Find our contact information and learn more about us View our terms and conditions for use of our web site and view our privacy policy The Home Page of Electric Scotland
A comprehensive accommodation index of Scotland Beth Gay produces this regular publication on genealogy and Scottish events Loads of book to read about all things Scottish All about Robert Burns, Scotland's National Poet Learn a bit about Scottish Business here. View and Add Scottish events around the world Learn all about the clans and families of Scotland and Ireland Learn about thousands of famous Scots The weekly publication telling you about the culture of Scotland and the Politcal fight for Independence Lots of recipes to read and visit our recipe database Lots of wee Scottish and other games to play This is a 6 volume gazetteer of Scotland Loads of genealogy advice and information Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the site and the content Our menu for the huge amount of Scottish history that is on the site Lots of great fun for Kids including over 800 children's stories Lots of information on Scottish culture and Lifestyle including information on our Haggis, Music, Scots Language and lots more Learn about nature in Scotland and Scottish wildlife This is where you can read old issues of our weekly newsletter Thousands of pictures of Scotland to enjoy Lots of Poetry and Stories to enjoy and many of these sent in by our visitors This is where you can learn about Scots all over ther world in the USA, Canada, Australia, Europe and elsewhere Learn about the Scots-Irish Our web search engine for all things Scottish Get up to date Scottish news here and find Scottish news sources This is where we offer various services like out Article Service, Recipe database, Postcards and more where you can interact with out site Use our Tartan Search Engine to find your tartan Going for a holiday to Scotland then this section will help Lots of interesting wee videos on Scottish themes Find on what we've added to the site today! This is Alastair's personal site where he records his travels
 The Aois Community brings you message forums and lots of community services Electric Scotland's Article Service where you can add your own stories and articles Send a postcard from our ScotCards service
A comprehensive holiday accommodation Index for ScotlandEdinburgh and Scotland Accommodation, Bed & Breakfast, Self Catering, Guest Houses, Inns, Holiday Tourist AccommodationA Free to Air Web TV Channel all about ScotlandHoliday in Scotland. An amazing collection of unique holiday cottages, castles and apartments, all over Scotland in truly amazing locations.
STV (Scottish Television, SMG), Scotland's Premier TV Station with up to date news from Scotland and around the world.House of Tartan brings you kilts, tartans and gifts from Scotland. Find your tartan in our clan tartan database.Holiday Cottages Scotland. Self Catering and Holiday Homes.The All Celtic Music Store. Scottish, Irish and Celtic Music CD's. Buy and download single tracks or complete CD's
Search our site here!

Scenes of Scotland by David McConnell Hunter

Click here to get a Printer Friendly Page
Scots Place Names
Scottish Food Overseas
wedding cakes scotland Advertise on all 1000+ pages of the Flag in the Wind
Strathblane Country House
Handmade Gifts

 

Scots Independent

The Flag in the Wind
Features - Gaelic Column
October 2003

 Scottish Flag

Home | About Us | Subscriptions | Archives | SNP | Ad Rates | Features | Adverts | Events | Links

Colbh Gàidhlig

Rud beag cultair a’ mhìos seo a charaidean. (Tha cuimhne agaibh – an seòrsa rud a bh’ ann mus do thòisich sgudal ifrinneach mar ‘Big Brother’.) Ma leugh sibh mo cholbh mu dheireadh bidh fios agaibh gun robh mi ag ràdh gum bu chòir dhomh bruidhinn air bàrdachd. (Faic mise? Faic cultar?) Seachdain no dhà as dèidh sin nach faca mi anns a’ cholbh aig Murchadh MacLeòid san ‘Scotland on Sunday’, gun tug na Gàidheil ceòl soisgeulach do na daoine dubha? A-rèir rannsachaidh a rinn fear anns na Stàitean Aonaichte dh’ionnsaich na tràillean an seòrsa seinn aca bhon dòigh a chuireas sinne a-mach an loighne. Chuir e iongnadh orm. Chan eil duilgheadas sam bith agam gabhail ris an smuain gun tug sinn seachad seinn, ach nuair a choimheadas tu air na rudan a chuir iad ris thall thairis, tha e gu math doirbh ceangal fhaicinn eadar ceòl nan eaglaisean an-seo agus an-sin. An dealbh de na bodaich is cailleachan ann an Ile a’ leum bho thaobh gu taobh agus iad a’ bas-bualadh ‘s a’ gairm a-mach ‘hallelujah’ – uill cha ghabh i creidsinn! A bhràithrean agus pheathraichean. Lawdy, lawdy.

