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

A’ leantainn air a’ bhlog mu dheireadh, tha còrr den sgeulachd ann mu Uilleam Ros. Faodar a ràdh cuideachd gun d’rugadh Ros ann an 1762 ann an Sìthean anns an Eilean Sgitheanach. B’e athair Iain Ros agus b’e a mhàthair nighean Iain ’icAoidh, Am Pìobaire Dall, a bhuineadh do Gheàrrloch, Taobh Siar Rois. Chaidh Uilleam Ros a thogail anns an t-Srath san Eilean Sgitheanach. Dar a bha e fhathast na sgoilear anns an eilean, bha e follaiseach gur h-e gille tapaidh a bh’ ann agus gun robh e fada air thoiseach air a cho-aoisean. Chuir a phàrantan rompa gum b’fhiach e Uilleam a chur do sgoil gràmair ann am Farrais ann an Sgìre Mhoireibh. Leis mar a shoirbhich cùisean le Uilleam Ros aig an sgoil a bha seo, thuirt am maighstir-sgoile nach robh sgoilear na b’ fheàrr na e. B’ ann timcheall air an àm a bha seo gun do thòisich Ros a chuid smaointean a chur ri chèile ann am bàrdachd agus riamh bhon uair sin cha tug e sùil air ais.

Ri linn
a bhi faicinn a h-aon leanabh a fulann
piantan a bhais mu choinneadh a
sul airson a leannan Mor Ros
bha e ri raitinn gun d-rinn a
mhathair achaini[dh] gum bitheadh ise
(re Mor Ros f[h]athast air a losgadh mar
a bha mac-se nis ga losgadh. Mar
a ghuidh b-f[h]ior. Chuala Mor Ros gnog
aig an dorust oi[dh]che s in a suidhe
na taigh fhein ann Liverpool agus
cha[idh] i thun an doruist ga fhosgladh
agus caingeal na laimh. Chun[naic]
i coltas Uilleam Rois agus leis a
chlisgeadh a ghabh tharruinn e
air a h-ais agus fhuair a chaing-
eal greim air an deise thana
gheal a bha oirre agus bha in a lasair
Cha[idh] a losgadh cho dona s gun do
chaochail i goirid na dheigh.
Bha e air a ogh-ra nuair a dh is
a bhean Mor Ros an duin aice
gum fac i buillean Ros aig an
dorust gun d-eirich e mach le
feirg le pathair dhag na laimh
feuch am faiceadh e e gus
a mharbhadh. An a litir a
fhuair an duine aig Mor Ros
a’ Steornabhagh dh-is i gu ’n do
chaochail Uilleam Ros ann an
Gearrloch a cheart oi[dh]che loisgeadh
a bhean.
Bha ogha do Mhor Ros na governess
Mu thua[th] ann [words omitted] Ros no
Cataobh bho chionn beagan uine.
Is ann aig a chithe ann an Steorna
bhagh a bha an taigh anns an ro[bh]
an cruinneachadh far am fac
Uilleam Ros Mor Ros an toiseach.
S ann a sin a rinn e “Feasgar Luain.”
Tha an taigh direach aig a chithe
agus aghai[dh] san airde Tuath.
Is e mac bhrathair athair do dh-Iain
MacCoinnich an Uisge-bhagh a thrus
orain Uilleam Ros agus a fhuair
air an clo-bhualadh iad – am fear a
chuir a mach Sar Obair nam Bard
Gaelach. Is ann bho fhear Mac
a Phearsain a fhuair an trusadair
a chuid mhor do na h-orain aig
Uilleam Ros. Bha Mac A Phearsoin
na nabai[dh] aig Uilleam Ros. Ach
cha d-f[h]uaradh riamh s cha n f[h]aigh
faisg air an rinn Uilleam Ros a
dh-orain. Tha orain ann a rinn
Uilleam Ros nach d-f[h]uair Iain Mac
Coinnnich
Chuir da dhuin uasal anns
na h-Innsean dachaid[h] airgiod
gu Monument a thogail a dh U[illeam] Ros
Ach leis an uaigh aig bhi measg uaigh
nean eile cha b-urraiuntac [sic] Monument
a chur air. Thugadh a sin a deas
leac-lithe ach bha i ra ghoirid. Bha
leac air roimhe le aois us ainm
agus dh-f[h]agadh air i.

Biographical notes on the poet William Ross collected from Alexander MacKenzie, Loch Uiskevagh, Benbecula originally from Gearrloch, Ross and Cromarty, 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 de leabhar Uilleim Rois