A previous blog offered a summary of Duncan
MacDonald’s life story. It may be divided into a few sections of varying
lengths. Here is offered the sixth part (NFC 1180, pp. 242–52) where MacDonald related
to Calum Maclean his experiences of working as a mason and crofter. The
opportunity has been taken to modernise the Gaelic orthography and also to
offer a translation.
Clachaireachd
Nuair a thòisich a’ Chiad
Chogadh agus a dh’fhalbh mo bhràithrean b’ fheudar dhomh stad ’n a’
chlachaireachd agus làmh a thoirt air obair an fhearainn. Cha robh ann an uair
sin ach an aon chruit a bh’ aig m’ athair. Ach dè bha i glè mhath seach a’
chruit às an deach ar togail agus ar n-àrach. Cha robh ann ach leth cruiteadh,
bìdeag bheag shuarach ann am Bràighe Shnaoisebhal. Agus bha a-nist deagh chruit
againn ann am Peighinn nan Aoireann agus ma robh an cogadh seachad fhuair mi
fhìn tè eile gu math dlùth dhith agus bha an uair sin an cothrom agam na b’
fheàrr air àiteach a dhèanamh. Agus nuair a chaidh an sin a’ chiad chogadh seachad
thòisich mi a-rithist air clachaireachd, a chionn bhiodh mo bhràthair a-staigh
an uair sin daonnan agus nuair a thàinig scim nan taighean a-mach a-null
ann an 1930 cha robh e furasda na bh’ ann de dh’ obair a dhèanamh, sìon ach
taigh thall is taigh a-bhos, am fear nach robh taigh ùr aige ri dhèanamh, bha taigh
aige ri ath-leasachadh agus mar sin bha a’ chùis a’ dol air aghaidh fuathasach
trang agus chuir sinn a-staigh application
sinn fhìn airson an taigh againn fhìn a dhol fo scheme agus ath-leasachadh a dhèanamh air. Cha robh air againn an
toiseach ach ceann zinc agus naoi
troighean a dh’ àirde as a’ bhalla. ’S e taigh a bh’ ann a chaidh a thogail le loan a’ Chongested Districts Board, loan
dà fhichead nòt’ agus bha sin a’ dol a choveradh
a h-uile sìon a chaidh a dhèanamh, gach fiodh is iarann is aol agus an
luchd-ceirde. Agus a-nist cha d’ fhuair sinn beantail dhan taigh againn fhìn
leis cho trang ’s a bha mise ri taighean eile gus an do stad an sin a’ scheme agus ’s ann an 1933 an uair sin a
fhuair mise tòiseachadh air an taigh againn fhìn. Agus bha mo bhràthair na
shaor agus rinn sinn an taigh. Chuir sinn tuilleadh àirde air a’ bhalla agus
thog sinn an lota suas na b’ àirde na bha i roimhe agus phioc is ghlan sinn am
balla a-muigh agus a-staigh agus chaidh gabhail aige agus cement a chur ris mun cuairt air an taobh a-muigh agus rough cast agus ceann sgliat agus d’
fheumamaid tuilleadh ceangalaichean a chuir fon sgliat seach mar a bha fon t-zinc agus fhuair sinn sin a dhèanamh.
