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A letter for Gaelic learners with Roddy MacLean.

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Litir 425: TĂĄin BĂł Cuailnge

Nuair a bha mi a’ fuireach anns an Eilean Sgitheanach cha robh mi uabhasach fada bho sheann chaisteal a tha a-nise na thobhta – Caisteal DhĂčn SgĂ thaich. Chuala mi bho dhaoine anns an eilean gun robh e air ainmeachadh airson SgĂ thach, seann bhanrigh a bha a’ fuireach anns an Eilean Sgitheanach nuair a bha Cuchulainn na ghille. Cha b’ ann an-dĂš no a bhon-dĂš a bha sin. Bha SgĂ thach cruaidh, comasach, gaisgeil – agus borb cuideachd.

Dh’ainmich mi Cuchulainn. B’ esan am balach! Ged a tha muinntir na h-Èireann ga agairt dhaibh fhùin, agus ged a bha e na Ultach – fear a bhuineas do dh’Ulaidh – bha buinteanas aige do dh’Alba cuideachd, mar a chì sinn.

Tha Cuchulainn a’ nochdadh, am measg eile, anns an sgeulachd ainmeil, TĂĄin BĂł Cuailnge – ’s dĂČcha an sgeulachd as sine a th’ anns an Roinn EĂČrpa a tha a’ buntainn ri gaisge nan seann lĂ ithean. Gu tric ann am Beurla thathar a’ gabhail The Cattle Raid of Cooley air. TĂĄin BĂł Cuailnge.

Tha an stĂČiridh a’ tĂČiseachadh – thathar a’ smaoineachadh, faisg air dĂ  mhĂŹle bliadhna air ais – le rĂŹgh is banrigh Chonnacht – Ailill agus Medb. Bha an dithis aca beartach. Bha iad a-mach air a chĂšile mu dheidhinn na bh’ aig gach duine aca de stĂČras. Bha Medb farmadach mu tharbh air leth math a bh’ aig Ailill. Bha an tarbh ann an treud Medb an toiseach ach cha robh e toilichte a bhith fo smachd boireannaich agus dh’fhalbh e gu treud Ailill. ’S e Finnbhennach an t-ainm a bh’ air. Tha sin a’ ciallachadh “fionn-adharcach”.

Uill, bha Medb ag iarraidh tarbh a cheart cho math ris, agus bha i air cluinntinn mu fhear donn ann an Cuailnge ann an Ulaidh. Bha an tarbh sin le ceann-feadhna air an robh Daire MacFiachna.

Bha Medb deĂČnach pĂ igheadh airson an tarbh a ghabhail air mhĂ l. Ach cha robh na teachdairean aice uabhasach gleusta. Leig iad fhaicinn do Dhaire MacFiachna gum biodh iad air an tarbh donn a ghoid bhuaithe mura robh e air a bhith deĂČnach a thoirt seachad air mhĂ l. Uill, chuir sinn crĂŹoch air a’ bhargan. Chaidh teachdairean Medb dhachaigh a Chonnacht Ă s aonais an tairbh.

Bha Medb fiadhaich. Chuir i roimhpe an tarbh donn a thoirt air ais ge b’ oil le Daire. Chuir i arm ri chĂšile. Fhuair i taic bho ghaisgich Ă  Mumhan, mĂČr-roinn eile de dh’Èirinn. Gheall Medb fearann, airgead – eadhon a nighean fhĂšin – do dh’fhir a bhiodh deĂČnach sabaid Ă s a leth.

ThĂČisich an t-arm air a shlighe a dh’Ulaidh. Nochd bana-bhuidseach agus thug i rabhadh do Mhedb gun a dhol air adhart leis a’ chogadh. Ach cha do dh’ùist Medb rithe.

An toiseach bha cĂčisean a’ coimhead fĂ bharach do dh’arm Chonnacht. Bha fir Uladh uile tinn. Bha, co-dhiĂč, ach aon duine – Cuchulainn. Aig an Ă m bha Cuchulainn dĂŹreach seachd bliadhn’ deug a dh’aois. Agus bha aige ri Ulaidh a dhĂŹon leis fhĂšin. Ach ’s e a bha gaisgeil. Mharbh e mĂČran saighdearan.

