.
Bha Iain Gobha, 's ann leis a bha an
t-eathar
Iain Gobha owned the boat
Bha m' athair innte le Niall Catriona
and my father was aboard with
Niall Catriona,
Alasdair Iain Gobha agus Seonaidh
Dhòmhnaill Gobha
Alasdair Iain Ghobha and Seonaidh
Dhòmhnaill Ghobha.
Agus 's e mac piuthar m' athar a
bha ann an Niall Catrìona, agus b' e
mac bràthair m' athar a bh' ann an
Seonaidh Dhòmhnaill
Niall Catriona was my aunt's son
and Seonaidh Dhòmhnaill was my
uncle's son.
52 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 53
minute 35.
Chaidh iad air tìr an Loch nam
Madadh, chaidh iad dhan taighsheinnse.
Agus nuair a thàinig iad air ais
chun an eathair
chaidh m' athair agus an dithis
bhalach fon deic
mar a bhiodh iad a' dèanamh an
còmhnaidh mur a biodh stoirm no
rud dhen t-seòrsa sin ann
They went ashore in Lochmaddy and
went to the inn.
And when they returned to the
boat,
my father and the two boys went
below deck,
which is what they always did unless
it was stormy, or something like
that.
‘S nuair a chaidh iad a-mach a
choimhead air a son, bha am
bàthadh dèanta
Leis an dragh a ghabh a’ chailleach
bho bhith a’ snìomh cha do chuir i
car cuibheall riamh às a dhèidh sin
Bha i beò gus an robh i glè ghoirid
dhan a’ cheud ‘s cha robh dhuan
aice riamh tuilleadh nuair a bhiodh
i leatha fhèin ach
When they went out to look for it,
they had drowned.
The old woman never touched a
spinning wheel again.
She lived to nearly 100 and her
constant refrain after that was,
“mo chòignear fhèin, mo chòignear
fhèin”
Ghabh i grèim air an fhacal a bh’
ann a shin. Bha na h-oghaichean ‘s
na mic aice ann.
“my own five, my own five”.
She kept saying it. Her grandsons
and sons were lost.
Dh’fhalbh iad ma-thà à Loch nam
Madadh, le breeze beag de ghaoith
a tuath
They left Lochmaddy in a light
northerly breeze.
Agus nuair a bha iad sìos gu taighsolais
Rubh' an Fhigheadair
And when they were at Weaver's
Point lighthouse
thàinig blast gaoithe, chuir e fairis
i.
they were caught by a blast of wind
which capsized them.
Còignear innte, dh'fhaodadh tu
ràdh anns an aon teaghlach
A crew of five; all from the same
family.
Bha seanmhair ag obair air snìomh
a latha ann a shin, fad an latha
agus cha tug i for do dhroch shìde
no càil ann
The grandmother was spinning
all day and didn't notice the bad
weather.
Bha i a' snìomh, 's thàinig an
naidheachd nach tàinig an t-eathar
dhachaigh
She was spinning and news came
that the boat hadn't come back.
54 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 55
minute 36.
minute 37.
Bha Oighrig againne ann an
Rucaidh, fhuair ise am blast gaoithe
a bha siud
Cha robh fhios aice ciamar…
Gum biodh e air innse gun robh
rudeigin dol a thachairt
Nuair thàinig àm an iasgaich oirnn
‘s a thriall gach fear air falbh
An turas nach do riaraich sinn, bha
‘n t-iasgach buileach doirbh
Bha an-shocair 's droch shìd'
againn, bha uisg' gaoth is stoirm
Cha mhòr nach d' rinn mi gluasad le
mo chòta ruadh dhan arm
Mo bheannachd aig a’ charpaintear
a thog am bàta ruadh
Bha giuthas agus làrag innt’ is pàirt
dhen darach ruadh
Pleataichean dhen phràisich air an
t-sàil aice mun cuairt
Our Oighrig was in Rucaidh and was
hit by that blast of wind.
She didn't know how...
It was like an omen.
When the fishing season came and
every man set off
It was a disagreeable trip the
fishing was difficult
We had bad weather rain and wind
and storm
I nearly took my brown coat and
went to join the army.
My blessing on the carpenter who
built the brown boat
It was made from fir and larch and
some hard oak
It had brass plates round about
the heel
Ged bheir an turas tàire dhi chan
àrainn i na luaths
Chan eil fhios agam an robh e
riamh an dèidh a thighinn dhan a’
bhaile
Ann am Pabail sin thall, bha criutha
an eathar aca 's iad a' falbh a
dh'iasgach a-mach
mu mheadhan-oidhche as
t-samhradh
Bha e ag ràdh gur e latha a bh’
ann ‘s gum faiceadh tu.
Bhiodh iad a’ cluinntinn siud mar
gum biodh e mìltean air falbh
thall eadar sin is Garrabost
Laoighre, laoighre, laoighre. Bha
iad dha chluinntinn
s cha robh iad a’ coimhead càil ‘s
cha robh fios aca duda bh’ ann
Chaidh an cù, an cù sìth, chaidh e
mar sin seachad air am beulaibh.
And a difficult journey wouldn't slow
her down.
I don't know if he'd ever been to
the village at that time.
Over in Bayble a boat crew were
going out fishing
one summer night around midnight.
He said it was daylight; that you
could see.
They began to hear a sound, which
seemed to be miles away,
between there and Garrabost.
They could hear its cry,
but they couldn't see anything and
didn't know what it was.
The dog, the fairy dog passed by in
front of them.
Cù mòr, chan fhaca iad riamh a
leithid
A big dog - they'd never seen the
like.
56 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 57
minute 38.
Cù mòr dubh agus bealta buidhe
mu amhaich
Bealta mu amhaich. Chaidh e null
seachad,
A big, black dog with a yellow belt
round its neck.
A belt round its neck. It passed by,
agus thàinig an oiteag a bha seo
chun an taighe agus leig i ràn às,
cha mhòr nach do leag i an taigh
Thachair sin dà thriop no trì
and the wind howled through the
house.
That happened two or three times.
‘s bha e ag ràdh, ‘s ann a-nuas
far a’ phuirt mhòir a thàinig e,
far am biodh iad a’ fàgail nan
eathraichean
and he said it came down from the
place where they left the boats.
Tha mi fhìn a’ creidsinn sna
sìthichean. Gun robh iad ann. Gun
teagamh, bha iad ann.
- I believe in fairies. - That they
existed. Undoubtedly. Yes.
Na h-elves a tha sin. Tha, tha - And elves and things like that. -
Yes.
‘S iomadh uair a chuala mi mo
mhàthair ‘s feadhainn a’ bruidhinn
air feadhainn a thogadh leis an
t-sluagh
Bha i ag ràdh gun robh fear às
an Iochdar a’ falbh air an t-sluagh
daonnan
Fear air an robh Frank
An oidhche bha seo cha robh mòran
san taigh
Rinn iad airson a chumail a-staigh,
dh’fheumadh e falbh a h-uile
oidhche tha teansa
A h-uile duine bha staigh, grèim air
an duine, ga chumail a-staigh
My mother used to tell stories
about the fairy host lifting people.
She said there was a man in
Iochdar that was always being
taken by them.
A man called Frank.
One night, there weren't many folk
in the house.
They tried to keep him in. He had to
go every night.
Everyone who was in, they held on
to the fellow, to keep him inside
58 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 59
minute 39.
An triop mu dheireadh a thàinig e
cha mhòr nach robh an taigh na
theine. B’ fheudar a leigeil a-mach.
The last time it happened the house
was almost on fire. They had to let
him go.
Dh'fhalbh e air an t-sluagh mar a
b' àbhaist
He went off with the fairy host as
usual.
Cha chreid mise nach ann a
dh'Aimeireaga a chaidh an duine mu
dheireadh
I think he finally went to America.
Bha sluagh a’ falbh tron adhair
ceart gu leòr, daoine a’ falbh air
an t-sluagh bha iad dhan togail.
The fairy host used to take people
right enough.
Chuala mise m' athair ag innse
dhomh gun robh iad còmhla ri fear
a dh'fhalbh air an t-sluagh
e a’ tighinn dhachaigh on chreag
chudaigean.
My father told me he was with a
man who was taken by the host
on his way home from rock fishing.
An turas a bha seo bha
eathraichean a’ dèanamh air a’
phort agus bha e a’ failleachadh
orra faighinn air tìr
On this occasion, boats were
heading to port and failing to get
ashore.
Nuair a bha an t-iasgach pailt ann
an Leòdhas mu dheireadh an 19mh
linn deug
bhiodh daoine ag iasgach a-mach
à Port Nis
When fishing was plentiful on Lewis
around the end of the 19th century,
men fished out of Port of Ness.
Bha dà eathar a’ tighinn, tè às
dèidh tè
An dàrna tè, 's e an sgiobair
a bh' oirre Dòmhnall Mac an
t-Sasannaich, Dòmhnall Gobha
Two boats were coming in, one
after the other.
One was skippered by Dòmhnall Mac
an t-Sasannaich, Dòmhnall Gobha
Agus 's e bliadhna ainneamh nach
robh iasgair air a chall
And barely a year went by without
a fisherman being lost.
Chaill muinntir Nis tòrr
eathraichean
The people of Ness lost many boats.
Aon oidhche chaidh ceithir sìos
One night, four were lost.
60 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 61
minute 40.
minute 41.
agus an sgiobair eile, bha a
bhràthair Alasdair a’ tighinn às a
dhèidh
Co-dhiù, nuair a bha iad a' tighinn
dlùth air Port Nis
and the other skipper, his brother,
Alasdair was following behind.
Anyway, when they were getting
close to Port of Ness
Cha deach an còrr a ràdh
An cuala sibh mu dh'èirich dhomhs
Latha dh’fhalbh mi leis an tràl
Nothing more was said.
Did you hear what happened to
me?
The day I went with the trawl.
ghabh sgoth Dhòmhnaill muir
eagallach agus chaidh i thairis
Dòmhnall's boat was capsized by a
fearsome wave.
Bha Alasdair a’ tighinn ‘s nuair
a bha e a’ dol seachad air an
sgoth ‘s i air a beul foidhpe, bha
a bhràthair air a h-uachdar air a
druim
When Alasdair passed the upturned
boat, his brother was clinging to
the keel.
Cha do stad Alasdair. Chùm e a' dol
seachad
Alasdair didn't stop. He carried on.
Nuair a chaidh e seachad air an
eathar cha tuirt duine facal ris
When he passed the boat, no one
said a word to him.
Ach nuair a ràinig iad
Steòrnabhagh, thuirt fear dhen
sgioba ris
But when they reached Stornoway
one of the crew said,
“Alasdair, carson nach do stad
thu a dh’fheuchainn ri togail do
bhràthair bho druim na sgoth?”
“Alasdair, why didn't you stop to
try to pick up your brother from
the keel?”
“Iain” ars esan “nan robh mise air
dèanamh sin,
“Iain,” he said, “If I had done that,
bhiodh sia banntraichean eile ann
an Nis a-nochd”
there would be six more widows in
Ness tonight.”
62 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 63
minute 42.
minute 43.
Bhris an rachd 's gun shreachd an
seòl
The traveller broke and the sail
tore.
Bha fear thall aig Clachan nan Luib
ris an canadh iad Iain Beag
There was a man over at Clachan
na Luib called Iain Beag.
Chaill mi mo thriùir bhràithrean òg
Chan eil mac aig m’ athair beò
Cha toir caoineadh daoine beò
I lost my three young brothers.
My father has no sons left alive.
Weeping won't bring people back.
Cha robh e a’ carachadh à bùth
Alasdair Fhearghastain
Co-dhiù, latha bha seo thàinig e
a-staigh le peile beag
He was never out of Alasdair
Ferguson's shop.
One day he came in with a small
pail
agus thug e tasdan do dh'Alasdair
Rob, fear na bùth, mar a chanas
sinn
and gave a shilling to Alasdair Rob,
as he was called, the shopkeeper
airson fiach tasdain an sgadain
fhaighinn
for a shilling's worth of herring.
Thuirt Alasdair gum faigheadh e
siud, “O thalla, tha bharailt an siud
ri taobh an dorais, thalla fhèin
a-mach”
Alasdair told him to help himself
from the barrel by the door.
