The Vernacular Gaelic Community in Crisis; A Liminal Perspective

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

I’m on the Isle of Lewis as we come out of lockdown and I have spoken only Gaelic today. I had a yarn with the dog but didn’t get much back and wrote a message in Gaelic to my daughter in Shetland. I spoke with a family friend for a while and then at length […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

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A Child Eye’s View of Language Revitalisation: Hope and opportunity for the future of Gaelic in Scotland

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

As part of our ongoing series about Gaelic in Scotland we ask: What could we learn from research in Ireland about how to support language regeneration? The announcement last week that Gaelic is predicted to perish as a community language within the decade hardly came as a surprise to me—as others have pointed out, those […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

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Falach-cuain

Le Steaphan

Falaich thu fhèin mar chùlanach
am broinn do sheòmair chadail
a dh’ullaich do mhàthair chaomh dhut,
bhon a tha buirb air do thòir.

Buirb thapaidh nach do stad
gus do chiont a chur an teagamh,
cha d’ chuir ’ad ceist anns a’ chasaid
a chuala thu nad sheasamh.

Chan ann gun fhios a bha thu
dar ràinig ’ad do stairseach fhèin,
is cha do dh’fhan thu ann
a bhith gearrte às mar loch-bhlèin.

Stuigeadh annad na coin
bho stèisean gu port-adhair,
feadh frìthean an àrd-bhaile
ach ghabh na h-ùmpaidhean sgàth.

Is ann nach robh iad eòlach ort,
’s chan fhac’ ’ad broinn do mhàileid;
shaoil iad thu bhith teicheadh bhuap’
seach bhith dol am bad do nàmhaid.

Le Steaphan Mac Risnidh

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Bithidh coma – stop being so polite

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

Uill, a’ Ghàidhlig chòir. Tòrr smuaintean a dol aig a h-uile duine, seo beagan meòrachadh bhuam fhìn [A few thoughts on the present situation about Gaelic. This is a very important juncture for Gaelic. English below]. Tha naidheachd mun rannsachadh ùr seo air eagal a chuir air grùnnd dhaoine. Tha tòrr ag radh air na […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

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Responding Creatively to The Gaelic Crisis

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

Like many Gaelic speakers, this week I was left reeling with the title of the new book by Conchúr Ó Giollagáin and aghast at the spin put on it by the mainstream print and online media. The news even travelled so far as CNN. When have they shown any interest whatsoever in our minoritised community? […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

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Cumha a’ Chànain Chaillte

Le Alistair Paul

Bha mi ri ur taobh tro thoileachas is cruas
Aig bàs is breith, aig stèidh do sheanchais
Bu mhise air bilean ur Dè an àm breitheanais
Bu mhise a chùmadh blàths ri ur caidreachas

Is truagh mise on a thrèig sibh mi

Bha mi nur cuideachd nuair ’shiubhail sibh bho thùs
Tro tìr, is tonn, is teagamh bu mhise ur misneachd
Tromhamsa a chuireadh an sgeulachd air gleus
Bu mhise a thug tuairisgeul air na bha ri teachd

Is truagh mise on a thrèig sibh mi

Bha mi a’ cluich leibh is sibh nur pàistean
– Bu mhise a thug sibh ciall ur càirdeasan
– Bu mhise a chuir an cèill ur ciad ghaol
– Bu mhise a thug brìgh do ur saoghal

Is truagh mise on a thrèig sibh mi

Thàinig am buille is thàinig gu cruaidh e
Claidheamh air a shàthadh tro mo chridhe
Fo ur sùileansan a chaidh mo leagail
Nam ablach; mo dheò lem fhuil gam fhàgail

Is truagh mise on a thrèig sibh mi

Càit’ a bheil sibh a’ tàmh a chlann mo ghaoil?
Cò na briathran coimheach a-nis ur n-iùl?
A threòir bhuam sibh do thìr an aineoil
Fada bhon dùthchas a dh’fhàg sibh air ur cùl

Is truagh mise on a thrèig sibh mi

‘S mise a tha dìleas dhuibh agus bidh gu bràth
Ge dìmeas mo dhàimh cha traogh mo ghràdh
Am measg nam faileas an cùl ur n-inntinne
Sin mise a’ feitheamh gu foighidneach ur pilltinne

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Gaelic and the Hebrides are Valuable – Let’s Strengthen Them

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

Charles (Teàrlach) Wilson argues that the Hebrides are not a remote archipelago with nice views and old-fashioned ways of life: they are a crucial and important part of Scottish society, identity, history. If we reconceive the problems of Gaelic as not a crisis of language but a crisis of how we see rural and Highland […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

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Smuaintean, fo Ghlasadh-Sluaigh

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

  In this piece Fiona MacIsaac explores the impact that the lockdown has had on her mental health. Isolated in a way in which is multi-layered, from friends and events on the mainland, the sense of loneliness is only heightened. Time has lost its rigidity and seems to stretch into one infinite day. Current events […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

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Stòras Beò: Catrìona

Le Gordon Wells

Visitors to the annual Ceòlas summer school in South Uist, among many others with an interest in Gaelic cultural and educational activities, will need little introduction to Catriona MacIntyre. Here she is talking to Archie Campbell for UHI’s project, Stòras Beò nan Gàidheal.

