An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volume 28, October 1932--September 1933

An Limasdal, 1938.
AN GA1DHEAL
173
Expected to take part in the school
ceilidh, and do “their bit’’ along with
the older children.
Second Stage.
1. Reading of words of two or three
letters from B.B. writing of same in script
on linoleum, then slates.
co cu an so cu cu is cat.
cu co cu an so cat is ch.
cu is cat beag cat is cu beag.
[Word cu, interesting to G. speaking,
whereas word dog is dead so to speak.]
With the exception of reading, all the
Gaelic instruction was given in the form of
a ceilidh.
To get “the colour’’ and atmosphere of a
real ceilidh, the older children got up a few
dramatic sketches, one of which was always
enacted by all the boys before starting for
the ceilidh.
Sketch (Term sketch preferable to
“play”).
[1. Stormy or wet day chosen for this game.]
Characters in sketch—
Fionn and his Fingalians overtaken by
snowstorm in hill of hunting.
Fionn, leader—chosen as such for a year
and a day.
Dermid, Fionn’s nephew.
Oscar, Conan, etc.
Sounds—(Bran, Aotrom, Luath, etc.),
Smaller Boys.
[Gille na gaoithe—(pupil) moaned
now and again for effect.]
Deer—Lightest boy.
Bones of Deer—Shells (thrown to dogs).
Sturdy branch of oak—Window Pole.
Two of the warriors carried the spoils of
the chase suspended from the oak branch,
across the shoulders.
Deer skinned, roasted on embers.
Warriors sitting round at feast.
Bones thrown to dogs (who sometimes
fought). Conan replenishing the fire,
grousing all the time. Caoilte might have
done it. All this was enacted in about five
minutes; or
[2. Fair Weather Game.]
Fionn and Fingalians after a pleasure trip
in the Triallach mhara (birlinn). Door of
old cabinet—birlinn. Act—Beaching of
birlinn.
Shouts of warriors beaching a birlinn were
kept within class-room. Class-room now
became Tigh a Bhlair Bhuidhe or Tigh
Abhachain Bhig na Bruinne. Sgeulachdean
(usually one, or half if too long) recited by
children or teacher, the latter drawing
attention to Gaelic idiom, beautiful words
and phrases, and moral of tale. (We got
several lessons from (1) story. Errors in
pronunciation corrected. Pupil called on to
sing a verse or two of song with a chorus.
The rest joined in the chorus; or port-a-beul
or canntaireachd.
[Fionn numbered his men, but
not according to Fionn’s method.]
Riddles, proverbs, local tradition, nature
study, etc., were themes for the cfeilidh.
Nature study. Gaelic names for wild
flowers. Habitat, medicinal and dyeing
properties, charms against fairies, etc.
Birds—sea birds and land birds, their
notes in nursery rhymes, stories in
connection with same.
[Free terms, i.e., Cho laidir is an
darach, etc., made very interesting lessons.]
(To be continued.)
BAS DA BHEAN UASAL.
Mar a chi ar luchd-leughaidh an lomradh
na Coinneimh a chumadh an Sruibhlea aig
toiseach mlos luchar chaill An Comunn dk
bhana-charaid dhileas. Bha iad le cheile
’nam buill de’n Ard Chomhairle, agus ged
nach robh an guth ri chluinntinn ro thric
aig na coinneamhan bha iad cho eudmhor,
dealasach ri neach air bith eile ann a bhi ag
adhartachadh ruintean a’ Chomuinn.
Bha Bean Uasal Dhunathach de chinne
urramach Chloinn Ddmhnaill a Eilean a’
Che6, agus b’e a tlachd a bhi ag cleachdadh
na Gaidhlig air gach uile chothrom. Bha i
iriosal, suairce, coibhneil ’nankdur, agus ’na
giiilan bha fior uaisle nan sonn bho’n tainig
i ri fhaicinn gu soilleir. Thainig an
teachdaire g’a h-ionnsuidh gu h-obann an
deidh frithealadh aig Mod Aird nam
Murchain. Bu chaomh leatha an oigridh a
chluinntinn ag conaltradh an Gaidhlig agus
chuala i sin an Sr6n an t-Slthein, agus bha
i toilichte.
Bha a’ Bhean Uasal Christison co-
cheangailte ri obair a’ Chomuinn re mdran
bhliadhnachan. Choisinn i am Bonn Oir air
son seinn aig M6d Pheairt ’sa bhliadhna
1896, agus sheinn i aig Cuirm Chiuil Mod
Shruibhlea tri bliadhna deug an deidh sin.
Bha i trl bliadhna fichead a’ riochdachadh
Comunn Athaill is Bhraghad Albainn air Ard
Chomhairle a’ Chomuinn. B’ann annamh
a bha a h-kite falamh aig na coinneamhan,
agus ged nach robh a guth ri chluinntinn
ach ainmig cha do chum i a lamh riamh ri
a taobh an km taghaidh. Bha i ’na
boirionnach ciuin, blkth-chridheach; a
ghnkth a’ deanamh gnlomh na seirce.