The rolling playlist roadshow moves on to Sgoil Chàirinis, North Uist, on the first weekend of September for the “Digital Fèis” hosted by Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath, with Gaelic Voices among the various offerings for both real and virtual visitors. Be there – or see here!
Participants at the Soillse conference on Rooting Minority Language Policy in the Speaker Community have come from across Europe and North America, from across Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, and from across the Hebridean islands that were the focus of the “Gaelic Crisis in the Vernacular Community” publication in 2020. The programme is challenging for those with an interest in generating and maintaining effective policy to address the declining use of the language in the heartland communities where it has survived until now.
In addition to these key policy questions on the formal programme, samples of the video recording work in which Island Voices has been engaged, frequently in association with the Soillse network, are also available to view on the conference “fringe”. Nach math gu bheil Guthan nan Eilean rin cluinntinn aig co-labhairt mu dheidhinn cànan nan Eilean!
Looped Island Voices playlists will again be on display in Sgoil Chàirinis, North Uist, at the Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath Digital Fèis for the “Aire air Sunnd” well-being project at the beginning of September.
As part of the event, there is a drop-in café where people can stop by for a chat, or simply sample some of the many local Gaelic voices that have been recorded over the years. Gordon Wells will be in attendance, ready to talk to anyone interested in how the collections were made, or who might like to add to the ever-growing archive of recordings.
And on the Saturday morning, Archie Campbell, who has been leading a series of Gaelic walks over the summer, will also be on hand for anyone who likes to chat over a cup of tea. Agus ‘s e a tha math gu bruidhinn! You can view the full programme for the fèis here.
It’s a digital event, so virtual attendance is also possible for those reluctant or unable to attend in person. You can find the event on Facebook. Likewise, the playlists are all accessible online. Use the live links in this bilingual poster, and you can start watching right away!
A sharpening of focus on the vernacular Hebridean communities has become evident in some Gaelic sociolinguistic research in recent years. In this period, Island Voices has partnered with various related projects, and helped to spread news and discussion of findings and issues.
At the same time, a parallel interest in wider international comparators for the Gaelic context has also been broadcast through Island Voices channels.
Projects with close community links will be on display at the Stornoway conference on Rooting Minority Language Policy in the Speaker Community at the end of August. Series of videos will be viewable in Island Voices playlists, including “Stòras Beò nan Gàidheal”, “Saoghal Thormoid”, “Island Voices Series 1&2” and “International MOOT”.
And the playlists can be viewed remotely as well, with live links embedded in this PDF poster. This also includes additional information about the links between Soillse and Island Voices, and other collaborative research work with other universities in Scotland and internationally.
Here’s a new departure with some well-known and well-loved faces. Comann Eachdraidh Sgìre a’ Bhac (Back historical society) have been producing home-grown videos for YouTube for a while now, many of them fronted by Coinneach MacÌomhair, recently retired after decades of sterling service with BBC Radio nan Gàidheal. In the video below, he’s joined by renowned singer Maighread Stiùbhart as they take viewers on a walking tour of Col Uarach.
It’s a remarkable film, in which the presenters’ deep knowledge and love of their home turf shine through, beautifully expressed in Gàidhlig Sgìre a’ Bhac. The video has been online for a few months now, but there’s been a new development – the addition of CC subtitles (which you can switch on or off, according to taste). This has been made possible following meticulous extra work by Maighread to transcribe the entire video so that it can be added to the Stòras Beò nan Gàidheal collection. And as followers of Guthan nan Eilean know, once the Gaelic subtitles are up, YouTube settings will also offer you auto-translation into many other languages – English included!
Plus, the “Stòras Beò” treatment means you can also access the full wordlinked transcript online through this Clilstore unit: https://clilstore.eu/cs/10540
Naturally, we’re delighted at Island Voices to be able to work with another local history society in the Western Isles. We hope such partnerships will continue to blossom and grow!
Three “Gaelic walks” have been announced for August, as part of the Aire air Sunnd project led by Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath. Gum bi deagh shìde ann air an son!
Aodán Ó Cearbhaill from Gaoth Dobhair speaks to Colm Mac Giolla Easpaig.
In the first part Aodán describes his family background and his teaching career to date.
He goes on to detail the career break he took to teach Irish in Nova Scotia. In preparation for this role, Aodán describes how he learnt Scottish Gàidhlig and this leads him and Colm to discuss the similarities and differences between the Donegal dialect and Gàidhlig.
Finally, Aodán describes his affinity with Tory Island, the birthplace of his father, and recites a famous folklore story about how Colm Cille came to bring Christianity to the Island.
