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

An t-Iuchar, 1940.
AN GAIDHEAL.
]57
5. Aithne bhi agaiim air duilgheadasan a dh’
eireas a thaobh luchd-oibre bhi gann; foidhidinn a
chleachdadh agus taghadh sgiobalta a dheanatnh.
6. Uaill a ghabhail an caomhnadh; ag cuimhn-
eachadh a ghnath gu bheil morau d© nitheau tha
feumail gach la air an giulan thar chuan ag cur
beathannan dhaoine an cunnart. Gun ni a chur am
mugha no a chur go feum neo-fhaicilleach.
Anns an spiorad so is urrainn duinn an t-eagal,
an t-sannt agus an fheinealachd is bun aobhar do
chogadh a cheannsachadh. Chan urrainnear a
leithid sin de spiorad a chuibhreachadh. Tha e ’na
fheum cho beathail ri ar n-aran laitheil, ma tha
sinn ri saoghal a thogail suas far am faod sinn fein
agus ar cloinn a bhi subhach ann an saorsa agus
lanachd beatha.
[Bha duilleag le na briathran so air a craobh-
sgaoileadh feadh na Gaidhealtachd le Comunn an
Ath-armachaidh Mhodhannail. Tha. an Gaidhcal
’gan aithris a ris chum gun ruig iad air tuilleadh
de na Gaidheil.—F-n.]
OBITUARY.
Mr. John MacDonald, Lismore.
Mr. John MacDonald, Lismore, who was such a
well-known personality at Mods and Highland
Gatherings, passed to his rest in a Glasgow
Infimary on 29th May. The call was so sudden that
few- outside his family circle knew of his illness.
For many years he competed at National Mods,
and was one of our best exponents of Puirt-a-Beul.
He gained several prizes for this type of singing,
and also for the singing of unpublished songs. He
very graciously granted permission to the Mod and
Music Committee to have his best known song,
“ Muile nam Fuar-bheann Mor,” harmonised for
Choral competition at the National Mod, and under
ordinary circumstances this beautiful song would
have been heard at Perth next October. One of his
latest songs, “ Oran do Bhalachan,” was published
in the May number of An Gaidheal.
He was profoundly interested in Gaelic lore and
poetry, and he had the rare faculty of composing
melodies to his own words. His passing is a
distinct loss to Gaelic Poetry and Music. The
sympathy of a wide circle of friends and admirers
of his songs goes out to his widow and family.
Dr. A. C. Morrison.
The death of Dr. A. C. Morrison, Edinburgh, and
late of Larkhall, removes from our midst an out¬
standing Highlander and poet of great merit. He
had been a life member of An Comunn for thirty
years, and frequently adjudicated Mod literary
papers. He also contributed original poetry and
translations to our magazine. His last contribution
was “ langhurag an Aonaich,” in 1932. Perhaps
his most notable composition was “ Duanag do’n
Ghaoith,” which appears in full in the MacDonald
Collection of Gaelic Poetry. The late John Mac-
Callum, Tighnambarr, was awarded first prize at
the 1914 Mod for a melody for this very, fine poem,
and it was published in An Deo Greine in that same
year.
Dr. Morrison was an accomplished piper, and
frequently acted as judge at Highland Gatherings.
He was an entertaining 'conversationalist, and
possessed in full measure the charm and courtesy
associated with the true Gael.
He was born at Sollas, North Uist, where he was
brought up. He was 80 years of age.
We extend to his sisters the sincere sympathy of
our members.
SGRUDADH LEABHAIR.
CASCHEUM NAM BARD.
So leabhar bardachd airson na sgoilean, agus
leabhar bardachd as fhiach iomradh a deanamh air.
Tha na h-6rain air an taghadh agus an leabhar air
a bheartachadh le Lachlainn MacFhionghain a tha
’na mhaighstir sgoile Gaidhlig an Ard Sgoil a’
Ghearasdain. Ach faodaidh sinn a radh ’san dol
a mach gu bheil an leabhar eiatach so a cheart cho
freaganach airson gin sam bith agairin agus a tha
e airson cloinn na sgoile—gu dearbh ’se e bhi cho
freagarrach airson na sgoilearan a tha ’ga fhagail
cho taitneach agus cho freagarrach airson a’ mhor
shluaigh gu cumanta.
Tha an leabhar ’na thri earrannan, ag cumail ceum
air cheum ri aithne is eolas neach air a’ Ghaidhlig
le simplidheachd no duilchead na bardachd. Agus
faodaidh tu radh gu bheil roinn mhaith de raghadh
is taghadh bardachd shimplidh shoilleir ’sa leabhar.
Tha e ’na sguab bhardachd Gaidhlig cho lan grain,
agus cho abuich is blasda, ’sa laimhsich sinn a
riamh.
Tha seachd deug agus ceithir fichead oran ann
gu leir—tri deug ar fhichead ’sa’ cheud earraiun,
agus aon deug ar Ihichead ’san darna h-earrainn,
agus tri deug ar fhichead ’san treas earraiuu. Agus
tha iomradh air beatha is saothair nan ughdar aig
crioch gach earrann, arm an deagh Ghaidhlig—gu
dearbh b’ fhiach an leabhar na tha e ag cosg airson
so fhein—agus tha faclair a’ mlneachadh moran
fhacal an deireadh an leabhair.
Tha an taghadh a rinn MacFhionghain air ar
bardachd ag cordadh ruinn cho maith ri gin a
chunna sinn, agus tha beartachadh an leabhair gu
ire bhig a reir ar mein-ne. Tha e cho beag de
nthearachdan clodh-bhualaidh ’sa b’ urrainn leabhar
a bhith a thig a mach an Gaidhlig; agus chan ’eil
gin idir ann a chuireas duine tuathal.
Mhothaich sinn gu bheil, “Och nan och, tha mi
fo mhulad,” no “ Smuaintean an Eilthirich,” mar
a shloinn esan an t oran tiamhaidh so, sios aige gun
urra. Is e Mairi Mhurchaidh Tharmoid—Mairi
Nic lomhair—a Bhaltos an Uig Leodhais a rinn an
t-dran so, agus mar sin cha ruig e leas a bhi gun
urra. Tha cuimhne agam tuideachd ann an oran
na “ h-Ionndrain'n ” le Aonghus Qg MacEacharna
gur ann mar so a slieinn Aonghus :
Tha caochladh air anaii nan sian,
Tha saobhadh ’s gach nial mun cuairt,
Is deirge na maidne cur fiamh
Air coireachan cian nan cruach.
Is e ciar’ a tha air a chur sips an so. Chanadh
duine nach ’eil ’na bhard idir “coireachan ciar’
ach is e bard, agus fior bhard mar Aonghus Og, a
theireadh “coireachan cian.” Ach tha an leabhar
cho coimhlionta arms gach doigh agus nach ’eil rud
beag no dha mar so a’ deanamh cron sam bith air;
faodac an cur ceart san ath chlodh-bhualadh.
Tha an leabhar ann an crnth agus an cdmhdach
eireachdail, air a chur a mach as Oifis a’ Chronicle
an Inbhir-nis, air leth-chrun. Gu dearbh . is geal as
fhiach e sin agus moran a bharrachd. Tha sinn an
dochas gun togar e aims na sgoilean feadh na
Gaidhealtachd, agus gun cluinnear farum
“ Cascheum nam Bard ” aig dorus iomadh Gaidheal
tuath is deas.
C. McL.