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21/05/2007

Tha litir bheag na seachdain aig Ruairidh MacIlleathain.

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An Litir Bheag 105

An ath-mhìos bidh deich bliadhna ann bho cheannaich muinntir Eige an t-eilean aca. Anns an Ògmhios naoi ceud deug, naochad ’s a seachd (1997), fhuair Urras Eige sealbh air an eilean. Roimhe sin bha mòran anns an eilean mì-thoilichte leis na h-uachdarain a bh’ aca.

Bha mi ann an Eige anns na naochadan mar neach-naidheachd. Bha sin as t-samhradh, naoi ceud deug, naochad ’s a ceithir (1994). Bha muinntir an eilein a’ faighinn smachd air Urras Eige air an latha sin. ’S e Urras Eige a’ bhuidheann a bha ag iarraidh an t-eilean a cheannach. Ach cha robh an t-uachdaran ag iarraidh an t-eilean a reic dhaibh.

Rinn mi agallamhan airson Radio nan Gàidheal. Bha sin le seann daoine a bhuineadh don eilean. Ach bha bonaid na Beurla orm cuideachd. Bha mi ann cuideachd as leth Radio Alba – seirbheis rèidio Bheurla a’ BhBC. Bha mi ag iarraidh agallamh a dhèanamh leis an uachdaran, Keith Schellenberg. Choisich mi suas am bruthach don taigh mhòr. Bha Mgr Schellenberg a-staigh.

Cha robh e idir coltach ris an dealbh anns na meadhanan. Bha e uabhasach laghach. Bha e èibhinn. Bha e dòigheil. Uill, bha sin mus tug mi am maicreafòn a-mach.

Chuir mi ceistean air mun choimhearsnachd, agus gun robh iad ag iarraidh an t-eilean a cheannach. Dh’atharraich a shunnd. Dh’fhàs e feargach. Bha e a’ cur sìos air “comannaich” is “comannachas”. Bha droch bheachd aige air uachdranachd phoblach. Bha meas aige air na daoine a bha à Eige bho thùs. Ach cha robh deagh bheachd aige air cuid eile a bha a’ fuireach anns an eilean. Agus cha robh deagh bheachd aig na daoine sin air an uachdaran.

Bha mi a’ smaoineachadh nach robh Keith Schellenberg a’ dol a bhith ann fada. Agus cha robh. Ach chan e Urras Eige a cheannaich an t-eilean. Nochd fear eile às an adhar. Fear air an robh “Maruma”. A bheil cuimhne agaibh air?

Faclan is abairtean

Faclan is abairtean: an ath-mhìos: next month; bidh deich bliadhna ann bho cheannaich muinntir Eige an t-eilean aca: ten years will have elapsed since the people bought their island; sealbh: ownership; roimhe sin bha mòran anns an eilean mì-thoilichte leis na h-uachdarain: before that many on the island were unhappy with the landlords; anns na naochadan: in the nineties; smachd: control; a bha ag iarraidh an t-eilean a cheannach: that wanted to buy the island; cha robh an t-uachdaran ag iarraidh an t-eilean a reic dhaibh: the landlord didn’t want to sell the island to them; bha bonaid na Beurla orm: I had the English language hat on; bha mi ag iarraidh agallamh a dhèanamh: I was wanting to do an interview; choisich mi suas am bruthach don taigh mhòr: I walked up the slope to the big [estate] house; coltach ris an dealbh anns na meadhanan: like the picture in the media; uabhasach laghach: very nice; èibhinn: funny; dòigheil: reasonable; mus tug mi am maicreafòn a-mach: before I brought out the microphone; chuir mi ceistean air mun choimhearsnachd: I asked him questions about the community; dh’atharraich a shunnd: his mood changed; feargach: angry; bha e a’ cur sìos air “comannaich” is “comannachas”: he was dismissive of “communists” and “communism”; bha droch bheachd aige air uachdranachd phoblach: he had a poor opinion of public landlordism; bha meas aige air na daoine a bha à Eige bho thùs: he respected the people who belonged to Eigg originally; chan e Urras Eige a cheannaich an t-eilean: it is not the Eigg Trust that bought the island; nochd fear eile às an adhar: another man appeared out of the blue [sky]; fear air an robh “Maruma”: a man called “Maruma”; a bheil cuimhne agaibh air?: do you remember him?.

All the letters

Tha gach Litir Bheag an seo / All the Little Letters are here.

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