Here, in the first part, Catrìona, from Iochdar in South Uist, recalls happy schooldays, first in Iochdar, then Daliburgh, and finishing in Fort William on the mainland. Having decided on a teaching career she trained in Glasgow, before returning to South Uist for her first job, in Lochboisdale, where she used her Gaelic extensively. On marrying she moved back to Fort William where she worked in a school for twenty years, noticing the close island and Gaelic connections of many in the town and the school.

A Clilstore transcript is available here: http://multidict.net/cs/8233

In the second part, Catrìona talks about her seminal involvement in the development of Gaelic Medium Education in Lochaber and neighbouring areas, together with the growth of the Fèis movement at the same time. She enjoyed her peripatetic lifestyle. On retiring home to South Uist, she was involved in supply teaching, and has become closely involved with Ceòlas, the summer school and associated activities, and been involved in teaching Gaelic to adults, for example, for Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.

A Clilstore transcript is available here: http://multidict.net/cs/8235


Tadhail air Island Voices – Guthan nan Eilean

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Lèirmheas. A’ Phlàigh le Albert Camus

Le Alistair Paul

Abheil dad aig an leabhar seo ri innse dhuinn is plàigh againn ann an dha rìreabh? A bheil blàs na fìrinn idir ri lorg ann?

Ma thathar airson feartan stuth air bith a lorg cuirear fo deuchainn e. Tha an aon rud fìor mu mhac an duine. ‘S iomadh ùghdar a tha air na caractaran aca a chur ann an suidheachadh éiginneach mar saoghal iar-apocailipteach no cogadh mar chleas gus nàdar daonna a thoirt am follais. A measg a h-uile deuchainn ris an tachair sòisealtas ’s e plàigh ’s dòcha am tè as dùbhlanaiche. Cha iongnadh mar sin gu bheil grunn math leabhraichean ann a tha stèidhichte aig àm phlàighe leithid ‘Love In The Time Of Cholera.’ le Gabriel Garcia Marquez, ‘A Journal Of The Plague Year’ le Daniel Defoe no ‘The Stand’ le Stephen King. Ach a bheil dad aca ri innse dhuinn is plàigh againn ann an dha rìreabh? A bheil blàs na fìrinn idir annta?

B’
e an leabhar a thagh mi mar mo chuid leughaidh a’ Phandemic ‘A’
Phlàigh’ le Albert Camus. Bha fèill mhòr air an leabhar sin nuair
a nochd e son a’ chiad uair ann an 1947, ’s dòcha air sgàth gu robh
e a’ toirt dha daoine dòigh sealltainn ris a’ chàs tron deach iad
aig àm a’ chogaidh gun a bhith a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn gu dìreach.
B’ ann gu ìre mhòr ri linn a’ chliù a choisinn Camus às an
leabhar seo a chaidh an duais Nobel a bhuilicheadh air ann an 1957.
Aig a’ chiad sealladh tha tòrr ann a tha diofraichte mun
t-suidheachadh sa chuireas Camus sinn ’s a’ phlàigh air a bheil an
obair stéidhte na tinneas bhaictearach a tha air a giùlain le
radan, coltach ris na plàighean mòra a bhuail air an roinn Eòrpa
sna meadhan-aoisean, ’s i a’ bualadh air aon bhaile a-mhàin ann an
taobh a tuath na h-Afraga. Ach chan eil ann an sin ach a’ chùl-raon
a chleachdas Camus gus a’ phrosbaig a chur air na daoine fa comhair.

San
dòigh sin tha gu leòr ann a tha mar sgathan air na tha a’ tachairt
dhuinn san àm seo. Aithnich sinn mar a thèid an sluagh tro diofar
ìrean ann a bhith a dèiligeadh ris a’ chàs bho àicheadh gu
comhaireachd gu liubhairt. Bidh cuide ri gearran is sgaoileadh
fhathannan gun sguir. Bidh cuid eile ri cuideachadh. Tha na
h-ùghdarrasan mall is neo-éifeachdach. Cho luath ’s a thòisicheas
a’ phlàigh air seargadh às bidh cuid ri dìochuimhneachadh, cuid
eile air an laigh sgàil nach gabh carachadh.

