Here are the originally whimsical but now poignant final words of Alex Salmond’s post-referendum book, in both English and Gaelic versions:
« […] In the tenth century, the monks at Deer Abbey in Aberdeenshire, a few miles from Strichen, rounded off their treasured biblical folio in Latin with the following colophon in common Gaelic (i.e. common to Scotland and Ireland). It demonstrates that Buchan wit, as biting as the wind, is rather more than a millenium old. It reads:
« ‘Be it on the conscience of anyone who reads this little book to say a prayer for the soul of the poor wretch who laboured so long in writing it.’
~ Alex Salmond MSP
Strichen, March 2015 »(‘THE DREAM SHALL NEVER DIE: 100 Days that Changed Scotland Forever’ by Alex Salmond, published by William Collins 2015, pp 262, 263).
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« […] Anns an deicheamh linn, aig Abaid Dhèir ann an Siorrachd Obar Dheathain, faisg air Srath Eachainn, chuir na manaich crìoch air an leabhar ionmhainn Laideann aca leis an earrainn seo anns a’ Ghàidhlig choitchinn (a’ Ghàidhlig sgrìobhte a bha cumanta eadar Alba agus Èirinn). Tha na briathran a’ sealltainn gu bheil eirmse Bhuchanach, a tha cho geur ris an lannsa, nas sine na mìle bliadhna a dh’aois. Tha an earrann ag ràdh:
« ‘Gum biodh e air cogais an duine a leughas an leabhar beag seo gun guidh e airson anam an truaghain a bha cho fada ga sgrìobhadh’.
~ Ailig Salmond BPA
Srath Eachainn, Am Màrt 2015 »(‘MAIRIDH AN DÒCHAS: 100 Latha a dh’Atharraich Alba Gu Bràth’, le Ailig Salmond, air fhoillseachadh le William Collins, 2015, td 291)
