The Seven Marvels of Scotland – Seachd Mìorbhuilean na h-Alba

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

You’ve heard of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, but have you heard about the Seven Wonders of Scotland? These come from the Gaelic tradition and were known as “seachd mìorbhuilean na h-Alba—the Seven Marvels of Scotland. #1 Tobraichean Ghlinn Iuch The Wells of Linlithgow (Ghlinn Iuch) have long made the town famous. An […]

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Taylor Swift agus a’ #GaelicCrisis

Le Liam.Alastair

Le
foillseachadh an leabhar rannsachaidh The
Gaelic Crisis
, tha an ceòl air a dhol air feadh na fìdhle air na meadhanan.
Tha taobhan gan comharrachadh agus campaichean gan lìonadh ann an saoghal na
Gàidhlig.

“Nuair a
chluicheas tu geamannan faoin, glèidhidh tu duaisean faoin” mar a thuirt Taylor
Swift, tè-labhairt mo ghinealaich fhèin, anns a’ chlàr as ùire aige, ‘The Lover’.
Thàinig an clàr a-mach ann an 2019, an teas-meadhan aimhreit a’
chomainn-shòisealta anns Na Stàitean Aonaichte. Clàr mu ghaol a th’ ann, eadar
gach cruth, cluth is ciùrradh a tha na chois.

Uil, a dhaoine còire, tha sinn uile ann an gaol ris a’ Ghàidhlig. Dè, ma-thà, a th’ aig Taylor chòir ri ionnsachadh dhuinn mun strì ghaolach againn às leth na Gàidhlig? Oir, mar a chanas iad, is fheàrr an saoghal ionnsachadh na sheachnadh.

‘The Archer’

Combat, I’m ready for combat
I say I don’t want that, but what if I do?
‘Cause cruelty wins in the movies
I’ve got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you

‘The Archer’, Taylor Swift

Thairis air a’ chola-deug a dh’fhalbh, tha sinn air dà fhreagairt don leabhar fhaicinn – daoine ag iomairt agus daoine a’ sabaid. Rud nach coisinn modh cha choisinn mì-mhodh.

Tha sinn uile nar caraidean a bu chòir a bhith a’ tarraing air an aon ràmh. Chan eil duine againn a’ dol às àicheadh gu bheil a’ Ghàidhlig ann an suidheachadh èiginneach anns Na h-Eileanan. (Agus ma tha, b’ fheàirrde iad sùil a chur san leabhar eadar Caibidealan 2-6.)

’S e a’ cheist gu dè tha sinn dol a dhèanamh mu dheidhinn. Chan amais sinn air fuasgladh ach tro chòmhradh is deasbad fosgailte modhail dòigheil.

Tha an t-sabaid a-muigh an sin, agus chan ann eadrainn. Tha àite ann do gach guth agus gach duine.

‘Daylight’

I’ve been sleepin’ so long in a twenty-year dark night
(Now I’m wide awake)
And now I see daylight (I see daylight)
I only see daylight (oh)

‘Daylight’, Taylor Swift

Coltach ri ‘Lover’ an dèidh ‘Reputation’, an clàr mu dheireadh aig Taylor, thèid dorchadas na h-aimhreit seo seachad agus thig glasadh an latha. Tha an leabhar The Gaelic Crisis air clisgeadh a thoirt dhuinn uile. Dh’fhaoidte gun robh fios againn air na bha dol, ach cha mhòr nach b’ e trom-laighe a bh’ ann. Far an robh sinn air slighe aig nach robh ach aon cheann-uidhe.

Chaidh ar crathadh nar dùisg le ultach bhrathan-naidheachd a bha ag innse dhuinn gum b’ fhìor an trom-laighe, ach gun robh slighe eile a dh’fhaodamaid a ghabhail. Slighe anns am faod guth nas làidir a bhith aig muinntir nan Eileanan anns an ‘leasachadh’ aca fhèin. Ach, an toiseach, feumaidh sinn ‘na sgèinean a chaitheamh sìos oir tha a’ mhadainn air tighinn’.

‘Soon You’ll Get Better’

And I hate to make this all about me
But who am I supposed to talk to?
What am I supposed to do
If there’s no you?

