An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volume 49--51, January 1954--December 1956

Executive Council
A MEETING of the Executive Council of
An Comunn Gaidhealach was held in
the Highlanders’ Institute, Glasgow,
on 15th January, 1955, Mr. Neil Shaw, Pre¬
sident, in the Chair.
The President paid tribute to the work done
for the Gaelic cause by the late Mr. John N.
Macleod (“Alasdair Mor”) and the late Mrs.
Gunn (Margaret Hill-Boyle). He also referred
to the passing of Miss C. Cameron and Mr.
Stewart Maclnnes.
A minute of the Finance Committee was
approved.
A minute of the Education Committee
referred, among other things, to the question of
Gaelic in secondary schools, the proposed
questionnaire on Gaelic in Highland schools, and
Gaelic in Glasgow and Edinburgh schools. It
also noted with appreciation the gift of two
sets of recorded Gaelic lessons from Mr. William
Hamilton.
Approval was given to a minute of the
Publication Committee which recommended
that a quantity of back-numbers of An Gaidheal
be made available to secondary schools where
Gaelic is taught, and that An Gaidheal Og
be reduced from four to two pages per month,
on the understanding that at least half of the
entire magazine would continue to be in Gaelic.
It was noted that the first issue of the official
magazine appeared in October 1905, and it was
agreed that a special jubilee number of An
Gaidheal be issued to celebrate the jubilee. It
was reported that the new revised edition of
Bardachd Ghaidhlig is in course of preparation,
and that enquiry is being made as to the
possibility of having the recorded Gaelic
lessons of the B.B.C. made available to An
Comunn. Blackie’s Gaelic Reader, Book IV,
has been reprinted. On the suggestion of Mr.
Donald Grant, following upon his visit last
summer to the Celtic Congress in Dublin and
contacts he made there, it was agreed to enquire
about the possibility of having a Scottish
Gaelic edition of certain illustrated Irish
school readers.
The Propaganda Committee reported on the
remit from last Council meeting regarding the
inclusion of English competitions in the
Kintyre Mod. Mr. Shaw, who had visited
Campbeltown and conferred with local parties,
submitted a report. After discussion it was
agreed to permit, for the present year, a much
reduced number of English competitions.
The Mod and Music Committee reported that
the Largs Branch had agreed to invite An
Comunn to hold the 1956 National Mod at
Largs, and this invitation was cordially
accepted,
A minute of joint-meeting of Finance and
Propaganda Committee dealt with the remit
on uniformity of membership, but, after dis¬
cussion, it was agreed to let the matter lie
over meantime.
A minute of joint-meeting of the Art and
Industry and Education Committees presented
proposals for holding a Gaelic Summer School
at Aberdeen from 4th to 15th July, to include
language, Celtic Art, and music classes. This
was approved.
The next meeting—the all-Gaelic one—was
fixed for March.
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks
to the Chairman.
BEING indisposed, I regretfully had to
cancel my visit to the Govan Branch on
14th October. I hope to pay this Branch
a visit in the near future. On 3rd November,
I attended the opening night of the Glasgow
(Central) Branch. Mr. Farquhar MacRae
presided over a large audience. The evening
took the form of a Ceilidh Dance. There were
artistes galore, among them Finlay A. G.
MacKeachan, who won the Gold Medal at the
National Mod in Perth. Special mention must
be made of the Bone family, Mr. and Mrs.
Bone and their daughter, Anne. Not only did
they provide music for the dances but Mrs.
Bone and her daughter played the accompani¬
ments for the singers and Ann contributed
vocal and piano solos.
On 10th November a party of singers and a
violinist, all from Glasgow, provided the
programme for a Ceilidh sponsored by the Luss
and District Highland Association. The pro¬
ceeds of this Ceilidh were given to the Central
Fund of An Comunn.
The Paisley Highlanders arranged to make
our President, Mr. Neil Shaw, an honorary
member of their Association on 27th November.
As Mr. Shaw was indisposed at the time, the
event had to be postponed till a later date. It
has now been arranged that Mr. Shaw will be
honoured in this way at a function to be held
on Saturday, 22nd January. On 27th Novem¬
ber I had the honour of presiding at the Asso¬
ciation’s Ceilidh. , Despite the inclement
weather there was a good attendance. The
vote of thanks was proposed by Mr. Trushell,
a Vice-President of the Paisley Highlanders’,
who has learnt Gaelic and is a fluent speaker.
On 11th December I presided at the monthly
Ceilidh of the Edinburgh Branch. There were
over 150 people present. In addition to monthly
meetings, two Gaelic classes, 30 students in
each class, -are being conducted under the
guidance of the Branch President, Mr. Duncan
MacKenzie, M. M,
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