An Creanaiche: (The Sufferer)

By Roddy MacLean

Many people won't believe this story. That's the way it is, and I understand that. The first time I met M?iri NicEachairne, I didn't believe it either. But her story is so astonishing and so important for the whole world that I couldn't ignore it. Little by little, I was drawn in by what M?iri had to say. I came to understand that her account of what happened when JFK was murdered in Dealey Plaza was true. M?iri knew Lee Oswald (she never called him 'Harvey') in Dallas in the autumn of 1963. She knew things about the murder of President Kennedy that no-one else knew, at least outside of the gang that was involved in the murder. For that reason, she had to flee the United States. She was in fear of her life. Perhaps she still is. But now she has cancer and hasn't much longer to live.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandstone Press
• Release date: May 21, 2015
• ISBN: 9781910124796

Book preview

Ruairidh MacIlleathain (Roddy Maclean) is a journalist, broadcaster and educator based in Inverness. He is well known for his environmental education courses which explore the links between Gaelic and nature, and he is the originator of the bimedia (radio/print) programmes Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh and Litir Bheag for Gaelic learners, which have listeners in many countries. This is his first novella for adults.

By the same author

Fiction

Eilean nan Nathraichean (Acair, 1997)

Oidhche air Tom na h-Iùbhraich (Stòrlann/Acair, 2001)

Non-fiction

Seachd Sgeulachdan às Inbhir Nis (Clàr, 1998)

Mort Mhòr! (Stòrlann/Acair, 2004)

The Gaelic Heritage and Place Names of Inverness (Culcabock Publishing, 2004)

Leabhar nan Litrichean (Clì Gàidhlig, 2005)

Gaelic in the Landscape/A’ Ghàidhlig air Aghaidh na Tìre: place names in the North West Highlands (Scottish Natural Heritage, 2008)

Gaelic and Norse in the Landscape/ A’ Ghàidhlig is Lochlannais air Aghaidh na Tìre: place names in Caithness and Sutherland (Scottish Natural Heritage, 2010)

Gaelic on Signs and Maps in Scotland – Why it Matters (Islands Books Trust, 2010)

AN CREANAICHE

Màiri NicEachairne

&

Ruairidh MacIlleathain

First published in Great Britain and the

United States of America by Lasag Books

Sandstone Press

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.

© Ruairidh MacIlleathain 2015

Editor: Alison Lang

The moral right of Ruairidh MacIlleathain 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: 978-1-910124-78-9

ISBNe: 978-1-910124-79-6

Cover design by Brill

Ebook by Iolaire Typesetting, Newtonmore

Dhan a h-uile creanaiche a tha neoichiontach

MN

Do mo mhàthair – a bha còmhla rium nuair a chuala mi mu bhàs JFK

RM

‘Cò air bith as coireach, is mise an creanaiche’

Seumas a’ Ghlinne 1752

‘I’m just a patsy’

Lee Harvey Oswald 1963

Clàr-innse

Ro-ràdh

1. An Dàrna Coinneamh

2. Am Pròiseact

3. A’ Chiad Choinneamh

4. Tilleadh gu Cal’s

5. An t-Aideachadh

6. An Rabhadh

7. Lìonadh Bheàrnan

8. An Teicheadh

9. An Litir

10. An Liosta

11. Am Muncaidh as Àirde

12. Màiri agus JD

13. Beithir na Beinne

14. An Còmhradh mu Dheireadh

15. An Sgaoileadh

16. Litir bhon Uaigh

Further Reading

Ro-ràdh

le Ruairidh MacIlleathain

Bidh mòran ann nach creid an eachdraidh seo. Sin mar a thà, agus tuigidh mi sin. Nuair a thachair mi ri Màiri NicEachairne a’ chiad turas, cha robh mi fhìn ga creidsinn na bu mhotha. Ach tha an stòiridh aice cho iongantach ’s nach b’ urrainn dhomh a seachnadh. Mean air mhean, chaidh mo tharraing a-steach leis na bh’ aig Màiri ri innse.