Agus cha robh an uair sin scheme
thaighean idir ann ach bha duine an dithis ann nach b’ urrainn feitheamh ris an
ath scheme agus chaidh mise gu fear
aca sin, fear Niall Mac Alasdair ’ic Theàrlaich ann an Loch Sgiobard. Agus thog
mi taigh dha ann an 1936. Agus ’s ann nuair a bha mi a’ togail an taighe sin a
dh’ eug mo chiad mhac ann an Invergarry. Agus chuir sin moill orm mun d’ fhuair
mi a h-uile sìon air dòigh dha thaobh. Agus ann an 1935 thog mi taigh do dh’
Eairdsidh mac Iain Mhaoir ann an t-Hogh Beag. Agus an sin ann a 1937 thàinig a’ scheme a-mach air ais agus a neo-ar-thaing
nach robh ruaig air clachairean an uair sin agus air luchd-ceirde. Agus chaidh
mi an uair sin a thogail taighe chon a’ Mhuilleir Ruaidh air a’ Chàrnan agus
bha taigh eile agam ga thogail air taobh à deas Loch Baghasdal agus bha a dhà
agam ga chumail air aghaidh aig an aon àm. Bhithinn greis mu seach aig gach
fear dhiubh gus an deach crìoch a chuir orra. Agus bha mi direach aig an taigh
a bh’ ann an Loch Baghasdal ann an 1939 nuair a chuala mi gun robh Hilter air
tòiseachadh air cogadh ann am Poland. Agus bha mi cinnteach gu leòr an uair sin
gum biodh mo mhac air a thogail. Agus chaidh sin a dhèanamh cuideachd agus bha
an uair sin an tacsa air a thoirt bhuam a-rithist. Agus thòisich an cogadh agus
chaidh mo mhac a thogail air falbh O! sa mhinoid. Agus cha robh an uair sin
mòran agam mu dhèidhinn clachaireachd ach bha mi a’ dèanamh beagan an-dràsta
agus a-rithist a thaobh gun robh mo bhràthair a-staigh còmhla rium. Ach co-dhiù
cha do rinn mi mòran de thaighean ùra tuilleadh ach cha robh samhradh nach dèanainn
beagan air choireigin. Chaidh mi gu taigh Aonghais ’ic Dhùghaill ’ic Ìomhair
air taobh deas Loch Baghasdal. ’S e taigh a bh’ ann nach robh ann ach dà cheann
cloicheadh agus cliathaichean zinc is
bhathar ga lathadh ann is thug mi às air a’ bhliadhna a bh’ ann an seo ann an
1942 an darna cliathach agus chuir mi suas cliathaich ùr ann le concrete agus air an ath-bhliadhna ann
an ’43 chaidh mi ’uige a-rithist agus thug mi an cùl às agus chuir mi cliathach
ùr ann a sin de choncrete agus chuir
mi scullery a-mach às. Agus ann an
1944 a-rithist thàine mi chon a’ Chàrnain a dh’ obair gu Domhnall a’ Mhuileich
agus chuir mi air dòigh shed mòr a
bh’ ann a shineach is tha e ri fhaichinn fhathast, a chaidh na theine aig an
duine a bh’ ann roimhe.
Cruit an Ainm mo Mhic
Agus an sin ann a 1938 bha
fearann agus taigh a-mach ri m’ thaobh, taobh crait a bh’ aig m’ athair, agus
rinn mi fhìn airson am faotainn agus chan fhaighinn i a chionn gun robh cruit
roimhe agam. Ach smaointich mi an uair sin on a bha mo mhac a’ tighinn suas
dlùth air fichead bliadhna, bhithinn toilichte gum faigheadh esan i agus
bhruidhinn mi ris a’ bhàillidh air a shon agus chunnaic e freagarrach gu leòr
gun dèanainn application ann am
fàbhar mo mhic. Agus rinn mi sin. Agus fhuair mo mhac an taigh agus am fearann
a bh’ ann a shin ann an 1938. Agus a-nist ann an 1939 bhrist an cogadh a-mach.
Bhrist an darna Cogadh Mòr a-mach agus bha mise an uair sin a’ clachaireachd
air falbh on taigh agus bha mo mhac a liostaig as na Terries agus bha e fhèin agus na bha còmhla ris air an togail as a’
mhionaid air falbh. Cha robh cothrom air. Cha robh aig an taigh is aig an
fhearann ach a bhith an siod. Agus bha mi fhìn agus mo bhràthair agus na
h-ingheannan a’ dèanamh air dicheall air a h-uile sìon a chumail air dòigh.
Agus thàinig mo mhac dhachaigh ann an 1940 an uair sin air leave às an Fhraing. Agus nuair a dh’fhalbh e air an turas sin
a-rithist, chaidh an glachadh aig St Valery agus an toirt dhan Ghearmailt agus
bha e ann a shin còig bliadhna ann am prìosan.
Agus chum mise air aghaidh
cho math is a b’ urra mi am fearann gus an tàinig e. Agus nuair a thàinig e
fhuair mise roinn mhath de dh’ aotromachadh.