Dh’fhalbh Iain Beag a-mach agus
chuir e fiach an tasdain mar gum
biodh dhan pheile
Iain Beag went out and pretended
to put a shilling's worth of herring
in the pail.
Ach co-dhiù nuair a bha deiseil
dh’èigh Alasdair Rob a-staigh e.
When he was ready to go, Alasdair
Rob the shopkeeper called him in.
“Trobhad, feuch an tèid thu a-nall
le telegram a th’ air tighinn an seo
dha nàbaidh.”
“Will you take this telegram to your
neighbour?”
“Fàg am peile ann a shin gus an till
thu” ars Alasdair. Rinn e sin.
“Leave the pail there until you come
back”, said Alasdair.
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minute 44.
Dh’fhalbh Iain Beag ‘s fhad ‘s a bha
e a’ toirt seachad na telegram gun
dad na broinn
Iain Beag set off and while he was
away delivering the blank telegram
Cha chreideadh càch facal dheth
Ach co-dhiù, thug e orra tilleadh
They didn't believe a word of it.
Anyway, he made them turn back
chaidh Alasdair a-mach a
choimhead air a’ pheile, bha fiach
leth-chrùn sa pheile de sgadan
Alasdair went out to check the pail,
which contained half a crown’s
worth of herring.
Agus mun d’ fhuair iadsan gu
cladach an oidhche sin, thàinig gèil
a bha doirbh
and by the time they got ashore
that night, a fierce storm had risen.
Thug e às uileag e
He emptied it.
Thàinig Iain Beag, “Cà’il an sgadan
agam?”
Iain Beag came back. “Where's my
herring?”
“O thàinig…” ag ainmeachadh leithid
seo à Loch Euphort, “agus ‘s e fiach
tasdain a bha dhìth oirre fhèin
“So and so came from Locheport
for a shilling's worth of herring,
s thug mise dhi na bha sa pheile
agadsa”
so I gave her the contents of your
pail.”
“O nighean an diabhail, ‘s i fhuair
am bargan” ars esan!
“That damned woman got a
bargain”, he said!
Cha b' fhiach na breugan aig Iain
Beag
Iain Beag's lies weren't worth it!
Bha criutha sgoth a bha seo
a-muigh fada sa chuan aig iasgach
sgadain
Well, the crew of this boat was
quite far out at sea herring fishing.
Agus chunnaic an duine aig piuthar
m’ athar, chunnaic e maighdeannmhara
And my auntie's husband saw a
mermaid.
Thuirt e ri càch gum faca e
maigheann-mhara
He told the others he'd seen a
mermaid.
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minute 45.
Bhriseadh na sgothan a bh’ air an
acaire agus nam biodh iadsan air
fuireach aig muir an oidhche sin
Bha iad fhèin air an call
Bha bàta aig a' bhàillidh mhòr agus
daoine aige ag iasgach dha
Boats at anchor were wrecked and
if they'd stayed at sea that night
they would have been lost.
The Big Bailiff had a boat and
people fishing for him.
Tha cuimhn' aice sin air na daoine
a bhith air an cur a-mach às na
Buirgh agus na taighean air an
losgadh
Dh’obraich iad an rathad sìos dha
na Bàigh, a dh’Fhionnsbhagh ‘s dha
na h-àiteachan sin
She could remember people being
evicted from Borve and the houses
being burned.
They moved up to the Bays, through
Finsbay and places like that.
Chuir e na lìn co-dhiù, lìn sgadain,
‘s nuair a thàinig na h-iasgairean a
thogail na lìn
Anyway, he cast the herring nets
and when the fishermen went to
lift them
cha robh aca ach pìosan de lìn
the nets were in bits.
Chaidh muc-mhara air feadh na lin
tron oidhche agus shrac i na lìn ‘s
bha iad caillte.
A whale had torn them in the night.
Chaidh sinn air tìr agus bha bodach
an sin agus thuirt e “Nach math an
gnothach nach robh fearann aice”
When we went ashore an old man
there said, “It's just as well she
didn't have land.”
“Nan robh fearrann aig a' mhucmhara
“If the whale had land,
bhiodh am bàillidh na bhoil
a-nochd, dha chlìoradh a-mach”
the bailiff would be demented
tonight trying to drive her off it.”
Bha e olc gu leòr ann an dòigh
He was bad enough.
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minute 46.
Bha iad ann an àirighean ‘s tha
làrach nan àirighean fhathast
eadar seo agus na Bàigh
They went to shielings. The ruins
are still there, between here and
the Bays.
B' esan a ghluais MacLeòid gu bhith
a' dèanamh nan Clearances. Sin
mar a bha.
It was he who incited MacLeod to
clear the land. That's how it was.
Am bad a chaidh iad nuair a rinn
iad àirighean dhaibh fhèin, eil fhios
agad
Agus cha robh sluagh anns na Bàigh
sin idir chun a sin
They made shielings for themselves,
you know.
There were no people in the Bays
before that.
Chuir e à Pabaigh iad, 's à Eansaigh
's chuir iad à Cilleagraigh iad
Muinntir Phabaigh a chionn gun
robh iad a' dèanamh an uisgebheatha
People were cleared from Pabbay,
Ensay and Killegray.
The Pabbay folk were accused of
making whisky.
Cha robh e fit airson sluagh ann
ged a chaidh iad ann.
Ach chaidh iad ann nuair a chaidh
an cur a-mach às na dachannan
It wasn't fit for human habitation.
But they went there when they
were evicted from their homes.
ach cha b' ann ach a chionn
gun robh iad airson an t-eilean
fhaighinn
Bha an talamh cho math
But that wasn't it. They wanted the
island.
It was such good land.
Sin a-nis dhut eachdraidh na
Stiùbhartaich, an fheadhainn a
bha ann an cumhachd an àm nan
Clearances
An seann Stiùbhartach a bha seo,
‘s e bàillidh a bh’ ann aig MacLeòid
na Hearadh
That's the story of the Stewarts,
who were in charge at the time of
the Clearances.
This old Stewart fellow, he was
bailiff to MacLeod of Harris.
Bha iad gan iarraidh a-mach às.
Chlìor iad a-mach iad
Chlìor iad na daoine a-mach às a
h-uile àite
- They wanted them out. - They
cleared them out.
They cleared the people from
everywhere.
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minute 47.
Bha iad gan ceangal agus 's iadsan
a bh' anna sin
They were tying them up. They
certainly were.
“Falbhaidh tusa le beannachd Dhè”
ars esan
“You will go with God's blessing”.
Agus gan tilgeil air bòrd, mar gun
tilgeadh tu.. Tha barrachd chùraim
an-diugh a’ cur a’ chruidh air bòrd.
Dìreach. - Bha siud ann. Bha iad
gan tilgeil air bòrd. Bha, bha.
Ceangailte.
And throwing them aboard like...
Cattle are put aboard with more
care nowadays.
Yes, indeed. That happened. They
threw them onto the boats, tied up.
“Ach ‘ille mhòir a tha ga cheangal,
cha tèid leatsa cho math agus a
thèid leis an fhear a tha thu a’
ceangal”
“But big fellow who is tying him up,
you won't fare as well as the man
you are tying up.”
Bha, mar gum biodh dròbh. Bha,
na bu mhiosa na dhèanadh tu air
na mucan.
Yes, like a drove. Worse than you
would treat pigs.
Bha sin ann a-rèir cuimhne seann
daoine
That happened within living
memory.
Gun deach daoine a chruinneachadh
's a cheangal 's an cuir air bòrd
People were rounded up and tied
up and put on the boat.
Bha gu dearbh, agus bha fear sa
bhaile againne ann a sheo, duine
mòr, seachad air sia troighean
Yes, indeed. And there was a man
in our village, a big man of over
six feet.
Agus 's e bha ceacharra .Bha e air
fear dhiubh.
And he was mean. He was one of
them.
Agus bha sagart air choreigin,
thàinig e far an robh e, “An da, cha
toil leam,” ars an sagart “ an rud a
tha thu ris idir”
And a priest approached him and
said, “I don't like what you're
doing”.
Dh'èigh e a-nall air an fhear a bha
e a' dol ga cheangal
He called over to the man he was
going to tie up and said,
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minute 48.
Bha iad a’ tuiteam sna puillmhònadh
leis nach robh iad
cleachdte ris an àite
They were falling in the peat bogs
because they weren't used to the
place.
Bha e rough, cha robh daoine ann
chun an siud fhèin
It was rough. They were the first
people to live there,
Sin agad an fheadhainn a dh'fhalbh
aig na Highland Clearances
those who were evicted during the
Highland Clearances.
Uachdaran a bh' ann a sheo, an
toiseach an toiseach. Sin an tè a bu
choireach.
The laird who was here to begin
with, she was the one to blame.
S e bha i a' toirt an ùghdarras aice
fhèin dha na maoir a bha foidhpe
agus dhan bhàillidh
Bha dhìth oirre an t-eilean a bh’
ann a sheo gun Chaitligeach idir a
bhith ann
She authorised the factor and the
bailiff to do it.
She wanted there to be no Catholics
on this island.
Seadh
Bha an t-àite a bh’ aig an duine
sa, an taigh a dh’fhàg e ‘s a h-uile
sìon a dh’fhàg e,
Yes.
This man's place; his house and all
the possessions he left behind,
ach an sguabadh air falbh às an
seo agus bha i a' toirt dhaibh
leithid seo a dh'airgead
But she swept them out of here. She
gave them a sum of money
Gun cuireadh an government, gun
clìoradh e air falbh iad a Chanada
air fad.
so that the government would clear
them all away to Canada.
S ann. Bha iad dìreach, na maoir a'
tighinn thugad mar gun tigeadh iad
chun an duine sa ann a sheo
Oh, yes. The bailiffs just came along
and said,
"Feumaidh tusa falbh gu ruige
Canada, thu fhèin 's do theaghlach".
“You have to go to Canada. You and
your family”.
74 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 75
minute 49.
bha iad a’ cur Pròstanach nad àite
Dè bh' ann ach spite a thaibh a'
chreideamh Chaitligich
Bha na daoine bochda a bh’ ann a
shin a’ falbh, ‘s bha feadhainn a’
teicheadh, fhios agaibh, a’ dol a
dh’àiteachan eile
Bha feadhainn a' teicheadh dhan
choille. Bha iad air an teicheadh às
an àite buileach glan.
Ach bha gu leòr dhiubh nach do
ràinig riamh Canada
Cha deach ach an tilgeil a-mach air
a' mhuir. - Seadh
Bha piuthar màthar dhomhsa mi
fhìn... Rinn iad a leithid eile ann am
Mùideart.
Agus a-mach an Gearasdan an sin,
Fort William, is Àrasaig is Mòrair
Tha mi ann an èiginn
a Protestant would be put in his
place.
It was nothing but spite towards
the Catholic faith.
These poor people left, chased out,
you know, to other places.
Some fled to the forest. They were
chased out of the place altogether.
But there were many who never got
to Canada.
- They were just thrown overboard.
- Yes.
My mother's sister... They did the
same thing in Moidart.
And in Fort William, Arisaig and
Morar.
I am in distress
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minute 50.
Tha mi ann an èiginn
Chan fhaigh mi mach Didòmhnaich
's mo bhrògan air trèigsinn
Mise tha gu cianail am-bliadhn' ann
as t-samhradh
‘s mi 'g obair air an iasgach 's mi
sìor dhol an call ris
Na marsantan ag iarraidh na
fiachan ma Chaingis
Tha 'n talamh gun an sìol 's tha mo
chiall gu dol aimhreit
I am in distress
I can't get out on Sunday my shoes
have had it.
Sad am I this year in summer
Working at the fishing and making
a loss
The merchants wanting their debts
paid by Whitsun
The land without grain and my
senses in confusion.
Chan fhaigh mi mach Didòmhnaich
's mo bhrògan air trèigsinn
Bha stoirm mhòr againn ann
an 1934. Bha còig eathraichean
a-muigh a-mach à Tolastadh
Thill triùir ac’, mus robh a' ghèile
aig a h-àirde
ach bha dà eathar gun sgeul orra,
an Rìbhinn Òg agus am Bonnie Lass
Thòisich crowd dhaoine a' falbh nan
cladaichean 's nan creagan a tuath
‘s an àird.
