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Derek Ogg air bàsachadh

Tadhail air Geidh.uk: Naidheachdan LCDTQ

Christine Primrose will need little or no introduction for the Gaelic enthusiasts who follow Island Voices. A stellar singer, she has long a been a leading light in the promotion of Gaelic music and the tradition which nurtures it. If, by chance, you are coming to acquaintance with her for the first time, this interview in English (with further useful embedded links) for Folk Radio will give you an indication of her central position in the world of Gaelic music.

In the clips below, she talks freely in Gaelic to Pàdruig Moireach – who also has Carloway roots – for the Stòras Beò nan Gàidheal project. A feast for the ears for anyone with a taste for good Lewis Gaelic!

In the first part, Christine first recalls her early childhood in Carloway, Lewis – a close community in which every house had a loom. She started school very young, but always remembers singing – whether to neighbours in their homes, or at community concerts when still a young girl. She talks about the pressure of performance and how to look after your voice. Choral singing is also discussed. Her early career through school, college, and work in Glasgow was marked by singing, culminating with the prize for “seann nòs” (a term which she questions) at the Mòd. (You can get a Clilstore transcript here: Unit 8434.)

In the second part, Christine talks about touring Ireland and the novel experience of presenting her songs outside her community, emphasising the importance of feeling to maintain authenticity. She is disciplined in her approach, while also bringing her own interpretation to a song. Care for the rhythm of the words enhances the story. Moving to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig enabled her to maintain her singing career, while helping to promote the Gaelic college. She enjoys teaching, and listening to singers from other traditions. She stresses the importance of giving young performers time to learn their craft before pressurising them to perform. Return visits to Carloway underline for her the importance of acknowledging change. (You can get a Clilstore transcript here: Unit 8435.)

Tadhail air Island Voices – Guthan nan Eilean

Sùil air ais air trainspotting sna 80an #gàidhlig

Le alasdairmaccaluim

Tha 34 latha ann bho bha mi air trèana mu dheireadh agus bidh greis ann fhathast mus bi cothrom agam a dhol air turas rèile a-rithist.

Tha mi air leasan inntinneach ionnsachadh san àm sin – is iongantach an obair a nì duine ma tha e stuicte san taigh fad mìos. Tha mi air na faidhlichean agam uile a sgioblachadh, tha mi air na h-uinneagan a ghlanadh, tha mi air na faidhlichean coimpiutair agam a sgrioblachadh, tha mi air iomairt Gàidhlig no dhà a dhèanamh agus tha mi fiù ’s air toiseachadh air an lobht a sgioblachadh.

Clas 120, Glaschu Mheadhain c1986

Nuair a bha mi san lobht, lorg mi bogsa de na dealbhan trèana a thog mi sna 1980an nuair a bha mi san sgoil. Tha mi a-nis air a’ chuid as fheàrr aca a sgannadh a-steach dhan choimpiutair agus a chur suas air Flickr.

Bha mi beò-glaicte le trèanaichean eadar mu 1985 agus 1987/88. An uair sin, fhuair mi ZX Spectrum agus ghabh mi ùidh na bu mhotha ann an geamaichean coimpiutair agus ceòl agus chan ann airson 10 bliadhna eile a thog mi ùidh ann an rathaidean-iarainn a-rithist.

Clas 104, Stèisean Sràid na Banrighinn (bliadhnaichean mus robh sgeul air soidhnichean dà chànanach ann)

Air ais ann an 1985, bha mi ann an clas 7 sa bhun-sgoil agus clas 1 san àrd-sgoil ann an Stepps, faisg air Glaschu. Cha mhòr gach deireadh seachdain, bhithinn a’ dol dhan bhaile Disathairne no Didòmhnaich le mo charaid Cailean air a’ bhus gus trainspotting a dhèanamh.

Bhiomaid a’ tòiseachadh ann an Stèisean Sràid na Banrighinn – High Level is Low Level, agus an uair sin a’ dol gu Central – High Level is Low Level. Rachamaid air an t-Subway gach turas cuideachd – mar as trice airson dà chuairt den t-siostam air fad!

Nuair a bha airgead gu leòr againn, gheibheamaid burgair bho Casey Jones Burgers ann an Stèisean a’ Mheadhain agus is dòcha lethbhreac den iris Modern Railways cuideachd.

Casey Jones Burgers – BR a’ feuchainn ri bhith coltach ri McDonalds!

Bha camara beag 110 size agam a thug m’ athair dhomh agus bhithinn a’ togail dealbhan de na trèanaichean leis. Bha e caran coltach ris a’ chamara san t-sanas spaideil (?!) seo ach bha e na bu shine agus cha robh flash air! Bha na dealbhan a thog e math ach beag biodach!!

a7e7ab92ba4893b574abbd2953f05b3a--instamatic-camera-vintage-cameras

Airson mo cho-latha-breith ann an 1986, fhuair mo phàrantan camara-disc dhomh! Eil cuimhne agaibh orra? Bha e na bu spaideile AGUS bha flash air!

Camara-disc!

