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Ó Conaill agus an t-òstair.

Date 1959
Track ID 30529
Part 1
Part 2

Track Information

Original Track ID

SA1959.41.A5+B1

Original Tape ID

SA1959.041

Summary

How a lawyer got his own back on a hotel-keeper.

A lawyer by the name of O'Connell once stayed at a hotel. When paying the bill, the hotel-keeper overcharged him, and they fell out. O'Connell met a Traveller who lived with his family in a tent and informed him that he wanted to give him a new home. He bought the Traveller a new suit and told him to go to the hotel and ask how much it would cost to rent a room for a year. Whatever the price was, he was to accept the room. The hotel-keeper, thinking that this was a rich man, hiked the price to £100. The Traveller then informed O'Connell and was given the money. He paid for the room and got his receipt. When the family appeared, the hotel-keeper realised what had happened and, after a month of bedlam, gave the Traveller £300 to leave the hotel. The Traveller gave all the money to O'Connell, but he would only accept his own £100 and left the remaining £200 with the Traveller. The hotel was left with a bad reputation and the gentry refused to stay there.

The contributor heard this story from Alasdair Mòr.

Recording Location

County - Inverness-shire

Parish - South Uist

Island - South Uist

Language

Gaelic

Collection

SoSS

Transcription

Aonghas MacIllFhialain (AM): Bha fear-lagh a bha seo ann an Èirinn, fear Ó Conaill, agus bha e a' bòrdadh ann an hotel. Agus nuair a bha e a' fàgail na hotel, bha fear na hotel a' dèanamh leithid de charge air. Agus chaidh e fhèin 's fear na hotel far a chèile. Ach co-dhiù, b' fheudar do dh'Ó Conaill an t-suim a phàigheadh; cha do rinn e bargan ris. Dh'fhalbh e agus cò thachair air ach ceàrd air an rathad. Agus bhruidhinn e ris a' cheàrd 's dh'fhaighneachd e dheth cà robh e a' fuireach an-dràsta:

"Ò chan eil," ars an ceàrd, "ach anns a h-uile h-àite," ars esan.

"A bheil dachaigh agad?"

"Chan eil dachaigh agamsa," ars an ceàrd, "ach tent."

"An-tà, ma ghabhas tu mo chomhairle-sa," ars esan, "gheibh mise deagh dhachaigh dhut," ars esan.

"An-tà, 's mise a nì sin," ars an ceàrd.

"Uill thugainn ma-thà," ars esan, "còmhla riumsa," ars esan.

Thug e leis an ceàrd, agus thugadh a-staigh do sheop e, agus fhuair e deise dhan cheàrd cho math 's a ghabhadh faighinn da. Agus:

"Thalla a-nist," ars esan, "far a bheil a leithid seo a dh'fhear hotel," ars esan, "agus faighneachd dheth," ars esan, "dè bhios an rùm as fheàrr a th' aige san hotel ort gu cionn bliadhna," ars esan, "gu bheil thu fhèin 's an teaghlach, dùil agad tighinn a bhòrdadh innte. Agus ge air bith gu dè chuireas e ort e," ars esan, "gabh e," ars esan, "agus thig thu far a bheil mise a-rithist."

Dh'fhalbh an ceàrd. Ràinig e fear na hotel agus dh'fhaighneachd e dheth gu dè bhiodh an rùm a b' fheàrr a bha san taigh aige air gu cionn bliadhna. Ò, 's e fear na hotel a bha toilichte. Chan eil fhios dè an duine uasal a bha seo.

"Bithidh," ars esan, "ceud not."

"Ò uill, ma-thà," ars an ceàrd, "'s e mo chuid e."

"'S cuin a tha sibh am beachd tighinn?" ars esan.

"Uill, chan eil mi cinnteach fhathast," ars an ceàrd, "ach dh'fhaodte nach bi mi fuathasach fada 's dh'fhaodte gum bi mi treis mun tig mi," ars esan. "Ach feumaidh an rùm a bhith clìor romham nuair a thig mi," ars esan.

"Ò bidh an rùm clìor romhaibh," arsa fear na hotel, "uair sam bith a thig sibh," ars esan.

"Ach tha sibh a' chargeadh gu leòr air a shon," ars an ceàrd.

"Ò uill, thig a-staigh," ars esan, "'s chì thu e."

Thugadh suas an ceàrd dhan rùm 's air neo-ar-thaing nach robh rùm air, le furniture cho math 's a ghabhadh e bhith.

"Ò uill, tha e glè mhath," ars an ceàrd, "ach tha an t-airgead cho math ris. Ach co-dhiù," ars esan, "bidh an gnothach ceart gu leòr," ars esan.

Dh'fhalbh an ceàrd agus ràinig e Ó Conaill.

"Seadh," ars Ó Conaill, "an do na ghabh thu rùm?"

"Ghabh," ars an ceàrd.

"Dè chuir e ort e?" ars esan.

"Chuir ceud not," ars esan.

"Ò, chuir e gu leòr e," ars esan.

Dh'fhalbh Ó Conaill agus chunnt e a-mach dha an ceud.

"Thalla a-nist, ma-thà, agus pàigh dha e," ars esan. "Agus faigh receipt bhuaithe," ars esan, "agus thig thu far a bheil mise a-rithist," ars esan.

Dh'fhalbh an ceàrd agus ràinig e fear na hotel:

"Uill, tha mi airson an rùm a phàigheadh dhuibh," ars esan, ars an ceàrd.

"Ò cha ruig thu a leas a phàigheadh... [Tha an clàradh a' stad gu h-obann an seo.]

Calum MacIllEathain (CM): "Uill tha mi airson an rùm a phàigheadh," ars esan.

AM: Thuirt e gun e airson an rùm a phàigheadh dha.