I can't get out on Sunday my shoes
have had it.
We had a big storm in 1934. There
were five Tolsta boats out.
Three returned before the gale
reached its height,
but there was no sign of two boats,
the Rìbhinn Òg and the Bonnie Lass.
A crowd of people began to roam
the shores and the cliffs
Tha mi ann an èiginn
Tha mi ann an èiginn
I am in distress
I am in distress
Agus chuala balach beag, Dòmhnall
Greum, shaoil esan gun cual' e guth
dhaoine
and a small boy, Dòmhnall Graham,
thought he heard voices
Tha mi ann an èiginn
I am in distress
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minute 51.
shìos fo bonn creig aig màs Rubha
Tholastaidh
Chaidh e sìos agus bhruidhinn e ri
na daoine
at the foot of a cliff at the bottom
of Rubha Tholastaidh.
He went down and spoke to the
men.
Thàinig an lifeboat an ceann trì
uairean a thìde ‘s thàinig iad air tìr
sàbhailte
The lifeboat arrived three hours
later and they got ashore safely.
Bha an Rìbhinn Òg ann an oisean
cùil bheag, air cùl clach an rubha
The Rìbhinn Òg was in a small
corner behind the headland.
Dhìrich Dòmhnall Greum suas
a-rithist
Dòmhnall Graham climbed back up.
Choinnich Coinneach Mhurchaidh
Bhuidhe ris, èildear, seann
saighdear
Coinneach Mhurchadh Bhuidhe
met him. He was an elder and old
soldier.
Thuirt e ri Dòmhnall e dhol dhan
a' Phort Oifis, cuir a dh'iarraidh
lifeboat
He told Dòmhnall to go to the post
office and send for the lifeboat.
Bha e air innse dhaibh gun robh an
crann air briseadh agus na ràimh
aca air briseadh
They had been told the mast was
broken, and the oars.
S chaidh Coinneach fhèin sìos. Airson
trì uairean a thìde bha e na shuidhe
sa chreig
Coinneach himself went down. He
sat on the cliff for three hours.
Dh'fhaighnich mise dha, “Carson a
rinn thu sin”
I asked him why he did that.
Ars esan, “Cha dhèanainn càil a
dh'fheum dhaibh
He said, “I couldn't do anything to
help them,
ach ‘s mathaid gun robh mi a’
dol a’ thoirt beagan cofhurtachd
dhaibh
but I might be able to give them
some comfort”.
80 iorramfilm.com iorramfilm.com 81
minute 52.
Ach an uair sin bha e, tha mi a’
creidsinn, uair sa mhadainn agus
cha robh sgeul air am Bonnie Lass
Murchadh Barbal an sgiobair a
bh'oirre
Chaidh a shàbhaladh nuair a chaidh
torpedo anns an t-soitheach aige
aig àm a’ chogaidh
Ach chaill a h-uile duine cha mhòr a
bhuineadh dha mhàthair am beatha
aig muir
Chaidh a seanair a bhàthadh air a'
chreagach
Mìosan an dèidh sin, thàinig a chorp
air tìr air Tràigh Sheilibhig, ‘s bha
an corp cho fada air a dhol
Chaidh a h-athair fhèin a bhàthadh
ann an Gallaibh
Chaidh an duin' aic' a bhàthadh ann
an Gallaibh
Agus aig an àm sin bha ise a'
fuireach air a' ghleann agus nuair a
dh'fhalbh am bàta à Griais
By then it was about 1am and there
was no sign of the Bonnie Lass.
Murchadh Barabal was the skipper.
He was rescued when his ship was
torpedoed during the war
but nearly all his mother's relatives
were lost at sea.
Her grandfather drowned rock
fishing.
Months later, his corpse came
ashore at Tràigh Sheilibhig, badly
decomposed.
Her father drowned in Caithness.
Her husband drowned in Caithness.
At that time she was living in Glen
Tolsta and when the boat left from
Gress
minute 53.
‘S cha do thill e He didn't return.
B' e sin ceala-deug mus do rugadh
an nighean aice, Doileag
Chaidh bàthadh a dithis bhràthair
aig àm a' chogaidh, fear anns a'
Mhediterranean
‘s fear eile thall ann an New
Zealand
Nuair a chaidh an Iolaire às an
rathad ann an Steòrnabhagh, air
Là na Bliadhn' Ùire, 1919
Chaidh bàthadh a cliamhain, an
duine aig Doileag
S bha muinntir a' bhaile gu lèir
cinnteach gun robh Murchadh, a
mac, nach robh sgeul air
gun robh e… air èirigh dhàsan na
dh'èirich dhan chòrr
Ach mu cheithir uairean sa
mhadainn agus i fhathast dorch
chual iad fuaim seòl, slat an t-siùil
a’ bualadh sa chrann
That was a fortnight before her
daughter, Doileag, was born.
Her two brothers drowned during
the war, one in the Mediterranean
and the other over in New Zealand.
When the Iolaire was wrecked in
Stornoway on New Year's Day 1919
her son-in-law, Doileag's husband,
drowned.
The villagers were all certain
that her son, Murchadh, who was
missing
had met the same fate as the
others.
But around 4am, while it was still
dark,
they heard the sound of a sailyard
hitting a mast.
bha i a' seoladh tarsainn bun a'
ghlinne agus bha i a' smèideadh ris
an duin' aic’.
and sailed past the glen, she waved
to her husband.
Dh’èigh cuideigin, “Seo i. Seo am
Bonnie Lass a’ tighinn”
Thàinig i a-steach
Somebody cried, “Here she is. The
Bonnie Lass is coming”.
She came in.
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minute 54.
minute 55.
Chuira’ ghaoth a-mach dhan a’
Mhinch, dhan Chuan Sgìth i
Bhiodhte ag obair air stàimh 's air
ceilp
Bha thu ag èirigh ma dh’ fhaoite
aig sia uairean sa mhadainn, bha
thu a' gabhail grèim agus bha thu
a' falbh chun a' chladaich
The wind had blown her out into
the Minch.
We worked at the seaweed.
You got up around 6am, had a bite
to eat and headed for the shore.
Bha iad gan tomhas a-muigh ann a
shin. Cha robh sin a ghràidhein ach
camouflage
Aig Dia tha bhrath dè an tomhas a
bh' ann
Na thogradh iad a dhèanamh ort.
Cha robh math dhut do bheul
fhosgladh.
They weighed it out there. That was
just camouflage.
It didn't matter how much it
weighed.
They did as they liked. There was no
point opening your mouth.
Bha thu a' tòiseachadh a' cliopadh
nan stamh
Cha bhiodh fhios agad cò an
nàbaidh a bhiodh rid thaobh gus an
soilleiricheadh an latha
agus bhiodh sin suas gu naoi
uairean agad sa gheamhradh
agus chan fhaigheadh tu sgillinn
agus cha robh fhios agad dè bha
thu a' dol a dh'fhaighinn gu ceann
na bliadhna
Ma dh'fhaoite nuair a bha dùil agad
ri £6 ma dh’fhaoite gun e £2 a
gheibheadh tu
You started cutting the seaweed.
You couldn't see who was next to
you until daybreak,
which would be around 9am in the
winter.
And you wouldn’t get a penny!
You didn't know how much you
were going to get until the end of
the year.
You might be expecting £6 and get
£2.
Bha sin ann, 's mi fhìn ris.
Gun sìon ach all the time a'
dèanamh persecution air na daoine
bochda
Agus bha na cogaidhean ann gun
teagamh.
Ach 's e a' Chiad Chogadh a thug
rudeigin de shoilleireachadh dha
seo.
Agus nuair a thàinig am fear mu
dheireadh rinn e aristocrats dhiubh
uile, daoine mòra
S deagh ghovernment! 'S ma ‘s e
a’ phàrlamaid fhèin an-diugh a th’
agad, na Lords mhòra
That's how it was. I did that.
All the time, persecuting the poor
people.
And there were wars without doubt.
But the First World War brought
some clarity to this.
And the last one made aristocrats
of them all, toffs.
Some government! And if today's
parliament is all big lords,
‘s e diofar Lords a th' annta seach
na làithean a bh’ ann a shiud.
they're different lords from the
ones you had in those days.
Cha robh an uair ud ach nan
canadh tu "marbh an duin' ud" -
"Right o, marbh sa mhionaid e"
In those days, if they said, “Kill that
man”, “Right-oh”. He'd be dead.
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minute 56.
Bha St Job uabhasach foighidneach
agus thàinig mì-fhortain uabhasach
air
St Job was very patient and he
suffered terrible misfortune.
Tha fhios agam gun do chailleadh
cha mhòr na bha de dh’fhireannaich
ann am Pabaigh
I know that most of the men of
Pabbay were lost
Dh'fhalbh an teaghlach air, chaill e
na beathaichean agus bhris e fhèin
a-mach na chàr-sgriob
He lost his family, his livestock and
was covered with sores.
aon latha air an treas latha
shamhradh nuair a bha iad sa
chuan ‘s thàinig stoirm orra
when they were caught in a storm
at sea on May 3rd.
S thàinig an droch spiorad latha
bha seo far an robh e
The evil spirit came to him one day
Bha nis ceathrar aca san aon
sgothaidh
Four men went out in the same
boat.
agus làn de làmhan de dh'airgead
aige ga ghlioganachadh
and offered him untold wealth if he
cursed God.
"Mallaich Dia" ars esan, “agus
gheibh thu siud. "Cha mhallaich"
arsa St Job, "An Dia thug dhomh e
's e thug bhuam e"
“I will not,” said St Job. “God gave it
to me and God took it away”.
"Ach, mallaich Dia" ars esan "Seall
fhèin mar a tha thu nad dhuine
truagh ann a shin"
“Curse God,” he said. “Look at the
state you're in”.
"Cha mhallaich" arsa St Job "Cha
mhallaich mi idir e"
“I will not,” said St Job. “I won't
curse him at all.”
"Ach mo mhallachd air an latha a
thug a dh'ionnsaigh an t-saoghail
mi"
“But I curse the day I was born”.
Agus sin agaibh an treas latha
Shamhradh
And that day is May 3rd.
Bha iad ag ràdh gun robh e air
a mhallachadh agus nach bu chòir
duine dhol gu muir an treas latha a
shamhradh
It was said to be cursed and
nobody should go to sea on May
3rd.
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minute 57.
A' cheathrar a bha a' fuireach san
àite, eil fhios agaibh, Pabaigh
Daoine òga a bh' annta
Bha fear aca singilte, ach bha an
fheadhainn eile pòsta 's dh’fhàg iad
teaghlaichean
Dh'fhàs i mòr orra 's iad sa chuan
‘s bhàthadh a' cheathrar aca
Dh'fhàg dithis dhiubh triùir
Dòmhnall Beag Choinnich agus
Raghnall Ailig.
Agus Ailig Pabach; esan aon tè. Aon
nighean
Agus Iain Mòr ‘Illeasbaig, bràthair
na Ruadhaig. Cò mheud a tha sin,
ceathrar?
Bha Dòmhnall Bàn Mac a’ Phì
a-muigh an latha sin ach fhuair
esan dhachaigh sàbhailte
Sin far an robh call doirbh an eilein
Phabaigh
Aon sgeul eile a chuala mi
s ann bho sheann bhodach san Àrd
Dorcha
They were from the same place,
Pabbay.
Young men.
One was single, but the others were
married with families.
The wind rose when they were out
and all four drowned.
Two of them left three children;
Dòmhnall Beag Choinnich and
Raghnall Ailig.
And Ailig Pabach; he left one child.
A daughter.
And Iain Mòr 'Illeasbaig. How many
is that? Four.
Dòmhnall Bàn Mac a Phì was out
that day, but he got home safely.
That was a great calamity for the
Isle of Pabbay.
The other story I heard
came from an old man in Àird
Dorcha.
