| Reference Number | 111 |
| Title | Litir bho Nial Cleireach ’an Canada Uachdrach, gu ’bhrathair, Coinneach Cleireach, a bha ’s an Eilean Ileach |
| Author | Cleireach, Nial |
| Editor | N/A |
| Date Of Edition | 1860 |
| Date Of Language | mid 19c |
| Date Of Language Ed | 1850-1899 |
| DateMacro | Mid 19th c. |
| Date Of Language Notes | |
| Publisher | A. Sinclair for Neil Campbell |
| Place Published | Glasgow |
| Volume | N/A |
| Location | National and academic libraries |
| Geographical Origins | Islay |
| Geographical Origins Ed | Islay |
| GeoMacro | Islay, Jura, Kintyre and Arran |
| GeoX | 55.7586 |
| GeoY | -6.4126 |
| Geographical Origins Notes | |
| Register | Literature, Verse |
| Register Ed | Literature, Verse |
| Genre | Literature |
| Medium | Verse |
| Rating | B A letter in verse from a man who has emigrated to Canada to his brother in Islay. The poem contains 66 four-line stanzas with a chorus. The letter discusses the conditions facing the Islay tenants at the time, and the author also reminisces about his childhood in Islay, mentioning specific people and places. The letter also discusses the reality of living in Canada – the type of place it is, the state of agriculture there, the different nationalities of the people living there, and the author’s own situation. There are also some references to religion. Idiomatic style, conversational tone, hints of Islay Gaelic. |
| Alternative Author Name | Neil Clark or Clerk (?) |
| Manuscript Or Edition | Ed. |
| Size And Condition | 16.3cm x 9.4cm |
| Short Title | Litir bho Nial Cleireach |
| Reference Details | EUL, Sp. Coll: C.R.Box2.16 |
| Number Of Pages | 12 |
| Gaelic Text By | N/A |
| Illustrator | N/A |
| Social Context | An introductory note on p. 3 reads: ‘Tha nis deich bliadhna bho’n a sgrìobhadh an Litir a leanas, ged nach tàinig i gu làimh a’ Chlòbhuailtear gus o cheann ghoirid agus a’ meas gu’m faod i bhi feumail gu beachd cothromach a thoirt do’r luchd-dùthcha mu chuid de na doilgheasan a thachaireas riu ann am fàsaichean Chanada tha i air a cur an clò: cha ’n ann idir ’an rùn bacadh a chur air muinntir air bith a rinn suas an inntinnean gu dol do’n dùthaich fhàrsuing sin, ach gu an ullmhachadh gu cur suas le caochladh nithean a tha coltach a thig ’n an aghaidh. Cha ’n ’eil ag nach dùthaich tharbhach Canada, agus tha cothrom aig daoine glic, dichiollach, tapaidh, tighinn air an aghaidh ’an sin nach ’eil aca sa’ Ghàidhealtachd’. It is dated ‘Glascho, am mìos Màirt, 1860’, which lets us deduce that the poem was composed in or around 1850. |
| Contents | The letter itself is written in verse over 9 pages and comprises 66 four-line stanzas plus a four-line chorus. The chorus reads ‘A Choinnich, a ghaoil, ’s tu mo bhràth’ir, \ ’S ged nach bu chòir dhomh chur an dàil, \ Dhearmaid mi nis iomadh là \ Sgeul thoirt duit mu Chanada’ (p. 5). The first two stanzas read: ‘Tha nis tuilleadh a’s dà bhliadhn’ \ Bho ’n chuir thu litir gu Nial, \ ’S tha mi ’g innseadh dhuit gu’n d’ iarr \ Thu motha ’s dian mo bharail innt’ \\ Dh’iarr thu innte uair no dhà \ Mi dh’innseadh dhuit gach ni mar bhràth’ir, \ ’S an coimeas mar a tha thu’n tràs \ Am b’fhearr dhuit bhi ’n Canada’ (p. 5). |
| Sources | |
