Uilleam Ros: Am Bàrd air an robh galar gaoil – I

’S e Uilleam Ros (1762–1791) aon de na bàird Ghàidhlig as ainmeile bhon ochdamh linn deug. Dh’fhaodte an rud as ainmeile m’a dheidhinn, ’s e gun d’ fhuair e am bàs le gaol (no galar gaoil) oir, mar a tha an sgeulachd a leanas a dh’innseas, ghabh e trom ghaol air Mòr Ros ach, gu mì-fhortanach, cha do dh’obraich gnothaichean a-mach idir mar bu mhiann leis, air neo, mar bu mhiann leotha. Gun teagamh sam bith, ’s e sgeulachd thiamhaidh, throm a th’ ann ach mura b’e airson na dh’fhuiling Ros le galar gaoil cha bhiodh na h-òrain aige cho drùidhteach. Tha mu dheich air fhichead de na dàin a rinneadh le Uilleam Ros air fhàgail agus chaidh a’ mhòr-chuid de na h-òrain sin a thrusadh le Iain MacConnich (1806–1848), am neach-deasachaidh a chuir Sàr-Obair nam Bàrd Gaelach (1841) ri chèile. B’ ann bho Alasdair MacCoinnich a bha fuireach aig an àm ann an Uisgebhagh, Beinn na Faoghla, a chlàraich Alasdair MacGilleMhìcheil na fhuair e air 14mh den Mhàrt 1866. Tha e coltach gur h-ann a mhuinntir Gheàrrloch, Siorrachd Rois, a bhuineadh cuideachd Alasdair MhicCoinnich:

“Moladh na h-Oighe Gaelaich”. Se bainm
dhi[th] Mairi Nic Coinnich. Se an riasan
mu d rinn Uilleam Ros [an] t oran bha
Bāl dannsac[hd] ann agus bha mai[gh]dean[n]
og a sin gan ro[bh] U[illeam] Ros soin [sic].
Bha i fhein agus Mairi Nic Coinnich
nan suidhe la[mh] ra cheile. Thainig U[illeam] Ros
agus shuidh e taobh na māidean og
agus dh-eirich ise us shuidh i air
an tao[bh] eile do Mhairi Nic Coinnich
Shuidh Mairi Nic Coinnich gu
stolta ciuin far an ro[bh] i. Ghabh U[illeam] Ros
speis mhor dhi[th] airson a toinisg
seach an te eile theich agus graine aic[e]
air agus ga nan ro[bh] sian gaoil aig
oirre rinn e t-oran dhi[th]. Bha Mairi
Nic Coinnich na h-ighinn fior
briadh an tus a h-oige agus i fua[tha]s
ach so-aimh siobhalta. Chaochail i
aig Loch Uisge-bhadh [word omitted] 1[8]85
aois [word omitted]. Tha i tio[dh]laicte ann an
cladh Bhaile-nan-Cailleach Beinn-
da-fhaola
Rinn Uilleam Ros fua[tha]s[ach] oran. An leabai[dh]
a bhais beagan la’un mun do chaochail
e dh-eirich e la[mh] agus a mhathar is
taigh agus cha i os cionnn ann an ro[bh]
na leabhraichean aige agus thug e as
a chuile gin diu agus chuir e air
an teine iad agus loisgeadh iad uile
Cha ro[bh] Didaoirn ’s a bhlianna nach
ro[bh] e deanadh oran no dan do Mhor
Ros. Bha Mor Ros gle dheonach
U[illeam] Ros a phosadh ach bha
a cairdean ardanach mor agus cha
leigeadh iad le[i]the phosadh. Thainig
oifigeach long chogai[dh] rathad Steorna
bhadh agus ghabh e gaol air Mor Ros
agus shir e air a h-athair i agus
thug a h-athair oirre an t oifigeach
Mr Clough a phosadh ach
b f[h]earr le[i]the fhein U[illeam] Ros. Leig a
sin U[illeam] Ros “laidh broin us bais”
air fhein a caoidh a leannain
agus chaochail e ann an caitheadh
Bha a mhathair og innseadh do
dh-Iain MacCoinnich nach ro[bh] U[illeam]
Ros sa bhria[gh] idir nach ro[bh] ann ach
fear ard dugh ach gu ro[bh] e gu math
direach deas agus glan na phearsa
’s geal na chneas.

Biographical notes on the poet William Ross collected from Alexander MacKenzie, Loch Uiskevagh, Benbecula originally from Gearrloch, Ross-shire, including how he met Alastair’s mother [Mary MacKenzie], for whom he wrote ‘Moladh na h-Oighe Gaelaich’; how shortly before he died, Ross burned all his books; about the relationship between him and Mor Ros, for whom he wrote many poems and who eventually married an army officer called Mr Clough; some notes about Mor’s family and how she died having been badly burned on the same night as Ross died in Gairloch; about gathering Ross’s works for publication and the erection of a monument to him. Mary MacKenzie’s death and burial place is also noted.

References:

CW104 91r-88r

Dòmhnallach, Tormod, ‘Uilleam Ros: A Bheatha ’s a Bhàrdachd’, Gairm, vol. 57 (1966), pp. 19–26 and vol. 58 (1967), pp. 108–15.

MacMhathain, Uilleam, ‘Mòr Ros’, Gairm, vol. 3 (1954/55), pp. 339–42

Image:
Duilleag tiotal den leabhar Uilleim Rois