Fhathast air seinn, chluich Runrig faisg orm o chionn goirid. Mar sin, ‘s ann air seinn a bhios mi a-mach a’ mhìos seo. Fàgaidh sinn bàrdachd don darna taobh, ged a bha mi math air bàrdachd a sgrìobhadh. Uill b’ e bàrdachd a bha mise a’ cantail ris. Bha beachd eile aig Iain Mac a’ Ghobhainn a bha nam thidsear Beurla.

Thug Runrig orm smaointinn air mar a bha na h-Ilich nuair a bha mise òg, agus sinn cho math air seinn air a’ bhàta dhachaigh bhon Oban. Mun cuairt air an àm a bha Runrig tòiseachadh bha sinne trang air òrain eadar-theangachadh. Ceart gu leòr chuala mi o chionn bliadhna no dhà a-nis gun robh Runrig smaointinn air eadar-theangachadh a dheanamh air òran Rolling Stones den ainm ‘Hey! You! Get offa ma cloud!’ B’ e ‘Hey! MacLeod! Get offa ma ewe!’ a bha iad dol a chur air.  Saoil carson nach deach sin air adhart. . .?

Bha sinne air thoiseach orra ann an Ile co-dhiù. Bha mi fhèin agus Niall Iain fiadhaich math air an òran Rod Stewart ‘I am sailing’. Feuchaibh e – thèid e gu Gàidhlig cho math ‘s a ghabhas. ‘Tha mi seòladh, tha mi seòladh, dhachaigh a-rithist, thar a’ chuain, tha mi seòladh, dol seachad air neòil àrd’, a bhith faisg ort, a bhith dlùth.’ Math, eh? Thàinig e rud beag as a chèile as dèidh sin ceart gu leòr. Cha robh e idir soirbh a bhith a-mach air an deic, bàta dol sìos is suas, gaoth a’ sèideadh agus a’ gabhail ‘An urrainn dhut gam chluinntinn’ taobh a-staigh an fhuinn. Bhitheadh luchd-turais a’ coiseachd seachad gan suathadh fhèin agus ag ràdh ‘An e sin an t-uisge air?’ Taing do Dhia gun robh  m’ fhiaclan fhèin agam aig an àm, no bhitheadh na daoine bochda a’ smaointinn gun robh inneal-spreadhaidh a’ dol dheth.

Chuir sinn rudan an rathad eile cuideachd. Cò dhiochuimhnicheas gu bràth a’ Bheurla a chuir balach as a’ bhaile agam air an òran bhrèagha ‘Are you on the pill Màiri Bhàn’?

Ma bhios duine agaibh airson innse do Runrig gu bheil iomadh òran eile agam a dh’fhaodas iad a chleachdadh, siuthadaibh! Dheanainn fhèin e, ach chan fhòn Ruairidh Dòmhnallach air ais thugam. Ok, cha toir e dhomh an àireamh fòn aige. Ok, chan eil e eòlach orm idir. Ach carson a mhillinn sgeulachd mhath leis an fhìrinn?

Mus tèid mi their mi gun robh Runrig fìor mhath mar as àbhaist. Bidh mi air ais an ath mhìos mura faigh Ruairidh Dòmhnallach interdict.

 Return to Gaelic Column Index Page