Agus an uair sin ann an 1949
thàinig orm a dhol a Ghlaschu a-rithist. Agus ’s ann airson braodcastaidh a bha mi a’ falbh air an
turas a bh’ ann an seo. Agus O! bha mi deònach gu leòr falbh. Agus bha am broadcast air a dhèanamh le David
Thompson agus le Calum Maclean, fear a’ Folklore Commisson, Irish Folklore
Commission agus Dr Kissling. Agus dh’fhalbh mi còmhla riutha a Ghlaschu. Agus
O! chòrd an turas rium fuathasach math. Ràine sinn agus mun a ràine chuir mi wire à Malaig gu Dòmhnall Ruadh, am Bàrd
ann am Paisley, (bràthair na mnà agam) gun robh mi a’ ruighinn agus choinnich e
mi ann an Queen St Station. Agus dh’fhalbh mi-fhìn is e fhèin an uair sin
dhachaigh gu Paisley. Agus bha dramannan againn cuideachd mun a ràine sinn
Paisley. Agus an làr-na-mhàireach air an sin ràinig Calum Maclean agus David
Thomson mi ann am Paisley agus dh’fhalbh mi fhìn is iad fhèin an uair sin dhan
Bhroadcasting House aig Queen Margaret Drive agus chaidh am broadcast a dhèanamh ann a shin (Black
House into White, 15/3/49, 3rd Programme).
Ach chuir mi aoidhreachd
mhòr, mhòr air Glaschu seach mar a bha e dà fhichead bliadhna roimhe sin. Cha
chluinninn aon bhuille as na garraidhean iarainn. Bha an t-àite cho sìobhalta
ach bha na càraichean fuathasach, fuathasach pailt seach mar a chunna mi iad
ann an 1909. Bha na càraichean beaga, chan ’il ’ios dè cho pailt is a bha iad
agus bha na busaichean mòra cho tiugh air an t-sràid agus na tramways. Agus rud eile dheth bha e gu
math na bu doirbhe do dhuine a rathad a dhèanamh air na busaichean agus air an
tramway na bha e nuair a bha mise a-muigh ann a 1909, a chionn bhathar ag èigheadh a h-uile h-àite
a robhthar a’ stad, ainm an àite agus cha robh aig duine ach tighinn a-mach ann
an sin. Ach cha robh a leithid sin a’ dol an-dràsta idir. Cha robh agad ach
aithnich an t-àite a tha thu a’ dol a thighinn a-mach air no bi as a’ bhus gus
a stad e. Agus thug mi colla-diag a-muigh air an turas a bh’ ann a shin agus
chòrd e rium fuathasach math. Bha mi a’ dol a choimhead air daoine eòlach fhad
’s a bha mi ann cuideachd. Neo-ar-thaing nach biodh cridhealas againn còmhladh
ann an sin. Thill mi an uair sin dhachaigh agus an ceann seachdain às a
dheaghaidh sin, chuala mi mi fhìn air a wireless
agus ’s gann gun tuiginn gura mi a bh’ ann idir, mura b’ e gun robh fios againn
air. Cha robh mi ag aithneachadh mo ghuth fhìn idir agus bha mi uair na dhà on
uair sin air a’ wireless agus dh’fhàs
mi fuathasach eòlach an uair sin air a’ chùis mar a bha e a’ dol.
Ann an 1944 bha obair a’ Cefoil air tòiseachasdh, ach bha e
fuathasach doirbh dhomh-sa a dhol an uair sin gu staimh ged a bhathar a’
sìor-iarraidh orm agus gun agam a-staigh còmhla rium ach mo bhràthair agus mo
mhac na phrìosanach às a’ Ghearmailt. Agus an sin ann a 1945 stad an cogadh agus
gu dearbha bha mi fhìn toilichte agus thàinig mo mhac dhachaigh aig a’
Bhealltainn a bh’ ann an sin. Agus ann a 1946 thòisich mise air na staimh an
uair sin a-rithist nuair a fhuair mi mo mhac a-staigh nam àite agus chan eil
bhliadhna on uair sin nach eil mi a’ dèanamh glè mhath air na staimh. Agus bha
a’ phris a’ chiad bhliadhna trì notaichean. Bha e a’ còrdadh rium-sa fuathasach
math agus bha deifir mòr ann seach nuair a bha mi ag obair air not air an
todhar. Bha an-dràsta trì oirre agus ’s mi bha riaraichte. Chaidh an sin
àrdachadh gu trì is a deich. Bha seo na b’ fheàrr buileach. Chaidh an sin
àrdachadh gu ceithir agus am bliadhna ann an 1950 tha e ceithir puinn is a còig
deug agus ma nì duine seachd tuna de chudan (cudthrom) tha còig notaichean air gach
tunna.