Bhiomaid a’ dol bho Stèisean a’ Mheadhain gu Stèisean Sràid na Banrighinn uair is uair air an aon latha, uaireanan air a’ bhus shònraichte a bha a’ cosg dìreach 10sg! ‘S e bus double-decker ‘Corpy’ àbhaisteach a bh’ ann leis a’ mhullach air a gheàrradh dheth!

Am bus sònraichte eadar an dà stèisean. Cheannaich mi an dealbh seo bho: https://www.philt.org.uk/

Bha na rathaidean-iarainn rud beag eadar-dhealaichte sna 80an. Ann an Alba san latha an-diugh, tha sinn cleachdte ri trèanaichean gu math ùr is glan agus tha tòrr a bharrachd trèanaichean dealanach ann. Ann am meadhan nan ceithir ficheadan, bha a mhòr-chuid de na trèanaichean bho na 1950an. Bha tòrr charactar aca ach gu tric, bha iad gu math salach agus bha na stèisesanan loma làn smuid diosail agus bhiodh ceann goirt agad às dèidh cus tìde ann!

A bharrachd air seo, bha tòrr de na trèanaichean air an tarraing le locothan. San latha an-diugh, tha cha mhòr a h-uile trèana ann an Alba na Iom-aonad no multiple unit – càraichean-rèile.

Loco clas 27 ann an Sràid na Banrighinn (GLQ)

Agus bha Glaschu na àite inntinneach airson iom-aonadan ann am meadhan nan ochdadan. Bha gainnead thrèanaichean ann an Alba – gu sònraichte air loidhne Inbhir Air – agus chaidh tòrr dhìofar sheòrsaichean aonad a chur a dh’Alba mun àm seo. Bha trainspotting car coltach ri safari rèile – cha robh fhios agad dè a chitheadh tu is cuine.

Clas 107, Glaschu Mheadhain (GLC)

‘S e àm inntinneach a bha seo airson rathaidean-iarainn. Bliadhna no dhà às dèidh seo, thàining tòrr mòr thrèanaichean ùra a-steach. Tòrr chàraichean-rèile ùra – na Sprinters agus Supersprinters a bha spaideil agus ùr-nodha agus mean air mhean, chaidh an cur an àite nan seann aonadan agus nan locothan. Mar sin, chunnaic mi cùisean dìreach mus robh mòr atharrachadh ann.

Clas 156 ‘Supersprinter’ – ginealach ùr nan aonadan rèile

‘S e deagh àm a bha seo airson a bhith beò agus a bhith a’ leantainn rathaidean-iarainn ann an Alba!

Alasdair

Air an Sony Walkman agam aig an àm: Big Country, the Alarm

Tadhail air Trèanaichean, tramaichean is tràilidhean

Buidheachas do @ScotGovGaidhlig, cha tuirt neach sam bith a-riamh

Le Neil McRae

Or: Thank you Riaghaltas na h-Alba, from the heart of my bottom

A chàirdean

Tha leisgeul ‘Illeasbuig ri ghabhail oir is fhada bho nach do chuir e corrag ri meur-chlàir. Tha fhios gu bheil e gu math doirbh ’sna h’amannan dùbhlanach [osna] seo a bhith an dà chuid nad iuchair-obraiche AGUS nad ghoireas earbsach a thaobh a h-uile càil as doilleir ann an saoghal na Gàidhlig!

Cò-dhiù, [adopts

Tadhail air Gilleasbuig Aotrom

A Crack Guide to Anti-Gaelic Trolls

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

1. The Deeply Unloved 100% FYOOMIN. This is your base level vanilla troll. Inhabits the Scotsman comments section. Externalises their inner pain by ranting about how Gaelic was never spoken in *insert Gaelic placename* 2. The Russian Bot Generated by the Motherland to shitpost about literally everything, including Gaelic. 60 tweets per minute, and […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

Tramaichean, tràilidhean agus astar-sòisealta! #gaidhlig

Le alasdairmaccaluim

Chan urrainn dhomh a dhol air turas trèana no trama sam bith an-dràsta mar thoradh air a’ Chorònabhìoras, ach tha mi a’ cur deagh fheum air a’ chuairt coise agam gach latha.

Chaidh mi fhèin agus an tè bheag air turas gu Pàirc Bhaile Hùistean an-diugh agus fhad ’s a bha sinn ann, rinn mi beagan obair detective airson beagan de sheann lìonra tramaichean is tràilidhean Ghlaschu a lorg.

Ma tha thu eòlach air Pàirc Bhaile Hùistean no Mosspark Boulevard idir, is dòcha gun do mhothaich thu gu bheil am Boulevard gu math leathann. ’S e as adbhar do sin gun robh slighe-trama ann uair. An àite a bhith a’ ruith air an rathad fhèin, bha slighe fa leth aca eadar an rathad agus a’ phàirc.

Eubha a’ sealltainn far an robh an t-slighe trama.

Ged a dh’fhalbh na tramaichean bho chionn cha mhòr 60 bliadhna, chithear far an robh iad fhathast agus tha pìos beag biodach de thrac ann aig a’ cheann-rathad le Draibh Bhale Hùistean.