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minute 58.
thuirt e rium gum b’ aithne dha
bàta chaidh a chur suas gu bràigh
a’ chladaich
He told me he knew of a boat that
was pulled up onto the shore
am beachd gur e sin an solas a
bhathar a' faicinn iomadh bliadhna
roimhe sin
that was the light that had been
seen in it many years before.
chionn gun robh sgioba a’ bhàta
a’ faicinn solas timcheall air a
deireadh
because the crew were seeing a
light around the stern
Bhiodh na h-eathraichean a’ dol
a-mach a dh’iasgach an uair ud air
an oidhche
The boats used to go out fishing at
night at that time.
air oidhcheannan nuair a bhiodh
iad ag iasgach
when they were fishing at night.
Ghabh iad eagal gun tachradh
bàthadh innte
They were afraid that there would
be a drowning
agus thug iad gu bràigh a'
chladaich i
and pulled it up on the shore.
Chuir iad ann an geodha sàbhailte i
agus chaidh a fàgail an sin
They put it in a sheltered cove and
left it there.
is lìonadh le uisge i
It filled with water.
Thachair aon fheasgar gun robh
clann a' cluich timcheall oirre
One day, children happened to be
playing around it
agus thuit caileag bheag mu
cheithir bliadhna dh’aois innte.
Chaidh a bàthadh
and a little girl, about four years
old, fell in and drowned.
‘S ann le lainntear a chaidh a corp
a thogail aiste
Her body was lifted out by the light
of a lantern
agus bha am bodach a dh'inns an
sgeula dhomh
and the old man who told me the
story believed that
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minute 59.
Bhiodh e suas meadhan-oidhche no
uair sa mhadainn nuair a thigeadh
iad dhachaigh
It would be around midnight or 1am
before they came home.
agus bhiomaid a' dol gan
coinneachadh le cuinneagan a
dh'iarraidh an èisg
And we'd meet them with buckets to
collect the fish.
Agus an oidhche sa bha mi fhìn is
Màiri Anna Ruairidh Dhòmhnaill
This night, myself and Màiri Anna
Ruairidh Dhòmhnaill
a' dol sìos a choinneachadh an
eathair
were going down to meet the boat.
Bha sinn a'dol seachad, anmoch of
course
And we were passing... It was late,
of course,
sinn a' dol seachad air taigh
Catrìona Nèill
and we were passing Catriona
Nèill's house
agus chan fhaca sinn càil na b'
fheàrr na an uinneag a lìonadh le
feamainn
and we thought we'd cover her
window with seaweed.
Lìonadh suas uinneag a' bhedroom
aice le feamainn. Agus dh'fhalbh
sinn
agus a làrna-mhàireach 's cha robh
Catrìona ag èirigh. Thàinig e suas
gu meadhan-latha 's bha Catrìona
gun èirigh
We covered her bedroom window
with seaweed. And off we went.
Next morning, Catriona wasn't
getting up. It was midday and
Catriona wasn't up!
leis an fheamainn air an uinneig
aice!
Agus an row a fhuair sinn. Bha
fhios aice glè mhath cò rinn e
with the window covered with
seaweed!
We got such a row. She knew very
well who was responsible.
Bha dùil aice gur e an oidhche a bh'
ann agus an rùm dubh dorcha
She thought it was night time, the
room was so dark,
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minute 60.
Am biodh sibh a' creidsinn ma-thà
ann am bòcain? - Bha
Bhiodh sibh a' cluinntinn gu leòr mu
bhòcain. Och bhiodh mu dhèidhinn
nam bòcan. Sinne bh' anna sin
- Did you believe in ghosts? Yes. -
Oh, yes.
- You heard about them. - We
certainly did.
Cha chuala mise guth mu na rudan
sin ach gun cuala mi gun robh
leithid de rud ann.
Agus dè a-nis mu dhèidhinn eachuisge?
I didn't hear anything about those
things, just that they existed.
And what about water-horses?
‘S mu dhèidhinn nan sìtheanaich?
Mu dhèidhinn nan sìtheanach
cuideachd.
S mu dhèidhinn an sluagh. An
Sluagh. Bha
Bhathar a’ creidsinn ann a shin. O
eudail bhathar a’ creidsinn ‘s bha
eagal romhpa cuideachd
- And about fairies? - About fairies,
too.
- And what about the fairy host? -
The host, yes.
- They believed in them? - Yes, and
they were afraid of them, too.
Cuideachd, chuala mi mu dhèidhinn
each-uisge cuideachd.
Ach an cuala sibh duine fhaicinn?
Cha chuala. - Cha chuala
Oh, I heard about water-horses,
too.
But did you hear about people
seeing them?
- No. - No.
Bha. Tha mi cinnteach gun robh.
- Bha
- Yes, I'm sure they were. - Yes.
Agus maighdeann-mhara? An cuala
sibh naidheachd mun dèidhinn…
And mermaids? Did you hear stories
about...
Chuala mi mun mhaighdeann-mhara
ceart gu leòr gun robh a leithid
ann.
I heard about mermaids right
enough, that such things existed.
An cuala sibh duine am faicinn?
Did you hear of people seeing them?
Gun fhaca duine maighdeann-mhara
nuair a bha e a-muigh ag iasgach
People seeing mermaids when they
were out fishing,
No nuair a bha e mun chladach
or around the shore?
Cha chuala - Cha chuala sibh sìon?
- No. - You didn't hear that?
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minute 61.
minute 62.
Bha gille a mhuinntir na dùthcha
sa, muinntir Loch Baghasdail, bha e
ag iasgach san àirde an ear
A local man and some men from
Lochboisdale were fishing in the
east.
Thilg a h-uile fear aca a-mach
sgadan agus bha ise am bàrr
Each one threw a herring
overboard and she stayed on the
surface.
Agus gu dè a thàinig am bàrr an
dèidh a' bhàta ach a' mhaighdeannmhara
Dh'iarr an sgiobair an toiseach
agus fhuair e sgadan agus thilg e
a-mach e
agus dh'fhan ise am bàrr agus cha
do charaich i
Dh'iarr esan air a' chriutha, a h-uile
fear aca a thilgeil a-mach sgadan
and what should surface behind the
boat but a mermaid.
The skipper threw a herring
overboard and she stayed where
she was.
She didn't move.
Then he asked each member of the
crew to throw out a herring.
Dh'fhalbh an gille a bha seo agus
thilg e fhèin a-mach sgadan
Agus cho luath 's a thilg am fear sin
a-mach i, chaidh i fodha
Agus nuair a thàinig iad gu tìr thug
an sgiobair dha a thuarastal agus
chuir e dhachaigh e
Uill a’ bhliadhna sin fhèin chaidh a
bhàthadh
Nuair a bhiomaid ag obair a
m-eudail a-muigh sa Bhruaich
This boy threw out a herring
and as soon as he did, she went
under.
And when they came ashore, the
skipper gave him his pay and sent
him home.
That year he drowned.
When we were working out in the
Broch
bhiodh an sgadan trom orm
the herring was heavy work.
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minute 63.
S e duine mu seach againn a
gheibheadh tighinn a-staigh a
ghabhail balgam tì
We took it in turns to come in for a
cup of tea,
Bha sinn fhìn a saoilsinn gun
robh na Barraich brèagha, an
fheadhainn a b'aithne dhuinn
And we thought the Barra boys we
knew were handsome.
is pìos lof, ìm, càis no dad.
Sin na b' urrainn dhut a dhèanamh.
Bha thu a-muigh ag obair.
Nis Disathairne bhiomaid ag obair
gu feasgar
a piece of bread, butter and cheese
or something.
That was all you could do. You were
out working.
Now, on Saturday we would work
until the afternoon.
O gillean gasta ceart, laghach.
Bhiodh iad a’ tighinn a thadhal
oirnn air an oidhche nam biodh iad
air tìr
Bha sinne ann an rùm gu h-àrd
Lovely boys. They would come and
visit us if they were ashore.
We were in the upper room.
Agus an uair sin, gar dreasadh
fhèin
And then, we dressed up.
Blouse a dhèanainn fhìn dh'fhaoite,
no blouse a dhèanadh cuideigin
dhomh
A home-made blouse, made by
myself or by somebody else for me.
Nam biodh tastan agam a m' eudail
a gheibheadh còta suppat, siud a
dhèanainn,
Well, if I had a shilling I'd have a
suppat coat made;
gus a bhith orm brèagha air feadh
na h-oidhche agus apran pinc no
liath
something nice to wear in the
evening, and a pink or blue apron.
Airson 's na bha de nigheanan
Leòdhasach sa Bhruaich, Eòghainn,
There were plenty of Lewis girls in
the Broch, too.
agus gillean cho brèagha ri gillean
a chunnaic thu riamh air an
t-saoghal
And the boys were as handsome as
any you ever saw.
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minute 64.
Iadsan gu h-ìseal ann a sheo agus
sinne gu h-àrd
They were below and we were
above.
O bha truas agam fhìn ris, 's gun
mi a' faicinn duine mar siud ro thric
I felt sorry for him; I seldom saw
someone in that state.
Agus bha Ealasaid Churaidh cho
math gu gabhail nam port, port-abeul,
's bhiomaid a' dannsa ris
Ealasaid Currie was very good at
singing puirt-a-beul and we would
dance to it.
Thug e fhèin dhomh ruidhle
cuideachd, chan eil cuimhn' a'm cò
eile bha siud
I dare say he danced a reel with
me, too. I don't remember who else
was there.
Nuair a chluinneadh na Leòdhasaich
shìos sinn, bha dùil aca gur e de
ghille bh' ann a bha seinn
When the Lewis folk below heard
her, they thought it was a boy
singing.
“Bha dùil agam gur e do bhràthair
a bh' ann, a seinn dhuibh 's sibh a'
dannsa.”
“I thought it was your brother
singing so you could dance.”
"Chan e. Ach thigibh a-staigh agus
dannsaidh sibh fhèin"
“No. You come in and dance with
us.”
Dh'enjoyig mi a bhith a' dannsa ann
treiseag bheag, ruidhle no dhà
I enjoyed dancing for a little while,
having a reel or two.
Laochain, cò thàinig oidhche dhan
taigh againn aig beul na h-oidhche
ach gum b' e Robin
A man came to our house one night.
Uill, cha b' aithne dhomh fhìn e
Well, I didn't know him,
agus dh'innis nigheanan Barrach
eile dha càite robh sinn agus thàinig
e
but other Barra girls told him
where we were and he arrived.
Agus bha smùid uisge-beatha air
He was blind drunk on whisky.
"O Dhia, Ruairidh, an tu tha seo?" “Oh, God, Ruaraidh, is that you!”
“'S mi.” Shuidh e air mullach cistidh
“Yes.” He sat on a chest.
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minute 65.
Co-dhiù, bha e a’ faighinn na tì
agus chuala mi fhìn tè de chlann
Churaidh ag ràdh
Anyway, they were going to get tea
and I heard one of the Curries say,
“Thalla, beir air an t-sòda arain
agus cuir làn spàinne sa chupa dhe"
“Go and get the bicarbonate of
soda and put a spoonful in the
cup”.
San tì aige - Seadh a-nis
- In his tea. - Yes.
Agus feumaidh gun robh e a' dol a
dhèanamh math dha air shàillibh
gun robh dràm air
And it must have been going to do
him some good since he was drunk.
A' toirt dha diop!
They gave him a 'dip'!
Bha sin a-nis cho math. Dreas
bhrèagha agam agus apran
Everything was good. I had a pretty
dress and an apron,
ach nuair a thigeadh tu a
Bharraigh chuireadh tu seachad i
but you would put them away when
you went to Barra.
Tha mi a' creidsinn gun cuireadh
- Chuireadh, cha leigeadh an nàir
leat a' cur ort
- I suppose you would. - You'd be
embarrassed to wear them.
Sin a-nis an dreas a bh’ oirnn.
Aodach a bh’ againn airson
Didòmhnaich ga ghlèideadh airson a
dhol dhan eaglais.
So, that's how we dressed. Our
Sunday best was kept for going to
church.
Àite math a bh' ann a Haidhsgeir
fuireach ann aig an àm sin
Haisgeir was a good place to stay.