A bharrachd air na staimh
thoisich a’ cefoil air gabhail na
feamann agus bha iad sna lochannan air taobh an-ear na dùthcha a’ dèanamh
mòran, mòran gearraidh agus a’ cruinneachadh mòran dhen fheamainn agus ga
thoirt a-staigh gu tìr. Ach bha sin na b’ fhasa gu mòr dhaibh na air an taobh
an-iar far an robh sinne agus ’s e a-niste làrraidhean muinntir na dùthcha a
bha gan tarraing às na lochannan suas eadar Beinne na Faoghla agus Loch
Baghasdal a dh’ ionnsaigh a’ cefoil
agus i a’ falbh fliuch agus bha roinn dhith a’ falbh tioram cuideachd. Nan
tioramaiche sibh i bha sibh a’ faighinn am barrachd pàighidh airson an tuna
dhith tioram. Agus am fear a chuireadh suas fluich i, bha e a’ faighinn deagh
phàigheadh san tuna cuideachd. Chan urra
mi a ràdha de urad gad a bha mi fhìn ris an obair agus ’s ann a rèir an astair
a-rithist air a robhar ga tarraing a bha an làrraidh air am pàigheadh às an
luchd.
An làrraidh a bheireadh
luchd à Beinne na Faoghla bha barrachd aice air a shon agus a bhiodh aig an
làrraidh a bheireadh luchd a-staigh a Loch Baghasdal. Agus bhiodh an làrraidh a
thigeadh a Loch Aineort a-rithist, bhiodh i na b’ fheàrr air am pàigheadh na
làrraidh Loch Baghasdal agus a Loch Sgiobard bhiodh i sin na b’ fheàrr air am
pàigheadh a-rithist a chionn bha an t-astar na b’ fhaide. Agus mar sin. Agus a’
bhliadhna a bh’ ann an seoach cha robh an samhradh fuathsach math agus bha iad
a’ faighinn mòran, mòran feamann agus ’s
ann a chaidh roinn dhith a dholaidh orra. Cha d’ fhuair iad turadh dhith idir
agus cha do dh’iarr na h-uiread dhith riamh on a’ bhliadhna sin. Ach bha iad a’
faighinn ach bha iad a’ faighinn mun stamh na bu phailte ach gu dearbha air a’
bhliadhna a bh’ ann an seo, cha robh stamh cho pailt air na cladaichean idir
agus cha robh an todhar fhèin ann, a bhiodh daoine daonnan a’ cuir air an
talamh, cha robh e idir cho pailt air na cladaichean. Ach duine òg sam bith
an-diugh cha ruigeadh e a leas sìon a dhìth airgid a bhith air airson gabhail
chon a’ chladaich agus e a bhith ag obair air na staimh. Dhèanadh e airgead gu
leòr ann agus tha mise am beachd agus tha mi cinnteach as gun dèanadh fear sam
bith na b’ fheàrr ann na a dhol a dh’ obair a Ghlaschu, gum biodh barrachd
airgid aig fear san dùthaich air na staimh na fear Ghlaschu nam paigheadh e a
loidseadh.
Masonry
When the First World War
began and my brothers had left I had to give up masonry and to put my hand to
working the land. There was only then the one croft that my father had. But it
was very good in comparison to the croft in which we had been brought up and nurtured.
