Reference Number37
TitleCreach Mhór nam Fiadh
AuthorDomhnallach, Tormod
EditorN/A
Date Of Edition1973
Date Of Languagemid to late 20c
Date Of Language Ed1950-1999
DateMacroMid 20th c.
Date Of Language Notes
PublisherStornoway Gazette
Place PublishedStornoway
VolumeN/A
LocationNational and academic libraries
Geographical OriginsTong, Lewis
Geographical Origins EdLewis
GeoMacroLewis
GeoX-6.3591
GeoY58.2434
Geographical Origins Notes
RegisterLiterature, Prose
Register EdLiterature, Prose
GenreLiterature
MediumProse
RatingB
The story of the Park Deer Raid of 1887, from the point of view of the Balallan crofters.
Contains terminology relating to the raid itself, to communications and the media, to the law, and to guns.
The main characters of the story are introduced by title (e.g. An Procudar-lagha and Ceannard Phoilis).
Some of the phrases seem to reflect English syntax.
 
Alternative Author NameNorman Malcolm MacDonald
Manuscript Or EditionEd.
Size And Condition20.9cm x 14.7 cm
Short TitleCreach Mhór nam Fiadh
Reference DetailsEUL: PB1648.D48 Macd.
Number Of Pages80
Gaelic Text ByN/A
IllustratorDiana de Vere Cole
Social ContextThis text tells the story of the Deer Raid of 1887 in Park, in the Lochs district of Lewis, from the point of view of the Balallan crofters. In the words of the author, this text is a ‘Dealbhaireachd air aon de na tachartasan a bu chliùmhoir ann an Cogadh nan Croitearan anns a’ Ghàidhealtachd’ (p. 5). Tormod (Calum) Domhnallach was born in Canada, on the shores of Lake Superior, in July 1927, and was the oldest of six children. His parents were Finlay Macdonald, a civil servant from Aignish, and Mary Ann MacLeod, from Tong. They had emigrated to Canada in 1920 and 1923 respectively, and had married in 1925. As a result of the Great Depression, the family returned to Lewis when Tormod was three years old, and Tormod was brought up on his grandfather’s croft in Tong. He was educated in Tong and at the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway. Black notes that Tormod ‘spent some time in New Zealand and worked variously as labourer, clerk and journalist. Following a spell in 1972-73 as a mature student at Newbattle Abbey College, he begame administrator and writer for the touring Gaelic theatre company Fir Chlis’ (p. 792). Tormod spent four years as Writer in Residence at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and later begame Dramatist in Residence with the National Gaelic Arts Project and An Comunn Gàidhealach. He married Màiri MacDonald in 1983. He died in 2000.

Tormod began writing in his thirties, and Black notes that he was a ‘full-time playwright, screenwriter and novelist since 1984’. He wrote both fact and fiction, poetry and prose, in both English and Gaelic, and published a number of books about Lewis, including Call na h-Iolaire (1978) and Clann-Nighean an Sgadain (1987). See Black 2002 (pp. 792-93) for a more complete list of publications.
ContentsThis volume begins with a map of the district of Lochs (p. 6) and An Luchd-compàirt (p. 7), which contains a list of the main players in the story. The text is then split into four sections as follows: Coinneamh (pp. 9-13), which examines the meeting at which the crofters decided to carry out the deer raid; Creach (pp. 15-63), which looks at the raid itself and the events surrounding it; Cuirt (pp. 65-76), which looks at the court case that took place in January 1888, at which the six men accused of tional-buaireadh agus fòirneart (p. 76) were found not guilty, despite evidence against them by one of their own, the school-teacher Dòmhnall MacFhionghuin; and Coimisean (pp. 77-80), which looks briefly at the outcome of the case and at the reports of the state of the Lewis crofters that spread throughout the country, thereby securing some help and support for the crofters. There are line drawings throughout the text.
Sources
LanguageAn Luchd-compàirt (p. 6) introduces the main characters in the story by title, using terminology such as Maighstir-sgoile, Fear-teagaisg, Ceannaiche, fear-taca na h-àrainn, A’ Bhean-uasal, An Siorram, Uachdaran-lagha, An Procudar-lagha, Ceannard Phoilis, Sgrìobhadair-naidheachd, Fear-tagraidh, saighdearan de’n Fheachd Rìoghail Albannach, Poilis Siorramachd Rois, and fir-creiche.

