Carn 96.

Lettyraght ayns Chengaghyn Joarree

Shinyn ta currit da cooishyn Celtiagh, foddee nagh vel shin smooinaghtyn dy bee bardagh Bretnagh screeu ayns Baarle. Agh shen ny ta R. S. Thomas jannoo. As ta sleih dy liooar smooinaghtyn dy re eshyn y bardagh Baarlagh share ta er mayrn ec y traa t'ayn. V'eh ny haggyrt ayns Agglish Vretin agh t'eh ny haaue nish. Hie eh er enmyssey son aundyr Nobel as t'eh er chosney aundyryn dy liooar.

Ta R. S. Thomas dy bollagh ayns foayr jeh Bretnish, agh cha dynsee eh yn chengey gys v'eh bunnys jeih bleeaney as feed dy eash. Ta trimshey er yn oyr nagh dynsee eh Bretnish tra v'eh ny ghuilley. T'eh tree bleeaney as kiare feed dy eash nish. As peiagh erbee ta cummal ayns Bretin nagh vel Bretnish echey ny eck, cha nee Bretnagh firrinagh t'ayn, ta Mnr Thomas smooinaghtyn. T'eh er chur magh keeadyn dy ghaanyn, bunnys dy chooilley nane jeu ayns Baarle.

Ta Sostnee ennagh beggan imneagh er y fa nagh ren Thomas rieau loayrt noi ny reddyn ta jeant ec Mec Ghlyndwr. Shoh possan Bretnagh ta er lostey thieyn ta Sostnee er chionnaghey ayns Bretin, erskyn ooilley thieyn-souree nagh vod Bretnee aegey fordrail kionnaghey. S'tiark y fer va goit son y losteyrys shoh: t'eh grait nagh vel peiagh erbee er ve goit son echey.

She fer-shee Thomas ta noi marroo sleih. Agh keayrt dy row dooyrt eh 'C'red ta bioys un pheiagh Sostnagh cosoylit rish cur mow ashoon?' As screeu eh: 'Ta shin nyn eebyrtee sy cheer ain hene; ta shin gee arran ec boayrd va jeant follym ro-laue. 'Jeeagh-shiu dooin', ta shin guee, ‘y raad dy valley', as t'ad craidey mooin: 'Agh ta shiu thie hannah. Tar-shiu stiagh as cum shiu rish.' Nagh jean peiagh erbee soilshaghey cre goll rish t'eh dy ve ruggit ayns stayd caillit?' Amen, ta ny Manninee gra.

Cha row Thomas ny haggyrt cadjin. Keayrt dy row, ren eh goaill rish dy beagh eh ny sassey da dy beagh sleih goll er bashtey, poosey as oanluckey er y laa cheddin. Agh, myr saggyrt, va caa mie dy lhaih as screeu.

Ta'n sliennoo shoh cur cooinaghtyn orrin jeh Thomas elley, enmyssit Dylan. Shimmey arganys va jeant my-e-chione: v'eh screeu ayns Baarle ny lomarcan - nee Bretnagh firrinagh v'ayn ny dyn? Gyn ourys, dooinney elley v'ayn, va kianlt seose lesh jiass Vretin, nagh row guee mollaght er ny Sostnee goll rish ny Bretnee agglagh shid ayns y twoaie. Agh yiarragh ny Sostnee cheddin Bretnagh rish Dylan kiart dy liooar, ga nagh row eh currit da Bretnish ny da'n chooish ashoonagh.

Agh ta sleih ayns gagh ashoon beg toiggal y doilleeid, eer ayns ny h-ashoonyn beggey shen boayl nagh vel ny chengaghyn dooghyssagh ayns stayd cho gaueagh as ny chengaghyn Celtiagh. My t'ou screeu ayns y chengey dooghyssagh ayd, s'cosoylagh nagh jean oo cosney ard-ghoo eddyr ashoonagh. My t'ou screeu ayns chengey vooar, eddyr-ashoonagh, share y caa ayd dy chosney ard-ghoo, my she shen y red t'ou geearree.

Ny keayrtyn, ta peiagh ennagh goll noi'n tro shoh. Myr sampleyr, ren ughtar Eeslynnagh cosney aundyr Nobel shiartanse dy vleeantyn er dy henney. V'eh grait ec y traa v'ayn nagh row ny briwnyn croghey er chyndaaghyn jeh'n obbyr echey. Foddee dy jinnagh sleih granganagh gra dy row vondeish echey er y fa dy vel braaraghyn Loghlinagh stiurey ny h-aundyryn Nobel.

Shoh doilleeid nagh vodmayd, ny Celtiee, scapail voish. As shoh doilleeid elley. Foddee dy vel eh anaasagh nagh vel oorskeealyn (novels) jannoo ro vie ayns ny chengaghyn Celtiagh. Ta draneyn foddey ny smoo speeideilagh. Tro Celtiagh? Nee ughtar ta screeu ayns chengey Cheltiagh gra rhyt dy vel eh doillee dy mennick dy screeu oorskeeal er y fa dy vel enney ec dy chooilley pheiagh er ny persoonyn t'ayns y skeeal myr sleih rieuagh t'er y teihll shoh wass! My ta'n ughtar currit da'n ellyn echey ny eck, bee eshyn na ish ceaut magh ass y cheer. Myr shen, t'eh ny sassey er aght ennagh dy screeu daanyn, ta ginsh yn 'irriney dy neu-yeeragh.

Gyn ourys, cha nod oo chyndaa chengey gys chengey elley as geddyn y seihll cheddin. She seihll elley t'ayn. Dy beigns screeu shoh ayns Baarle, she seihll elley veagh ayn. Agh son shickyrys foddee oo geddyn meeryn mooarey jeh seihll y chengey dooghyssagh voish lioar ta chyndaait gys chengey elley. Lhaih mee y veer veg heose va screeut ayns Baarle ec R. S. Thomas as hug mee Gaelg urree. Liorish jannoo shen, v'eh er ny chaaghlaa ayms, agh ta treisht aym dy vel dy liooar faagit jeh smooinaght R.S. Thomas oddys oo toiggal.

Myr ta seihll eddyr-ashoonagh yn argid chionney stiagh orrin, t'eh jeeaghyn dy bee ny chengaghyn dooghyssagh ain ny ynrican reddyn dooghyssagh vees faagit dooin. Fodmayd soilshaghey magh y Celtiaghys ain er aght ennagh liorish chengaghyn eddyr-ashoonagh, agh share ny chengaghyn dooghyssagh. Ta R. S. Thomas kiart dy ve boirit.

Orree Crennell

Mee Houney

The difficult position of writers who belong to small nations is exemplified by the Welsh poet R. S. Thomas.