An turas no dhà a chaidh mi a-mach
ann an 1914, bha Sealtainneach,
agus fear a bhuineadh taobh a
mhàthair
I went out in 1914 and there was
a Shetlander and a man whose
mother
do dh'Uibhist, 's e MacGuaire a bha
san taigh-sholais an t-Haidhsgeir
belonged to Uist, a MacQuarrie,
they were in the lighthouse in
Haisgeir.
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minute 66.
Dh'iarr iad le chèile orm cuir
a-staigh airson an taigh-sholais,
gun robh feadhainn a dhìth orra,
agus rinn mi sin
Uill, cha tàinig am bàta aig an àm,
am bàta a bha a' cuairteachadh, a'
ruith air na taighean-solais uileag.
Mus tàinig an ath chothrom mu
chuairt airson am bàta a thighinn
bha mise air gabhail sna Scouts
Uill an dèidh nan ceithir bliadhna
nuair a thàinig mi dhachaigh
chaidh mi air ais a Haidhsgeir a
dh'iasgach ann an 1920
Bha MacGuaire, bha e gun fhalbh,
Dh’innis e dhomh,
"Tha bàta due an ath-sheachdain,
agus bidh Lieutenant Paxton innte"!
"Thig mise gad iarraidh airson gun
ùraich sinn an application agad
airson na taighean-sholais
Mar a thuirt, b’ fhìor. Thàinig am
bàta.
Dh'iarr e orm m' ainm a
sgrìobhadh, a thug e an uair sin
dhà no trì cheistean dhomh, simple
multiplication
And they both asked me to apply
to work in the lighthouse, so I did
that.
Well, the boat didn't arrive;
the boat that went round the
lighthouses.
And by the time the next chance
came I had joined the Lovat Scouts.
When I came home after four years
I went back to Haisgeir for the
fishing in 1920.
MacQuarrie, the principal, was still
there and he said,
'There's a boat due next week and
Lieutenant Paxton will be aboard”.
“I'll collect you and we can renew
your application for the lighthouse.''
That's what happened. The boat
came.
He asked me to write my name
and then gave me a few questions,
simple multiplication.
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minute 67.
"The most important, what's your
age?" Dh'innis mi dha.
“The most important, what's your
age?” I told him.
Air tìr a-raoir, 's air muir a-nochd,
air tìr a-raoir, 's air muir a-nochd
Ashore last night, at sea tonight
ashore last night, at sea tonight
"Uill" ars esan " Tha mi duilich ach
tha thu dà bhliadhna thairis air an
aois a tha sinn a' ceadachadh"
“Well,” he said, “I'm sorry, but
you're two years over the age
limit.”
Air tir a-raoir, ‘s air muir a-nochd
tha fear as docha leamsa
Ashore last night, at sea tonight is
the man I like the best.
"Aon cheist" ars esan, "Gabh mo
leisgeul, a bheil thu pòsta?"
“One question,” he said. “Excuse me,
but are you married?”
“Chan eil” arsa mise. “Agus dè mu
dhèidhinn” arsa mise
“No,” I said. “What of it?”
“Tha dà bhliadhna allowance aig
duine pòsta”
“There's a two-year allowance for
married men.”
“Uill chan urrainn dhomhsa” 's e
falbh, bha e na dhuine cho furasta
bruidhinn ris
“Oh, well,” I said... He was very easy
to talk to.
"Chan urrainn dhomhsa falbh agus
m' aghaidh a thoir air nighinn òg
air choireigin, agus faighneachd am
pòs i mi ‘s gheibh mi dhan taighsholais!"
“I can't ask a girl to marry me, just
to get a job at the lighthouse!”
Aig mùir a-raoir, 's air tìr a-nochd,
aig mùir a-raoir, 's air tìr a-nochd
At sea last night, ashore tonight at
sea last night, ashore tonight
Aig mùir a-raoir, 's air tìr a-nochd
At sea last night, ashore tonight...
No - Mary, No use.
- No, Mary. No use. - Eh?
No, no. Chan eil e ceart. Tha e ro
àrd
No, no. It's not right. It's too high.
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minute 68.
minute 69.
Chan eil m o leannan ann an seo, o
chan eil cha bhi a-noched
My sweetheart is not here oh, no,
and he won't be tonight
Honeydew a-staigh am bàgh, o tha
shottie aig mo ghràdh
The Honeydew is in the bay my love
gets a shot now
Chan eil mo leannan ann an seo, 's
cha dèan mi suas ri strainnsear
My sweetheart is not here and I
won't make up to a stranger.
Honeydew a-staigh am bàgh, 's i
praidhbheat aig MacIvor
The Honeydew is in the bay privately
owned by MacIvor.
S an eainnsean-room a tha mo
luaidh, san einnsean-room a tha mi
luaidh
San einnsean-room a tha mo luaidh,
chan fhaigh e nuas 's e trang ann
S e deckhand a tha nam luaidh, 's e
deckhand a tha nam luaidh
S e deckhand a tha nam luaidh 's
chan fhaigh e nuas mar gheall e
My love is in the engine room my
love is in the engine room
My love is in the engine room he
can't come up, he's busy.
My love is a deck hand my love is a
deck hand
My love is a deck hand he can't
come up without their leave.
Fairweather a-staigh am bàgh,
Fairweather a-staigh am bàgh
Fairweather a-staigh am bàgh, 's
dearg suas aig m' annsachd
Criutha ann an Galtrigeal a-muigh
ag iasgach nan lìn mhòra
Bha iad a-muigh agus chunnaic
iad long far a bheil an taigh-solais
an-diugh
The Fair Weather is in the bay the
Fair Weather is in the bay
The Fair Weather is in the bay my
darling has raised the red light.
A crew in Galtrigill were out longline
fishing.
They were out and they saw a ship
out where the lighthouse is today.
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minute 70.
“O dhìoll” ars iadsan “pirate” “It's a pirate,” they said.
"Chan eil iad seo ach a' marbhadh
's a' cur fodha dhaoine"
Bha breeze math air a’ mhuir agus
studaig iad gun gearradh iad na
lìn mhòra
gun cuireadh iad buta orra agus
gun teicheadh iad lem beatha gu
tìr.
Math 's gun robh na bodaich, mun
d' fhuair iad na lìn a ghearradh
agus buta a chur orra bha long
a' sìor
“They kill people, these folk.”
There was a good breeze on the
water and they decided to cut their
long lines,
tie them to a buoy and flee ashore
for their lives.
By the time they cut the lines and
tied them to the buoy
Ach thàinig iad a-nall co-dhiù leis
an eagal
Thàinig e a-nuas agus thug e dhaibh
botal uisge-bheatha agus botal
branndaidh
"Seo,” ars esan. Biodh drama
agaibh nuair a thèid sibh air tìr."
Bha iad a' coimhead air a chèile
greis, na daoine, agus cha robh
guth aca dhan duine.
But they were so frightened they
went over anyway.
The man gave them a bottle of
whisky and a bottle of brandy.
“There you are. Have a dram when
you get ashore.”
They looked at each other for a
while and forgot all about the man.
bha long dìreach gu bhith air am
muin.
Chuir e suas an long air a’ ghaoith.
“Bheil sibh ann, fhearaibh” ars
esain.
"Thigibh a-nall" ars esan, “far a
bheil mi dol a’ bhruidhinn ribh”.
Cha robh Beurla aca ach 'Yes' is 'No'
Bha iad a’ smaoineachadh gun robh
iad a' dol gan toirt air falbh gu
rìoghachdan foreign
nach biodh duine dhiubh ri fhaicinn
gu bràth tuilleadh
the ship was almost on top of them.
It drew alongside. “Hello, folks.”
“Come on over so I can have a
word,” said the man.
They didn't speak English, apart
from 'yes' and 'no'.
They thought they were going to
take them away to foreign lands
never to be seen again.
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minute 71.
Dh’fhalbh e. “Uill,” ars iadsan, nach
fheuch sinn an stuff aig an duine
seo, feuch dè th’ ann”
Chan eil fhios agamsa, 's dòcha gur
e puinnsean a th' ann
The ship left. “Well,” they said, “let's
try this man's stuff, see what it is.”
“I don't know. It might be poison,”
said one.
Thòisich e a' snìomh muran a-staigh
agus chuir e i na ceirle mòr.
h-uile sìon mar seo gus bhith aige
sa sgothaidh a-nis
He started twisting marram grass
and made a big ball of twine
to take with him in the boat.
Bha seann bhodach ann, “Tha fhios
agamsa dè an stuff a th’ ann” “Dè
an stuff a th’ ann?”
There was an old man there. “I
know what stuff it is.” “What stuff
is it?”
“Double Regal, nall tè dhiubh”
“Double Regal. Pass one over.”
Bodach ann a siud, seann duine bh’
ann.
There was an old man.
Bhiodh iad ag iasgach, na gillean
aige, Bha e fhèin ag iasgach on a
bha e na ghille òg
He'd been a fisherman since his
youth.
An t-iasg a bha a' chlann a' toirt
dhachaigh, cha do chòrd e ris-san
idir. Bha e ag ràdh nach e iasg
ceart a bh' ann
His sons were fishing, but he didn't
think much of the fish they brought
home.
“Dè seòrs' iasg a bhiodh tu a'
faighinn ma-thà? "Nach fhaod thu
fhèin a dhol ga iarraidh, feuch am
faigh thu nas fheàrr e ma-thà"
“What kind did you catch, then? You
go fishing tomorrow if you can do
better.”
Bha e gu math cinnteach gum
faigheadh e iasg gu math na b'
fheàrr na siud
He was quite certain he could catch
better fish.
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minute 72.
Co-dhiù, dh’fhalbh e comh’ riutha
an latha bha seo. Bha ‘n t-sìde
math.
Thuirt e nam b’ ann an seo a
bhiodh iad ag iasgach
nach b' iongnadh nach fhaigheadh
tu iasg a chòrdadh ri duine.
"O, feumaidh sibh a dhol beagan
nas fhaide air falbh na seo."
Anyway, he set off with them this
day. The weather was fine.
He said, if that was where they
fished,
it was no wonder they didn't catch
anything worthwhile.
“You have to go much farther out
than this.”
Thoiribh a-staigh an t-acair ma-thà
sa mhionaid
Chuir iad suas an seòl ‘s chuir iad
na ràimh oirre ‘s a h-uile sìon
Thòisich e a' dèanamh ghadan dhen
iasg, a' cur a dhà orra
“Och,” thuirt iad eatorra fhèin,
“’s ann craicte a tha e” agus chan
iongnadh ged a chanadh
“Raise the anchor at once.”
They hoisted the sail and put out
the oars.
He began to string the fish together
in pairs.
They thought the old man was mad.
Dh'fhalbh iad a-mach. Chuir iad
a-mach an t-acair agus thòisich iad
ag iasgach.
Off they went. They put out the
anchor and started fishing.
Chunnaic iad dìreach an rud
sgrathail. a bha seo, cnap de
bheinn, a' sìor sheòladh orra
They saw this huge mountain rising
in the sea and bearing down on
them.
Thòisich an t-iasg air gabhail 's air
tighinn a-staigh. Iasg mòr 's iasg
brèagha. Bha an sgoth làn.
They were catching plenty of fish.
Big, beautiful fish. The boat was
full.
Cha b' iongnadh nach fhaigheadh
sibh iasg a chòrdadh riumsa, far an
robh sibh ag iasgach."
“No wonder you weren't catching
anything where you were fishing.”
Bha sibhse ag iasgach san lòn-shitig
“It was like fishing in a slurry pool.”
Co-dhiù, thuirt fear "Ged a chaidh
sinne mach fada "
Anyway, one of them said, “We may
have gone out far,
nach ann fada mach a tha an sgoth
a tha a-muigh an siud"
but not as far as that boat”.
“Bheil thu a' faicinn sgoth?” ars
esan “Tha” Tha an t-àm againn
falbh.”
“Do you see a boat?” he asked.
“Yes.” “It's time to go.”
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minute 73.
Chan fhacas leithid riamh
"Bidh sinne dhìth air a shàilleabh.
Dè thug ort a dhol a-mach an seo"
Uill, a laochain, dè bh' anns a'
chnap mhòr de bheinn? Beathach
sgràthail Muc-mhara
Bha iad a’ teannadh air a’ chladach
‘s cha robh am beathach a’
dealachadh riutha. Dealaichidh i
rinn gun teagamh, na gabh eagal
sam bith tuilleadh.
