Càirdean is Càirdeas	Relatives and Relationships
Anns a' gheamhradh 1936-37, chaidh sreath de phrògraman goirid a chraoladh air an rèidio anns an tug duine pongail as gach eilean Gàidhealach sùil air ais gu àm an òige, nuair a chluinneadh iad sgeulachdan is beul-aithris aig na seann daoine. Tha na prògraman, "Am Measg nam Bodach", làn de ghnàthsan cainnte is briathrachas beartach - tha cuid a dh'fhaclan air am mìneachadh an dèidh an teacsa. Anns an iris seo agus san ath thè, tha Seumas MacThòmais a' coimhead air Leòdhas. (original text)	In the winter of 1936-37, a series of short programmes were transmitted on the radio in which particularly eloquent people from each of the Gaelic-speaking islands took a look back to the time of their youth, when they would hear tales and folk-lore from the old men and women. The programmes, entitled "Amongst the Old Men", are full of idiom and rich vocabulary - some words are interpreted following the text. In this and the next issue, Seumas MacThòmais looks at Lewis. (translation)
Nuair a bha mi 'nam bhalachan òg, bha toil mhòr agam a bhith ag èisteachd ri conaltradh nam bodach nuair a thadhladh iad air oidhche fhada gheamhraidh ann an taigh m' athar, neo a chrùbainn a-steach 'nan cuideachd an taigh eile san nàbachd. Tha mòran dhiubh nach eil ri'm faicinn an-seo nas fhaide; dh'fhalbh iad dhachaigh le'n eachdraidh fhèin 'nan cois. Ach saoilidh mi gur ann a-raoir a bha mi ag èisteachd ri còmhradh fileanta am beòil, agus ar leam gu bheil fiamh an gnùise gu làidir soilleir fa chomhair m' inntinn. Tha e cur dealas 'nam chridhe bhith meòmhrachadh orra a-nochd, agus aig an aon àm a' dùsgadh m' aigne gu cianalas agus fadachd. Bheirinn an rud nach can mi air crathadh làimhe as ùr orra, agus aon sealladh eile fhaighinn air na h-aodannan anns an robh duinealas, faoilte agus muinighinn neo-eisimeileach air an deargadh gu domhainn.	When I was a very young lad, I took great pleasure in listening to the conversation of the old men when they would repair on a long winter's night to my father's house, or I would steal into their company in some other house in the township. Many of them are no longer to be seen any more; they have gone home taking their own history with them. But to me it is as if it was last night that I listened to the fluent conversation from their lips, and I consider the appearance of their faces to be strong and clear in my mind's eye. It warms my heart to be thinking on them tonight, and at the same time it moves my spirit to melancholy and longing. I would give the thing I won't mention for a shake of the hand with them once more, and to get another look at their faces in which friendliness, welcome and unconditional trust were deeply ingrained.
Dh'fhalbh iad, ach dh'fhàg iad cuimhne chùbhraidh 'nan dèidh. Bu choma leo' siud cò chluinneadh iad nuair a bhiodh an conaltradh aig 'àirde. Cha tugadh iad bonaid a-nuas do dhuine geal. Nach fhaca iad fhèin, nach do rannsaich iad a-mach, nach do mheòmhraich iad gu tric? Cò rèist a chuireadh teagamh 'nam barail, neo sheòladh iad air an t-slighe b'aithne dhaibh o chian?	They have gone, and have left fragrant memories behind. Yon fellows didn't mind who could hear them when the discussion was at its height. They wouldn't take their hats off to any man. Had they themselves not seen, not investigated, not mulled over often? Who then could doubt their opinion, or would direct them along the route they had known for ages?
