An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volume 26, October 1930--September 1931

23
AN GAIDHEAL.
An t-Samhuin, 1930.
I am attending a meeting in Dingwall on
Saturday, 25th October, at which a Mod Local
Committee will be formed. Representatives
from the local Branch, the Town Council, and
the Northern Sub-Committee of the Propaganda
Committee will be in attendance. The decision
to hold next year’s National Mod in Dingwall
has given great satisfaction to members in
the north and keen enthusiasm has been aroused.
prominent spot on the sea shore at the village
of Kenmore, near Inveraray, where the Bard
was born. Mr Colin Sinclair, Glasgow, was
the architect, and the Gaelic couplet reads :—
Mairidh ainm ’s a dhuan
Cho fad’s is buan ar ceol.
Niall.
—■<> -
LETTER TO THE EDITOR.
Mr. A. M. Carmichael, the newly appointed
Organiser for the Northern Area, has taken up
duty and has already visited the Badenoch
district in addition to organising other tours
in his wide constituency. A new Branch has
been formed at Kinloch Laggan and others are
being arranged for. Mr. Carmichael’s address
in Inverness is 31 Drummond Road.
*******
Gaelic is now recognised as a subject for
examination in connection with all clerical
grades in the Civil Service. This is welcome
news indeed, and in thus recognising Gaelic
the Commissioners have put a powerful in¬
strument in our hands. Hitherto, it was
somewhat difficult to emphasise the practical
value of a knowledge of the old language
although its literary and cultural advantages
were readily enough recognised. It is hoped
that the youth of the Highlands will take full
advantage of the opportunities now offered.
* * * * * * *
At the Annual General Meeting of the
Scottish Centre of P.E.N. held in Edinburgh
recently, it was decided to proceed with a
scheme for the formation of a Gaelic Section.
Mr. William Power, who presided, said that he
had been in communication with Mr Malcolm
MacLeod, ex-President of An Comunn, and
that a number of well-known personalities in
the Gaelic world had agreed to join. Dr. D. J.
MacLeod and Mr. Power were appointed Vice-
Presidents. The secretary is Miss B. Cruick-
shanks, 22 Stafford Street, Edinburgh.
*******
A Cairn erected to the memory of Evan
MacColl, the Lochfyneside Bard, was unveiled
by the Duke of Argyll at Kenmore on Saturday,
18th October, in presence of a large company
of people from the surrounding districts. His
Grace made fitting reference to the Bard’s
work and to his early fife in the Inveraray
district. Appropriate songs were rendered by
a composite Choir from the Mid-Argyll district,
led by Mr. Carlton R. S. Malcolm, Ardrishaigr
Pipe-Major Archd. MacPhedran, a relative of
the Bard, played a piobaireachd at the close
of the proceedings. The cairn is erected on a
Dear Sir,—Mr. Franks has now criticised my
review of the new edition of Encyclopcedia
Britannica in two successive letters, in the
first, defending the policy of the editors, and
in the second, accusing me of misrepresenting
the Encyclopaedia on the matter of the deriva¬
tion of the place names, “ Glasgow,” and
“ Bute.” I am now taking the opportunity
to reply to both of his points at the same
time. In his letter printed in your June
number Mr. Franks says, “ While the article
on Celt was long, and merits the description
of it, it should be remembered that since
1910, much has been discovered concerning
linguistics in other areas. The linguistic
survey of India has been published, the
affinities of the Austric family have been
ascertained, Australian languages have been
classified, Papuan speech has begun to be
scientifically investigated, and African philology
has been put upon a wider basis.” The con¬
tention which is advanced here is unmistakable.
It is that owing to the greatly increased amount
of linguistic material for which the new
Encyclopcedia Britannica has had to find
accomodation, the article on Celtic Languages
and Literature has had to be cut up and reduced
by over a half of its original size. In point of
fact nothing could be more utterly misleading.
I have taken considerable pains to compare
the amount of space allotted in the 1911 and
1929 editions of the Encyclopaedia to the
subjects on which Mr. Franks lays stress in
his letter, and the result of my investigations
has caused me considerable surprise. To make
perfectly clear how little validity attaches to
Mr. Franks’ contention, I give them in detail,
first pointing out that in both editions the full
page consists of two columns of 72 lines each,
averaging from nine to twelve words a line.
Subject.
Celtic Languages and
Literature
Australian Languages
Papuran ,,
African ,,
Austric ,,
Space Allotted.
In 1911 ed. In 1929 ed.
41 pages
14 lines
33 lines
none
none
19J pages
1 page
1 page
3 pages
1 page