Tuath Air A' Bhealach: (North of Balloch)

By Martin MacIntyre

Is e tè òg nach fhaca cus dhen t-saoghal a th' ann an Robyn Carruthers. Bidh i ag obair ann am bùth an Glaschu 's a' cèilidh air a pàrantan sa Bhealach tric. Is bochd nach b' urrainn do Richard tighinn còmhla rithe air làithean saora, ach chan eil cothrom air. Thèid ise gu tuath air an trèana. Beagan coiseachd air a' bhlàr a-muigh … dè a b' fheàrr? Ach nuair a choinnicheas i ri Fi, tha Robyn a' cur roimhpe slighe eile a ghabhail.
Robyn Carruthers has yet to venture far from the familiar. She works in a Glasgow shop, is in a relationship but remains closely tied to her parents in Balloch. She sets out for a few days off her beaten track and has no idea where it might lead or whom she might meet. In a bothy in a remote glen Robyn feels dangerously out of her depth.
Martin MacIntyre's disturbing story of lost innocence could make even the most adventurous think twice before stepping out onto the moors alone.
The Lasag Gaelic readers series offers young adults a range of engaging, easy-to-read fiction, with English chapter summaries and glossaries to assist Gaelic learners.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandstone Press
• Release date: Feb 19, 2015
• ISBN: 9781910124451

Martin MacIntyre

Martin MacIntyre was born in 1965 to a South Uist father and Glaswegian mother. He was brought up in Lenzie, and attended St. Aloysius’ College in Glasgow. In 1988 he graduated from the University of Aberdeen in medicine, and between 1990 and 1992 he attained qualifications in Business and Gàidhealtachd Studies at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Martin divides his work-time between medicine, writing and storytelling. He lives in Edinburgh with his wife Annmarie and two children Sorcha and Iain Finlay.

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Martin MacIntyre is an acclaimed author, poet and storyteller. He won the Saltire Society First Book Award for his 2003 short story collection, Ath-Aithne, and the Donald Meek Award for A’ Challaig Seo, Chall Ò. His novels Gymnippers Diciadain and An Latha as Fhaide and his second short story collection, Cala Bendita ’s a Bheannachdan, were also shortlisted for Saltire awards. He is a member of Edinburgh’s Shore Poets and was crowned as Bàrd by An Comunn Gàidhealach in 2007. Martin is a medical doctor and lives with his family in Edinburgh.

By the same author

Ath-Aithne (Clàr, 2003)

Gymnippers Diciadain (Clàr, 2005)

Dannsam led Fhaileas / Let Me Dance With Your Shadow (Luath Press, 2006)

An Latha as Fhaide (Clàr, 2008)

Air A Thòir (Clàr, 2011)

A’ Challaig Seo, Chall Ò (Acair, 2013)

Cala Bendita ’s a Bheannachdan (Acair, 2014)

TUATH AIR A’ BHEALACH

Martin MacIntyre

First published in Great Britain

and the United States of America

in 2015 by

Sandstone Press Ltd

Dochcarty Road

Dingwall

Ross-shire

IV15 9UG

Scotland.

www.sandstonepress.com

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the express written permission of the publisher.

Lasag is an imprint of Sandstone Press Ltd.

Lasag’s series of Gaelic readers offers young adults a range of engaging, easy-to-read fiction, with English chapter summaries and glossaries to assist Gaelic learners.

© Martin MacIntyre 2015

Editor: Alison Lang

The moral right of Martin MacIntyre to be recognised as the

author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the

Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

The publisher acknowledges subsidy from the Gaelic Books Council towards publication of this volume.

ISBN: 978-1-910124-45-1

ISBNe: 978-1-910124-46-8

Cover design by David Eldridge, Two Associates, London

Ebook by Iolaire Typesetting, Newtonmore

Buidheachas

Bu thoigh leam taing mhòr a thoirt do Bhob Davidson is Sandstone Press airson an cothrom a thoirt dhomh Tuath Air A’ Bhealach a sgrìobhadh dhan t-sreath Lasag.

Dh’iarrainn spèis a nochdadh do dh’Alison Lang a chùm misneachd is taic ionmholta rium o thoiseach gu deireadh is cuideachd do Jo NicDhòmhnaill a ghabh sùim shònraichte dhen leabhar is a rinn obair mhionaideach air an teacsa.