Ma tha sinn deònach gabhail ri a cunntas, bha Màiri eòlach air Lee Harvey Oswald (ged nach canadh i ‘Harvey’ idir) ann an Dallas as t-fhoghar 1963. Bha fiosrachadh aice mu mhurt a’ Chinn-suidhe Cheanadaich nach robh aig duine sam bith eile, co-dhiù taobh a-muigh na gràisg a bha an sàs anns a’ mhurt. Air sgàth sin, b’ fheudar dhi teicheadh bho na Stàitean Aonaichte. Bha i ann an cunnart a beatha an sin.

Dh’atharraich i a h-ainm. Bhris i a bannan le Dallas agus le a beatha ann an Ameireagaidh buileach glan.

Ach dè thug oirre a thighinn a dh’fhuireach air Gàidhealtachd na h-Alba? Agus dè thug oirre an cunntas seo a thoirt dhomh ann an 2014, agus ann an Gàidhlig? Feumaidh sibh na duilleagan a thionndadh airson faighinn a-mach.

Agus aon rud eile, dìreach airson a bhith soilleir, tha Màiri deimhinne nach e Lee Harvey Oswald a thug beatha JFK gu crìch air 22 Samhain 1963. Seo a stòiridh …

Ruairidh MacIlleathain

Inbhir Nis

Am Faoilleach 2015

Glossary

gràisg    riff-raff, gang of low-lifes

deimhinne    absolutely certain, convinced

Caibideil 1

An Dàrna Coinneamh

le Ruairidh MacIlleathain

Ruairidh meets an elderly woman on a train and they talk briefly about the book he’s reading, by someone who claims to have known Lee Harvey Oswald. The woman says she has a story that would make an interesting project for Ruairidh.

Dà choinneimh. Dà leabhar. Chan eil mi cinnteach fhathast a bheil mi a’ creidsinn ann an tuiteamas. Ach mura b’ e tuiteamas cha bhithinn an seo an-dràsta, a’ sgrìobhadh eachdraidh iongantach.

Thig sinn don chiad choinneimh, agus don chiad leabhar, an ceann greis. Cha robh mi an làthair co-dhiù. Thachair i ann an 1963 ann an Dallas, Teagsas. Ach an dàrna coinneamh, cha dìochuimhnich mi sin gu bràth.

Bha mi air trèana eadar Glaschu agus An t-Òban. ’S e latha geamhradail a bh’ ann san Fhaoilleach 2014 agus cha robh an carbad cus ro thrang. Lorg mi suidheachan leam fhìn aig bòrd airson ceathrar agus thug mi leabhar a-mach às mo mhàileid. Thòisich mi air a leughadh.

Bha an trèana an impis tarraing a-mach à Stèisean Sràid na Banrighinn nuair a thàinig boireannach air bòrd. Bha i beag le falt liath agus thug mi an aire dhi oir bha a cuid aodaich gu lèir uaine, ach a-mhàin gun robh stoc dearg timcheall a h-amhaich. Bha i a’ coimhead coltach ri ban-shìthiche! Choisich i seachad orm an toiseach, ach thug i sùil orm mar gun do dh’aithnich i mi. Thionndaidh i air ais agus sheas i ri mo thaobh.

‘’Eil duine an sin?’ dh’fhaighnich i, a’ comharrachadh suidheachan air taobh eile a’ bhùird. Bha i a’ bruidhinn ann am Beurla, ach bha blas car Gàidhealach aice. Cha tuirt mi smid, ach shìn mi mo làmh a-mach, mar gum biodh a’ cur fàilte oirre (ged a chuir e dragh orm nach do lorg i àite eile).

Cha robh còmhradh eadarainn gus an robh sinn deagh phìos a-mach à Glaschu, agus ann an sealladh beanntan sneachdach na Gàidhealtachd.

‘Gabhaibh mo leisgeul,’ thuirt i, ‘ach dè ur beachd air an leabhar sin?’

Thionndaidh mi an leabhar nam làimh airson coimhead air aghaidh. ’S e an tiotal a bh’ air Me & Lee: How I Came to Know, Love and Lose Lee Harvey Oswald.

‘Chan eil mi cinnteach,’ fhreagair mi. ‘Tha e doirbh dèanamh a-mach an e an fhìrinn a th’ aice no a bheil i