The boys had never seen anything
like it.
“It'll be the death of us, coming out
so far.”
Well, the beast the size of a
mountain was a whale.
They were approaching the shore
and the beast was still bearing
down on them.
Nuair a thàinig ise dìreach chun a'
bhanca, thàinig an ceann am bàrr,
bha an caolas cho cumhang
agus chan fhaigheadh am beathach
a bha cho mòr tionndadh a-mach.
Bha e a' flodadh ann a shin.
“Seo a-nis. An latha a chuir thu
mise nam chabhaig. Cha chuir thu
duine às mo dheidh tuilleadh. Tha
mi gu math toilichte cur crìoch ort.”
When the whale breached by the
sandbank the channel was so
narrow
and the beast was so big that
it couldn't turn around. It was
floating there.
“There you go. You won’t bother
me again. I’m glad to see the back
of you.”
Bha eilean air choireigin ann ‘s bha
cùiltean eatorra. Thèid sinn a-staigh
eadar an cùil ‘s an eilean.
He told them to head for a channel
between an island and the shore
Tillidh i an uair sin ‘s chan urrainn
dhise faighinn seachad air. Air an
eilein.
which would be too narrow for the
whale.
Ann am meadhan an eilein bha
banca de ghainmhich.
There was a big sandbank in the
middle.
Bha fhios aigesan gun robh e ann,
cha robh sìon a dh'fhios aig càch
gun robh e ann
The old man knew about it, but the
others didn't.
Dh'fhàg e iasg ann am beul an eilein
He threw out a brace of fish by the
island.
Chaidh ise fodha. Chaith e gad
a-mach far an robh am banca
The whale dived for the fish. He
threw out a brace by the sandbank.
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minute 74.
minute 75.
S bha esan ann a shin agus dè bh’
aige ach tè dhe na riofals aige am
falach anns an sgothaidh
agus chuir e trì peilear troimhe.
An da, chuir e crìoch oirre
Mo shin-seanair, bha e na sgiobair
air an eathar a dh'fhalbh a-mach à
Gabhsann uaireigin a dh’iasgach
nuair a bha daoine a' fuireach
ann an Gabhsann, mus deach a
bhriseadh an toiseach
And the old man took a weapon he
had hidden on the boat
and shot it three times.
He finished it off.
My great-grandfather was a
skipper on a boat that fished out
of Galson
when people were living in Galson,
before it was first broken up.
agus chaidil iad a-muigh sa chuan
co-dhiù
agus bha athair Ruairidh
Dhòmhnaill Íc Dhòmhnaill san Àird
air eathar eile
air watch mar a their iad
Agus nuair a dhùisg an sgiobair
aigesan, dh'fhaighnich e càite an
deach eathar Iain 'Ic Thormoid.
Agus thuirt e gun do ghabh i
a-mach à sealladh orr
They slept out at sea
and Ruaraidh Dhòmhnaill 'ac
Dhòmhnaill's father from Aird in the
other boat
was on watch, as they say.
When his skipper woke up, he asked
where Iain 'ic Thormoid's boat went.
He said it had headed out of sight.
Chan eil fios agam gu math dè
bhliadhna a bh' ann
Tha mi fhìn còrr is trì fichead
bliadhna
Agus tha sin ag innse gur fhada
bhuaithe
Co-dhiù bha eathar eile còmhla
riutha
I'm not sure what year it was.
I'm over 60 years of age
and that tells you it was a long
time ago
Anyway, there was another boat
with them.
"Uill," thuirt am fear eile "ma 's e
sin an taobh a ghabh i, cha till i an
taobhs'"
Co-dhiù, ‘s ann mar sin a bha. Thill
an t-eathar ach cha do thill an
sgioba.
Thàinig an t-eathar slàn fallainn,
leis na ràimh paisgt air na
tobhtaichean aice
“Well,” said the other fellow, “if it
went that way, it won't come back”.
Anyway, that's how it was. The boat
returned, but not the crew.
The boat came back intact, oars
laid across the thwarts
gu àite ris an can iad Tràigh Chrois
ann an Nis
to a place called Cross Beach in
Ness.
Agus bha am bonaid a bhiodh air
mo shin-sheanair san toiseach aice
And my great-grandfather's cap
was in the front of the boat.
Chaidh an sgioba a ghoid dhith
The crew was taken.
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minute 76.
Co-dhiù, far an deach an reic thall
anns na West Indies
thurchair gun tàinig boireannach a
shealltainn orra
agus bha fear dhe na daoine a bh'
ann eireachdail
Agus dh’fhaighnich i dha, "Am pòs
thu mise" ars ise "ma bheir mi às
an seo thu? Às an àmhghair anns
an robh e
agus thuirt e gum pòsadh
Agus bha am fear sin, ged as ann à
Borgh a bha e, bha e pòsta aig tè a
mhuinntir Dhàil o Thuath
ris an canadh iad a’ Chaimpriobhaid
Bha ise se a’ gabhail fadachd nach
robh e ri tighinn, bha iad air an
cunntadh air chall co-dhiù, nach
tilleadh iad tuilleadh,
agus phòs i a-rithist
Meall bhliadhnachan an dèidh
dhaibh falbh 's ann a thàinig an
duine sa a' marcachd air each
Anyway they were sold in the West
Indies.
A local woman happened to visit
them
and one of the men was handsome.
The woman asked him if he would
marry her if she would help him
escape his anguish
and he said he would.
And that man, although he was
from Borve, he was married to a
woman from North Dell
called A' Chaimpriobhaid.
She longed for his return, but they
were presumed lost
and she remarried.
Several years after they
disappeared this man arrived on
horseback.
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minute 77.
Nuair a bha e a' dol seachad
air Dail o Thuath, chunnaic e a'
Chaimpriobhaid a' dol tarsainn air
an rathad
le cliabh mònadh air a druim
s dh'fhaighnich e do chuideigin cò
an tè a bh' ann a siud.
Agus dh'innis an duine sin gur e
banntrach fear dhen a chaidh a
chall air eathar Iain 'ic Thormoid
agus gun phòs i ann an seo o
chionn ghoirid
Nuair a chual' esan gun phòs i, thill
e an taobh on tàinig e. Cha do rinn
e e fhèin aithnichte idir.
Dh'inns e sin nuair a ràinig e far an
robh e a' dol anns na West Indies
agus thurchair gun robh ministear
an sin ris an canadh iad Maighstir
Uilleam
Bha nighean aigesan agus thàinig i
seo air cuairt
As he passed North Dell he saw A'
Chaimpriobhaid crossing the road
with a creel of peats on her back.
He asked somebody who the woman
was.
The man told him she was the
widow of one of Iain 'ic Thormoid's
lost crew
and that she had recently
remarried.
When he heard this, he went back
where he came from without
making himself known.
He explained what happened when
he got back to the West Indies
and there happened to be a
minister there called Rev William.
He had a daughter who came here
to visit
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minute 78.
agus ‘s i a dh’innis mar a thachair
Bha suim mòr agams dha na seann
bhodaich ud san taigh-cèilidh.
Dh'ionnsaich sinn tòrr bhuapsan
and it was she who told what had
happened.
I had great respect for the old men
in the ceilidh house. We learned
from them, too.
Dè a-nis mu dhèidhinn na
sgeulachdan? An robh sibh ag
èisteachd ri sgeulachdan
O, cha robh sinne ag iarraidh
sgeulachdan idir. -Na h-òrain a bha
sibhse ag iarraidh
What about the stories? Did you
listen to stories?
- Oh, we didn't want stories. - You
wanted songs.
minute 79.
“Dè dhèanadh tu ann an siud”
“Carson a dhèanadh tu siud”
Bha freagairt ann 's bha adhbhar
ann airson a h-uile càil
Mar bu trice 's e cèileadairean a
bhaile a bhiodh a' tighinn
ach minig agus minig a thigeadh
daoine à baile eile
“What would you do there? Why did
you do that?”
And there was an answer, and a
reason for everything they did.
Usually, it was the people of the
village who visited.
But more and more, folk from
other villages
Òrain airson luadh a bha sinne ag
iarraidh
Am biodh na bodaich sna
cailleachan ag innse sgeulachdan
mun cuairt an teine?
Bhiodh, bhiodh mo sheanair fhèin
ag innse sgeulachdan
do dh'fheadhainn mar sin a
thigeadh dhachaigh air chèilidh.
Bhiodh iad a’ gabhail sgeulachdan,
We wanted songs.
Did the old folk tell stories around
the fire?
Yes, my grandfather would tell
stories
when people came to visit.
a bhiodh air an rathad dhachaigh
agus bhiodh iad cinnteach gun
tadhladh iad san taigh againne
Bha aghaidh an t-sluaigh gu mòr
air an dachaigh
who were on their way home would
call in to our house.
We would have lots of guests.
Eadar a h-ochd agus dusan
bliadhna, sin an t-àm
anns am bithinnsa a' cluinntinn a'
chuid as motha dhe na sgeulachdan
o m' athair
I would have been between eight
and twelve years old
when I heard most of the stories
from my father.
Nuair a bhiodh coigreach ann
bhiodh an còmhnaidh rud às ùr aige
Strangers would always have
something new to tell.
Sgeulachd no dòcha òran no
seanchas air choreigin eile
A story, or song, or some other
kind of lore.
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minute 80.
Agus bhithinn gan toirt leam
cuideachd. Ach an uair sin, thòisich
mi air falbh on taigh
agus a bhithinn a' dol am measg
feodhainn eile agus a' cluinntinn
naidheachdan a bhiodh ann am
pàipearan
naidheachdan a-null 's a-nall eadar
na daoine fhèin
bha mi a' dìochuimhneachadh, fhios
agaibh, na sgeulachdan a bh' aig
m' athair
Uaireigin an t-saoghail bhiodh
Lochlannaich a' tighinn le
bàtaichean a thogail creiche a
dh'Uibhist
Thachair an t-àm a bha seo, gun do
thadhail iad air àite ris an canar
Baile Ràghnaill ann an Uibhist a
Tuath
Bha iad air feadh a' chruidh, far
an robh buaile mòr dhiubh, bha sùil
aca a-mach air eilein Heidhsgeir
s cha robh iad eòlach air an rathad
‘S e an oidhche a bh’ ann agus chuir
iad am bàta air tìr anns an Dìg
Mhòr ann am Paibil agus ghabh iad
suas romhpa.
And I learned them then, too. But
then I went away.
I met other people and heard other
stories, from the papers.
Stories that people were telling
back and forth.
I was forgetting the stories my
father had.
Once upon a time Scandinavians
used to come on raids in ships to
Uist.
This time they happened to come to
a place called Balranald in North
Uist.
They were raiding cattle there and
were looking out towards Haisgeir.
They didn't know how to get there.
It was night time and they landed
the boat in Paible and went ashore.
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minute 81.
Agus a' chiad taigh a thachair
riutha cha robh a' fuireach ann ach
seann bhodach.
The first house they came to was
occupied by an old man.
Bha iad a' ruith sìos ris a' chladach
agus bha iad an seo a' teannadh
air rubha mòr
They were sailing by the shoreline
and approaching a big headland.
Rug iad air a' bhodach agus thug
iad leotha e. Thuirt iad ris nach
èireadh beud dha, gum biodh e
sàbhailte gu leòr
nach robh a dhìth orra ach e a
dhèanamh an rathaid dhaibh tro
Chaolas Heidhsgeir
agus thilleadh iad air ais leis agus
chuireadh iad air tìr e gu sàbhailte
They kidnapped him and said he
would be safe enough;
all they wanted him to do was pilot
them through the Sound of Haisgeir
and they would return him safely
to shore.
Thuirt am bodach riutha “Cumaibh
gu math a-staigh ris an rubha seo”
Chùm iad a-staigh glè fhaisg air an
rubha agus nuair a bha iad dìreach
aige
thuirt fear a bha sa bhàta, “Dè
a-nis an t-ainm a th' air an rubha
tha seo?”
The old man told them to keep close
in to the headland.