| Language | The interest of this text lies partly in the references to life in Canada and Islay in the mid-nineteenth century. For example, with regard to the conditions facing tenants in Islay at the time, we find ‘A’s dh’ainmich thu innte mar a bha \ An tuath ’g an roup air son a’ mhàil— \ Ile air fhagail gun laird, \ ’S gach ni am mèin nam Factors ann’ (p. 5) … ‘Chaidh uaislean Ile bun os ceann \ ’S am bochd ’na éiginn air gach làimh, \ Na’s urrainn teachd ’toirt oidhirp theann \ Air àite tàimh ’an Canada’ (p. 6). With regard to Canada, the poet concedes, ‘Tha ’n dùthaich-s’ pailt le deoch a’s biadh, \ ’S cosnadh do gach neach g’a mhiann— \ Lagh a’s riaghladh ’g ar dion, \ ’S na siontan tha iad fallan ann’ (p. 6). Nevertheless, ‘An déidh a h-uil ni tha ann \ Cha d’ fhuair mi gu bheil m’ inntinn leam, \ Ged tha cuid their rium, le sgraing, \ Gur taingeil dhomh bhi ’n Canada \\ Cha ’n iarrainn-sa air neach gu bràth \ Tigh’nn air mo chomhairle do’n àit-s’, \ ’S tha mi ’creidsinn thus’, a bhràth’ir, \ Gur gann a bhiodh tu toilicht’ ann’ (ibid.). He then reveals to us how people’s expectations may not be matched by the reality of living in Canada: ‘Tha mòran daoine ann an dùil \ Ri àm dhoibh bhi tigh’nn do’n dùth’ich-s’ \ Gu’m bi an teaghlaichean cruinn, \ ’N uair tha chùis tur dhealaichte. \\ Ach innsidh mi dhuit gun bhòsd, \ Cha’n aithne dhomh aon ’s an dòigh-s’, \ Ach bràth’ir-do-mhàthar, Aonghas mòr, \ ’S is dòigheal e ’s an rathad so’ (ibid.). The author has a tendency to give us both sides of the story, as can be seen above, and in the following extract: ‘Tha mòran ann tha tigh’nn gu feum \ Le tighean, fearann agus spréidh, \ Tha tigh’nn mu làimh gu stuama sèimh, \ ’S a thainig lom a’s falamh ann. \\ Ach chi mi cuid an so ged tha \ ’S cha d’ thainig iad gu mòran stàth, \ Aig an robh sgoil, ’s luchd-ceird a’m pàirt, \ ’S luchd-airgid, ’s cha ’n ’eil rath orra. \\ Obair cha d’ rinn iad no dealbh, \ ’S fhuair an airgead dòigh air falbh, \ Thog an teaghlaichean gu fair g’ [sic, for fairg’], \ ’S tha pàirt ’dol do na Staidean diubh’ (p. 7). With regard to the different types of people in Canada, the author informs us that ‘Tha ’n sluagh ann measgte feadh a chéil’, \ ’S iad car dealaicht’ ann an gnè— \ Gàidheil, Dùidsich, ’s Frangaich gheur, \ Eirionnaich a’s Yankaich ann. \\ Tha math a’s dona ’measg gach seòrs’, \ Ged ’s an[n] olc tha chuid a’s mò; \ Ach gheibh sinn Gaill ro ghlan ’n an dòigh, \ ’S is daoine còir na Sasunnaich’ (p. 8). The author also touches on some particular problems facing Canadian immigrants. For example, ‘Aon ni tha ’milleadh dhaoin’ ’s an àit-s’ \ Uabhar, mòrchuis, agus stràic; \ ’S e ’n dream tha ’buannachd air an sgàth \ Luchd-Thavern agus marsandan’ (p. 8). Again, ‘Tha airgiod ann an so cho gann \ ’S nach ’eil e ’dol aig h-uile àm; \ Ach bidh iad ’strith r’a thoirt gun taing \ ’S a’ gheamhradh ’nuair bhios feith aca. \\ … \\ Tha mòran ann air seilg dhoibh féin, \ Mar Innseanaich air son nam féidh— \ A’ feitheamh cothrom air a chéil’ \ A dh’fheuchainn cia mar charas iad’ (p. 8). The poet goes on to tell us about his own situation: ‘Tha mise mar a tha gu leòir, \ Tha rud agam ’s tha rud orm; \ ’S na fiachan a bhi beag no mòr \ Bidh eagal mòid gach làth’ oirnn. \\ Oir ’s deimhin leam gur so mar tha \ Ged bheir iad creideas agus dàil, \ Mar bi iad toilicht’ leinn ’s mar pàigh \ Cha