Thèid cuireadh a thoirt do Phàrlamaid na h-Alba nas fhaide air an t-seachdain seo gus Dàibhidh Hamilton ainmeachadh gu A Mhòrachd an Rìgh airson dreuchd Coimiseanair Fiosrachaidh ùr na h-Alba. Beachdaichidh a’ Phàrlamaid air gluasad aontachaidh airson Mgr Hamilton a chur an dreuchd air Diciadain 28 Ògmhios. Tha dùil gun lean Mgr Hamilton Darren Fitzhenry … Leugh an corr de Fios naidheachd: Pàrlamaid gus Coimiseanair Fiosrachaidh ùr na h-Alba ainmeachadh
“Cobbler” Shùbhan-làir agus Rùbraib / Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
(Taing dhan Naidheachd Againne, iris den Chomunn Ghàidhealach Ameireaganach airson cead an reasabaidh seo a chleachdadh, agus gu h-àraidh do Janice Chan airson a cho-roinneadh!)
Chan eil rud sam bith nas fheàrr na blas sùbhan-làir agus rùbraib le chèile. Gabh tlachd air seo nuair a tha e caran blàth, le reòiteag!
Grìtheidean airson an lìonaidh-mheasan
6 cupan rùbraib, air a ghearradh ann am pìosan garbh 3 cupan sùbhan-làir, slisnichte 1 1/4 cupan siùcair 3 spàintean-bhùird min-fhlùir 1 1/2 spàintean-tì caineil 1 1/2 spàintean-tì rùsg orainseir, sgrìobte gu mìn
Stiùiridhean 1. Teasaich an àmhainn gu 400°F. 2. Ann am bobhla mòr, measgaich le chèile na grìtheidean tioram airson aʼ mheasgachadh de mheasan (siùcar, min-fhlùir, caineal). Cuir an rùbrab, na sùbhan-làir agus an rùsg orainseir anns aʼ bhobhla agus cuir mun cuairt iad gu socair gus am bi na measan còmhdaichte gu math. Sgaoil am measgachadh gu cunbhalach air soitheach-fuine meud 13 òirlich x 9 òirlich. Bruich seo ann an àmhainn aig 400°F fad 10 mionaidean. Cuir seo an dàrna taobh. 3. Ann am bobhla mòr, measgaich le chèile grìtheidean airson aʼ mhullaich thioraim (min-fhlùir, min-choirce, siùcar, pùdar-fuine, sòda-fuine agus salann). Cleachd do chorragan no dà sgian gus an t‑ìm a mheasgachadh a‑steach gus am bi e coltach ri peasairean beaga. 4. Cuir am bainne ris (no am blàthach) agus cuir mun cuairt e gus am bi an taois maoth. Leag le spàintean-bhùird den taois tuiteam air aʼ mheasgachadh de mheasan teth. Bruich seo ann an àmhainn aig 400°F fad 25 mionaidean no gus an èirich e agus tha e donn-òir. 5. Leig leis fuarachadh. Bidh na measan nas tighe nuair a tha e nas fhionnaire.
1 1/3 cup flour3 tbsp rolled oats 3 tbsp sugar 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 3 tbsp chilled butter 1 cup milk (or buttermilk)
Method 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 2. In a large bowl, combine dry filling ingredients (sugar, flour, cinnamon). Add the rhubarb, strawberries and orange zest, and toss well. Spread the mixture in a 13″ x 9″ baking dish and bake in a 400°F (c. 200°C) oven for 10 minutes and then put aside. 3. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using fingers or two knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles small peas. 4. Stir in the milk or buttermilk with a fork just until a soft dough forms. Drop by tablespoons on top of the hot fruit filling. Bake in a 400°F (c. 200°C) oven for 25 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and has risen. 5. Allow to cool before serving. The filling will firm up when cool.
Cup measurements: If you don’t have one of these bunches of scoops for measuring in American cups, just use any container that holds 250 ml liquid instead (= 1 cup), for wet and dry ingredients. There’s also a conversion tool here: https://www.thecalculatorsite.com/cooking/cups-ml.php
Following on from the North Uist “Wellbeing” survey, Gordon Wells this week reviewed the Island Voices contribution to the Aire air Sunnd project led by Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath.
Adopting a slightly different format to Jess Wood’s presentations last week, Gordon speaks to camera on Zoom while screen-sharing key points from the Island Voices Aire air Sunnd webpage. Speaking in Gaelic he reinforces the point that using this language does not exclude non-speakers or early learners, given the multilingual technical resources that are now available online.