They did so and when they were
almost there
one of those aboard asked him
what the headland was called.
B' fheudar dhan bhodach falbh
cuide riutha
The old man had to go with them
agus rinn e an rathad dhaibh tro
Chaolas Heidhsgeir
and they made their way through
the Sound of Haisgeir.
Earrach a bh' ann. Thàinig an t-sìde
dona agus thòisich cabhadh
It was springtime. The weather
turned bad and there was a
blizzard.
Bha e a' teannadh air Heidhsgeir
agus bha e cho mì-thoilichte
They were approaching Haisgeir and
he was so displeased
agus bha e a' smaoineachadh na
bheachd fhèin nan gabhadh car
sam bith idir dèanamh a ghabhadh
an cur a dhìth agus na sàbhaileadh
e fhèin
and was trying to think of ways to
do away with the raiders and save
himself.
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minute 82.
“Uill” ars am bodach “chan eil mi
glè chinnteach dè an t-ainm a
bh'air reimhe”
“Well,” said the old man, “I'm not
sure what it was called before,
‘S bhiodh iad a' fuireach ann an
taighean nuair a rachadh iad air
tìr ann a shin
They would stay in people's houses
when they went ashore.
“ach tha mi cinnteach gur e Rubha
nam Marbh a bhios a-nochd air”
but it will be known as the
Headland of the Dead tonight”.
nan daoine fhèin 's iad coibhneil
gu leòr
The locals were very hospitable.
Bidh Rubha nam Marbh a-nochd air
“It will be known as Headland of the
Dead tonight.”
Ach, co-dhiù nuair a bha iad a-mach
am meadhan, Caolas Èirisgeidh
Anyway, when they were in the
Sound of Eriskay
Gheàrr e cruinn leum à toiseach a
bhàta agus bhuannaich e tìr
Mun do thàr duine air sion a
dhèanamh, bha am bàta air
bualadh, bha i na sgealban air a'
chladach.
He jumped off the prow and made
it ashore.
Before anybody could do anything,
the boat was smashed to
smithereens on the shore.
thug iad an aire do shlige crùbaig
's i a' snamh air an uisge, agus
partan beag na broinn
they noticed a crab shell, swimming
along, with a partan inside.
Bhiodh iad a' dol a dh'iasgach dhan
Eilean Sgitheanach uaireigin leis na
sgothan beaga a bh' aca, às na
h-eileanan ann a sheo
They used to go fishing to Skye in
their small boats.
Dh'fhalbh am bodach a bha seo -
MacInnes
This old man set off, a MacInnes -
Tha pàirt dhen t-sinnsreachd
aige shuas mu Ghleann Dail san
Èirisgeidh fhathast
some of his people are still in
Glendale and Eriskay.
Dh'fhalbh e fhèin 's an triùir mhac
's iad a' dol a dh'ionnsaigh Loch
Pol an Ròthag 's iad a' dol a dh'
ionnsaigh an sgadain foghair
He and his three sons set off for
Loch Pol an Ròthag to fish for
autumn herring.
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minute 83.
Thuirt am fear a b’ òige dhe na
gillean, “Slige na crùbaig, nach ì
tha dìonach,” 's dh’fhalbh e son an
ràmh a bhualadh oirre.
‘S ars am bodach, “Gabh ri rud sam
bith a thachras”.
The youngest son went to prod it
with his oar
but his father told him to leave it
alone.
S nam biodh tu air an ràmh a
bhualadh orm bha mi bàite
Bha mo sheanmhair-sa, 's ann am
Miùghalaigh a thogadh i, màthair
mo mhàthar
“If you had hit me with the oar I
would have drowned.”
My grandmother was brought up on
Mingulay, my mother's mother.
Ghabh an gille a' chomhairle. Chaidh
iad seachad co-dhiù.
The boy did as he was told.
Co-dhiù, an oidhche sin ràinig iad
Ròthag agus chaidh iad chun nan
taighean a b' àbhaist a bhith aca
Anyway, they reached Ròthag and
went to the usual houses.
Cha robh annt' ach taighean beaga
piullach
They were just little houses.
"B' olc bu chòir dhomh àit' a thoirt
dhutsa 'ille òig"
'I shouldn't be offering you
anywhere to stay.''
"Carson?" ars esan
“Why?”
"Da, cha mhòr nach do chuir thu
crìoch orm ’s mi a' falbh à Cille
Bhrìghde
“You nearly killed me on my way
back from Kilbride,
far an robh mi a' togail toradh
nam beathaichean
where I was stealing the goodness
from the cattle by witchcraft.”
nam phartan beag ann an slige
chrùbaig
“It was me in the crab shell.
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minute 84.
Bha i na nighinn òig agus bha
iad as t-earrach a' dol a bhuain
thodhair
She was a young girl and in autumn
they harvested seaweed.
Agus chunnaic iad a-rithist
cuideachd e, mun do bhàthadh na
Pabaich
And they saw it again, too, before
the Pabbay drowning.
Dh'fhàg mo shin-seanair, dh'fhàg ise
air sgeir a' buain an todhair leatha
fhèin.
Agus nuair a thigeadh iad fhèin,
dh'obraicheadh iad an todhar
My great-grandfather left her on a
reef by herself, harvesting seaweed.
They would come along and lift the
seaweed.
Bha iad ga fhaicinn ma
Mhiùghalaigh
Ailein Duinn 's e beul a b' annran
It was seen around Mingulay.
Brown-haired Alan of the musical
voice
Ach co-dhiù, bha i crom a' buain an
todhair
Anyway, she was bending, cutting
the seaweed
s chual' i am fuaim a bha seo agus
thog i a ceann
and she heard this noise and looked
up.
s bha an t-each mòr a bha seo
bìdeag an taobh a-muigh dhen sgeir
There was this big horse near the
reef.
Bha i ag ràdh mar gun robh sligean
a' fàs air
And she said shells seemed to be
growing on it.
Agus leis an eagal a ghabh i
tharraing i an corran agus gheàrr i
a' chorrag cho dona
And she got such a fright she cut
herself so badly with the sickle
agus theab nach leighiseadh i
it barely healed.
Agus nuair a thàinig a h-athair bha
ise gus an t-saoghal fhàgail leis an
eagal.
By the time her father came back
she had almost died of fright.
Cha dèanadh iad sin gu sìorraidh
tuilleadh, duine fhàgail air sgeir
leis fhèin.
But nobody was ever left there by
themselves again.
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minute 85.
minute 86.
Dh'aithnichinn fhìn an toiseach bàt'
thu
I'd know you in the bow of a boat
Taobh ri taobh 's iad gun anail
Side by side and no longer
breathing
Faoileag bheag o fhaoileag mhara
Teann a-nall is innis dhomh an
naidheachd
Little seagull oh, seagull of the
ocean
Come over and tell me your news
Cùl ri cùl a' leigeadh fala
Cha robh seo ach gu dè bha dol
a bhith ann am Miùghalaigh ach
banais
Back to back, leaking blood.
There was going to be a wedding
on Mingulay
Cai'n do dh'fhàg thu na fir gheala
Dh'fhàg mi iad an eilean mara
Where did you leave the fair men?
I left them in the island of the sea
s cha robh uisge-beatha aca airson
na bainnse
Ann am Pabadh, bha fear ris an
canadh iad An Clansach, agus
bhiodh e a' dèanamh an uisgebheatha.
and they had no whisky for the
wedding.
There was a man in Pabbay called
Clancy who made whisky.
Cha robh plana na b' fheàrr na
dhol a dh'ionnsaigh a' Chlansaich a
dh'iarraidh an uisge-bheatha
The plan was to go to Clancy for
the whisky.
Thug an Clansach na pigeachan
mòra bha seo dhaibh
Clancy gave them these big whisky
jugs.
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Chuir iad san sgoth iad agus bha
iad dìreach a-mach beul an t-sluic
leis an sgothaidh
They put them in the boat and they
had just set off
Bha lìon-mhòra aca san sgothaidh
agus chuir iad pigeachan uisgebheatha
nan suidhe
They had a fishing net in the boat
that they put the whisky jugs in
nuaiur a nochd an cutter, an tè aig
an fheadhainn a bhiodh a' tighinn
às an dèidh, muinntir an uisgebheatha
Cha robh ach thug na seòid a
dh'ionnsaigh nan ràimh 's chuir iad
na ceithir ràimh oirre
Agus a-nis a-rèir choltais, na
h-àiteachan tha shuas ann a shiud,
nuair a bhios an làn a' tighinn
a-staigh
when the exciseman's cutter
appeared.
The men took up the four oars.
Apparently, in these places up
there, when the tide comes in
aig bun tràigh Mhiùghalaigh
Rinn iad fhèin air a’ chladach, ‘s
cha robh iad dìreach air fhalachadh
aig a' chladach nuair a nochd an
cutter mun cuairt
Co-dhiù, thàinig iad dìreach a
dh'ionnsaigh a' chladaich agus
bha na Miùghalaich air tighinn a
dh'ionnsaigh a' chladaich iad fhèin.
and left them on the sea bed.
They had just hidden it and gone
ashore when the cutter appeared.
Anyway, they came ashore where
the Mingulay folk were.
a' lìonadh no tràghadh gum biodh
sruthan a' goil mar gum biodh poit
dìreach a bhiodh a' goil
the currents are like a boiling pot.
Ach bha na Miùghalaich cho eòlach
But the Mingulay folk were experts.
Bha an cutter cho fada air deireadh
orra, ghabh iad tro na sruthan,
cha robh iad eòlach air an t-sruth
ann
The cutter was far behind them
because they didn't know the
currents.
Bha na Miùghalaich a' fuireach ris
a' chladach
The Mingulay folk stayed so close to
the shore
agus bhiodh iad cho goirid ris a'
chladach uaireannan 's gum biodh
an ràmh aca ris a' chreig
that sometimes their oars touched
the rock.
Agus eadar a h-uile rud a bh' ann
ràinig iad Miùghalaigh
And between one thing and another
they reached Mingulay.
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minute 88.
Ghabh iad am broinn na sgothadh,
muinntir a' chutter, 's thog iad
gach eile a bh' innte
Sheaft iad a h-uile sgath a bh' innte
ach cha d' fhuair iad sgath ach dhà
no trì dhubhain mheirgeach
S cha robh aig a' chutter ach
tilleadh agus dh'fhalbh a h-uile rud
a bh' ann 's air a bha iad cinnteach
nach tigeadh an cutter tuilleadh
dh'fhalbh iad 's thog iad an lìon
Agus abair sibhse gun robh banais
am Miùghalaigh an oidhche sin
Cha robh duine ann nach robh air
a dhalladh
Bhiodhte fuathasach trom air an
tombaca, air a’ smocadh
agus bha dhòigh againn ann a sheo
gum biomaid a’ toirt na pìob dha
chèile
An latha bha seo anns a’ bhàta,
bha trìuir a bha seo, bha iad a'
toirt seachad na pìob mu seach
dhan fhear sa ‘s dhan fhear ud eile;
‘s iad a’ togail nan cliabh ghiomach
Ach co-dhiù bha iad ullamh a
thogail nan cliabh
The excisemen went into the boat
and searched every bit of it.
They didn't find anything but a few
rusty hooks.
The cutter just had to go and when
they were sure it wasn't coming
back
they lifted the net.
There was quite a wedding in
Mingulay that night.
Everyone was blind drunk.
People used to be heavy smokers
and we had a custom here of
passing the pipe to each other.
This day in the boat, three men
were passing the pipe around
from man to man, as they lifted
the lobster creels.
Anyway, they finished lifting the
creels.
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Sin nuair a bha phìob math maidse
a chur rithe an uair sin air an
rathad dhachaigh
Ach co-dhiù, cha robh sgeul air a'
phìob aig an fhear sa
That's when it was good to light a
pipe; on the way home.
Anyway, this man lost his pipe.
thog iad an cliabh a bh' ann a sheo
Agus bha giomach mòr, brèagha sa
chliabh
agus a' phìob aige na bheul.
they lifted this one.
