An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volumes 44--45, January 1949--December 1950

Nai€lli<kac*li<l na h-Aii*€l<k Tualli
NORTHERN ORGANISER’S NOTES
THE Organiser attended meet¬
ings of Standing Committees
and of the Executive Council
at Glasgow on 12th and 13th
January,1950.
Skye
ON the following Tuesday he
proceeded to Skye where he
visited the majority of the
Feachdan on the island. He
explained to the children that
Comunn na h-Oigridh have been
given a very special job of work to
do—that of having a Stall of their
own at the War Memorial and
Thanksgiving Fund Feill to be
held at Glasgow for four days—
17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th May
of this year. He appealed to each
member to make at least one
article which could be sold at the
Feill and advised the children to
attach their names and name of
Feachd to each article made. In
this way, Highlanders in Glasgow
would be able to buy goods made in
their own home districts and
possibly by their own relations.
The following enrolments were
made during the visit:—
Broadford, 20 girls 17 boys
Portnalong, 9 ,, 14 ,,
Kilmuir, 28 ,, 19 ,,
Bernisdale, 7 ,, 4 ,,
Dunvegan, 17 ,, 14 ,,
81 girls 68 boys
On his way home the Organiser
called at Balmacara Boys’ school
by arrangement with the Head¬
master, and addressed the boys in
residence there, thirty-one in
number. Twenty-seven of these
are Gaelic-speakers and they were
enrolled in a new Feachd of Comunn
na h-Oigridh. It is also hoped to
form a Feachd at Duncraig Girls’
School in the near future.
Inverness Feachd
AT a meeting held in the Inver¬
ness Royal Academy a Feachd
of Comunn na h-Oigridh was
formed with thirty girls and
twenty-three boys—53 altogether.
Leaders were elected by the boys
and the girls, and Mr. A. J. Mac-
Askill, M.A., Assistant Teacher of
Gaelic in the Royal Academy, was
appointed Ceann-Feachd along with
Mr. Ronald J. MacDonald, M.A.,
On the following Friday a meeting
of the Feachd was held in the
Parish Council Hall, Bank Street,
when the work to be undertaken by
the members was fully explained
by the Northern Organiser and Mr.
MacAskill. Weekly meetings are
to be held in the meantime, but
it is intended to take the members
to places of historical interest in
the vicinity when the days get
longer. We wish this new Feachd
all success.
West Tour
BECAUSE of the prevalence of
influenza in North Uist, the
Organiser was advised not to
visit that district at the moment,
so he commenced his Uist and
Barra itinerary at Benbecula on
Monday, 6th February. He visited
the majority of the Feachdan in
South Uist and the following
enrolments were made:—
Lochcarnan
lochdar
Locheynort,
Stoneybridge
Howmore
Kildonan
Garrynamona
Daliburgh
Lochboisdale,
Eriskay,
Nil Nil
3 girls 3 boys
n o
Nil
2 girls 2
62 girls 76 boys
Ceilidhs were held at Cnoc na
Mona, lochdar, and Howmore.
Because of the prevalence of
whooping-cough, the attendance at
these functions was not up to the
average, but there was no lack of
talent. At lochdar and Howmore
Messrs. John Maclnnes and John
MacLeod delighted every one with
their puirt-a-beul contributions.
The Organiser explained in- detail
the various activities in which An
Comunn is engaged and appealed
for the whole-hearted support of
everyone for the Grand Feill to be
held at Glasgow next May. In the
schools the teachers and children
promised to support the Comunn
na h-Oigridh stall to the utmost of
their ability.
Eriskay
IT is not everyone who has an
opportunity to visit Eriskay,
‘‘EUean na h-Oige.” This I did
on Friday, 10th February. Neil
Campbell was, as usual, ready
when the car arrived from Loch¬
boisdale and we were soon across
the Caolas. Ten minutes brought
me to the school, which, by the
way, has last year’s Crowned
Bard as its Headmaster—Mr.
Donald MacDonald, M.A., oi,
as he is better known to his friends,
“Domhnall Eirisgeidh.” I was
welcomed by himself, his staff, and
the children. After a talk, in
Gaelic of course, we commenced
with the task of forming a new
Feachd. Thirty girls and twenty-
five boys were enrolled and all of
them promised faithfully to uphold
all that is best in the Gaelic tradi¬
tion, our language, and our music.
The return journey was not so
pleasant, as a nor’west gale
sprang up with showers of sleet and
snow. We were glad to be on the
mainland of Uist again.
At 11 p .m. I was on the pier at
Lochboisdale waiting for the
‘ ‘Lochearn ’ ’ to make her appear¬
ance. On consulting Captain
MacKinnon, he informed me that
he was not to call at Castlebay on
his return journey to Oban, owing
to bad weather conditions. I had
no alternative, therefore, but to
return via Mallaig with the
“Lochmor,” and will have to
travel via Oban to Barra at a
later date.
Ceilidh nan Gaidheal an Inbhir
Nis
THIS all-Gaelic Association
continues to draw large
audiences to the monthly
ceilidhs, and the January meeting
was no exception. This night
(21st) was in the hands of the
ladies. With Mrs. Menzies as
Bean-an-taighe and a fine band
of artistes, including the Merkinch
School Choir, and Action Song
Party under the direction of Miss
J. E. MacKenzie, a very pleasant
evening was spent. Mrs. Menzies
fully justified her selection as
Bean-an-taighe and opened the
ceilidh in the old way by telling a
sgeulachd herself. Votes of thanks
by the President and the singing
of the parting-song brought the
evening to a close.
’S TU AS FHAISGE
Bu duine mor Tormod—bha e
c6rr is sia troighean air kirde.
Bha e a’ dol dhachaidh an oidhche
seo, is c6 a thachair ris ach Domh¬
nall. Thug Domhnall shil air a’
ghealaich.
“A bheil thu faicinn Bodach na
Gealaich, a Dhomhnaill ? ’ ’ arsa
Tormod.
“Chan ’eil mise ’ga fhaicinn,’’
fhreagair Domhnall, “mur a faic
thu fh6in e—is tu as fhaisge air ! ’
(Bho “An Cabairneach1945,
le cead).
HAVE YOU CONTRIBUTED
TO THE MAGAZINE FUND?
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