His video recaps the various recordings that have been created for the project in the past year or so, including the “Gaelic Crisis” presentation, and the Progress Report, as well as the recording sessions with community members covering storytelling, artefact description, and environmental issues. In so doing, it also shows how the YouTube subtitling and auto-translation functions can be put to effective use, and includes a quick demonstration of the Clilstore platform too, while emphasising the alternative effectiveness of recorded speech in a world where written communication is often taken for granted as the default norm.
Summing up, Gordon stresses the untapped value of various recording collections (in addition to Island Voices’ own), noting in particular how open resources such as Tobar an Dualchais have the potential to bring present and past communities together in a new manner to support North Uist cultural wellbeing, offering innovative ways of forward-looking engagement with the island’s Gaelic heritage so positively valued by all. At the same time, it needs to be recognised that community-wide engagement in such activity is dependent on community-wide comfort with the new digital tools that enable it. This is probably an area of work that needs closer attention.
The results of the Aire Air Sunnd community survey in North Uist are going online. Jess Wood from the University of Aberdeen kicked off on Monday 19th June with an overview, split between two videos on a dedicated CEUT YouTube playlist, both of which are well worth watching to get a sense of the breadth and depth of the project. It’s been an ambitious collaborative exercise, turning out interesting and challenging findings for anyone interested in taking a rooted and holistic approach to community wellbeing across the board.
For those with a particular interest in Gaelic, Jess has devoted quite a bit of time in the first video to analysis of responses on this topic. We’ve picked out some headlines below.
The overall sample of 79 respondents divided themselves up roughly equally between Fluent Speakers, Learners, and Non-speakers of Gaelic.
The slide below shows a really strong level of agreement in the group overall with the notion that “Gaelic has an important symbolic value in the community as a vehicle for transmitting our island culture and heritage”.
Another immediately striking statistic is the 90% figure for those expressing concern over the declining trend in use of Gaelic, as shown in this slide:
And what may be particularly interesting about this figure is the way that similar sentiment is shared across all three groups – Fluent Speakers, Learners, and Non-speakers – with even 58% of those who have no Gaelic expressing concern about the decline in its use.
While Jess is duly cautious in her presentation, a topic eliciting a 90% level of concern might well be considered a community wellbeing issue worthy of further investigation…
If these figures pique your interest do take a look at the online presentation to find out more. The project also plans to run another face-to-face event in August at which Gaelic and other questions arising from the survey will be further discussed and developed. You can find full details and keep abreast of other events leading up to it on the CEUT Facebook page.
Here’s Part 1 of Jess’s presentation, in which she provides an update on the findings of Section 1 of the survey (including the questions on Gaelic):
In Part 2, Jess talks about the key findings of Section 2 – Use of the School, and Section 3 – Personal Wellbeing:
And coming soon, keep an eye out for an Island Voices video follow-up from Gordon Wells on “Recording Community Conversations”, to be followed shortly after by more detail on Digital Use and Activities with Alan Miller and Sharon Pisani from St Andrews University.
Tha Comataidh Slàinte, Cùraim Shòisealta agus Spòrs a’ feuchainn ri faighinn a-mach dè na prìomh cheistean a tha mu choinneamh sheirbheisean cùraim-shlàinte ann an sgìrean iomallach agus dùthchail na h-Alba. Tha a’ Chomataidh airson cluinntinn bhon phoball agus bho luchd-obrach mu na dh’fhiosraich iad de sheirbheisean cùraim-shlàinte iomallach agus dùthchail. Tha iad airson tuigsinn dè … Leugh an corr de Comataidh a’ sireadh bheachdan air cùram-slàinte ann an sgìrean dùthail is iomallach
Tha aon lus, gu ìre mhòr fiadhain, as toil leam gu sònraichte faicinn sa ghàrradh aig an àm seo den bhliadhna, le a fhlùraichean purpaidh cùbhraidh ‘s a dhuilleagan mòra biorach – an gealach-lus, no “honesty” sa Bheurla. Chanadh cuid luibheanach ris, ach dhomsa ‘s e lus brèagha a th’ ann, a bheir dath dhan ghàrradh tràth sa bhliadhna, agus ùidh a bharrachd as t-fhoghar ‘s sa gheamhradh leis na buinn-airgid àlainn air.