It was only half a croft, a little wee,
insignificant one in Brae Snishival. And now we had a good croft in Peninerine
and before the war had ended I myself got another one quite close to it and it
the best opportunity to work the land. And when the first war was ended I began
masonry again because my brother would always be at home then and when a scheme
came out for [building] houses way back in 1930 when there wasn’t much
employment, only a house here and a house there, if a man who didn’t have to
build a new house, then he had a house to be improved and therefore matters
were moving on terribly busy and we put in an application for our own house to
go under the scheme in order to improve it. We only had to begin with a zinc
roof and nine feet high on the wall. It was a house that had been built with a
Congested Districts Board loan, a loan of forty pounds and that was going to
cover everything that was done, each bit of wood and iron and lime and the craftsmen. And now we didn’t touch our own house
as I was so busy with other houses until the scheme came to an end in 1933 and
then I got a start on our own house. And my brother was a joiner and we did the
house up. We built up the wall and we built the ruins up higher than is had
before and we picked and cleaned the wall outside and inside and all went well
and cement was put around the outside and rough cast and a sleat roof and we
had to put more ties under the sleat compared to that when it was under size
and we got that done. And there was not then a housing scheme at all but there
was one or two who could not wait until the next scheme and went to one of
them, a man called Niall Mac Alasdair ’ic Theàrlaich in Lockskiport. And I
built a house for him in 1936. And it was while I was building that house that
my son died in Invergarry. And that delayed me before I got everything arranged
for him. And in 1935 I built a house for Eairsidh mac Iain Mhaoir in Howbeg.
And in 1937 a scheme came out again and thankfully there wes not many masons or
craftsmen away. And I went then to build a house for the Red-haired Miller in
Carnan and I had another house to build on the southside of Lochboisdale and I
had two of them to keep going at the same time. I used to take turns spending a
while at each one of them until I had completed them. And I was just at the
house in Lochboisdale in 1939 when I heard that Hilter had started the war in
Poland. And I knew sure enough then that my son would be called up. And that
happened as well and then my support was taken away from me again. And the war
began and my son was called up Oh, in a minute’s time. And I didn’t then have
much truck with masonry but I was doing a little now and again because my
brother was staying with me. But in any case I never did built many more houses
but there was not a summer that I didn’t do a little bit of work or another. I
went to the house of Aonghas mac Dhùghaill ’ic Ìomhair on the south side of
Lochboisdale. The house only consisted of two stone-made gables with zinc sides
and it was laid but I removed it that year in 1942 the second of the sides and
I put a new side of concrete and the next year in 1943 I went over to it again
and I removed the back out and I built a new side of concrete and I dismantled
the scullery. And in 1944 again I came over to Carnan to work on Donald (the
Mullman’s) house and I arranged a big shed there and it’s still to be seen,
that had been put on fire by the man who owned it before.
The Croft in my Son’s Name
And in 1938 there was land and a house by my side, besides my father’s
croft, and I went to get the land but I couldn’t get it because I had a croft
before. But then I thought that since my son was going to be nearly twenty
years of age, I’d be happy that he’d get it and I spoke to the bailiff on his
behalf and I saw that it was appropriate enough that I should make an
application in my son’s favour. I did that. And my son got the house and the
land there in 1938. And now in 1939 the war broke out. The Second World War
broke out and I was then working on masonry away from home and my son enlisted in the
Terries (Territorials) and he and those along with him were called up in a
minute and were away. He had no choice. The house and the land remained where
they were. And I and my brother and
daughter were doing our best to keep everything going. And my son came home in
1940 then on leave from France. And when he left again on that trip, he was
captured at St Valery and taken to Germany and he was there in prison for five years.
And I kept on going as best
I could working land until he returned. And when he came back I good a good bit
of relief.
And then in 1949 it so
happened that I went to Glasgow again. And I was away on this trip for
broadcasting. And Oh! I was willing enough to leave. And the broadcast was done
by David Thompson and by Calum Maclean, the man from the Folklore Commission,
Irish Folklore Commission and Dr. Kissling. And I left along with them to Glasgow.
And Oh! I enjoyed this trip terribly well. We arrived and before I arrived I
sent a wire from Mallaig to Donald Ruadh MacIntyre, the Bard in Paisley, (my
brother-in-law) and I was going to arrive and I met him at Queen St Station.
