An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Sruth > Volume 1 > No. 45, 12 December 1968

Sruth, Di-ardaoin, 12 latha de’n Dubhlachd
SRUTH
Di-ardaoin, 12 latha de’n Dubhlachd
Thursday, 12th December 1968
Latha Eile
Tha an fheadhainn a tha ag iarraidh Reisimeid Earra- [
Ghaidheal a ghleidheadh an deidh muillean ainm fhaighinn !
a’cur an aghaidh leigeil fa-sgaoil na Reisimeid. Cr.an eil
fhios againn fhathast co-dhiubh a theid aca air stad a
chur air a’ghnothach gus nach teid, ach tha e soilleir gun
deach aca air co-fhaireachdainnean torr dhaoine ann an
Alba dhusgadh air sgath na Reisimeid.
Co-dhiubh a tha na daoine a chuir an ainmean ris a’
phaipear-tagraidh ceart no cearr tha an gnothach seo a’
ioih&eacnaan dhuinn uair eile a’bhuaidh a tna aig duthchas
air inntinn sluaigh. Tha fhios againn nach bitheadh an
aon othail air a bhith ann nam b’e meur dhe’n Fheachd
Adhair no dhe’n Chabhlaich Rioghail ann an Alba a bha
’ga leigeil fa-sgac>il. Tha muinntir Alba a’faireachadh gum
buin na reisimeidean dhaibh ann an doigh nach buin an
da bhuidhinn eile dhaibh idir.
Anns an aon doigh tha a’mhor chuid de shluagh Alba,
a reir gach cunntais a chaidh a dheanamh o chionn greis,
air tigiunn gu bhith faireachadh nach bum an Riaghaltas
ann an Lunnainn dhaibh-san ann an seadh domhain sam
bith — nach e an Riaghaltas aca-san a tha ann. Cha robh
mor-shluagh Alba ag iarraidh aonadh nam parlamaid o
thoiseach ach cha robh cumhachd aca a chuireadh stad j
air a’ghnotha£h ann an 1707. Bha a’mhor chuid dhe’n
fheachainn aig an robh an cumhachd — na h-uaislean —
mar tha fo bhuaidh doigh-beatha Shasuinn. On fhuair am
mor-shluagh a’bhot chaidh Parlamaid dhaibh fhein a gheall-
tainn dhaibh uair is uair ach cha deachaidh an gealladh
a choimhlionadh riamh. Dh’fhulaing muinntir Alba seo
ana an doigh a bha iongantach gus a faca lad nach deanadh
Parlamaid ann an Lunnainn an gnothach idir. Tha iad
a’faireachadh nas laidire agus nas laidire nach eil buaidh
sam bith aig na h-iarratasn agus na feuman aca-san rir
buill-parlamaid a tha gu tur fo smachd nam maighstirean
aca anns gach buidhinn.
Faodaidh na gunnachan mora agus na gunnachan
beaga a measg nan Toraidh agus nan Soisealach a bhith
losgadh fhad’s a thogras iad ach tha muinntir na duthcha
seo a’faireachadh an aon rud agus a bha iad ann an 1707.
Ach chan e 1707 a tha seo idir. Tha latha eile ann a nis.
Saobh-Shruth
Within its own narrow context, the Highlands and
Islands Development Board can be proud of its achievement
in compiling a list of people from all parts of Britain and
from overseas who have expressed a willingness to live
and work in the seven crofting counties of the Highlands
area. The list, known as ‘ Project Counterdrift,’ is a
register of 7000 men and women from all walks of life
who are prepared to go to the Highlands to earn their
living.
The Board has been foolhardy enough to publicise
the results of an analysis carried out on the completed
questionnaires returned by applicants for potential High¬
land jobs. The figures are revealing. Scotland provided
the bulk of the replies. But this is only 28 per cent. Far
too low, we say, to call the project a success. If the Scot
has no confidence in his own country, there must be some¬
thing wrong with it.
Even more revealing is the fact that only 12 per cent,
of the total returns are expatriate Highlanders. One can
appreciate why the Highlander is unwilling to return to
his native heath while it is an area redolent with social
and economic depression. But one would also think that
with cuch an agency as the HIDE provides, the expatriate
Highlander would be only too willing to return to par¬
ticipate in the increased development of the area’s potential.
So it is relevant to ask why so few Highlanders are
willing to come home. There are, of course, many reasons,
interalia, they already have secure jobs and incomes; their
root'- are too deen in their new ground; their families are
socially committed.