The text itself contains a variety of vocabulary relating to the Park raid, including nan toireadh iad feart dha (p. 11), an lagh a ghabhail ’nan làmhan fhéin (p. 11), gum fidreadh an tighearnas ri maoidhinn an t-sluaigh (p. 11), na h-airc a bha a’ briseadh spiorad nan croitearan (p. 11), mu chor éiginneach nan croitearan (p. 11), as an t-saothair iomagaineach (p. 11), a’ tighinn beò an dràsda fhéin air buntàta loit (p. 11), Comunn an Fhearainn (p. 12), an t-arm-chaismeachd (p. 17), na féidh chròiceach (p. 17), an cruaidh chàs (p. 17), furtachd (p. 17), cabar féidh (p. 18), a chur an cuing (p. 19), ceas a dhèanamh ’nan aghaidh (p. 19), luchd-creiche (p. 19), an t-àrd-ghille (p. 19), A chealgaire (p. 19), an saoghal poiliticeach (p. 19), Tóraidhean (p. 19), gum faigheadh iad sitheann a lìonadh na baraillean falamh aig an dachaidhean (p. 20), air a’ choinneamh anmhuinneach (p. 23), a’ ruith nan damh (p. 23), air son gun ghabh iad orra eas-urram a nochdadh (p. 24), fearann dhaoine saoibhir (p. 24), Achd nan Croitearan (p. 24), còir-fearainn agus màl iomchuidh (p. 24), closach buic (p. 30), maragan (p. 31), caolan féidh (p. 31), duis caorach (p. 31), mult (p. 31), aig a’ champ (p. 31), fear-naidheachd (p. 32), fear-treòir (p. 34), Loch Sìthphort (p. 36), an Siorram Dubh (p. 36), droch chliù (p. 36), taigh-tac (p. 36), troimh’n fhrìth (p. 38), làrach a’ bhlàir-chinnidh (p. 38), laoich […] nach robh air laighe mar thràillean for [sic] smachd na h-ainneart (p. 38), na ceanglaichean bho thaigh-faire fear-coimhid (p. 38), pàilliun (p. 38), beathach le a mhaodal ’na bhroinn (p. 40), gu cìosnachadh an acrais a bha nis ’na phian ’nan cuim (p. 40), ris an fhaghaid (p. 40), dh’éirich buaidh-chaithream (p. 41), long-chogaidh a’ Néibhi (p. 47), a shailleadh an fheòil (p. 50), a’ sàthadh agus a’ sadadh (p. 53), dìoghaltas obann (p. 55), le a bheachdan mórchùiseach (p. 62), buaireadh-inntinn (p. 62), and Cogadh nan Croitearan (p. 78).

The text also contains terminology relating to the law, with reference to this case, for example, ann an cunnart prìosain (p. 11), cead-laghail (p. 19), Oifis a’ Chrùin (p. 23), Achd na h-Aimhreite (p. 55), buill-sampaill (p. 56), dìmeas a dhèanamh air neart agus cumhachd an lagha (p. 56), le òrdugh ceas-lagha (p. 56), barantas-glacaidh (p. 59), na fir-lagha (p. 59), a’ cur as an leth “brosnachadh gu tional-buairidh agus fòirneart.” (p. 59), na cinn-cinnidh (p. 59), a’ bagairt beatha duine a thoirt air falbh (p. 59), chun na h-Ard-Chùirt (p. 66), luchd-amharc (p. 66), na fir-bhreith (p. 68), Ath-leasachadh an Fhearainn (p. 68), Clàirc na Cùirte (p. 68), an doc (p. 70), chuir e e fhéin ann am fìor dhroch chàs (p. 70), air a bhrath bho ionad nach robh dùil ris (p. 70), aig dorus an taigh-chùirt (p. 71), ag òraid ris an diùraidh (p. 73), nan cinn-feadhna (p. 75), an ciont no an neo-chiont air a’ chasaid (p. 75), Chaidh foirm troimh ’n chùirt (p. 76).

