An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volume 42, October 1946--September 1947

AN GAIDHEAL.
An Ceitein, 1947.
BAS CHAIRDEAN.
We regret to record the deaths of the following friends and
supporters of our movement.
Rev. T. S. MacPherson.
The Rev. Thomas S. MacPherson, formerly of the Highland
Church, Campbeltown, died at Langholm, Dumfries-shire, on
2nd April. Bom in Ardnamurchan in 1870, Mr. MacPherson
was educated at Raining’s School, Inverness, and the Uni¬
versities of St. Andrews and Edinburgh. He served as
Assistant at St. Columba’s, Glasgow, and was ordained in 1895.
Thereafter he held the following Charges—Tiree (1895-1906),
Tarbert, Lochfyne (1906-9), Yoker (1909-16), St. Vincent
Parish, Glasgow (1916-25), and the Highland Church, Campbel¬
town (1925-46).
For nearly fifty years Mr. MacPherson was a member of An
Comunn and served for some thirty years on the Executive
Council, being a Vice-President for four years and Convener of
the Publication Committee from 1911 to 1914. He also
officiated many times as a Mod adjudicator. But perhaps his
most signal service to the Cause was rendered in Campbeltown
during his long and notable ministry there. Campbeltown, as
we know, has long been strongly affected by Lowland and non-
Gaelic influences, but in recent times there has been a remark¬
able revival of interest in Gaelic in that area. The Campbel¬
town Gaelic Choir has won renown, and individuals from the
area have gained distinction in literary and other activities
connected with the Gaelic Movement. Mr. MacPherson, it
may be said, was the guide and inspirer of that revival. We
had hoped that in the leisure of his retirement, upon which he
had so recently entered, he might have continued to serve
the Cause, and his passing has left us much the poorer.
Many fine tributes have been paid to Mr. MacPherson’s
memory by his associates in church and civic life and in the
Gaelic Movement, but we have pleasure in publishing the
following tribute by Mr. Charles Reppke, who was his close
associate in helping on the cause of Gaelic in South Kintyre.
“ It was my good fortune to be intimately associated with
the late Rev. T. S. MacPherson in the work of the Campbeltown
Branch of An Comunn, and during that period I had ample
opportunity to assess his outstanding qualities of heart and
mind. His gentleness, sincerity, tolerance, patience,
generosity, and tact, all contributed to the sum of a most
lovable personality. He was exceptionally well gifted in the
ability to adapt himself to the occasion. His concern and
sympathy for the sorrowing ; his humour and cheerfulness at
our Ceilidhs and similar events ; and his incisive and clear-cut
comments at business meetings—all these denoted a unique
flexibility of mind. These qualities are the explanation of his
popularity and the respect in which he was held. In his
varied activities—and they were many—his zeal in the cause
of Gaelic was exceeded only by his devotion to his ministerial
duties. For weeks prior to the local Mod the Highland Manse
was ‘ Liberty Hall ’ to all who aspired to Gaelic musical
honours, and it was in this connection that his amazing patience
and tact were fully portrayed. I am quite certain that no one
ever put in so many ‘ man-hours’ at teaching Gaelic to soloists
and choirs as did Mr. MacPherson ; and it was all a labour of
love without thought of reward other than the satisfaction of
having done something for the language he loved.
“ Whatever proficiency the writer has attained in reading
Gaelic is wholly due to Mr. MacPherson, and it was a matter
of some satisfaction to me that I was able latterly to repay him
in some measure by relieving his ageing shoulders of part of the
burden of preparing competitors for the Mod.
“ Mr. MacPherson’s retiral from the Highland Church and
his consequent residence outside Campbeltown was a sore blow
to many of us, but softened somewhat by his assurance that we
would all meet at the Perth Mod.
“ ‘ Not now in Perth,’ as the Rev. Mr. Blackwood said at the
crowded Memorial Service, ‘ shall we meet him in the flesh, but
somewhere further out beyond the bounds of our poor earthli-
ness we shall think of him listening to us.’
“ In a gently falling drizzle of rain I stood as a pall-bearer
by the side of his open grave, and it seemed to me that the
heavens were shedding tears at the committal of all that was
mortal of our dear friend to a last resting-place among the
Lowland hills, his heart and soul being ever in his beloved
Highlands.