In the second part of the conversation, Aodán describes some customs and superstitions from Tory Island, most notably the story behind the Tory soil that keeps rats at bay. They discuss the musical heritage of the island before Aodán sings “An Buachaill Deas Óg”, and they chat about how Aodán is newly married and living in the area.
This leads them to discuss the fate of this rural area. Aodán explains his fear about the future of the language but also his hopes for tourism in the area. Planning issues are discussed before Aodán details the polytunnel he had installed in his new home. They end the conversation with Aodán describing the unique manner in which he would spend a win on the National Lottery, and he finishes with a rendition of the renowned Tory Island song “Amhrán na Scadán”.
This is the third set of Irish recordings in the Taisce Bheo na nGael project in which the UHI Language Sciences Institute with Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and Soillse, together with Irish partners, record the natural speech of Irish and Scottish Gaelic speakers in their own communities with user-friendly equipment and techniques. We are again indebted to Dr Gearóid Ó Domagáin of Ulster University for his meticulous work on the transcriptions.
Dh’fhosgail stèisean ùr ann an Alba aig deireadh a’ Chèitein, rud nach tachair to thric! ’S e seo Renton ann an Siorrachd Bhearaig anns na Crìochan. Mar sin, chuir mi romham a dhol air splaoid ann gus faicinn cò ris a tha e coltach.
A bharrachd air sin, tha seirbheis bus ùr – seirbheis bus-air-iarrtais ann an Schd Bhearaig: Pingo far am faod thu meanbh-bus iarraidh gu àite sam bith ann an t-siorrachd air prìs gu math reusanta.
Chuir mi tiocaidean air dòigh eadar Glaschu agus Reston air prìs gu math ìosal agus bha mi am beachd am bus Pingo fhaighinn eadar Reston agus Ayton, far a bheil rathad-iarainn beag ùr ann ann an Caisteal Ayton.
Thòisich rudan a dhol ceàrr nuair a chaidh ainmeachadh gum biodh stailcean ann air latha an turais agam. Às dèidh beagan rannsachaidh, ge-tà, fhuair mi a-mach gun robh trèanaichean eadar Glaschu agus Dùn Èideann fhathast a’ ruith agus gun robh an trèana agam eadar Dùn Èideann is Reston Transpennine Express fhathast a’ dol air adhart. Bhiodh agam ri trèana na bu thràithe fhaighinn dhachaigh, ach bha mi gu bhith ceart gu leòr.
Glè mhath, shaoil mi.
Oidhche ron trèana, thug mi sùil air app Pingo agus gu mì-fhortanach, cha robh slot sam bith ann aig an àm a bha mi ag iarraidh; bha mi ro slaodach is mar sin bhiodh agam ri coiseachd ann bho Reston no ri bus àbhaisteach fhaighinn.
Cha robh sin ro dhona. Dhùisg mi tràth madainn Disathairne agus fhuair mi an Subway gu meadhan a’ bhaile is ghabh mi an trèana gu Dùn Èideann. Ghaibh mi trèana a’ bhainne eadar Glaschu Mheadhain agus Dùn Èideann taobh Shotts a bhios a’ stad aig a h-uile stèisean agus rinn mi tòrr mòr eadar-theangachaidh san uair gu leth a thug e.
Is math gun do rinn mi an obair sin oir nuair a ràinig mi D.È, chunnaic mi gun deach mo thrèana gu deas a chur dheth airson adhbhar nach robh co-cheangailte ris an stailc. Bha agam ri plana ùr a dhèanamh agus tiocaid fhaighinn air trèana LNER gu Bearaig. Às dèidh suil a thoirt air Traveline Scotland, chunnaic mi nach biodh cothrom agam a dhol gu Reston tuilleadh, ach b’ urrainn dhomh bus fhaighinn bho Bhearaig gu Ayton agus coiseachd dhan chaisteal is dhan trèana bhig.
Bha cothrom agam barrachd eadar-theangachaidh a dhèanamh – is barrachd cofaidh a ghabhail – ann an Stèisean Waverley fhad’s a bha mi a’ feitheimh ris an trèana agus a-rithist, is math sin oir chosg an trèana gu Bearaig is air ais £30.
A chionn ’s gun robh stailc ann, bha mi draghail gum biodh an trèana loma-làn – trèana LNER gu Lunnainn aig 10:30. Ach cha robh – fhuair mi bòrd dhomh fhèin gun dragh sam bith agus chòrd an turas rium glan, gu h-àraid na seallaidhean mìorbhaileach ri taobh a’ chosta faisg air a’ chrìch.