The text contains a few terms relating to the media and to communications, such as telegraman (p. 34), a’ craobh-sgaoileadh naidheachdan (p. 34), Oifis a’ Phuist (p. 34) and do’n phost-oifis (p. 48), and anns na pàipearan-laitheil (p. 47), and a few terms relating to guns, such as earr-a-ghunna (p. 17), buille-air-ais (p. 17), loisg e urchair eile (p. 18), peilearan (p. 18), an gunna-peileir (p. 50), and fùdar (p. 73).

Also of interest are terms such as ’na thosd (p. 11), cho creidmheach anns an treòrachadh aige (p. 11), Gidheadh (p. 11), an t-Samhainn (p. 11), gàirdean an t-srainnseir (p. 12), an t-séithir (p. 12), luchd-eòlaich (p. 12), brais mar bu dual (p. 12), a bhalachaibh (p. 13), a’ ghleadhraich (p. 13), mactalla (p. 17), gu daingeann (p. 17), roimh bhlàr Chùllodair (p. 18), àite-coinneachaidh (p. 18), An ainm Nì Math (p. 19), air bhid (p. 19), An ainm Dhé (p. 19), a bheil thu as do chiall (p, 19), ris a’ bhalgair (p. 22), bha fadachd air (p. 23), an t-òsdair (p. 32), gu gach ceàrnaidh (p. 32), fhéin-fhiosrachadh (p. 34), taigh-tac (p. 36), anns a’ bhad (p. 37), lòd-chléibhe (p. 38), féithean-lùthaidh (p. 40), bólaichean (p. 42), na shuidhe ri tac an teine (p. 46), an t-eildear (p. 47), coinneamh-ùrnaigh (p. 47), an Eaglais Shaor (p. 48), a’ sràidimeachd (p. 52), a’ dùileachadh (p. 53), Siuthad (p. 54), ’na dian (p. 58), uchdach chanabhais (p. 58), Dh’fhalbh i an comhair a cinn (p. 58), air falbh chun nan òrduighean (p. 59), Mus breug bhuam e, bu bhreug thugam e (p. 63), maduinn mhì-charthannach (p. 66), bha e na thòimhseachan do (p. 68), bha boil air feadh an àite a muigh agus a stigh (p. 73), gràisg (p. 75), and air dà chòmhnard (p. 74).

The text also contains a few phrases that seem to have been taken from English, such as Thiondaidh MacFhionghuin air a shàil (p. 53) and cha robh anam ri fhaicinn (p. 54).
OrthographyExamples of the author’s Gaelic usage include words and phrases such as fhoighneachd (p. 11), a chum (e.g. p. 11), Anns an toiseach (p. 11), air los seo (p. 11), air bith (p. 12), thug e an t-sitig air (p. 12), le lachan gàire (p. 12), a’ spreòdadh a chéile air adhart (p. 13), troimh onaghail annasach (p. 17), Stad muinntir Bhaileilein ’nam buinn (p. 19), Nise (p. 32), Bha iomnaidh orra (p. 34), air an liùbhraigheadh [sic] (p. 34), mus déidheadh crìoch air a’ chòmhraig (p. 35), ròidean (p. 36), naonear (p. 36), air sòrnan-cloiche (p. 40), cha robh iad a’ dèanamh sgot no ciall de smid dheth (p. 41), math da-rìreabh (p. 46), Cha bhi na bloigh! (p. 46), Bhatar ri fàgail sin aig (p. 47), air-neo (p. 47), Dh’éirich a nàdur (e.g. p. 49), Ri ìnnse na fìrinn (p. 50), a’ bhò-raoir (p. 50), osann (p. 55), Cha d’thubhairt ise dùrd (p. 58), a’ deasbaireachd (p. 62), Gu dé th’ ann co-dhiùbh (p. 69), Cha bu dùirig dha (p. 70), na b’fhoillsinniche (p. 70), and Air sàil sin (p. 71).

Both grave and accute accents are used throughout the text. The orthography is that of the early 1970s, with spellings such as air son (p. 11), Nach tubhairt (p. 11), iomchuidh (p. 18), Di-ceudain (p. 46), and éisdibh (p. 32).
EditionFirst edition.
Other Sources
Further ReadingBlack, Ronald, An Tuil, (Edinburgh, 1999: Polygon).
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