Contents

1. Bracaist sa Bhealach

2. An Trèan Tràth

3. Fi

4. Seallaidhean is Eòlas

5. Raointean Ùra

6. Ostail Loch Oisein

7. Tarsainn na Beinne

8. Am Bothan

9. Paulo ’s a Shloc

10. Bangaid ro na h-Aoighean

11. Sgeòil-rùin

12. Pàrantan fon Mhuir

13. Saidheans sa Choillidh

14. Fear a bha Thall

15. An Tèile

16. Dubharachd

17. Ann an Ceann Seachdain

18. Co-dhùnadh

19. Soraidh Bhuan

1.

Bracaist sa Bhealach

Robyn Carruthers has spent the night at her parents’ house in Balloch before setting off for a short hillwalking holiday. They’re worried about her going off on her own, but Robyn makes light of their concerns. It’s only for a few days, she’ll be perfectly safe staying in B&Bs and she’ll call them when she reaches her friend Alice’s house in Skye.

‘’S e boireannach a bha air a bhith ann an Robyn, co-dhiù bhiodh ‘y’ na h-ainm gus nach biodh.’ Facal a bhiodh tric – ro thric – aig a h-athair, Jim, is e an dùil ri gàire on neach nach cuala riamh roimhe e.

’S fhada o sguir Robyn a dhèanamh gàire ris. Ach eucoltach ri làithean a deugaireachd cha bhiodh i a’ gabhail a’ chaothaich leis tuilleadh. Chan ann dìreach air sgàth ’s na h-abairt big’ gòraich sin ach an ioma rud faoin a chanas is a nì pàrantan.

O ràinig i mu 24 is i latha an dèidh latha a’ siubhal air a’ bhus gu a h-obair air ùrlar Smart Ideas, ’s ann a bha i air am barrachd mòr co-fhaireachdainn a lorg dhaibh, agus dhi fhèin. Chan fheumadh duine dhen dithis acasan trealaich a reic ’son am màl a phàigheadh.

Cha bhiodh a màthair, Cathie, uair sam bith ga maslachadh air beulaibh charaidean no choigreach ach san t-seagh gun robh i coma feuchainn. Boireannach sèimh, stòlta a bh’ innte – gaol aice air Robyn, dìleas do Jim, cola-deug as t-samhradh sa charabhan am Bearaig a Tuath – a’ cumail a’ dol latha an dèidh latha, bla, bla, bla.

‘Gu leab’ a bàis, an ann?’ dh’fhaighneachd Robyn dhith fhèin o chionn mu mhìos is i na suidhe air beingidh an Ceàrnaig Sheòrais ag ithe panini mòr tioram gun bhlas is gun cus càise air. ’S e a b’ eagalaiche dheth gur ann ri a màthair a chaidh ise is chan ann a-mhàin na coltas diùid is a’ bhrù bheag – a bha a-nise a’ feumachdainn toll a bharrachd on chrios.

Ach an uair sin, fhuair i txt bho Richard san robh spòrs is blàths is a chuir na cuimhne nach ann buileach coltach ri Cathie Carruthers a bha i.

Nuair a thagh iad le chèile an t-seachdain seo aig toiseach an fhoghair, chaidh bruidhinn air Crete no Corfù ’son grian chinnteach fhaighinn is an uair sin air rudeigin ùr an Alba fhèin. Bu mhath gun do dh’fhàg iad an gnothach fosgailte oir gun rabhadh, san Lùnastal, ghabh athair Richard stròc is bhiodh esan ’s a phiuthar a-nise ga chur a-steach a dhachaigh-chùraim rè nan làithean sin. Nan rachadh leotha, theannadh iad cuideachd air an taigh san deach an togail an Kent fhalamhachadh.

Gheibheadh Robyn is e fhèin cothrom a-rithist. Bha fhios aice air a sin. Sin dìreach mar a bha e – mar a bhiodh dhìse cuideachd – dleastanasan-teaghlaich. Gu fortanach bha Jim is Cathie fhathast car òg an taca ri athair Richard is an ìre mhath fallain do dhaoine nach gabhadh eacarsaich a thuilleadh air an raon-ghoilf (Jim) is an lios (Cathie).

‘Tha Smart Idea agam,’ theacs i gu Richard. ‘Nach buin do mhaise thaighean’, theab i cur ris, oir b’ e sin adhbhar na bùtha: àirneis aotrom ‘inntinneach’; dealbhan dathach; peant is bolt fasanta; accessory thar accessory, bla, bla, bla. ‘Thèid mise tuath air an trèan, Ric!’

‘’S tu an nighean, Rob,’ fhreagair esan. ‘Dèan an-dràst’ e!’

Nach bochd, smaoinich i tric is i a’ tighinn tràth (’son na Gym) gu