‘S ann à ceann a deas na Roinn Eòrpa a tha e bho thùs, agus is cinnteach gun tàinig e do Bhreatainn ro dheireadh an 16mh linn, an toiseach mar fhlùr-gàrraidh, ach san eadar-àm tha e ri fhaicinn air feadh na dùthcha far a bheil an aimsir measarra – nochdaidh e ann am faichean, ri taobh an rathaid, agus anns na gàrraidhean againn. Ach na gabh dragh mura h-eil thu ga iarraidh an sin – tha e glè fhurasta an lus còmla ris a fhreumhan a tharraing a-mach. Cha dèan mise sin ach nuair a bhios cus ann, no nuair a bhios e a’ fàs san àite cheàrr, is mi cho measail air.
Nuair a tha thu a’ coimhead air, cha bhiodh tu a’ saoilsinn gur ann dhan teaghlach brassica a bhuineas e, còmhla ri càl, snèap, raip no mustard, ach seall gu dlùth agus tha na fluraichean den aon chruth. A rèir coltais faodaidh tu seòrsa mustaird a dhèanamh às na sìl, agus na duilleagan òga (mus nochd na fluraichean) a chleachdadh ann an sailead.
Ach ‘s ann airson rèiteachadh fhlùraichean a cleachdar iad mar as trice. Fhad’s a tha na flùraichean air an lus fhathast chì thu na siliques a’ fàs – is iad seo seòrsa sligich cruinne còmhnaird anns a bheil meamran leis na sìl. As t-earrach tha iad fhathast beag agus an aon dath ris na duilleagan agus mar sin cha bhi thu cho mothachail orra, ach tha na sìl rim faicinn mar-thà tron t-sligeach thrìd-dhealrach – ‘s ann air an adhbhar sin (mas fhìor) a fhuair an lus an t-ainm honesty, fìrinnteachd, is e a sealltainn a shìl gu firinneach. As t-fhoghar, nuair a tha na sligeachan tioram is na sìl deiseil ri sgaoileadh, thuitidh am plaosg a-muigh air falbh agus às a dhèidh na sìl bhon mheamran, agus chan eil ach am meamran fhèin air fhàgail, geal-airgid agus cho tana ri pàipear-sìoda. Tha iadsan gu h-iongantach buan, agus gu tric tha cuid air fhàgail gus an earrach. Dìreach ann an gruaim a’ gheamhraidh tha iad feumail is brèagha mar sgeadachadh.
‘S e lunariaannua a th’ air an lus sa Laideann, bho luna, gealach, agus chì thu carson. Am measg nan ainmean Beurla tha cuideachd moonpennies, agus siniomradh air a’ choltas eile a th’ orra – ri buinn-airgid. Cluinnidh tu silver dollars orra cuideachd. Mar sin, le buaidh mhathasach na gealaich, geall soirbheachaidh nam bonn-airgid, agus a chliù firinnteachd, cò air talamh nach iarradh na lusan àlainn seo na ghàrradh? ‘S dòcha gum bi sibhse a’ coimhead orra le sùilean ùra a-nis. Tha mi an dòchas gum bi, co-dhiù!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Honesty
There’s one plant, more or less wild, which I particularly like to see in the garden at this time of year, with its fragrant purple flowers and its large pointed leaves – honesty (“moon-plant” in Gaelic). Some would call it a weed, but to me it’s a lovely plant which brings colour to the garden early in the year, and adds interest in autumn and winter with its beautiful silver “coins”.
It actually comes from southern Europe but has been in Britain since at least the end of the 16th century, first as a garden flower, and in the meantime all over the countryside, wherever the climate is moderate – it shows up in meadows, at the roadside and in our gardens. But don’t worry if you don’t want it there – it’s very easy to pull out, roots and all. Being so fond of it myself, I would only be doing that where there was too much of it, or it was in the wrong place.
When you look at it you wouldn’t automatically think that it’s in the brassica family, along with cabbage, turnip, rape or mustard, but look more closely at the flowers and you’ll see they’re the same form. Apparently you can make a kind of mustard out of the seeds, and use the young leaves (before the flowers come) in salad.
But it’s for flower arrangements that they’re most often used. While the flowers are still on the plant, you see the siliques appearing – they’re a kind of round, flat casing covering a membrane with the seeds attached inside it. In spring they’re still small and the same colour as the leaves, so you don’t notice them, but the seeds are already visible through the translucent casing – that’s allegedly the reason they’re called honesty, as they display their seeds so “truthfully”. In the autumn, when the siliques are dry and the seeds are ripe for spreading, the outer pod falls off, followed by the seeds dropping from the membrane, leaving the membrane itself in the round silique “frame”, silver-white and as thin as tissue-paper. These are amazingly long-lasting, and many often hang on until the spring. They’re especially useful and attractive as decoration in the gloom of winter.
