Màiri ni'n Eachainn Hughie Raghnaill
Sydney, Cape Breton County
talking about her father's work
Ann a's a' cheàrdaich:
S.W. Agus 's e gobha a …
M.M. 'S e.
S.W. … a bh' ann ur athair.
M.M. Athair.
S.W. Athair. Agus dé seòrsa obair a bhiodh ann a's a' cheàrdaich ?
M.M. O, crùidheadh na h- eich 's a' cur air dòigh sleigheachan, 's bhiodh càraichean 's trucks... An uair sin bhiodh e a' ceannach trucks, 's ciamar a chanas tu e? Cùl orra 'dh' fheumadh e - am mountings a dhèanamh airson an …
S.W. Dìreach.
M.M. Agus, bha poidhle eich an uair sin, poidhle eich mun cuairt.
S.W. Yeah.
M.M. Rud sam bith a a bha briste dh'fheumadh a bhith air weldig.
S.W. um hum. 'Robh iad - gu dé an t-astar air an tigeadh 'ad dhan a' cheàrdaich ?
M.M. O, thigeadh 'ad tha mi creidsinn fichead mìle.
S.W. Le wagon is each.
M.M. Wagon, each le slèighe.
S.W. Yeah, yeah. Agus sin e. As an àm a bha sin bhiodh 'ad a' crùidheadh nan each.
M.M. Bhiodh.
S.W. Agus ma dh' fhaodte 'sa gheamhradh bhiodh diofar a's a' crudha a chuir 'ad air - air cas an eich ?
M.M. Bhiodh, bhiodh.
S.W. So. feumaidh 's gu robh siud ga chumail gu math busy.
M.M. Bha, gum bu choir dha tighinn a-rithist airson a' gheamhraidh airson na cruidhean geur a chur orra.
S.W. Dìreach mar a tha daoine an latha an-diugh - bhiodh 'ad a' changing na taidhrichean air an càraichean.
M.M. Sin agad e.
Blacksmith Work:
S.W. And it was a smith…
M.M. It was
S.W. …that your father was.
M.M. Father.
S.W. Father. And what sort of work was in that occupation?
M.M. Oh, shoeing horses, mending sleighs, and he would? cars and trucks. Then he would buy trucks (have a go), how do you say it? A back on them, he would have to make the mountings for…..
S.W. Yes.
M.M. And, there was a pile of horses then, a pile of horses around.
S.W. Yeah.
M.M. Anything that was broken that had to be welded.
S.W. um hum. Were they – from what distance (how far) would they come to the smiddy?
M.M. Oh, they would come from, I am sure twenty miles.
S.W. With a wagon and a horse.
M.M. Wagon, yeah, with a sleigh.
S.W. Yeah, yeah. And that was it. In those days they would shoe their horses.
M.M. They would.
S.W. And possibly in the winter there would be different shoes they would put on – the horses foot.?
M.M. They would, they would.
S.W. So. That must have kept him really busy.
M.M. He was, they had to come again for the winter, to put the sharp/ (studded) shoes on them.
S.W. Just, like the people today- would be changing the tires on their cars.
M.M. That’s it.
Transcribed and translated by Brenda Barclay and Màiri Sìne Parr.
