Làithean Saora ann an Steòrnabhagh	Holidays in Stornoway
Mar chuimhneachan air Seonag Chaimbeul, ban-Leòdhasach a rinn obair ionmholta am measg luchd-ionnsachaidh Dhun Eideann thar iomadh bliadhna, chùm CLI, an co-bhann ri Cearcall Còmhraidh Dhun Eideann agus Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, co-fharpais sgrìobhaidh airson luchd-ionnsachaidh. Ann an Cothrom 9 nochd tè dhen dà aiste a bhuannaich an dàrna duais airson Màiri NicDhòmhnaill à Dun Eideann - tha sinn a' foillseachadh an seo an aiste eile, anns a bheil Màiri ag innse dhuinn mun chiad chuimhne aice air Eilean Leòdhais.	As a memorial to Seonag Campbell from Lewis, who did such sterling work amongst the Gaelic learners of Edinburgh over many years, CLI, in conjunction with the city's conversation circle Cearcall Còmhraidh Dhun Eideann and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, held a writing competition for Gaelic learners. In Cothrom 9 appeared one of the two entries which won the second prize for Mary Macdonald of Edinburgh - we here publish the second entry, in which Mary tells of her first memories of the Isle of Lewis.
Ann an Steòrnabhagh anns a' bhliadhna 1926, nuair a chaidh mi an sin còmhla ri mo mhàthair, is mi naoi bliadhna a dh'aois, bha a h-uile duine a' bruidhinn Gàidhlig. Bha mi glè phròiseil o chionn's gun robh mo mhàthair cho fileanta anns a' chànan neo-àbhaisteach seo.	Everybody spoke Gaelic in Stornoway in 1926, when I went there at the age of nine years old with my mother. I was very proud of how fluent my mother was in this unusual language.
Cha chuimhnich mi ach rud no dhà, dealbhan beaga bhon àm a dh'fhalbh. Cuimhnichidh mi am baile beag far an d'rugadh mo mhàthair, agus sinn a' coiseachd sìos an t sràid…. Thachair sinn ri boireannach àrd eireachdail, is i na suidhe aig doras an taighe. Ach cha b'urrainn dhomh bruidhinn rithe - cha robh Beurla aice, no Gàidhlig agamsa…. Shìos aig a' chladach, faisg air an taigh far an d'rugadh mo mhàthair, choisich a bhean-taighe dhar n ionnsaigh airson fàilte a chur oirnn, agus cliabh làn mòna air a druim.	I can only remember one or two things, glimpses of days gone by. I remember the small town where my mother was born, and ourselves walking down the street… we met a tall, handsome woman, who was sitting at the house door. I couldn't, however, speak to her - she had no English, and I no Gaelic. Down at the shore, near the house in which my mother was born, a housewife walked towards us to welcome us, she had a creel full of peat on her back.
Chòrd e rium a bhith a' cluich air a' chladach, ach cha do chòrd e rium a bhith nam shuidhe a staigh is na h inbhich a' bruidhinn, an còmhnaidh a' bruidhinn mu dheidhinn chàirdean. Cuimhnichidh mi seòmar beag dorch, is mi a' cluich le piseagan nuair a bha iad a' còmhradh…. Ach bha teatha mhath ann, le aran coirce agus gruth mar a rinn mo mhàthair fhèin.	I enjoyed playing at the shore, but I didn't like to be inside talking with the adults, who were always chatting about relatives. I remember a small, dark room; I would be playing with the kittens whilst they talked… but the tea was good, with oatcakes and crowdie, just as my mother would make.
Feasgar thill sinn gu Steòrnabhagh, gu taigh caraid mo mhàthar, duine cudthromach anns an teaghlach againn. B'e bodach mòr treun a bh'ann, coltach ri Lochlannach sna seann làithean, ged a bha e ceithir fichead bliadhna a dh'aois. Bha e air a bhith na riaghladair nam poileas. Bha an seòmar beag glè theth, is thug e òraid fada dhuinn mu dheidhinn an lagha. Mu dheireadh thàinig a bhean a steach le teatha agus briosgaidean.	We returned to Stornoway in the afternoon, to a friend of my mother's house, a man who was very important in the family. He was a large, vigorous man, like the Vikings in the old days, although he was eighty years old. He had been a governor in the police. The small room was very hot, and he gave a long speech about the law. Eventually, his wife came in with tea and biscuits.
An ath latha chaidh sinn sìos don chidhe, far an robh na h iasgairean a' cur gu tìr an sgadan. Sgadan do-àireamh, is na h iasgairean a' lìonadh basgaid an dèidh basgaid bhon toll luinge agus gam falmhachadh aig a' chidhe, a h uile duine uabhasach trang.	The next day, we went down to the pier, where the fishermen were landing the herring. Herring - countless herring, the fishermen filled basket after basket from the hollow of the ship and emptied them on the pier. Everyone was incredibly busy.
Chunnaic mi basgaid a chaidh a chur air ais don bhàta, agus sgadan fhathast ann. "You've left one behind!" dh'èigh mi. Abair gòraich…! Rinn na h-iasgairean gàire, is mi fo nàire.	"You've left one behind!" I shouted.
Bha gach mullach taighe mar gum biodh iad còmhdaichte le sneachd, leis cho dòmhail 's a bha na faoileagan, is iad a' sgreuchail.	I noticed a basket with herring still within it that had been put back into the boat.
Agus clann-nighean an sgadain - cho trang 's a bha iad! Cho luath 's a bha iad, is iad a' cutadh an sgadain agus gan cur do na baraillean salainn! Bha aparain rubair agus bòtannan rubair orra - gu cinnteach bha sin feumail, oir b'e obair glè shalach a bh'innte. 'Se sin a' chuimhne as soilleire a th'agam: aodaich, gàirdeanan rùisgte, a h uile nì còmhdaichte le salann donn agus lannan.	It was as if every house had a covering of snow, with so many, densely-packed, screeching seagulls. And the fishergirls - how busy they were! How fast they were, cutting the herring and putting them into barrels of salt! They wore rubber aprons and boots - certainly useful as the work was very dirty. That's my clearest memory: clothing, bare arms, everything covered with brown salt and scales.
An ùine gheàrr thàinig na làithean-saora gu crìoch, is mi san sgoil ann an Liverpool a' coimhead air atlas. Chuir mi loidhne fon ainm "Stornoway". B'e àite sònraichte a bh'ann; cha robh fios mu dheidhinn aig mo charaidean san sgoil. Bha e mar seilbh agam fhèin.	The holidays ended very quickly, and I was back to school in Liverpool looking at an atlas. I put a line under the name "Stornoway". A special place unknown to my friends in the school. As if I myself owned it.

Màiri NicDhòmhnaill

You can find more articles in the archive under Gaelic Column and information on the organization at C.L.I.

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