The Latin name is lunaria annua, from luna, the moon, and you can see why. Among the many English names the term “moonpennies” also refers to another similarity – to silver coins. You also hear the name “silver dollars”. So, with the benign influence of the moon, the promise of prosperity of the coins, and the reputation for truthfulness, who wouldn’t want these beautiful plants in their garden? Maybe you’ll look at them with fresh eyes now – I hope so, anyway!
Bha mi ann an Inbhir Nis bho chionn ghoirid airson a’ chiad turas ann an trì bliadhna is còrr. Bha e fìor mhath a bhith air ais ann am prìomh bhaile na Gàidhealtachd.
Bha coinneamh obrach agam ach bha tìde agam às dèidh na coinneimh airson a dhol air safari rèile beag.
Bha mi airson stèisean ùr Phort-adhair Inbhir Nis fhaicinn. Thathar air a bhith a’ bruidhinn air an stèisean seo bho chionn fhada agus tha e sgoinneil gun deach fhosgladh mu dheireadh thall.
Stèisean Inbhir Nis
Cha robh trèana ann aig àm freagarrach is mar sin, chaidh mi dhan stèisean air a’ bhus. B’ e bus dealanach a bh’ ann mar a tha fìor chumanta ann an Inbhir Nis a-nis – am Baile Mòr Dealanach – mar as còir!
Bha triùir bhalach aig cùl a’ bhus agam agus chuala mi fear aca ag ràdh “people are always going on about New York, but is there really anything there that you don’t get in Inverness?”
Ceist mhòr dhuinn uile!
Chòrd an turas rium glan agus cha b’ fhada gus an robh sinn a-mach às a’ bhaile, ann am pàirc nam bùithtean agus an uair sin a-mach air an dùthaich gus an do ràinig sinn baile ùr Tòrr na Grèine a tha dìreach mu choinneimh a’ phuirt-adhair.
Nis, chuala mi rud beag mu dheidhinn Tòrr na Grèine air Radio nan Gàidheal tro na bliadhnaichean ach cha robh eòlas sam bith agam mun chùis ach a-mhàin gun robh baile ùr gu bhith ann eadar Inbhir Nis is Inbhir Narann. Cha chuala mi dad a bharrachd mu dheidhinn agus mar sin, bha mi an dùil gum biodh e coltach ri fear de na sgeamaichean taigheadais ùr air iomaill bailtean mòra – taighean mòra grod gun anam do dhaoine le tòrr airgid ach gun taste sam bith – tòrr chàraichean, gun bhùithtean sam bith agus gun mòran àite uaine ann is gun ghoireasan sam bith.
Chan ann mar seo a tha Tòrr na Grèine idir.
Ged a tha càraichean gu leòr ann, tha iad air an cumail far an rathaid seach a bhith aig cridhe gach rud agus tha tòrr àite ùine ann am meadhan a’ bhaile. Tha lotaichean ann agus pàirc agus talla-coimhearsnachd agus a h-uile rud ann nach fhaigheadh tu ann an sgeama taigheadais mar seo mar as trice. Tha bùth ann cuideachd rud a tha gu math feumail oir mar as trice ann an àite mar seo, tha agad ri dhol air draibh 15 mionaidean gus pinnt bainne a cheannach.
Agus an rud eile a tha cur orm mu sgeamaichean thaighean ùra, ’s e nach eil iad a’ leantainn traidiseanan ailtearachd Albannach sam bith. Shaoil mi gun robh iad dìreach grod is gun a bhith coltach ri taighean nas traidiseanta an àite sam bith, ach an uair sin, chaidh mi air turas gu Norfolk agus mhothaich mi gun robh iad car coltach ri taighean ann an Sasainn a Deas.
Ann an Tòrr na Grèine, ge-tà, tha coltas Albannach air na taighean, car coltach ri taighean a chitheadh tu ann am Fìobha no Lodainn an Ear – taighean geala le uinneagan dubha is similearan.
Nan sgrìobhainn manifesto airson cò ris a bu chòir taigheadas ùr a bhith coltach, bhiodh e car coltach ri Tòrr na Grèine – àite uaine le goireasan coimhearsnachd agus taighean le coltas snog agus coltas Albannach agus faisg air stèisean rèile. Agus tha na soidhnichean dà-chànanach cuideachd!
