An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volume 35, October 1939--September 1940

An t-Og-mhios, 1940. AN GAIDHEAL. 135
PROPAGANDA — NORTHERN AREA.
Despite the many difficulties in war-time,
the cause of Gaelic is not being allowed to
languish. Most of the districts are doing some¬
thing, very often in the provision of comforts
for our men on Service. It was at once apparent
that with so many of our young men serving,
it would be impossible to hold Provincial Mods
as formerly, but arrangements had been made
for the holding of Junior Mods at Kingussie,
Fort William, Dingwall, and Durness.
Owing to the impossibility of procuring a
suitable hall and other local difficulties, brought
about by the war conditions, the local Com¬
mittee at Dingwall regretfully decided, at a
meeting held last week, that a Mod could not
be staged at Dingwall in 1940. It was decided,
however, to proceed with the Literature
section. At the same time, the Committee are
satisfied that good work has been done for the
Gaelic language and music, as the districts are
practically all prepared with their Mod work.
Before this appears in the June issue of An
Gaidheal, the Badenoch-Strathspey Provincial
Mod will be over, the first Provincial Mod to
be held during the present war. Let us hope
that no obstacle may come in the way between
now and 31st May, the date of this Mod.
According to present arrangements, two
Mods will be held on Friday, 21st June, Fort
William and Durness. It will be recalled that
last year’s Lochaber Mod was about the best
yet held in that area, while the only Mod ever
held at Durness, some three years ago, proved
most successful. On that occasion a memorial
service to the memory of Bob Donn, was held
in Bal-na-Keil Churchyard, where the Poet is
buried, and it is expected that a similar service
may take place on the occasion of the second
Mod at Durness.
Recently the Organiser visited the following
districts, Lairg, Old Shore, Kinlochbervie,
Durness, Melness, Tongue, Helmsdale, Wick,
Grantown-on-Spey, Dulnain-bridge, Abernethy,
Aviemore, Kincraig, Kingussie, Newtonmore,
Dingwall, N. Kessock, Conon-Bridge, Fort
Augustus. He has also attended meetings of the
Inverness County Youth Welfare Panels, repre¬
senting Comunn na h-Oigridh on these bodies.
Congratulations to the children of Embo
on their meritorious effort on behalf of the
Central Committee of An Comunn Gaidhealach.
This Feachd sent to the Northern Organiser
a Bank Draft for £19 to aid the good work being
done by the Central Committee for Highlanders
on service.
After an appeal by Mr. MacPhail, at a recent
meeting of the Wick Br&ncb, a sum of seven
guineas was donated for the work of the Central
Committee. Moran taing.
The thanks of the Northern area are due to
the Editor of An Gaidheal for so kindly inserting
the prize-winning Essay “Togail Chaisteal anns
na Neoil ” and the prize-winning Poem “ An
Geamhradh ” in recent issues.
Keen regret is to be heard in many districts
that no summer camp is to be held this year,
but all are nevertheless agreed that Clann an
Fhraoich have acted rightly in all the
circumstances.
Mr. D. P. Macpherson, Physical Instructor
to Comunn na h-Oigridh is to re-commence on
a new Session on July 1st. He will be engaged
with the Skye Feachdan for five weeks and will
proceed from there to the Outer Isles. Mr.
MacPherson is at present Instructor at Portree
Secondary School.
Ceilidh nan Gaidheal an Inbhirnis has just
completed another successful Session. At the
Annual Meeting it was decided to continue
affiliation with An Comunn Gaidhealach. This
all-Gaelic Association takes a keen interest in
Comunn na h-Oigridh and makes an annual
donation to the Inverness Feachd. All the
office-bearers continue in office for another
session.
The sincere sympathy of members goes out
to Mr. Donald Graham, M.A. It will be re¬
membered that his brother, John Alick, died
a little time ago, and now he is bereaved again,
his mother died on Friday, 3rd May, in Skye,
after a short illness.
Mr. Graham is the well-known Gaelic master
at Inverness Royal Academy, and is Convener
of the Northern Propaganda Sub-Committee
of An Comunn Gaidhealach.
0
GAELIC PLAYS.
The Gaelic Dramatic Club recently formed in
Glasgow is doing excellent work. Two new
plays —“Aimhealadh Alasdair Ruaidh” and
“Na thug latha mun cuairt” — written by
Miss Nancy Maclean were produced in the
Highlanders’ Institute on 30th May. There is
much need for new Gaelic Plays and especially
plays with some dramatic grip and power, and
Miss Maclean is to be congratulated on her
efforts to produce such drama. But we also
need audiences accustomed to listen with
intelligence and to enjoy with profit Gaelic
plays of dramatic force. The Gaelic Dramatic
Club is doing good work in producing both of
these results, and should be heartily supported
by all Highlanders who have the welfare of the
language and culture of their people at heart.