An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Sruth > Volume 2 > No. 90, 3 September 1970

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GRETNA GREEN SMITHY
The large oil concern BP have recently joined the landowner, Mr R. Adair Houston, in
plans for furthering the development of Gretna Green around the famous blacksmith's shoo.
Something in the region of £250,000 is being spent on making the village a holiday centre
with a motel which is due to be completed in December 1971. Additional amenities are being
organised by BP.
RECORD ENTRY FOR
1970
Returning to the town in
which it originated in 1892,
the National Mod of An
Comunn Gaidhealach to be
held in Oban boasts a record
entry of 1,925. This shows an
increase of 264 on the pre¬
vious year when, the Mod
moved to a new venue at
Aviemore.
Prior to this the highest
figure had been for the 1966
Inverness Mod when 1772
entries were recorded.
The Open Piping Competit¬
ion for March, Strathspey
and Reel, introduced in 1969
is again sponsored by John
Player and Son. In addition
to the Gold Banner (A’
Bhratach Oir) presented to
the winner there is also a
MOD
cash prize of £50 with £25
going to the runner up, third
place £15 and the next three
each get £10. This makes
this competition the most
lucrative on the piping com¬
petition circuit.
Additionally, Players are
sponsoring a recital of Ceol
Mor on Saturday, 3rd Oct¬
ober when three of the lead¬
ing exponents of the classical
music of pipes will appear.
They are John MacFadyen,
Busby, Ronald MacCallum,
Inverary and William Mac¬
Donald, Inverness.
On the same evening there
will be a fiddlers’ rally in the
Corran Hall.
An innovation at the Oban
Mod is the presentation by
Mr Murray Grigor, Director
of the Edinburgh Internat-i
ional Film Festival of exj
cerpts from Scottish Films.
Murray Grigor is a member
of the well known Inverness
family and was recently ap->
pointed Director of the Roch¬
ester (New York) Film Festi¬
val.
Two new trophies have
been presented for competit¬
ion, one by the Bank of
Scotland and one by Mrs
Mair, New York to be known
ac- the Glen Ballachulish Tro¬
phy.
Clc[;ed Circuit TV
In anticipation of the large
following for the Oban Mod
arrangements have been made
(Continued on page 12)
Gaelic in Nova
Scotia Schools
As from September, 1970 an official visit to Canada had
junior and senior high schools this to say “ The Gaelic com-
in Nova Scotia will be able munity of Nova Scotia has
to offer instruction in Gaelic been deprived, until now, of
according to a recent an- the basic essentials in keeping
nouncement made by the the language alive; the ability
Education Minister, G. J. to read and write in their
Doucet. own native tongue. This must
Schools offering Gaelic will have had a deep pschological
be required to have a certi- effect on the future of the
fied teacher who can speak language, and it is encourag-
Gaelic and a sufficient num- inS to see this first ray of
ber of interested pupils. If 15 hope in a situation which is
or more students apply for not yet irretreivable.
instruction the course will be “ There is a crying need for
scheduled on a regular basis a central organisation to unite
for 2 or 3 periods each week, the various Gaelic speaking
If fewer than 15 are inter- communities in Nova Scotia
ested the schools must make and provide them with litera-
other arrangements so as not ture and music to help main-
to interfere with the normal tain their culture. I would
timetable. hope that this organisation
Mr Fred MacAulay, Head would be set up without de-
of the B.B.C. Gaelic Depart- lay if the situation is to be
ment, recently returned from saved.”
CLUB LEABHAR
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