leig iad dàil ’s an t-sumanadh. \\ Tha sumanaidh a’ dol gu dlùth, \ A’s àireamh mhòr ’g an toirt gu cùirt; \ Ach mar is motha tha dol diubh \ Cha lugha tha do chreideas ann’ (p. 10). He continues: ‘Tha mòran dol do’n fhearann ùr, \ Mar tha’n tràsa ann am rùn-s’, \ ’S gheibh sinn fearann, tigh a’s ceird \ Aig Sawgeens no Sidenham’ (ibid.). The poet is clearly homesick, however, and a number of the stanzas on pages 9 and 10 fondly recall the time when he was in Islay: ‘Ach tha m[i] ’g innseadh dhuit gu fior \ Bu taitneach leam bhi ann an Il’, \ A’ faicinn bhàt’ ’sa ’g éisdeachd eun \ Aig sléibhtean a’s aig cladaichean. \\ Cha b’ ionnan sin ’s mar tha mi’n tràs; \ Far nach cluinn ’s nach faic mi bàt’— \ Og no sean a’ dol gu tràigh, \ ’S cha bhi muir-làn no rabhairt ann. \\ An àite ceilear binn nan eòin \ Sgreadail losgann dhuinn mar cheòl— \ Cha chluinn sinn idir (fàth mo bhròin) \ An smeòrach bhinn a’ ceilearadh’ (p. 9). This leads the poet to mention specific people and places in Islay and the associations they have for him: ‘Creid mi, bidh e ’ruith a’m chuimhn’ \ Mar b’àbhaist duinn bhi air an Dùn, \ ’S aig Ceann-a’-chnuic, an tigh Iain Brùn, \ ’S ann dlùth dha chaidh mo bhaisteadh-sa’ (p. 9). This text contains a number of references to religion. For example, the poet reports that, in Canada, ‘Tha focal Dé gu pailt ’n ar làimh, \ ’S luchd-teagaisg againn ’s an dà chainnt— \ Eaglais a’s aodhair air an ceann \ A’ ga’il os làimh gur creidmhich iad’ (p. 6). In his descriptions of Islay, he also mentions religion: ‘S aig àm na bliadhna thigh’nn mu’n cuairt \ Bhiodh Missionaries ann bho Thuath, \ Le sgeul na slàinte trìd an Uain— \ Gun luach bhiodh fion a’s bainne dhuinn’ (p. 10). Towards the end of the letter in particular, the poet refers to his beliefs about Christian behaviour and the Word of God: ‘’S tha mòran cunnairt ann an sannt, \ ’S mòran mealltaireachd ’an saimh \ A tharruing cridhe dhaoin’ air falbh, \ ’S a mhùchadh an fhocail annt’’ (p. 11). He continues in the same vein: ‘Creid le d’ chridhe chum slàint’, \ ’S gheibh thu réite trìd a bhàis— \ Feuch gun éisd thu ris mar Fhàidh, \ ’S na ainm bhi air do bhaisteadh dha. \\ … \\ Gun bharantas o Fhocal Dé \ Na gabh briathran neach fo ’n ghréin, \ ’S na bi ’cur t’inntinn troimh chéil’ \ Ag éisdeachd ri’n cuid bharailean’ (ibid.). The letter ends, ‘Is mise gu cinnteach do bhràth’ir, \ Ann an Cheltenham tha ’m thàmh, \ Nial Cléireach ’s e sin m’ ainm, \ ’S is annsa leam a chantainn rium’ (p. 12). |
| Orthography | The orthography is characteristic of the mid to late nineteenth century. Both grave and acute accents are used regularly. There are a fair number of misprints. The style of this text is conversational, but the language, while not high-flown, is not markedly colloquial either. The poet’s Islay dialect may be detectable intermittently, e.g. in pronunciations like monosyllabic bràth’ir (e.g., p. 5), in forms like tràs (pp. 5, 9, 10), and in expressions like cha’n eil ag nach (p. 3). |
| Edition | First edition. |
| Other Sources | |
| Further Reading | |
| Credits | |
| Link Label | Digital version created by National Library of Scotland |
| Link | http://digital.nls.uk/early-gaelic-book-collections/pageturner.cfm?id=80409903 |
| Download File | 111.pdf |
| NumWords | 1964 |