But it may well be that the kind of development taking
place in the Highlands (not necessarilv in the Islands) is
not of the type to inspire confidence in the Highland future.
The factors of change being introduced bv the HIDE may
well be wrong. The resultant changes in social patterns
may be repugnant to the expatriate Highlander, and he may
not want to participate in their undoubted alien character.
Perhaps the composition of the Board itself and its
staff of 147 does not inspire confidence in the future of
the Highlands and Islands: jt ■has been alleged that to be
(a) a native-born Gaelic-speaking Highlander or (b) a Scot
truly interested in the reinvigoration of the Highlands has
been ..a decided disadvantage when applying for a position
Within the Board’s organisation. If we are wrong in per¬
petrating this allegation, then the HIDE can disprove it
by publicising an analysis of its own staff.
‘ Project Counterdrift ’ cannot be said at this stage to
be a success until it inspires an overwhelming proportion
of expatriate Highlanders to return to their homeland.
FAIGINN BHUAM
CHOITEARACHD
Chuir ruintean ura a’
Choimisein mu na croitean
mi gu smaointeachadh air an
fheadhainn air am b’edlaiche
mi fhin agus air an d’ rinn
mi corra char obrach. Cha
robh croitean Chamaschros
ro mhor, eadar a dha is a tri
acairean an te, tha mi ’tuig-
sinn. Bha cuid aig nach robh
uiread sin fhein, gun aca ach
leth croite.
Cha b’ e croit a theiream-
aidne idir, ach “ leot,” air
fhuaimneachadh anns an
doigh Bheurla. Ged a bhit-
headh Gaidhil a cearnaidhean
eile dhe ’n eilean a’ deanamh
spoirs de ’n fhacal “ leot,”
chaneil fhiosam a bheil e dad
nas Gallda na “ croit ” no
“ cruit.” Gun teagamh ged a
theireadh sinne “ leot ” cha
chuala mi riamh guth air
“ leotair,” ni a tha a’ dear-
bhadh, ’s cinnteach, gur e
“ croit ” am facal as sine.
Tha mi cinnteach gu bheil
suas ri ceud bliadhna a nise
on a chaidh an talamh a bh’
ann a dhioladh am mach ’na
leotaichean. Ge bith de an
rian a bh’ aig na roinnead-
airean san amharc chaneil
teagamh nach do ghabh iad
moran saothrach ris an obair,
le leudan air an deanamh ion-
nann is dreineachan direach
sios a h-uile ceum.
Bha iarraidh air fearann
anns na laithean ud. Chi
duine fhathast laraich nam
feannagan air taobh a muigh
criochan a’ bhaile far a robh
aiteach dhichilleach aon uair.
’S toigh learn a smaoin¬
teachadh, ged a bha leotan
Chamaschros gun o bhith ro
mhor, gu robh iad torrach
agus gu robh iarraidh orra.
Tha fhios againn, o’n aireamh
a thainig a steach o aiteachan
eile sa sgire, gu robh moran
fearainn ann nach robh cho
math. ’S docha gum b’e an
fheill a bh’air na bh’ ann a
dh’ fhag na roinnean cho
beag.
Cha robh na h-earrannan
cho beag anns na bailtean a
b’ fhaisge air laimh. Bha inbhe
air leth nar suilean-ne, aig
croitearan Dhuisdil Mhoir is
Bhig. Bha seorsa de fharmad
againn ri sgoilearan as na
bailtean sin; cha robh ni eile
a dh’ aobharaich sin ach gu
robh each air gach leot. Co
nach sanntaicheadh ainmhidn
cho deas, comasach, uasal ?
Aig an aois aig .a robh sin
cha do leudaiph sinn air gu
robh an t-eaeii. na chomharr-
adh air croitean mora is bar-
rachd saibhris.
Beagan na b’fhaide bhuainn
anns an Druimfhe^rna bhit-
heamaid uaireannan a’ bruid-
hinn car ardanach mu ’n
deidhinn, mar fheadhainn a
bh’ air cul an t-saoghail, ach
cha d’urrainn dhuinn gun
fhios a bhith againn aig a’
cheart am gu robh iad gu
math ard an sreath nan croit¬
earan oir bha, chan e mhilin
eich aca, ach caoraich cuid-
eachd. Bha an cothrom seo
aca mar thoradh air farsain-
neachd a’ mh-onaidh. Bha
cldimh aca airson sniomh
agus airson plangaidean ura
fhaotainn a Brura. Chuir
feoil-chaorach saor iad cuid-
eacnd o bhith cho mor an
eisimeil a’ bhuntata sa’ sga-
dain.