“ But he wished it so, and that should satisfy those of us
who mourn the passing of one whom to meet was a pleasure,
and whose friendship was a blessing.
“ He lived by the precepts of his Bible and died in the glory
of his service to Gaeldom.”
Mrs. Grant, Ballachulish.
Mrs. Catherine Grant, widow of the late Dr. Lachlan Grant,
Ballachulish, died at a comparatively early age on 21st March.
She was for many years a zealous member of An Comunn and
was widely known as an accomplished singer in Gaelic and
English. Mrs. Grant won many prizes at the Mods. She was
a gracious'lady, ever eager to help in good causes, and gave
splendid service especially during the war in connection with
W.V.S. work and charitable organisations. She took a keen
interest also in the efforts to ameliorate the economic and
social conditions of the Highlands, efforts in which her late
husband, Dr. Grant, founder and first President of the High¬
land Development League, and her late brother, Mr. Angus
Clark, also a member of the Council of the League, were so
closely concerned.
Mr Donald MacPherson, Appin.
Mr. Donald MacPherson died on 28th March at the age of
81. He was a native of Badenoch, and was the Headmaster of
the school in Strath of Appin. Not only was he the President
of the local Branch of An Comunn, but he also helped on many
occasions as an adjudicator at Mods, particularly in the oral
competitions. He was highly respected by all and loved by
many—a fine old man who cherished the best traditions of
his people.
We place on record our deep sympathy with the families and
friends of those whose passing we have mentioned and also
with several others among our membership who have recently
suffered bereavement.
❖
CAIFIDH MOR NA H-OIGRIDH, 1942.
(“Grand Caf6 de la Jeunesse”).
Le Deorsa Caimbeul Hay.
Bha mi fhein is Gilleasbuig ’nar suidhe gu seasgar socrach
aig bord beag cruinn an Caifidh M6r na h-Oigridh, agus
eadarainn dk ghlaine de’n fhlon dearg sin nach ’eil ro dhona is
nach ’eil ro mhaith.
Caifidh na h-Oigridh, Caifidh an Dochais, Caifidh an Ama-
Gu-Teachd—sin agad an seorsa tiotail as mo aig na h-6sdairean
Arabach am bailtean beaga is m6ra Aildiri is Thunaisi; ach,
a dh’aindeoin sin, bitear ag cumail a mach gur ni nach gabh
atharrachadh an gnk nan Arabach an deidh a th’aca air a
bhith ag radh, “ Tachraidh na thachras—hull shift yedd Allah
(a h-uile ni an laimh Dhe).” Ma tha iad buailteach gu “ liibadh
leis a’ chilis a bhith mar tha e,” nach ’eil seanfhacal againn
fhein a their, “ An rud a tha san dan, ’s e thachras ” ?
Ach coma dheth sin—chuala mi mar an ceudna a bhith cur
mar fhiachaibh gu bheil luchd loslaim cumhang-inntinneach,
mi-shiobhalta; nach fhaodar idir earbsa a chur as a h-aon
diubh (chuala mi aig Frangach, a chuir seachad roinn de
sheirbhis san arm air an Debel Druis, gum faod thu do bhean-
phosda, do nighean as bbidhche, no do chuid de’n t-saoghal air
fad fhagail air churam aoin de na Drhsaich “fhiadhaich”
agus falbh gun smaoin gun iomagain d’an taobh re dheich
bliadhna, oir cha bheanar rih); gum bi deichnear bhan aig a
h-uile mac mathar dhiubh (mas e is gun gabhadh “ mac
mathar ” a radh ri cloinn athraichean a bhiodh air am bleith
eadar briogada bhan), agus a leithid sin de bhlialum.
Biodh sin mar a thogras e, bha an dithist againn gu
seasgar sitheil a stigh anns a’ chaifidh, a chuideachd air fichead
Frangach, da Gheancach, trl maraichean Lochlannach, aon
“ chan-’eil-fhios-agam-co-e ” do’m bu deise a’ Ghreugais na
gach cainnt eile, dh Spkinteach o’n Chorps Franc d'Afrique,
am balaohan abhaisteaoh a bhiodh thall’s a bhos eadar casan