Bodaich thapaidh, neo-sgàthach, sgairteil, nach robh meata neo gealtach nuair a bha am freastal gruamach airtnealach. Cha do dh'fhàg iad na b'fheàrr 'nan dèidh a dh'aindeoin fàs ann an eòlas agus ann an cofhurtachd; cha do dh'fhàg iad air an cùl na bu shona agus na bu thoilichte, ged a bu mhinig a bha iad uireasbhaidheach bochd 'nan crannchur saoghalta. Mo bheannachd aig bodaich Leòdhais; ged dh'fhalbh iad, dh'fhuirich iad.	Plucky, dauntless, energetic old men who were not timid nor cowardly when providence was gloomy and depressing. They didn't leave behind any who were better despite growth in knowledge and comfort; they didn't leave behind any who were more content or happier, though they were often wanting and poor in their worldly lot. My blessings on the old men of Lewis; though they have gone, they have remained.
Is mithich leinn a-nochd car tamaill meòmhrachadh air cuid de na nithean anns an robh ùidh acasan, agus air am bu trice a bha luaidh aca an cuideachd a chèile.	It is appropriate for us tonight to ponder for a short while on some of the things which interested them, and on which they most often talked in each other's company.
Bha aon nì ann nach dìochuimhnicheadh iad uair air bith làmh a thoirt air. B'e sin eachdraidh agus sloinntearachd nan daoine on tàinig iad, agus is mòr m' iongnadh iomadh uair an grèim mionaideach a bha aca air cliù agus eachdraidh am fine a dh'ionnsaigh nan ginealach o chian. Bha mi air a' gheamhradh seo fhèin an cuideachd fir a chaidh air ais leam dà cheud gu leth bliadhna a' lorg freumhan a shinnsearachd. Agus seo agaibh a-nis mar a chuir e dhòmhsa a' chùis.	There was one thing they wouldn't forget to get stuck into at any time. That's the history and genealogy of the folk they came from, and much was my surprise many a time by their minute grasp of the fame and history of their clans stretching back to distant generations. I was this very winter in the company of a man who went back with me 250 years seeking his genealogical roots. And here for you now is how he explained the situation for me.
Is mise Calum mac Iain MhicLeòid, mac Dhòmhnaill MhicLeòid a bu mhac do Dhòmhnaill MacLeòid, a bha pòsta aig Anna Aonghais Dhòmhnaill mhic Iain Dhuibh a thàinig a Muile gu ruig Uig anns a' bhliadhna 1696.	I am Calum the son of John MacLeod, the son of Donald MacLeod who was a son of Donald MacLeod, who was married to Ann of Angus of Donald the son of Black John who came from Mull to Uig in the year 1696.
Cò leis a-nis a bha Calum? Nach iomadh atharrachadh a thàinig air an t-saoghal on là ud.	OK, from whom does Calum come? Hasn't there been many changes in the world since that time.
Dh'aithnichinn fhèin gu ro mhath (agus cha chan duine gu bheil mi aosta -co-dhiù, cha chreidinn e) seann bhean chòir a rugadh ro Bhlàr Uatarlù, agus bha cuimhne aice air a seanair a bha beò anns na Hearadh aig an àm, agus a chunnaic, faodaidh e bhith, Prionnsa Teàrlach air a thuras air slighe ann an Albainn o Sgalpaigh na Hearadh gu Loch Sìophort agus tro Phàirce nan Loch gu ruig Loch Steòrnabhaigh a' sireadh soithich seòlaidh air an teicheadh e don Fhraing anns a' bhliadhna 1746. Is iongantach cho fad agus a shìneadh iad an làmh air ais. Bha Iain Tuathanach ag innse dhomh o chionn ghoirid gur iomadh uair a chuala e a mhàthair ag aithris nan naidheachdan a bhiodh a shinn-seanair Dòmhnall mac Dhonnchaidh ag innse aig a' chagailt aige fhèin mu na h-amannan carraideach tron deach e fhèin an Cogaidhean Napòleon.	I once knew very well (and no-one would say that I'm old - at least, I wouldn't believe it) a decent old woman who was born before the Battle of Waterloo, and she remembered her grandfather who was living in Harris at the time, and who saw, possibly, Prince Charlie on his journey travelling in Scotland from Scalpay, Harris, to Loch Seaforth and through Park in Lochs to Stornoway Loch, seeking a sailing vessel on which he could escape to France in 1746. It is surprising how far back they would stretch their hand. John Farmer was telling me just recently that he heard his mother many times relating the anecdotes that his great-grandfather Donald, Duncan's son, would tell at his own hearth about the tough times he had experienced in the Napoleonic Wars.
