Louisburg / Louisbourg

Trì cheud bliadhna bhuaithe seo bha Eilean Cheap Breatainn fo smachd nam Frangach agus 's dòcha gur ann bhuapa-san a fhuair sinn an t-ainm "Ceap Breatainn" ach cha chreid mi gu bheil cinnt aig duine sam bith a thaobh sin. A réir mo chuid fhiosrachd, chan eil sinn cinnteach idir cia ás a thàinig an t-ainm "Ceap Breatainn" no cò a chleachd air thùs e.

Bha na Frangaich airson daingneach a thogail ann an Ceap Breatainn gus na crìochan aca ann an Aimeiriaga a Tuath a dhìon o na Sassanaich. Smaoinich iad an toiseach air Bàgh Naoimh Anna ach bheachdaich iad gum biodh àite eile na b' fhreagarraiche. Thog iad daingneach 'is baile ann an àite ris an canar Louisburg an diugh.

Am bliadhna fhéin bidh greadhnachas mór ann a chomharraicheas an trì cheudamh bliadhna o 'n a chuir iad an daingneach air bonn.

Tha eachdraidh iom-fhillte ceangailte ris an àite. Fhuair na Sassanaich greim 'is smachd air ann an 1745 ach thug iad air ais do na Frangaich e ann an 1748. An déidh sabaid eile, fhuair na Sassanaich air ais e agus rinn iad milleadh gu buileach air. Anns na 1960's rinn an riaghaltas pàirc nàisenta dhe 'n àit' agus thog iad na togalaichean ás ùr, a' cleachdadh na h-aon chlachan a bh' anns na togalaichean bho thùs.

Tha e air a ràdh gu robh saighdearan Albannaich agus Ghàidhealaich anns na feachdan Shassanaich a thug ionnsaigh air a' bhaile, agus an déidh dhaibh a bhith deiseil leis an arm, chuir iad romhpa fearann fhaighinn ann an Ceap Breatainn 's rinn iad àiteach ann.

Ma 's fhìor sin no nach e, tha fhios 'am gu bheil móran daoine a' fuireach ann an Louisburg, New Waterford, Glasbaidh agus ceàrnan eile faisg air Louisburg a tha air tighinn o shluagh nan Gàidheal.

Tha cuimhn' 'am gu robh mi aig luaidhean anns na coimhearsnachdan sin 's gun do thachair mi ri luchd ionadail aig an robh Gàidhlig bhlasda.

Ged nach fhaighear 's nach cluinnear móran mu dheidhinn nan Gàidheal ann an Louisburg an diugh, chuir a thogail agus na blàran an déidh sin ri àireamh nan Gàidheal a thàinig gu Ceap Breatainn mus do thòisich na fuadaichean, agus air aobharan nach buineas do na fuadaichean.

'S math ma chuimhnicheas sinn nach e mìo-rùin mór nan Gall a thug oirnn uile imeachd gu Alba Nuadh, agus ma chumas sinn 'nar n-inntinn gu bheil dualchasan beartach eile (m.e. Frangach, Mi 'kmaq) ri 'm faotainn dlùth dhuinn.

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Louisbourg

Three hundred years ago, Cape Breton Island was under the control of the French and it may be from them that we got the name "Cape Breton," but I don't think anyone is certain about that. From what I know, nobody is certain where the name "Cape Breton" came from or who used it first.

The French wanted to build a fortress to protect their holdings in North America from the English. They first considered St. Ann's Bay, but they decided that another place would be more suitable. They built a fort and a town in the place we now call Louisbourg.

This year there is a great celebration to mark the three hundredth year since the fortress was built.

There is a complex history connected to the area. The English captured it in 1745 but they gave it back in 1748. After another battle the English concquered it again and destroyed it completely. In the 1960's, the government made a national park of the area and they re-built the buildings, using the same stones that were in them originally.

It has been said that Scottish and Gaelic soldiers were in the forces that attacked the town and that, after they left the army, they decided to acquire some land in Cape Breton and settled here.

Whether that's true or not, I know there are many people living in Louisbourg, New Waterford, Glace Bay and other nearby areas who are descended from the Gaelic speakers.

I remember going to milling frolics in these communities and that I met local people who had excellent Gaelic.

Although you won't find or hear much about the Gaels in Louisbourg these days, the building of it and the subsequent battles added to the number of the Gaels who came to Cape Breton before the expulsions started and for reasons other than the expulsions.

It's good for us to remember that it wasn't the great hatred of the foreigners that brought all of us to Nova Scotia, and that there are other vibrant cultures (e.g. Acadien, Mi'kmaq) to be found close to us.