And there was a fine, big lobster in
the creel
with the pipe in its mouth.
s bha i aige ga smocadh anns an
sgothaidh agus e ga thoirt do chàch
mar a bhiodh i aige fhèin
s cha robh sgeul idir aige oirre, 's
bha e a' faighneachd "An tug mise
dhut i?" - Cha tug"
He'd been smoking it on the boat
and he'd passed it around the
others,
but there was no sign of it. He was
asking, “Did you take it?” “No.”
Agus cha robh dòigh na b' fheàrr
air
na leigeil leis a’ ghiomach a bh’ ann
a shin, gun gearradh na h-ìghne
mhòr aige
And there was nothing else for it
but to leave the lobster alone,
without touching its claw
"Feuch a bheil i agadsa?" "O chan
eil" "'S ann agad fhèin a bha i mu
dheireadh"
“Check if you've got it.” “I don't.”
“You had it last.”
"Chan eil bìdeag dhi agamsa" " Chan
eil i agamsa co-dhiù"
“I haven't got it.” “I don't have it,
anyway.”
Cha robh cothrom air. Chaidh iad
dhachaigh, 's nuair a ràinig an
duine seo an taigh
It couldn't be helped. They went
home and when this man reached
his house
rinn e dìcheall air pìob fhaighinn a
bha a-staigh roimhe aige fhèin.
he went to fetch another pipe.
Agus bha seo math gu leòr airson
a dhol chun nan giomach leatha
a-màireach air ais
It was good enough to take back to
the lobster fishing the next day.
Agus nuair a bha iad dìreach a'
togail nan cliabh, a' tighinn air tìr
dhan sgothaidh
And when they were lifting the
creels and bringing them on board
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minute 90.
minute 91.
air thoir 's gum biodh a thoil fhèin
aige agus 's ann air sàillibh na
pìoba. ‘S e a’ phìob a shàbhail e.
Chaidh eathar a chall ann an Dail
o Thuath
because of the pipe. The pipe saved
it.
A boat was lost from North Dell.
"Nuair a dh'fhosgail mise an doras"
ars esan "'s a chaidh mi a-steach"
"'s e criutha na h-eatharsa a chaidh
a chall,” as esain, “a bha nan suidhe
aig bòrd ag òl leann.”
“When I opened the door and went
in,
the crew of the boat that was lost
were sitting at a table drinking
beer.”
Co-dhiù 's e eathar ùr a bh' ann 's
chaidh a call a-mach air a' Bhutt
It was a new boat and it was lost
near the Butt.
Bha e feagalach an imagination a
bh' aig an duine sin
What an imagination that man had.
Co-dhiù, 's ann a thuirt esan gun
robh iad an latha sa a-muigh goirid
an dèidh dhan eathar sin a bhith
air a call
But anyway, he said they were out
this day soon after that boat was
lost.
Ist bha de yarnaichean an siud
Ud 's math a dh'innseadh an Cabar
an fheadhainn sin
Oh, there were so many yarns.
The Cabar was good at telling them.
Agus 's e na luaidheachan a bh' ac',
na duirgh
"Co-dhiù" ars esan "dh'fhairich mi
an luaidh a steigeadh agus chan
fhaighinn air an dubhan a thoirt
às"
They were using hand-lines with
plummets.
“Anyway,” he said, “I felt the
plummet sticking and I couldn't get
the hook out”.
O, abair e. He sure was.
Nuair a dhèanadh e suidhe an àirde
ann an spare bunk
Tha ghrian dol a thighinn a-mach
feasgar
Sitting up in the spare bunk.
The sun is going to come out this
afternoon.
"Uill" ars esan "Cha robh air ach
dh'fhalbh mi sìos."
"Dh’fhalbh mi sìos air an t-sreang
‘s ’eil fhios agaibh a bhalachaibh
c’aite an robh an dubhan steigte?"
“Oh, well,” he said, “there was
nothing else for it.”
“I followed the line down and do
you know where the hook was
stuck?”
Tha, feumaidh e a dhèanamh
Steam suas an deireadh agus
gheibh thu tionndadh a-mach
Glè mhath, haul thusa an-dràst
It has to be done.
Steam up your end and then you'll
be able to turn.
All right, you haul now
"Tha,” ars esain, “ann an doras
taigh-seinnse ann an New Zealand!"
“On the door of a pub in New
Zealand!”
agus nì sinne haul le chèile a-rithist
Bodach ann am Barraigh agus
cha robh cuimhn' aig duine cuin a
thàinig e ann
and we'll haul later.
There was an old man in Barra.
Nobody could remember when he
arrived there,
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minute 92.
agus cha robh fhios gu dè an aois
a bha e.
or how old he was.
"O uill a-nis" ars am bodach, "tha
sibh a-nist aig an iolla dhòigheil"
“Well,” he said, “you've reached the
good rock”.
Agus bhiodh muinntir an taighe ag
iasgach an uair sin sa Chuan an Iar,
ag iasgach langannan is throsg
Dh'fhàs am bodach dall agus nuair
a thigeadh iad leis an iasg
bhiodh e ga fheuchainn le a
làmhan agus chanadh e "Ho, cha do
ràinig sibh an iolla dhòigheil idir"
"far am faigheadh sibh an t-iasg
ceart"
Ach an triop a bha seo 's ann a
bheireadh iad leotha am bodach
comhla riutha
The people in the house fished in
the Atlantic in those days for ling
and cod.
The old man became blind. When
they brought home the fish
he would feel them with his hands
and say, “You didn't reach the good
rock,
where you catch the right fish”.
But this time they took the old man
with them.
"Gheibh sibh iasg a-nis"
"Thòisich iad sin a' tarraing
langannan is throsg gus an robh
am bàta brùcadh"
"A bheil sibh a' faicinn fearann"
thuirt am bodach "an àite sam
bith?"
Tha còir agaibh air fearann a
thogail
"Tha" arsa fear aca "Tha sinn a'
faicinn eilean" ars esan
“You'll catch fish now.”
They started landing ling and cod
until the boat was full.
“Do you see land anywhere?” said
the old man.
“You should be able to see land.”
“Yes,” said one of them. “We can see
an island.”
Thug iad leotha am bodach
anns a’ bhàta agus a h-uile àite
dh'fheuchadh iad a-mach dorgh
They took the old man in the boat
and everywhere they cast their lines
‘s nuair a bheireadh iad a-staigh
beathach èisg, dh'fheuchadh am
bodach e
and caught a fish, he would feel it
and say,
"O, cùmaibh a-mach" ars esan "chan
eil sibh aige fhathast"
“Keep going. You haven't reached
it yet”.
Cha robh sgeul air fearann aca
They were out of sight of land.
Thug fear aca a-staigh trosg,
dh'fheuch am bodach e
They landed a cod and the old man
felt it.
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minute 93.
“Cumaibh thuige ma-thà” thuirt am
bodach
Ràinig iad an t-eilean “Eil sibh a'
faicinn taigh an seo?” thuirt am
bodach
“Tha” thurt iad “Tha taigh air
mullach an eilein an seo”
“Thèid sinn ann” ars esan “agus
gheibh sinn biadh ann” ars esan
Chaidh iad suas dhan taigh agus
cha robh a-staigh ach cailleach
“Head for it, then,” said the old
man.
They reached the island. “Do you see
a house?” said the old man.
“Yes,” they said. “There's a house at
the top of the island.”
“Well, we'll go there and get food,”
he said.
They went to the house and there
was an old woman there, alone.
Sheall iad a-mach air a' bhàta, dè
thruaigh ach bha an t-eilean a' dol
fodha
Mach a ghabh iad chun a’ bhàta
agus cha robh sìon ach gun d'
fhuair iad innte. Cha robh sgeul air
an eilein.
Sin agad Rocabarra a tha air chall
agus chan fhaigh duine e gus
am faigh Ruairidh nan Trì
Ruaidhreachan e
They looked out at the boat, and
saw the island was sinking.
They barely made it back to the
boat before the island disappeared.
That's the lost island of Rocabarra.
It will only be found by Ruaraidh of
the Three Ruaraidhs.
Nuair a nochd am bodach a-staigh,
thuirt a’ chailleach, "O an tu tha
seo a chùthaidh?" ars ise
When the old man came in, the old
woman said, “Is that you?”
minute 94.
Fhir a' bhàta
O Boatman
"O tha treis ann" ars am bodach “It's been a while,” said the old
man.
Dh’fhaighnich a’ chailleach, "A bheil
do stamag a' leantail riut fhèin
gu math fhathast, a chùthaidh?"
ars ise
"O,” thuirt am bodach. “'S fhada
on a b' fheudar dhomh an crios a
theannadh" ars esan
The old woman asked if he still had
a good appetite.
He said it was a long time since he
had to tighten his belt.
Fhir a' bhàta
Fhir a' bhàta
Mo shoraidh slàn leat 's gach àit an
tèid thu
Bha mi raoir ann an seòmar uaine
Far an tric an robh na h-uaislean
O Boatman
O Boatman
My farewell to you wherever you
go.
For a time last night I was in a
room
Where the gentry were often found
Nuair a ghabh iad an seo am
biadh, thuirt am bodach riutha
When they had eaten, the old man
said,
Ag òl fìon ann ‘s gun deur ga
thruailleadh
Drinking wine without wasting a
drop
"Seallaibh a-mach air a’ bhàt'
'illean mun èirich dad dhi"
“Check the boat, boys, in case
anything happens to it”.
agus fear a' bhàta ga chur mun
cuairt ann
And the boatman passing it round.
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minute 95.
minute 96.
s tha mo chrìdh-sa tùrsach deurach
Mar eala bhàn an dèidh a reubadh
s i ri tàmh ann an lochan feurach
Is càch gu lèir 's iad an dèidh a
trèigsinn
Gheall mo leannan dhòmhsa
prèasant
Gheall e gùn dhomh air dhath na
pheucaig
Fàinne òr chur air aona mheur thu
S tha eagal ormsa gun d' rinn e
dìochuimhn
S tha mo ghaol-sa thall air fairge
Fleasgach uallach an leadain
chalmaich
My heart is drowning in tears
Like a white swan that's been torn
apart
Abiding in a grassy loch
Abandoned without a thought
My beloved promised me a present
He promised me a peacock-coloured
gown
A gold ring for my finger
But I fear he has forgotten
My love is across the sea
A noble long-haired boy
S mòr mo dhùil ri thu thighinn
a-nall às
An èirigh grèine air mhadainn
shamhraidh
S tha mo ghaol-sa an taobh thall
a' gheata
Lainnir òr a-muigh air aitreabh
B' fheàrr leam fhìn gum beirinn
mac dhut
S gun òlta fìon ann an tìm a'
bhaistidh
S tha mo chriosan a' dol an àirde
Chan ann o fhìdhlear na o
thàidhlear
Ach o stiùireamaiche a’ bhàta
Am fear a sgrìobhadh 's a leughadh
Gàidhlig
I yearn for your return
At sunrise on a summer's day
My love is on the other side of the
gate
A maiden outside her dwelling
I would like to bear you a son
And drink wine at his baptism
And my belt is rising
Not from a fiddler or a tailor
But from the helmsman of the boat
The one who could write and read
Gaelic
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minute 97.
Fhir a' bhàta
Fhir a' bhàta
Fhir a' bhàta
Mo shoraidh slàn leat 's gach àit an
tèid thu
O Boatman
O Boatman
O Boatman
My farewell to you wherever you
go.
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Tha am film a’ tabhainn cagairean agus
faileasan de dhaoine agus de thachartasan
duilich a ghabh àite o chionn fhada,
cuimhneachain a tha fhathast a’ toirt buaidh
air beatha nan eilean. Aig àm nuair a tha
Alba agus an RA a’ coimhead ri àm ùr, tha
seo mar chuimhneachan gu bheil snàithleanan
eachdraidh agus fèin-aithne aig fìor oir
Bhreatainn air am fighe, dha-rìribh, ann an
cumhachd liriceadh a’ chànain Ghàidhlig.
The film was produced by Bofa Productions
and Tongue Tied Films, in association with
MG ALBA and the support of the National
Lottery through Creative Scotland. The film’s
development also benefited from the support
of Newcastle University, The University of
Edinburgh, Film at Culture Lab, and the UK
Economic and Social Research Council.
www.iorramfilm.com
© Bofa Productions 2022