Bu mhithich na bodaich a bhith moladh mar an ceudna euchdan nan sonn on tàinig iad, agus gu sònraichte euchdan nan saighdearan preasaidh a sheas cho dìleas agus cho duineil còir an dùthcha ann an tìrean cèine mu dheireadh na h-ochdamh linne deug. Calmachd is tapachd is fearalas cha leigeadh iad idir air dìochuimhne. B'e Aonghas Greumach am fear mu dheireadh de na daoine fiùghanta seo.	It was likely too that the old men would praise the exploits of the warriors from whom they were descended, and in particular the exploits of the conscripted soldiers who stood their country's rights so loyally and generously in foreign lands round about the end of the eighteenth century. Bravery, endurance and manliness they would never forget. Angus Graham was the last of these worthy men.
Bha iad anabarrach dèidheil cuideachd a bhith labhairt am measg a chèile mu chàirdeas agus mu chàirdean. Cha robh teaghlach anns a' bhaile seo, neo anns a' bhaile a b'fhaisge, nach cuireadh iad an eachdraidh aige air do bhois - cò dhiubh a bha an eachdraidh sin math neo a chaochladh. A bheil thu a' faicinn an fhir ud; siud agad, ma-tà, iarogha do dh'Fhionnlagh Pìobaire a chaith iomadh bliadhna ànrach san Talamh Fhuar agus a thill an deireadh a làithean gu bhith ag ùrachadh a sheann eòlais am measg ghleann is bheann is chlachan, agus a phòs 'na sheann aois nighean piuthar da sheanmhar a bha fuireachd leatha fhèin an òb na Muile. Cha robh an nì a bu lugha dol air dìochuimhne.	They were also extremely keen on speaking among themselves about relationships and friends. There was not a family in this township, nor in the neighbouring township, whose history they wouldn't put in your palm - regardless of whether that history was good or otherwise. Do you see yon fellow; well, there you have a great grandchild of Findlay Piper who spent many aimless years in the Cold Land of Canada and who returned in his final years to revive old acquaintances amongst glens, hills and villages, and who married in her old age the daughter of a sister of his grandmother who lived by herself in the bay of the shingle. They didn't forget the least thing.
Ach cha do stad iad idir le bhith ag iomradh air càirdean agus air càirdeas. Bha iad ullamh gu bhith gleidheadh agus a' leantainn a' chàirdeis. Thadhladh iad air a chèile o sgìre gu sgìre, agus o bhaile gu baile, o cheann gu ceann den eilean.	But they didn't in any way stop at remarking on relations and relationship. They were ready to keep and pursue the relationship. They would visit each other from district to district, and from township to township, from end to end of the island.
Is cuimhne leam fhèin càirdean mo sheanmhar a bhith tighinn co-dhiù aon uair sa bhliadhna as na Hearadh nuair nach robh rian siubhail ann ach an dà chois; agus nuair nach robh an rathad mòr ach corrach doirbh ri' choiseachd - is cuimhne leam iad a thighinn a dhleasadh agus a nochdadh a' chàirdeis. Agus bu shona sinne ag èisteachd. Saoilidh mi an-diugh gur ann an saoghal ùr a tha mi. 'S gann gun aithnich an gille òg bràthair a sheanar, neo ogha piuthar a mhàthar, agus mar as fhasa an imeachd 'sann as ainneamh tadhal.	I can remember my grandmother's relations coming at least once each year from Harris when there was no mode of transport other than the two feet; and when the main road was steep and difficult to walk - I remember them coming to claim and proclaim the relationship. And we were happy listening. Today I think I'm in a new world. The young lad hardly recognises his grandfather's brother, or his aunt's grandchild, and as travel gets easier visiting has become rare. istrict, and from township to township, from end to end of the island.
ri leantainn	to be continued

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