This won’t go back to normal, if it ever was
It’s been years of hoping, and I keep saying it because
‘Cause I have to

Ooh-ah, you’ll get better
Ooh-ah, soon you’ll get better
Ooh-ah, you’ll get better soon

Ooh-ah, soon you’ll get better
Ooh-ah, soon you’ll get better
Ooh-ah, you’ll get better soon
‘Cause you have to

‘Soon You’ll Get Better’, Taylor Swift

Bhiodh e na call do-labhairte nam biodh a’ Ghàidhlig beò às aonais nan Gàidheal, agus cha seas a’ Ghàidhlig às aonais coimhearsnachd Ghàidhlig. Tha mi deimhinnte nach eil roghainn eile againn, feumaidh sinn gach oidhirp a dhèanamh gus an suidheachadh seo a chur ceart.

Seadh, chan e aiseirigh nan seann làithean a bhios ann – chan urrainn dhuinn a dhol air ais gu na 1950an, agus cò tha ag iarraidh sin co-dhiù? Bha an seann siostam briste. Bha làmhachas-làidir, cuir-sìos, suarachas agus eilthireachd a’ gànrachadh nan làithean ud. Cha robh cumhachd bhrìoghmhor aig na daoine iad fhèin. Bidh an siostam ùr cus nas fheàrr. Thig piseach air a’ ghnothach, ’s fheudar gun tig.

‘The Man’

I’m so sick of running
As fast as I can
Wondering if I’d get there quicker
If I was a man
And I’m so sick of them
Coming at me again
‘Cause if I was a man
Then I’d be the man
I’d be the man
I’d be the man

‘The Man’, Taylor Swift

Tha a’
Ghàidhlig sna coimhearsnachdan eileanach a’ fàs sgìth is aosda is anfhann. Tha gualainn
nan Gàidheal fo uallach anacheartas nan linn agus tha i sna buillean mu
dheireadh anns a’ choimhearsnachd agus anns an dachaigh.

Ach, mura robh an eaconamaidh cho lag, mura robh an sluagh a’ crìonadh cho mòr no na h-inbhich òga a’ falbh chun na Galltachd a dh’iarraidh obair; mura robh an cànan ga thàchdadh o bheatha an t-sluaigh, ’s e brod nan coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig a bhiodh anns Na h-Eileanan an uair sin. Dh’fhaoidte gu bheil Taigh-òsta a’ Phàirc ann Glaschu, ach tha bothan ann an Nis is Taigh-stàile gu bhith ann an Iollaraigh.

‘Death By A Thousand Cuts’

‘Cause saying goodbye is death by a thousand cuts
Flashbacks waking me up
I get drunk, but it’s not enough
‘Cause the morning comes and you’re not my baby
I look through the windows of this love
Even though we boarded them up
Chandelier still flickering here
‘Cause I can’t pretend it’s okay when it’s not
It’s death by a thousand cuts

‘Death By A Thousand Cuts’, Taylor Swift

Gabhaidh bàs cànain a shealltainn ann am figearan, àireamhan,
grafaichean is measaidhean. Ach chan e sin a th’ ann.

’S e tòrradh gach seachdain a th’ ann.

’S e na sgeulachdan agus na naidheachd ris nach d’ fhuair
thu cothrom èisteachd.

’S e mothachadh bliadhna air bhliadhna gu bheil cailleach –
a bha cho ainneamh a’ bruidhinn na Beurla – air fàs cho cleachdte rithe.

’S e cruit a’ dol fàs, is an t-ogha a bu leis e a’ fuireach
àiteigin ann an Sasann.

’S e gainnead dhaoine òga a chuidicheas an àm a bhith a’ losgadh an fhraoich.

’S e dùnadh sgoiltean beaga dùthchail.

’S e pàrant a tha ag iarraidh pàiste a thogail tro mheadhan
na Gàidhlig aig nach eil am misneachd no an taic.

Tha e goirt agus tha e tric agus tha e àbhaisteach dhuinn. Tha mise air seo a mhothachadh, agus chan eil mi ach air ùine glè ghoirid a chur seachad ann an coimhearsnachd eileanach. Do Ghàidheil, sin fìorachd an sgeòil. Gann gun gabh a chur ann am faclan cho duilich ’s a tha bàs nam mìle gearradh.

‘Only The Young’

Don’t say you’re too tired to fight
It’s just a matter of time (can run)
Up there’s the finish line
So run, and run, and run
Don’t say you’re too tired to fight
It’s just a matter of time (so run)
Up there’s the finish line
And run, and run, and run
Only the young
Only the young

‘Only The Young’, Taylor Swift

Liam Alastair Crouse

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An Suidheachadh. The Situation.

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

In this piece, Fiona NicÌosaig (MacIsaac) reflects on the difficulties faced by Gaelic speaking communities. Strong communities are vital to the longevity of the language, but how do we ensure that communities are supported? What is the situation actually like on the ground, amongst younger generations? How beneficial is it that Gaelic is the language […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

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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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