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Scots Independent

The Flag in the Wind
Features - Gaelic Column
November 2003

 Scottish Flag

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Colbh Gàidhlig

Mar a fios agaibh, cha bhi mise a’ gearran. Fad na h-ùine. Ach cha d’fhuair mi litrichean molaidh sam bith an dèidh dhomh colbh cho inntinneach sgrìobhadh air a’ mhìos seo chaidh. Cha do dh’fhòn Ruairidh Dòmhnallach na bu mhotha. Sgeul mo bheatha. Mar a thuirt an seanfhacal ‘Mas math leat do mholadh, faigh bàs; mas math leat do chàineadh, pòs.

Chan eil mi dol a bhruidhinn air Co-labhairt a’ Phàrtaidh a chionn ‘s gu bheil fhios agam gum bi tòrr ann am Beurla ma dhèidhinn, agus chan eil mi airson an aon rud a ràdh ann an cainnt nèimh. Their mi dìreach gun d’ rinn Iain Swinney òraid mhath, nam bheachdsa co-dhiù, (saoil an d’fhuair esan litrichean molaidh?) agus bha am balach a’ fuaimneachadh math. Bha Rosanna Cunningham dìreach ainmeil cuideachd agus tha mi cinnteach gun d’ rinn na thuirt ise diofar mòr don bhòt.

Ceart gu leòr, fear de na h-adhbharan as toil leam Rosanna, ‘s e sin gu bheil i airson gum bi Alba na poblachd. Nach tuirt mi roimhe? Le Longannet dùinte tha seann mhèinne againn; tha teaghlach rìoghail againn nach eil sin a’ cleachdadh, – chuir na Rùiseanaich dà rud cosmhail ri sin còmhla ann an dòigh innleachdach. . .  Tha mi dìreach ag ràdh.

Fhad ‘s a tha mi bruidhinn air Alba a bhith na poblachd, cò bhitheadh againn mar cheann-suidhe? Gu fortanach, tha cuideigin nam inntinn. Boireannach, Gàidheal, tè nach rachadh còmhla ri interns agus nach tòiseachadh cogadh le Iraq . . . Aidh, chuala sibh seo roimhe, ach cha d’fhuair mi cuireadh fhathast. Me for president a leughadairean chòir.

Mura bruidhinn mi air a’ cho-labhairt, tha sin gam fhàgail ann an duilgheadas. Dh’fheuch mi smaointinn air rud eigin inntinneach a ràdh ach tha eagal orm nach tàinig mòran a-staigh orm agus mar sin tha an t-àm agam air son plana seòlta. Gu mì-fhortanach chuir sin nam chuimhne an t-àm a bha mi ann an Tulliallan, nuair a thill mi a dh’Alba, agus dh’fheuch mi plana seòlta. An tuirt mi seòlta? Chan b’ e sin am facal! Bha am plana seo cho seòlta, nam bitheadh earball fada air bhitheadh e na mhadhadh-ruadh!  B’ ann mar seo a bha e - cha robh mi riamh dèidheil air ruith agus dheanainn a h-uile leisgeul a b’ urrainn dhomh fhaighinn às. Latha a bha seo thuirt an sergeant gum b’ fheudar dhuinn ruith tarsainn na dùthcha (no cross-country) a dheanamh. ‘S e an fhìrinn a th’ agam, a leughadairean chòir, tha mi smaointinn gun do dh’fhàg am fear sin an SS a chionn ‘s nach robh iad cruaidh gu leòr. Co-dhiù, dh’fhalbh sinn a-mach air a’ chearnaig agus nuair a thug esan seachad an t-òrdugh thòisich sinn ruith. Nis, mun cuairt air an àm bha tòrr anns na meadhanan mu “marathons” agus daoine ‘a’ bualadh a’ bhalla’. Mar sin, dh’fhalbh mi cho dlùth air an t-sergeant ‘s a b’ urrainn dhomh agus ruith mi cho clis ‘s a b’ urrainn dhomh gus an robh sinn a-mach as a’ cholaiste. (Am fear a gheibh ainm na moch-eirigh, faodaidh e laighe anmoch.) An uairsin chuir mi mo làmh gu mo chridhe, thionndaidh mi thuige agus thuirt mi ‘Cha ghabh e deanamh sergeant, tha mi air am balla a bhualadh. Fanaidh mise an seo – na gabh dragh, dìreach fàg mi agus cum ort.’ Seòlta, eh? Chan urrainn dhomh a ràdh ann an clò dè fhreagair e, ach bha mo phàrantan pòsda agus chan eil mi a’ creidsinn fhathast gun rachadh aige air ruith agus a chas suas mo thòn.

Bidh Bile Gàidhlig a’ tighinn a-mach aig a’ Mhòd, agus an ath mhìos bidh mi bruidhinn air na tha ann. Tha Pàdraig Peacock air innse dhuinn gum bi am Bìle seo nas fheàrr na am fear roimhe, a chur Mìcheal Russell air adhart. Chì sinn, a charaidean, chì sinn. Cuideachd, tha mi cinnteach gum bi gearranan gu leòr agam mu cho-dhùnaidhean nam farpaisean, mura faigh na h-Ilich a’ chiad àite. Tha sibh air rabhadh fhaighinn! ‘S dòcha gun innis mi dhuibh a-rithist mun latha a ghlèidh mise a’ chiad àite ann am farpais ag aithris a’ Bhìobaill. Ficheadamh caibideil an Taisbeanaidh, rann aon gu còig. . .

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