| Contents | This volume begins with a Clar-Innse (p. 5) and a Roimh-ràdh by the editor (pp. 7-9). There follows a chronological list of Suileabhan’s travels and jobs (p. 10). The main body of the text is presented in thirty-five chapters, each containing one of Suileabhan’s stories about his life (pp. 11-132). We also find a chapter by MacFhearghuis entitled Man a Chunnacas Suileabhan (p. 133), and two further chapters, both entitled Annas Naidheachd (pp. 137-141). The first of these is a story about Suileabhan, told by Eòghainn Mhurchaidh Eòghainn, and the second is a short account by MacFhearghuis relating to one of the stories mentioned in the volume. Pages 142 and 143 contain pictures of Suileabhan, and other photographs and drawings are spread throughout the text. The line drawings are by MacFhearghuis. An English language book celebrating the life of Suileabhan has recently been published by the same author (A Life of Soolivan, 2004).
The stories range from tales about Suileabhan’s early school days, e.g. Blàr anns an Sgoil (pp. 11-14), to his ‘retirement’ in Port Mholair, e.g. An Ceige (pp. 128-130). The stories include tales about his adventures in Canada, e.g. Lannan Eisg ann am Manitoba (pp. 51-53), in Australia, e.g. Ann am Fàsach Astràilia (pp. 88-91), in America, e.g. Nuair a bha mi an Kalamazoo (pp. 105-107) and Strùp na Creich (pp. 117-19), and in Mexico, where he spent some months in jail before being deported, e.g. Leann-dubh ann am Meacsaco (pp. 125-27). |
| Language | The stories in this volume are told in the first person, as if the speaker was recounting his tales to an audience sitting with him round the fire. As such, the Gaelic used is informal and colloquial, and spattered with the odd word and phrase in English, for example ‘O bha iad cinnteach, ’ille. No doubt about that!’ (p. 17).
Terminology of interest includes terms of address, expletives, and similar phrases, which often occurr as a result of the informal style of writing. Examples include gabh dha! (p. 12), A Dhia (p. 17), geall gu bheil sinn … (p. 17), ma thogair (p. 17), fhios agad (p. 37), ’S a bhalaich ort (p. 37), fèir mus robh (p. 39), thurchair gun tàinig (p. 41), Gu sealladh Dia orm (p. 45), Nise, man a thurchair (p. 49), am bufalair! (p. 71), O b’ e an duine! (p. 71), A bhugair (p. 72), ’S an cac (p. 72), Mhic na croich! (p. 76), Mo chreach! (p. 76), Ach bun a bha seo, … (p. 88), A bhalachaibh (p. 89), A Shuileabhain na croich (p. 104), Gu sealladh sealbh orm (p. 118-19), a bhròinein (p. 119), A Thighearna (p. 122), and mo chreach mhòr (p. 126).
The Gaelic is often very descriptive, e.g. latha mòr cànranach (p. 15), man cat air lìon-beag (p. 17), cha robh taing an taigh a sheanar! (p. 17), air mo lanaigeadh ann an lannan agus roilean an èisg (p. 37), sùilean beaga, prabach, geur (p. 37), cho Gaidhealach ri fraoch na mòintich (p. 51), ’s mòr an t-eallach an t-aineolas (p. 67), cùl-na-còig ann an clàr an aodann (p. 67), air mo bhonnan man tòtaman (p. 69), dìol-dèirig gun dhachaidh, gun obair, a’ falbh na fàsaich gun chonn, gun cheann-uidhe – dìreach beò an dùil, man a bha cù a’ cheàird (p. 88), bha a’ ghrian ’na craos theine (p. 89).
The text also includes a few descriptions of the weather, such as gaoth bho thuath ann agus mill shneachd aice (p. 11), sgromag deighe air na lòin (p. 11), cuithe sneachd (p. 17), and aidhreag mhath gaoith (p. 15).
There are a number of Gaelic words that have been borrowed from English, for example fanndaigeadh (p. 12), baighseagail (p. 15), shoighnig mi air (p. 37), rèiseamaid (p. 37), seobhalaigeadh guail (p. 38), a mhàirdsigeadh (p. 39), fortan (p. 41), an gafar (p. 45), an seusan (p. 51), sòbarr (p. 72), caragu (p. 88), and ’nar prime (p. 104).
Other terms of interest include dìol-dèirce (p. 7) and dìol-dèirig (p. 88), dubh-ghràin agam oirre (p. 11), a’ chuip (p. 11), ’na mo bhrogach (p. 11), an top nan dos (p. 11), barr na h-amhach (p. 15), snagardaich air fhiaclan (p. 17), air an dèirig a thoirt dha (p. 17), an droch ghrèidheadh (p. 17), chaidh … ’na spealgan (p. 17), ’nan smùragan (p. 17), cìocras (p. 37), cho luath ’s a dh’fhidir mi (p. 37), Dia gum biodh air do chrann (p. 41), mus robh a’ bhliadhna ’na cèis (p. 51), dh’èarlaisich e sinn (p. 52), gach darnacha latha (p. 88), a h-uile bonn-a-sia a bh’ agam (p. 88), a h-uile stiall a bh’ agam (p. 89), and coinnle-brianain (p. 90). |
