An Comunn Gàidhealach Publications > Gaidheal > Volumes 46--48, January 1951--December 1953

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Naidheachd na h-Airde Tuath
NORTHERN OROANISER'S NOTES
THE Organiser had arranged to visit the
Corpach Brand) on Friday, 1st February,
but owing to the Condition of the roads, snow
and ice, the visit had to be cancelled. There was
an improvement during the following week and
he attended a meeting and Ceilidh of the Mallaig
Branch. Mr. MacPhail was invited to act as
Fear-an-tighe. Before the opening of the meet¬
ing he made sympathetic reference to our great
loss in the lamented death of our beloved King.
His Majesty had been An Comunn’s Patron over
a number of years.
Mr. John MacLean, M.A., Hon. Secretary,
had a talented company of singers, reciters, and
story-tellers arranged, and a most successful
evening came to an end with the usual votes of
thanks.
On the return journey, the following morning,
the aftermath of the great storm was evident
all along the route to Fort William. At Inver-
ailort, especially, some damage was done to a
young plantation on Mr. Cameron-Head’s
estate. The County road staff had a hectic
time clearing scores of fallen trees from the
roadway.
From 13th to 23rd February the Organiser
was engaged in Lewis and Harris. The following
are the enrolments made for Comunn na
h-Oigridh during the visit: An Cnoc (9) ; Paible
(37) ; An Airde (35) ; Caershader (11) ; Cromor
(25) ; Planascar (10) ; Gravar (19) ; Tolsta
mu thuath (51) ; Am Bac (36) ; Tunga (14) ;
Lacasdal (57) ; Bragar (26) ; Breascleit (16) ;
Achmor (13) ; Sanndabhig (12) ; Seilbost (20) ;
Scarasta (8) ; Bade Tuath (15) ; An t-Ob (33) ;
Fionnsbhagh (27) ; Manish (15) ; Stocanais (15);
Drinnishadar (29) ; An Tairbeart (100). A
grand total of 633.
It was a sheer delight to visit these schools
and to have talks with the children. Since the
appointment of a teacher of music in rural Lewis,
great headway has been made with this phase
of Gaelic culture. Likewise with art. I was very
interested to see a drawing in crayon on the wall
of one school showing Beinn Dorain with
Donnchadh Ban stalking a stag, which was
browsing beside a burn. No doubt the little
girl who made the drawing had at least heard of
“ Cead Deireannach nam Beann.” I was in¬
terested to learn that a girl from this same school
had won a first prize for drawing at the London
Mod last year.
At another school I met a little girl, six years
of age, who was born in London. She has been
in Lewis only one year but she has a fair know¬
ledge of Gaelic already and sang to me that
lovely ditty " Sixilean Dubha.” Sitting in the
same school was a little boy about the same age B
who seemed anxious to sing a song also. On ft
questioning him as to whether he had a song, ft
he replied, “’S ann agam a tha,” and then 1|
sang with great fervour, “ Teann a nail’s thoir ft1
dhomh do lamh.”
But these island children can do more than il
sing. “ Co aige tha toimhseachan ?” arsa mise. I
Agus a suas a chaidh lamh Barabal Isebeal ft
Nic Pharlain. “ Siuthad, a ghraidh,” arsa mise. ft
agus seo agaibh an toimhseachan bho chaileig Ij
bhig nach ’eil ach sia bliadhna a dh’aois.
“ Nighean an High san taigh ud thall,
Olaidh i fion troimh a bois ;
’S caol a coise troimh a ceann.”
Cha do thomhais mi idir e, agus thuirt ise jft
gu proiseil—“ Loinead Muighe.”
Seo toimhseachan eile a chur iad orm :—
“ Da chluais gun cheann,
Da aisinn-dheug gun druim,
Is ton gun iorball.”
“ Sin agaibh,” thuirt a’ chaileag, “ Slige ft
Chreachain.”
Tha mi an duil gu robh am bard ceart an ft
uair a thubhairt e gum biodh Gaidhlig san ft
eilean ‘‘gus an traigh an cuan siar.”
Agus car son nach deanar iomradh air a’
chaileig an Siabost a sheinn an t-6ran “ Na hu ft
a ho, mo nighean donn bhoidheach,” agus am ft
brogach beag aig Carlabhagh le “ Tean a nail.” 1
After enrolling 100 children at Sir Edward ft
Scott Junior Secondary School, Tarbert, I was ft
glad to have the privilege of thanking the ft
Headmaster, Mr. Angus MacDonald, who is ft
retiring at the spring recess. Mr. MacDonald ft
has done noble work for our language and 1
culture in Harris and has been instrumental in I
sending children to the all-Gaelic Camps, both 4
at Sonachan and Lochailort. His pupils have |
won innumerable prizes in the Literary Section 1
of the National Mod. The children joined with ||
me in wishing Mr. MacDonald a happy retire- ij
ment in his native island of Lewis, where he is i]
to make his future home.
“ Aonghais choir, tha thu ’gar fagail,
Bho’n tha ’n t-am a nis tighinn dluth,
’S am bidh thusa dol air chluainidh
Is gach dleasdanas air chul ;
Saoghal fada, beatha shona.
Is gach ni a reir do ruin ;
Dia bhith maille riut, mo charaid,
Nuair thig am bhith dol do’n Chuirt.”
{Contd. onp. 24)
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