Stèisean Bhearaig
Ann am Bearaig, bha tìde ann airson cofaidh is rud beag eadar-theangachaidh eile. Is fìor thoil leam Bearaig agus ged nach d’ fhuair mi cothrom a dhol a-steach gu meadhan a’ bhaile, chòrd na seallaidhean bhon bhus is bhon trèana rium gu mòr. Chòrd e rium blas muinntir an àite a chluinntinn – measgachadh de dh’Alba agus den Chaisteal Nuadh. Is toil leam mar a tha am baile cho Albannach is cho Sasannach aig an aon àm! Is dòcha gum bu chòir inbhe shònraichte a bhith aig Bearaig mar saor-stàit?! Tha daoine air a bhith a’ bruidhinn air seirbheis ionadail aig ScotRail eadar Dùn Èideann agus Bearaig taobh Dùn Bàrr a bhiodh a’ stad aig an an stèisean ùr aig Linton an Eara tha ga thogail an-dràsta. Bhiodh sin gu math feumail is goireasach – saoil am faigheamaid soidhne dà-chànanach ann am Bearaig an uair sin?!
Bha am bus eadar Stèisean Bhearaig agus Reston air an uair agus bha e ùr, glan agus goireasach le rùm airson baidseagalan agus le dràibhear a bha uamhasach cuideachail. Bha an t-slighe brèagha le cothrom a dhol tro bhaile àlainn Eyemouth. Feumaidh mi a dhol air ais latha de na làithean.
Ann an Ayton, choisich mi suas an cnoc dhan chaisteal, taigh-mòr Baronial Albannaich a chaidh a thogail sna 1850an. A-nis, tha an Caisteal air a chleachdadh mar àite do bhainnsean agus tachartasan eile agus tha sealbhadairean a’ Chaisteil air rathad-iarainn a thogail ann.
Rathad-iarainn Caisteal Ayton
Bha cothrom agam bruidhinn ris na daoine leis a bheil an caisteal, Richard agus Brian agus mhothaich iad gun robh mi deidheil air trèanaichean agus bhruidhinn iad rium mun trèana agus thug iad cothrom dhomh sùil a thoirt air an t-seada einnsein.
Tha an loidhne bheag ann an cruth balùn air sreang – a’ toiseachadh bho stèisean, a’ dol air loidhne dìreach gu lùb a tha a’ tionndadh na trèana, a-steach gu stèisean a’ chaisteil agus an uair sin air ais dhan chiad stèisean agus gu clàr-tionndaidh. Tha an loidhne a’ ruith tro choille snog agus an uair sin a-steach gu gàraidhean a’ chaisteil le sealladh sgoinneil den chaisteil.
Rathad-iarainn Caisteal Ayton
Tha seilbheadairean a’ chaisteil gu math deidheil air trèanaichean agus tha seo ri fhaicinn bho chafaidh a’ chaisteil – The Station Buffet a tha loma-làn railwayana – dealbhan is mapaichean is siognailean is eile.
Seo bhidio den loidhne.
Nis, chan e seo a’ chiad turas a bha rathad-iarainn san sgìre – bha stèisean ann an Aymouth air Prìomh Loidhne a’ Chosta an Ear gus an deach a dhùnadh ann an 1962. Agus bha meur-loidhne ann gu Eyemouth cuideachd – loidhne mu 3 mìle a dh’fhaid a dhùin ann an 1962 cuideachd.
Gu fortanach, tha Ayton agus Eyemouth meadhanach faisg air an stèisean ùr ann an Reston.
A thaobh Stèisean Reston fhèin, chaidh an stèisean tùsail a dhùnadh ann an 1964. Bha e na cheann-rèile airson loidhne a bha a’ dol gu na Dùin (Duns) agus Cille Bhoiseil (St Boswells) sna Crìochan far an robh ceangail ann ri grunn rathaidean-iarainn eile. Dhùn an loidhne eadar na Dùin agus Cille Bhoiseil ann an 1948 às dèidh tùil a rinn sgrios air an loidhne. Dhùn an loidhne eadar Reston agus na Dùin do luchd-siubhail ann an 1951 agus dhùin i do bhathar cuideachd ann an 1965.
Seo mapa de na rathaidean-iarainn mar a bha iad uair.
Rathad-iarainn Siorrachd Bhearaig
Rathad-iarainn Eyemough
Mar sin, ged eil na rathaidean iarainn ann an Siorrachd Bhearaig cho pailt sa bha iad uair, tha co-dhiù aon stèisean san sgìre a-rithist – Reston – agus tha meanbh-rathad iarainn ùr ann cuideachd. Agus ged nach d’ fhuar mi cothrom Pingo no Stèisean Reston a chleachdadh, chan e siubhal gun siucair a bh’ ann.
Looped Island Voices playlists will again be on display in Sgoil Chàirinis, North Uist, at the Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath 
Aodán Ó Cearbhaill from Gaoth Dobhair speaks to Colm Mac Giolla Easpaig.