Ach….. ’s e an rud inntinneach gun robh e a’ faireachdainn uamhasach fhèin fuadain. Thug e dhomh faireachdainn “uncanny valley” uamhasach làidir! Ann an dòigh tha e a’ faireachdainn caran coltach ri film set no Center Parcs no fiù’s Stepford bho Stepford Wives.
Is dòcha gun atharraich am faireachdainn sin le tìde ge-tà.
158 agus HST ann an Stèisean Phort-adhair Inbhir Nis
Às dèidh dhuinn Tòrr na Grèine fhàgail, chaidh am bus tarsainn air an A96 agus bha sinn ann an àrainn a’ Phuirt-adhair agus cha b’ fhada gun d’ ràinig sinn an stèisean as ùire ann an Alba.
Tha daoine air a bhith a’ gearan gu bheil am Port-adhair caran fad air falbh bhon stèisean. Tha sin fìor gu ìre. Cha bhiodh duilgheadas agad mur eil baga mòr agad agus tha mi cinnteach gun coisich thu astar nas fhaide taobh a-staigh Port-adhair Ghlaschu no Dhùn Èideann airson cuid de na seirbheisean adhair. Ach can ma tha clann agus bagaichean mòra agad, cha bhiodh e a cheart cho furasta.
‘S e an rud a chur dragh orm nach robh an t-slighe coiseachd eadar an stèisean agus am Port-adhair idir soilleir. Agus tha fhios agad cò ris a tha e coltach aig Port-adhair – ma thèid thu an taobh ceàrr, bidh feansa mòr ann ag ràdh “Na rach seachad air seo no thèid do chur gu bàs air adhbharan tèarainteachd / gus an dùthaich a dhìon an aghaidh rabies” no rudeigin mar sin!
Bha mi airson a dhol dhan Phort-adhair airson srùbag ach cha robh tìde agam is mar sin, dh’fhuirich mi aig an stèisean is thug mi deagh shùil air. Tha dà àrd-ùrlar agus drochaid ann. Ann an dòigh, tha e caran identikit leis na stèiseanan uile a chaidh a thogail an Alba bho chionn ghoirid – Robroyston, Reston agus Linton an Ear (a tha gu bhith a’ fosgladh a dh’aithghearr).
Ann an dòigh, tha mi a’ faireachdainn gu bheil stèiseanan ùra caran overengineered, gu sònraichte leis na drochaidean is lioftaichean mòra a th’ aca. Tha fhios agam gu bheil iad ann seo mar thoradh air an DDA – ach feumaidh gu bheil dòigh ann air ruigsinneachd a thoirt seachad dhan a h-uile duine air prìs nas ìsle?
Nuair a bha BR ann, dh’fhaodadh iad stèisean sìmplidh ùr a thogail air eadar cairteil is leth mhillean not ach san latha a th’ ann tha mar as trice a’ cosg £12M no barrachd – cosgais tòrr nas motha fiù ’s le atmhorachd. Saoilidh mi gum bu chòir dha a bhith na phrìomhachas dhan ghnìomhachas cosgaisean nan stèiseanan ùra ìsleachadh gus an gabh tòrr a bharrachd a thogail.
Ach chan eil mi airson gearan mun stèisean idir – tha e sgoinneil. Tha e mòr le dà àrd-ùrlar agus rùm airson trèanaichean fada.
Tha e air a fhrithealadh le trèanaichean matha cuideachd – fhuair mi Intercity 125/HST air ais. San latha a th’ ann, tha cus thrèanaichean le seataichean nach eil comhfhurtail agus gun rùm gu leòr. Nì tòrr de na h-aonadan dìosail cus fuaim cuideachd. Ann an HST, tha air-con math ann, tha suidheachan comfy agad agus rùm gu leòr airson do chasan agus do chuid bhagaichean. Dè eile a dh’iarradh tu?
Chan eil an stèisean ach 10 mìle air falbh air an trèana, tòrr nas luaithe na bus no càr leis cho fìor dhona sa tha an trafaig daonnan ann an Inbhir Nis. Agus ’s e turas brèagha a th’ ann cuideachd le seallaidhean àlainn de Linn Mhoireibh agus Drochaid Cheasaig.
Chan fhada gus an robh mi air ais ann an Inbhir Nis gus HST eile a ghlacadh air ais a Ghlaschu. Bha deagh thuras agam agus chòrd stèisean Port-adhair Inbhir Nis rium fìor mhath, agus tha e a’ togail na ceist – aon uair eile – cuine a bhios rathad-iarainn/trama ann gu Port-adhair Ghlaschu?