And I and he then went home to Paisley. And we drank a few drams too before we
arrived in Paisley. And the next day Calum Maclean and David Thomson arrived in
Paisley and I and themselves then went
to the Broadcasting House at Queen Margaret Drive and the broadcast was made
there (Black House into White, 15/3/49, 3rd Programme). But there
was a big, big, difference with regard to Glasgow in comparison to what it had
been forty years ago. I didn’t hear any of the noise in the iron works. The
place was so civilised and there was cars were terribly, terribly common
compared to what I had seen in 1909. There were smaller cars, I don’t know how
common they were and the large buses were so broad on the street, and the
tramways. And other thing, it was quite more difficult for a person to make it
around on the buses and on the tramway that it was when I was out in 1909, for
they were shouting out at every stop where they were stopping, the name of the
place and any person had to get off then. But there was nothing like that going
on now at all. You had to know place where you were going to get off or else
you’d be on the bus till it stopped. And I spent a fortnight away on that trip
and I enjoyed it terribly well. I was going to see the people I knew while as
there as well. Thankfully we would have enjoyed being in together there. Then I
returned home and a week after that, I heard myself on the wireless and I
scarcely recognised that it was me at all, if we didn’t already know. I didn’t
recognise my voice at all and since then I’ve been once or twice on the
wireless and since then I’ve got to know it well of how these things go.
The Cefoil work began in
1944, and it was terribly difficult for me to go then to the seaweed although
they really wanted me and it was only me and my brother at home as my son was a
prisoner-of-war in Germany. And then in 1945 the war ended and indeed I was
happy that my son [Donald John] came home that May Day. And in 1946 I began
work on the seaweed again when my son was in my place and a year hasn’t passed
by that I haven’t done well with the seaweed. The price in the first year was
£3. I really enjoyed it as there was a big difference when I once worked for £1
on manure. It is now £3 and I am satisfied with that. That had risen to £4 in
1950 and it is 4 pounds and fifteen and if a person has seven tons of weight
then they receive £5 per ton.
As well as the seaweed the
Cefoil began to take in seaweed and they were in the lochs on the east side
doing a great deal of cutting and gathering in a great deal of seaweed and
taking it into the shore. This was far easier for them than on the west coast
where we were and now they have lorries which transport them from the lochs
between Benbecula and Lochboisdale to Cefoil and it is transported wet as well
as dry. The dryer it is the better the return is for a ton of dry seaweed. And
if it was wet, then there was also a good return for a ton of wet seaweed. I
couldn’t say what amount even though I was involved in the work but this
depends on the distance it was transported and much a lorry-load would pay for
the cargo.
There was more cargo on a
lorry from Benbecula than those from Lochboisdale. A lorry that came from
Locheynort would be better paid than a lorry from Lochboisdale and one from
Loch Sgiobard was better than that because it was a longer distance and so on.
The summer past was not particularly good and they were getting much, much
seaweed and a part of it went rotten. They didn’t get a dry spell at all and
that year not as much was requested of it. But they were finding but they were
finding the oarweed more plentiful but indeed that very year the oarweed was
not so plentiful around the shorelines at all and the manure itself, that would
always put on the land, it was not so plentiful around the shorelines. But for
any young man these days they don’t need any money to take to the shore and to
be working on the oarweed. He could make enough money and I’m of the opinion
and I’m sure of it that any man would be better doing that than going to work
in Glasgow, that the local man would have more money working on the seaweed
that then Glasgow man if he could get his lodgings paid.
Reference:
NFC
1180, pp. 111–256
Image: \
Duncan MacDonald, 1951, Peninerine, South Uist, by Dr Werner Kissling. By courtesy of the School of Scottish Studies, University of Edinburgh.
A previous blog offered a summary of Duncan
MacDonald’s life story. It may be divided into a few sections of
varying lengths. Here is offered the seventh and final installment (NFC 1180,
pp. 253–56) where MacDonald concludes his biography by stating that if it were
not for the likes of Calum Maclean and K. C. Craig then his stories would not
have been recorded and they would die with him. Only a few years after Maclean
recorded and transcribed MacDonald’s life story he passed away in 1954. The
opportunity has been taken to modernise the Gaelic orthography and also to
offer a translation.