"Ò cha rug thu a leas a phàigheadh an-diugh mura togair thu fhèin," ars esan, "tha ùine gu leòr agad."

"Ò uill," ars an ceàrd, "an rud a bhios pàighte, 's ann nach bi e ri iarraidh tuilleadh," ars esan.

"Ò ceart gu leòr," arsa fear na hotel.

Phàigh e an rùm a dh'fhear na hotel, ceud not, agus thug e dha receipt gun robh an rùm pàighte gu cionn bliadhna. Agus dh'fhalbh an ceàrd agus ràinig e Ó Conaill.

"Seadh," ars Ó Conaill, "an do phàigh thu an rùm dha?"

"Phàigh," ars esan.

"An d' fhuair thu receipt?"

"Fhuair, cuideachd," ars an ceàrd.

"Thalla a-nist, ma-thà," ars esan, "agus cuir dhìot an deise a th' ort," ars esan, "agus cruinnich na bheil còmhla riut," ars esan, "agus gabh a-staigh ann a shin," ars esan, "agus tòisich air d' obair, agus tha deagh dhachaigh agad gu cionn bliadhna."

Dh'fhalbh an ceàrd agus chruinnich e am bannal a bha còmhla ris - bha iad ann naoinear, agus an t-seanmhair còmhla riutha. Nuair a chunnaic fear na hotel iad a' tighinn, thàinig e a-mach 's dh'òrdaich e dhan Droch Àite iad, iad a chlìoradh air falbh air neo gun cuireadh e an gunna riutha. Dè chuir an seo iad? Ghabh an ceàrd a-null, 's chuir e a ghuala ris:

"Teann às an rathad orm," ars an ceàrd. "Tu a chaill do nàire, 's ann a th' ann m' àite fhèin. Tha e pàighte agam."

Stad an dà shùil ri... shuas aig an fhear eile, 's cha robh fios aige dè a chanadh e. Ghabh an ceàrd a-staigh seachad air. Ghabhadh dhan rùm 's thòisich fàileadh a' ghuail 's nan adhaircean aig a' cheàrd. Cha robh duine anns an hotel nach do chuir gearan gu fear na hotel; mas e siud an seòrsa a bha e a' dol a chumail, gun robh iadsan a' falbh.

Dh'fhalbh e far an robh an ceàrd feuch am falbhadh e. Chan fhalbhadh an ceàrd.

"Bheir mi dhut," ars esan, "leth-cheud eile a bharrachd air na phàigh thu 's bi falbh."

Cha chairicheadh an ceàrd à siud. Phacaig càch suas na bagaichean 's tharraing iad air, a h-uile duine riamh aca, 's cha robh duine aige an uair sin ach na ceàrdannan. Bha e air thuar a dhol far a chinn. Cha robh e a' faighinn dùnadh cadail - uair a bhiodh iad a' leum air a chèile, 's uaireannan eile bhiodh iad rèidh. Cha robh mionaid nach biodh e far an robh an ceàrd feuch am falbhadh e. Bheireadh e dha rud sam bith a dh'iarradh e.

Dh'fhalbh an seo an ceàrd far an robh Ó Conaill ach gu dè rud a dhèanadh e.

"Seadh," ars Ó Conaill, "gu dè mar a tha a' dol dhut?"

"Tha glè mhath," ars an ceàrd, "ach chan eil an duine ud a' leigeil fois dhomh," ars esan, "ach gam chur air falbh," ars esan. "Tha e a' toir dhomh," ars esan, "leth-cheud eile a bharrachd air na phàigh mi," ars esan, "'s mi dh'fhalbh."

"Ged a bheireadh e mìle dhut," ars esan, "na cairich aiste gus am bi thu mìos innte. 'S ma bheir e trì cheud dhut an uair sin, fàg aige fhèin i. 'S mura toir," ars esan, "fan innte gu ceann na bliadhna."

Thill an ceàrd. Agus nuair a bha seo, e mìos anns an hotel, thuirt e ri fear na hotel:

"Uill," ars esan, "tha mise a' cur na h-uiread de dhragh ort," ars esan. "Ma bheir thu dhòmhsa trì cheud not," ars esan, "fàgaidh mi agad fhèin i."

"Ò Dhonais," ars esan, "'s fhad a gheibheadh tu sin nam falbhadh tu," ars esan.

Phàigh e an trì cheud dhan cheàrd. Dh'fhalbh an ceàrd, dh'fhàg e aige fhèin i 's ràinig e Ó Conaill.

"Seadh," ars Ó Conaill, "an do dh'fhàg thu an hotel?"

"An-tà, dh'fhàg," ars an ceàrd, "ach ma dh'fhàg chan ann falamh," ars esan.

"Dè thug e dhut?" ars esan.

"Ò uill, thug e dhomh na dh'iarr mi," ars esan. "Trì cheud not. Agus seo dhuibhse e," ars esan, "'s e ur n-airgead a th' ann 's chan e mo chuid-sa," ars esan.

"Ah uill," ars Ó Conaill, "cha ghabh mise idir e," ars esan. "Gabhaidh mi na thug mi dhut," ars esan, "agus biodh an còrr agad fhèin," ars esan, "on a bha thu cho math agus gun do ghabh thu mo chomhairle," ars esan.

Dh'fhalbh an ceàrd 's bha e gu math leòmach an oidhche sin. Agus cha deach duine uasal riamh tuilleadh a-staigh air doras na hotel. Cha tuirteadh riamh rithe ach Tinkers' Hotel, agus sin mar a fhuair Ó Conaill ann an laoim fear na hotel airson an overcharge a rinn e air.

CM: Tha i sin math a-nise. Tha fhios gu bheil greis o chuala sibh i sin?

AM: Ò, chuala aig Alasdair Mòr.

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good