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

slainte na Gaidhlige am feabhas a r6ir is mar a
theid a litreachas am meud.
Tha mi an dochas gun leasaichear a’ chilis
seo gun dail. —Anthony H. Dilworth
Maidheachd a
Inbhir-Asdail
Le I. M. MOFFAT-PENDER, M.A.
BHA mod beag air a chumail am Melbourne
deireadh na bliadhna. Is e Comunn na
•Gaidhlige Albannaiche anns a’ bhaile sin a
shocraich am mod agus a chuir air bonn e,
mar chuimhneachan air a’ mhnaoi-uasail Belle
Craven (bean Iain Halket) nach maireann.
Bha aig na comh-fharpaisich tri brain- a
sheinn : “ A’ Chuthag,” “ O hi ri rl, tha e
tighinn,” agus “ Cumha na h-Oighe.” Is i
Emily Mhurchaidh Dhbmhnaill Eachainn a
Leodhas (37, Liurbost) a choisinn a’ cheud
duais (£25), agus thugadh an darna duais do
Shebnaid Nic Raild a Arasaig. B’e beachd nam
britheamh (Coinneach MacGilleathain, Iain
Stiubhart MacCoise, agus Iain an Fheilidh)
nach robh e 'nan comas tuilleadh ’s a’ choir
de chliu a thoirt do Emily Mhurchaidh
Dhbmhnaill Eachainn air son mar sheinn ise
na h-brain, gu h-araidh “ Cumha na h-Oighe.”
Bha i airidh, da-rireadh, air moladh. Faodaidh
meas mor a bhith aig muinntir Leodhais, gu
sbnraichte aig muinntir nan Loch, air an Emily
seo. Tha guth anabarrach binn aice. Bha na
debir ri am faicinn an suilean iomadh neach a
bha ag eisdeachd rithe; chuir na h-brain an
ceill duinn gu leir a bha a Icithair mhldachd
agus uaisleachd, cruadhalachd agus gaisgealachd
nan Gaidheal a bha ann o shean—agus a tha
ann, mar an ceudna, an diugh.
Iain an Fheilidh.
“ Uilleam Geur 4’
Bha Uilleam Iain Aonghuis a bh’ann an
Chirisiadair anabarrach gleusda air a theangaidh
—cho gleusda agus gur h-e “ Uilleam Geur ”
am far-ainm a bh’air.
La bha’n seo, agus fir Bhaltois a’ trusadh
anns a’ mhbintich, chaidh Uilleam a mach ’nan
coinneimh gu faing Cnoc-nan-cuilean. A mach
air an t-slighe rinn e fras eagallach uisge. An
uair a rhinig Uilleam agus na bodaich eile an
fhaing, theann iad a’ bruidhinn air cho trom’s
a bha an fhras.
Bha bodaich Bhaltois a’ cumail a mach gu
robh i na bu truime anns a’ mhbintich na bha
i aig a’ bhaile, agus bha na bodaich eile a’
cumail a mach gu robh i a cheart cho trom aig
a’ bhaile. Bha an argumaid a’ dol a null ’s a
nail mar sin air son greis. Mu dheireadh thuirt
(Contd. onp. 31)
Fhir a Dhireas
am Bealach
THIS is the story of the authorship of ‘ ‘ Oral
Nighinn Fhir na Reilig,” as it was related
to me some years ago by an old woman, Chirstj j
MacDonald, “ Ciorstag Bhac,” as she wai lr
popularly known in the Isle of Barra.
She had been maid to my grandmother, then
late Mrs. MacDonald, Vatersay House, Isle olin
Barra, and from her Ciorstag Bhac heard thal
story of many an old song ; “ for,” said Ciorstagjfc
“your grandmother always told me the story!
of any song she wished me to sing.”
“ Nighean Fhir na Reilig,” daughter of th^ ?
laird of Reilig, was an almost “ tocherless lass1
with a lang pedigree,” of great beauty, and as
good and accomplished as she was beautiful
She had been wooed by a neighbouring tacks r:
man (of her own station and attainments) .
with whom she was very much in love, but h<
now cast his eyes on a red-haired lass, unac
complished and uneducated but the possess©:
of a herd of cattle. With her he plighted hi:
troth for an early marriage.
In those days the" bride’s present to the groom
was the finfly hand-stitched wedding-shirt;
Elaborately embroidered, pleated or ruffled if
was, and the fickle groom realised that such
work was far beyond the red-haired lass’*
prowess. There was nothing for it but for hirn
to buy the lawn, fine linen and thread, and final:
someone else to make the shirt.
On whom could he call to make the shirt, ;
with the fine work demanded by his elevated t
station, and yet keep the making a secret? ;
On no one else but his “ cast-off ” love ! To her
he went with his request, and she agreed.
The shirt was to be ready on a certain night] ■;
When he called for it, he saw through thd s
window that “ Nighean Fhir na Reilig ” wag ti
still putting the finishing stitches to the shirt.
Unwilling to call too early, he climbed on to
the low wall (tobhta) of the house, and lay down
beside the thatch, where he had a good view of >
her and her work.
Now the stitching was finished, and only the i
pressing remained to be done. As she coaxed
each ruffle and pleat into place she sang.
He heard every word of the song as he lay o
waiting on the tobhta.
On the finishing of shirt and song he went in. I
—Rachel MacLeod, j
GLIOGAS NAN GAIDHEAL
Buinnigear buaidh le foidhidinn.
FIRINN AIR SON A’ MHIOS SEO |
Tha feum agaibh air foidhidinn ; a chum,“an
ddidh dhuibh toil Dhe a dheanamh, gum faighj
sibh an gealladh.—Eabh. x. 36,
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