Chan e nach fhaca mise mo
sheanamhair a’ sniomh iom-
adh uair. Ged nach robh
monadh chaorach againn bha
cead aig croitear, mar chom-
harradh deagh - ghean bho
uachdaran no ciobair, air aon
chaora, no ’s docha a dha, a
bhith aige air a’ mhonadh
mhor. Bha cuideachd deagh
chairdean againn anns an
Druimfheama nach caomh-
nadh rusg an drasta s a rit-
hist as am pailteas fhein.
A‘ sealltainn air na leot¬
aichean ud an diugh is ion¬
gantach a chuimhneachadh
cho priseil s a bha am fearann
aon uair. Nuair a bha rathad
mor ri dheahamh chan fhui-
lingeadh cuid dhe na croit¬
earan gum bitheadh e a’
ruith mu choinneamh nan
taighean. Bheirea’dh sin air
falbh fearann aitich agus bha
feum air a h-uile oirleach.
Rinn fear eirmseach oran mu
’dheidhinn le fonn car mar
seo:
“ Failte dhut is slainte leat
Seo an t-sraid a chaidh bho
fheum
Leis na maoir a bh’ air a’
Chlachaich
’Deanamh laghannan dhaibh
fhein.”
Bha earrannan eile ann ach
ged a tha an fheadhainn a dh’
ainmicheadh annta air siubhal
chaneil math dhomh a dhol
an cunnart cuirt le oilbheum
a thoirt do dhuine dhe an
teaghlaichean !
B’ fheudar do Dhomhnall
Mac Caluim mar sin a’ Chlac¬
haich a sheachnadh agus cul
na sraide a ghabhail, rud a
rinn e, tha e air aithris, leis
fhein gun chuideachadh.
Obair a bh’ air innse iomadh
latha mar aon de euchdan
mora an aite. Dh’ fhag sin
cuid dhe na rathad gu math
cas agus sioma uair o’n lath
ud a bha aithreachas air
muinntir na “ Sraide,” agus
air muinntir na “ Clachaich ”
fhein, nach d’ fhuair Domh-
nall Mac Caluim cead rathad
cdmhnard direach a chur sios
troimh na bhaile. Tha aobhar
air aithreachas ann dhaibh
nuair a stadas na vanaichean
air “ a’ bhfutrach mhor ”
agus nuair a chithear cho
suarach sa tha fearann nan
leotaichean air fas an diugh.
Bha deagh fheum air a
dheanamh dhe’n fhearann
anns na lathaichean ud. Feur
HOUSING PROGRESS
IN SCOTLAND
A total of 27,864 houses was
completed in the first nine
months of this year—the highest
number completed at this point
in any year since 1954 and
57,354 houses were under con¬
struction. This is the highest
number at any time for this
period since the war.
nadarra is feur cura, coirce
(no arbhar mar a theireadh
sinne) agus buntata, agus
corra chriomag airson cail no
sneipean.
(R’a leantainn)
DOMHNALL GRANND
Electors Lists
on View
The 1968 register of electors,
which will be in force for a
year from next February 16,
are on view at the main post
offices, local authority offices,
public libraries and other public
places until Monday, December
16.
Everyone in Scotland eligible
to vote should check that they
are on the provisional lists.
Anybody not on the new Regis¬
ter will be unable to vote at
the Town Council elections in
May or at any Parliamentary
election held during the year.
Voters qualify to be registered
for the address at which they
were living on October 10,
1968, if they are British sub¬
jects or citizens of the Republic
of Ireland and age 21 or over,
or will be 21 on or before June
15 next. A person may be en¬
titled to an additional Local
Government vote as the occu¬
pier, in a different area, of pro¬
perty worth at least £10 a year.
In particular, people who, on
October 10, had recently re¬
moved, and also boarders, lod¬
gers and sub-tenants whose
accommodation is not self-
contained should make sure
that their names appear on
the lists as should anyone else
who had no opportunity to
supply information to the elec¬
toral registration office. People
who have recently reached the
age of 21 or will do so by June
15, 1969, should confirm that
they are included in the lists for
the area where they live. There
is no change in the voting age
for the 1969 register.
To check the lists is only a
matter of minutes. Once the
new register of electors is pub¬
lished in February it cannot be
altered. Mistakes should be
rectified now.
Anyone whose name has been
omitted from the provisional
lists should send a claim by
December 16 to the Electoral
Registration Officer whose add¬
ress is shown on the lists and
from whom a Claim Form may
be obtained.
No claims can be accepted
after December 16.
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