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10/05/2010

Tha litir bheag na seachdain-sa aig Ruaraidh MacIllEathain. This week's short letter for learners is introduced by Ruaraidh MacLean.

5 minutes

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Mon 10 May 2010 19:00

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An Litir Bheag 261

Tha stĂČiridh agam dhuibh – BĂ s Chiuinlaoich. Ann am Beurla, The Death of Conlaoch. Tha e Ă  beul-aithris Albannach. Nuair a bha e ĂČg, dh’fhĂ g CĂč Chulainn Èirinn. ThĂ inig e a dh’Alba. ThĂ inig e don Eilean Sgitheanach. Dh’ionnsaich e sgilean sabaid aig a’ bhanrigh ghaisgeil, SgĂ thach. Bha ise a’ fuireach ann an Caisteal DhĂčn SgĂ thaich. Tha sin ann an SlĂšite. ’S e treun-laoch a bh’ ann an CĂč Chulainn. Bha ball-airm iongantach aige. B’ e sin an gath-bolg, no fiery dart. Fhad ’s a bha e anns an Eilean Sgitheanach, fhuair CĂč Chulainn dlĂčth ri bana-ghaisgeach Albannach. ’S e Aoife an t-ainm a bha oirre. Bha i an dĂčil leanabh – leanabh ChĂč Chulainn. Ach thill CĂč Chulainn a dh’Èirinn. Bha e a’ dol a thilleadh a dh’Alba. Ach cha do thill. Rugadh leanabh-gille aig Aoife. ’S e Conlaoch an t-ainm a bha air. Cha d’ fhuair Aoife taic sam bith bho ChĂč Chulainn. Cha robh i toilichte. Bha i a’ dol a dh’fhaighinn dĂŹoghaltas air CĂč Chulainn. Fhuair an gille trĂšanadh ann an sabaid bho a mhĂ thair. Bha a h-uile sgil sabaid aig Conlaoch ach aonan. Cha do dh’ionnsaich e mar a chleachdadh e an gath-bolg. Rinn Aoife cinnteach nach robh an sgil sin aige. Bha i ag iarraidh CĂč Chulainn a pheanasachadh. Dh’iarr i air Conlaoch dhol a dh’Èirinn, agus CĂč Chulainn a thoirt air ais a dh’Alba. Ach dh’iarr i air gun a bhith ag innse do dhuine sam bith cĂČ e. RĂ inig Conlaoch Èirinn. Thachair e ri CĂč Chulainn. Dh’fhaighnich CĂč Chulainn de Chonlaoch cĂČ e. DhiĂčlt Conlaoch innse. ThĂČisich an dithis air sabaid. Bha Conlaoch math air sabaid. Ach cha robh gath-bolg aige. Agus rinn CĂč Chulainn a’ chĂčis air Conlaoch leis a’ ghath-bholg. Nuair a bha e a’ bĂ sachadh, dh’inns Conlaoch ainm do ChĂč Chulainn. Bha fios aig CĂč Chulainn gun robh e air a mhac fhĂšin a mharbhadh. Bha e troimhe-chĂšile. B’ e sin dĂŹoghaltas Aoife.

The Little Letter 261

I have a story for you – Bàs Chiuinlaoich. In English, The Death of Conlaoch. It’s from Scottish oral tradition. When he was young, Cuchullin left Ireland. He came to Scotland. He came to the Isle of Skye. He learned fighting skills from the warrior queen Sgàthach. She was living in Dunscaith Castle. That’s in Sleat. Cuchullin was a champion. He had an amazing weapon. That was the gath-bolg, or fiery dart. While he was in Skye, Cuchullin got close to a Scottish warrior woman. She was called Aoife. She was expecting a child – Cuchullin’s child. But Cuchullin returned to Ireland. He was going to return to Scotland. But he didn’t [return]. A boy-child was born to Aoife. He was called Conlaoch. Aoife received no assistance from Cuchullin. She was not pleased. She was going to exact revenge on Cuchullin. The lad received training in fighting from his mother. Conlaoch had all the fighting skills except one. He didn’t learn how to [how he would] use the gath-bolg. Aoife made sure he didn’t have that skill. She was wanting to punish Cuchullin. She asked Conlaoch to go to Ireland and to bring Cuchullin back to Scotland. But she asked him not to tell anybody who he was. Conlaoch reached Ireland. He met Cuchullin. Cuchullin asked him who he was. Conlaoch refused to tell him. The two started to fight. Conlaoch was good at fighting. But he didn’t have a gath-bolg. And Cuchullin defeated Conlaoch with the gath-bolg. When he was dying, Conlaoch told Cuchullin his name. Cuchullin knew he had killed his own son. He was in mental turmoil. That was Aoife’s revenge.

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  • Mon 10 May 2010 19:00

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The Little Letter for Gaelic Learners

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