Thèid gach charactar tron triall fa leth aige fhèin ’s e air a stiùireadh le freastal cho math ris na feartan is na fabhtan aige fhèin. Tha fear Cottard na neach-eucoir a chuireas fàilte air a’ phlàigh is a ghabhas brath oirre gus a dhol an sàs ann an cùiltearachd. Obraichidh am prìomh charactar Rieux, a tha na dhotair, gu dìcheallach gu maith na coimhearsnachd a dh’aindeoin ’s nach eil na h-oidhirpean aige a’ dèanamh mòran diofar. Tha Raymond Rambert na neach-naidheachd a tha air a’ ghlacadh ’s a bhaile nuair a bhuaileas an galar air is a chuireas seachad cuid math dhen leabhar ann a bhith a’ feuchainn ri teicheadh gu leanainn a dh’fheitheas air an am Paris. Tha ionndrainn na phàirt mhòr dhen leabhar is mar a thèid sin tro na duilleagan fàsaidh ìomhaigheachd an ruid no an duine a thathar ag ionndrainn gu bhith mar bith fa-leth.

Tha
taobh drabhlainn cho math ri taobh tuigseach aig gach charactar. Chan
fhaigh an seirbheiseach cathara, Joseph Gand, seachad air a’ chiad
duilleag dhen leabhar a tha e air a bhith a’ sgrìobhadh fad
bhliadhnaichean. Tilgidh fear eile smugaid air càit mar
chur-seachad. Gòrach ’s gu bheil na cleasan seo ’s iad a tha a’ cuir
an cèil fìor bhrìgh an sgeòil agus ’s e sin nach eil brìgh ann.
Chan eil leasanan phrionnsabail no moraltachd rin toirt seachad. Tha
ar beathannan air a riaghladh le co-thuiteamas is blaomadh cho math
ri toil is dàn. ‘S e an sagart Paneloux a dh’fheuchas ri leasanan
moraltachd a tharraing às a t-suidheachadh is an sparradh air sluagh
dìblidh an àite. Ach air dha bàs phàiste fhaicinn feumaidh fiù
’s esan a bheachdan a mheasrachadh mus bàsaich e fhèin ri linn a’
ghalair.

Chan eil gainneid ana-ciall an lùib a’ phandemic againn fhèin eadar na Covid deniers is an chaoch a tha air a cheann a thogail ann an diofar ceàrnaidhean o chionn greis. Aig àrd a phandemic againn gu tric a bhathar a’ toirt iomradh air an saoghal calma ùr a dh’èireadh às ach a-nis ’s iad na samhlaidhean às cumanta air an saoghal sin sreathan mòra taobh a-muigh McDonald’s, pàircean is tràighean air an còmhdachadh le sgudail no daoine a’ sàbaid sna sràidean. Ach air cùl na h-ìomhaighean mì-chàilear sin tha pailteas dhaoine ann a tha a’ feuchainn ri cumail a’ dol cho math ’s a ’s urrainn dhuibh no ri cur ri co-chomann mhic an duine an an dòigh stòlta, sàmhach. Ma tha gaisge ri fhaotainn idir san leabhar aig Camus lorgar e ann lùib na caractaran stuama leithid a’ phrìomh charactair, Rieux fhèin, no an seirbheiseach cathara, Joseph Grand a’ chumas a’ dol gu dìcheallach tro gach cnap starra a thig nan rathad gus an saoghal mu thimcheall orra a thoirt am feabhas. Agus sin far a bheil Camus a’ faicinn luach is adhbhar beatha sna rudan beaga, suarach a nì sin bho latha gu latha. San a dòigh sin tha sinn beò gach latha fo stàid plàigh air ar slighe cugallach tro éiginn is ionndrainn bhon creathal dhan uaigh.

Ma tha uireasbhaidh aig an leabhar ’s e sin gu bheil pìos math dè shòisealtas air fhàgail a-mach. ‘S e an aon charactar boireann a gheibh facal idir san leabhair màthair Rieux agus is an aon ròl a th’ aice taic a thoirt do a mhac. A’ dh’aindeoin ’s gu bheil an leabhar stèidhichte ann an Afraga a Tuath cha nochd fiù ’s aon charactar Arabach ann. ‘S dòcha, le fiùghantas, chanadh tu gum b’ fheàrr le Camas a’ phrosbaig a chumail air earrann de shòisealtas gus nach biodh a léirsinn ro sgaoilte. The e duilich àicheadh ge-tà gu bheil e caran neònach ann a leabhar a tha mu dheighinn gnè daonnachd gun deach dearmad a dhèanamh air pìos math dheth.

S’ e rud mì-chofhurtail a th’ ann an coimhead ann a sgàthan ma thilgeas e air ais thugainn ìomhaigh nach tig buileach ri ar càil. Ach ’s fhiach e ma tha sinn airson fios a bhith againn air cò sin. Mar sin Mholainn dha duine sam bith a tha airson soilleireachd a’ lorg air an t-saoghal sa bheil sinn no gnè mac an duine mar an ceudna ‘A’ Phlàigh’ a leughadh.

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