Mu dheireadh bha cĂčmhnant ann eadar an dĂ  thaobh. Dh’aontaich Cuchulainn sabaid na aonar an aghaidh gaisgeach sam bith – fhad ’s a dh’fhuiricheadh na saighdearan Connachtach far an robh iad. Fear Ă s dĂšidh fear, latha Ă s dĂšidh latha, rinn Cuchulainn a’ chĂčis air gach gaisgeach a chuireadh air a bheulaibh.

Ach latha a bha seo, cĂČ nochd mu a choinneamh ach a bhrĂ thair dalta, Ferdiad. ChĂŹ sinn gu dĂš dh’ùirich eatarra an ath-sheachdain. Agus chĂŹ sinn carson a dh’ainmich mi SgĂ thach agus an t-Eilean Sgitheanach aig toiseach na Litreach.

Faclan na Litreach

Faclan na Litreach: SgĂ thach: SgĂ thach (a legendary warrior queen based on Skye); Ultach: Ulsterman; farmadach: envious; treud: herd; ceann-feadhna: clan leader.

Abairtean na Litreach

Abairtean na Litreach: Caisteal DhĂčn SgĂ thaich: Dunsgaith Castle; bha X cruaidh, comasach, gaisgeil – agus borb: X was tough, able, heroic – and brutal; b’ esan am balach!: he was the [cool] guy!; ged a tha muinntir na h-Èireann ga agairt dhaibh fhĂšin: although the people of Ireland claim him as theirs; fear a bhuineas do dh’Ulaidh: a man who belongs to Ulster; a tha a’ buntainn ri gaisge nan seann lĂ ithean: which deals with the heroism of ancient times; mu dheidhinn na bh’ aig gach duine aca de stĂČras: about the riches each possessed; cha robh e toilichte a bhith fo smachd boireannaich: he wasn’t happy being under the control of a woman; bha Medb ag iarraidh tarbh a cheart cho math ris: Medb wanted a bull just as good as him; deĂČnach pĂ igheadh airson an tarbh a ghabhail air mhĂ l: willing to pay to hire the bull; cha robh na teachdairean aice uabhasach gleusta: her messengers weren’t very diplomatic; gum biodh iad air an tarbh donn a ghoid bhuaithe: that they would have stolen the brown bull from him; chuir sinn crĂŹoch air a’ bhargan: that put paid to the bargain; ge b’ oil le Daire: regardless of Daire; Mumhan, mĂČr-roinn eile: Munster, another province; gheall Medb fearann, airgead – eadhon a nighean fhĂšin: Medb promised land, money – even her own daughter; dh’aontaich X sabaid na aonar an aghaidh gaisgeach sam bith: X agreed to single combat against any warrior; a chuireadh air a bheulaibh: who was put in front of him; a bhrĂ thair dalta: his foster-brother; gu dĂš dh’ùirich eatarra: what happened between them.

Puing-chĂ nain na Litreach

Puing-chànain na Litreach: Finnbhennach: Finnbhennach (Fionn-bheannach, “fair-horned”) might be a male chauvinist bull but he has an interesting name. Irish dictionaries list “horn” as the primary meaning of beann even today which gives the word a long pedigree (the same can be said of fionn which remains an active word in the languages of both countries). But beann has shifted in Scottish Gaelic where even in Dwelly’s day it meant “horn” only in Islay. An oblique form of the word – beinn – has become our standard word for “mountain” (presumably as an extension of the idea of a pointed object). The common term today for “horn” in Scottish Gaelic is adharc, which is derived from an old Celtic root meaning “defend”.

GnĂ thas-cainnt na Litreach

Gnàthas-cainnt na Litreach: Cha b’ ann an-dù no a bhon-dù a bha sin: lit. that wasn’t yesterday or the day before – ie it was a very long time ago.

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