Na tha air fhàgail de slighe trama Phàirc na Mòna

An uair sinn, choisich sinn sìos Dràibh Bhaile Hùistean gu Sràid Dhiùra far an robh terminus bus-tràilidh àireamh 106.

Làrach terminus bus-tràilidh Bhaile Hùistean

Alasdair

Tadhail air Trèanaichean, tramaichean is tràilidhean

Bruidhnean is Teintidhean

Le lasairdhubh

Bruidhnean is teintidhean
B’ e neard DnD uabhasach a bh’ annam nuair a bha mi òg. Thachair mi ris a’ gheama reusanta tràth na eachdraidh, mu ’80 – ’81 bu dòcha. Tha na seann leabhraichean, air an caitheamh gu mòr, fhathast ann an dachaigh mo phàrantan ann am badeigin. Bha mi a’ smaoineachadh uime a-raoir, is mi nam shìneadh nam leabaidh, gun chadal, is a’ caitheamh ùine a’ coimhead sgudail air an eadar-lìon. Bhuail mi air bhideo de Stephen Colbert ga iomairt, agus thug e air ais mi gu làithean m’ òige.

Bidh cuid dhe na h-oileanaich agam a’ ruith iomairt anns a’ Ghàidhlig, agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil sin dìreach sgoinneil, agus gu math iomchaidh cuideachd. Nach tàinig mòran dhen chultar ùr-sgeulachd (fantasaidh) seo bho chultar nan Gàidheal co-dhiù, gu sònraichte bhon fhicsean aig J.R.R. Tolkien a bha a’ fuireach ann an Eige greis nuair a bha e ag obair air Tighearna nan Fàinne.

Bruidhean — mar as àbhaist, ’s e dìreach ‘toll-dubh’ a th’ againn air dungeon, ach lorg mi am facal ‘buidhean’ seo fhad ’s a bha mi a’ leughadh An Ubhal as Àirde, le Wilson McLeod agus Michael Newton. Is coltach gur e gnè de sgeulachdan na Fèinne a bh’ ann an sgeulachdan nam bruidhean, anns an rachadh an Fhiann a-steach ann an taigh seunta fon talamh (bruidhean) agus bhiodh aca ri strì an aghaidh shìthichean is uile-biastan. (tdd. 143-9) Gu math coltach ri DnD dhomhsa!

Teintidh — a-rithist, ged a chleachdamaid dìreach ’dràgon’ mar bu trice air dragon sa Ghàidhlig, lorg mi ‘teintidh’ ann an Dwelly (td. 944), agus tha e a’ còrdadh rium fada nas fheàrr, am facal fhèin a’ toirt ìomhaigh na bèiste dham inntinn gu soilleir.

Tadhail air Air Cuan Dubh Drilseach

Locks, Links, and Languages

Le Gordon Wells

It’s April 2020 and the global lockdown continues, whether you’re on the West coast of Scotland or in West Bengal. We’re largely “confined to quarters” in the international bids to lessen the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The internet has many faults, but now offers the potential to afford mental release in times of physical restriction, at least to those fortunate to have access to it. Here’s an example.

Animesh Biswas is from Nadia, West Bengal, India. Graduating from the Department of English at the University of Kalyani, he is an independent reasearcher working on Bangla folk songs. He has no training in music, but is learning from the folk singers he meets during his research work.

Attending the North-Eastern Hill University International Language Fest in October 2019, he made acquaintance with Gordon Wells (who was speaking about Island Voices, and its potential as a model for other language communities) and they’ve maintained contact through Facebook since. Having heard him sing in Shillong, Gordon was delighted just a few days ago to receive a recording from Animesh over Facebook Messenger, made in his home in Nadia. Followed by snaps from his camera, and some toing and froing over recording revisions, the ingredients were quickly all present for a new video and Clilstore unit, presenting a Bengali song in the Baul tradition with wordlinked transcript. Ta da!

For the full wordlinked transcript, follow this Clilstore link: http://multidict.net/cs/8515

In addition, Animesh provided this English translation of the lyrics of the song:

You wish to chain my hands and my feet. How will you chain my mind?

You may shut my eyes and my mouth. How will you bind my spirit?

I couldn’t go to the banks of the Jamuna to fetch water. Nor, Sakhi, could I get a glimpse of him who stirs my passion.

You may refuse my wishes and deny my caress. How will you confine my passion?

I bring no shame to my family, nor stigma. What’s wrong with making him a garland round my body?

You may lock me in a room, block my way. How will you alter the cosmic design?

How?

Animesh describes the Baul tradition as being at the confluence of Vaishnavism, Sufism, and Tantric Buddhism. Devotion to the Almighty is the essential component, here expressed through the love of the devotee Radha for Krishna.

Speaking of this song, he says “I think in a way it conveys how pent-up we are in today’s world. Even though in literature we get to visit our dreamland vividly, in actual life it is a distant possibility.”

Perhaps we may also take inspiration from Radha’s spirit of defiance and determination to transcend earthly shackles in times of physical privation?