Y turrys noal

By Simon

Daag mee y colaashtey moghrey jea ec lieh oor lurg hoght as hooar mee markiaght dys Armadale lesh carrey ben jeh ny studeyryn ‘sy vrastyl. Er yn assaig ren mee cooish yl-çhengagh lesh fer ass yn Rank va janoo y coorse ‘sy Flodigarry, ‘sy Ghaelg Albinagh, ‘sy Rangish, ‘sy Ghermaanish as ‘sy Shapaanish. Loayr mee lesh olloo y cholaashtey ‘sy Ghaelg Albinagh chammah, agh cha row fys aym dy row eh ny olloo ec y traa shen. Chionnee mee bee er son yn turrys ‘sy Mallaig, as loayr mee lesh yn olloo er y stashoon as er y traen. Daag eh y traen ‘sy Glenfinnan, as hoie fer elley sheese ‘sy aashag hoal. Loayr mee lesh, ren mee saveen, as yeeagh mee magh ass yn uinnag – va reayrtys yindyssagh ry akin.

Raink mee dys Silverdale, my valley dooghys, ec leih oor lurg shiaght as veeit mee rish my voir. Ta mee tannaghtyn ayns shoh cubbyl da laa roish ta mee goll er ash dys Bangor.

I left the college yesterday morning at half eight and got a lift to Armadale with a friend of one of the students in the class. On the ferry I had a multilingual chat with a French bloke who did the course in Flodigarry, in Scottish Gaelic, French, German and Japanese. I also spoke to a professor from the college in Scottish Gaelic, though didn’t know he was a professor at the time. I bought some food for the journey in Mallaig, and talked with the professor on the station and on the train. He got off at Glenfinnan, and another bloke sat in the seat opposite me. I talked to him, dozed, and looked out of the window – there were wonderful views to be seen.

I arrived in Silverdale, my home village, at half seven and met my mum. I am staying here a couple of days before returning to Bangor.

Deireadh an cùrsa

By Simon

Chrìoch an cùrsa an-dè agus dh’fhàg feadhainn againn. San oidhche chruinnich sinn ann an Cafaidh Ostaig agus sheinn sinn òrain le chèile. An uair sin chaidh feadhainn againn gu taigh-òsta Àird a’ Bhàsair airson deoch no dhà. Air an t-slighe air ais sheinn sinn òrain glè aisealaiche ann an Albais.

The course finished yesterday and some people left. In the evening those who were still around gathered in Café Ostaig and sang some songs. Then we went to the Hotel Ardvassar for a drink or two. On the way back we sang some very funny songs in Scots.

Roag, Port Rìgh agus Flòdaigearraidh

By Simon

An-dè an dèidh lòn chaidh sinn air sgrìob timcheall an eilean. An toiseach chaidh sinn gu Roag agus chunnaic sinn seann-chroit teaghlaich Màiri Anna. An uair sin chaidh sinn gu Port Rìgh gus dinnear a ith ann taigh-òsta, agus gu Flòdaigearraidh. Bha seòrsa de chèilidih ann ann am Flòdaigearraidh, agus sheinn sinn òrain agus fuinn le chèile agus ‘nan aonar. Air an t-slighe air ais dhan cholaiste sheinn sinn mòran òrain air a’ bhus.

Yesterday after class we went on a little trip around the island. At first we went to Roag and saw the Mary Ann’s family’s former croft. Then we went to a hotel in Portree for dinner, and to Flodigarry. There was a sort of cèilidh in Flodigarry, and we sang some songs and played some tunes together and individually. On the way back to the college we sang many songs on the bus.

Leabhraichean, seisean agus banais

By Simon

An-raoir bha tachartas chun leabhraichean ùra a’ chur air bhog – leabhar bàrdachd anns a’ Bheurla agus a’ Ghàidlig le Meg Bateman, ceachdadair ann an Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, agus nobhail ficsean saidheansail le Tim Armstrong, neach-rannsachaidh anns a’ cholaiste. Leugh iad bho na leabhraichean agus dh’fhreagair iad ceistean mu dhèidhinn na leabhraichean agus am pròiseas sgrìobhaidh. Bha cnuaspag agus deochan ri làimh cuideachd. Cheannaich mi an nobhail le Tim.

An déidh seo, chaidh sinn gu taigh-òsta Eilean Iarmain chun ceol agus òrain a sheinn. Bha pàrtaidh bainnse à Colorado ann cuideachd, agus bha iad gu math frogadach, agus aig deireadh an oidhche sheinn sinn òrain riutha.

Yesterday evening there was a book launch for two new books – a book of poetry in English and Gaelic by Meg Bateman, a lecturer at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and a sci-fi novel by Tim Armstrong, a researcher at the college. They read bits from their books and answered questions about the books and about the writing process. Nibbles and drinks were also provided. I bought Tim’s novel.

After that we went to the Hotel Eilean Iarmain to sing and plays some tunes. There was a wedding party there from Colorado who were very lively, and we sang a few songs with them at the end of the evening.

Cuirm-chiùil

By Simon

Bha cuirm-chiùil samhaidh ann an-raoir le Màiri Anna, Finlay Wells agus Lorne MacDougall. Sheinn Màiri Anna òrain le com-pàirt na fir, agus ‘na aonrachd, agus sheinn na fir le chéile agus ‘nam aonrachd. Tha buaidh aig Finaly air an ghiotàr, agus tha buaidh aig Lorne air an phìob agus air an fhideag. Sheinn an clas òrain le Màiri Anna an òran ‘Seo mar rachinn Fhèin is Thu’, agus sheinn Màiri Anna òran lena màthair.

Madainn an-diugh thàinig màthair agus dhà antaidh Màiri Anna chun an clas, agus bhruidhinn iad mu dèidhinn beatha ann an Roag, agus iomadh rudan eile. Bha sin gu math ùidheachail. Sheinn iad òrain rinn cuideachd.

Feasgar an-diugh chrìoch an clas gu moch agus bha àm saoire againn. Rinn mi cuairt bheag timcheall Slèite le càraid às na na Stàitean Aonaichte. Chaidh sinn trìd Tarsgabhaig, Tòcabhaig agus an t-Òrd, agus gu Dùn Sgathaich. Bha na seallaidhean math dha-rìribh.

There was an excellent concert last night with Mary Ann Kennedy, Finlay Wells and Lorne MacDougall. Mary Ann sang with accompaniment from the men, and on her own, and the men played tunes together and on their own. Finlay is a very accomplished guitarist, and Lorne is pretty good on the pipes and whistles. The singing class sang ‘Seo mar rachinn Fhèin is Thu’ with Mary Ann, and Mary Ann sang one song with her mother.

This morning Mary Ann’s mother and two aunts came to the class and talked about their life in Roag, where they grew up, and many other things. It was fascinating. They also sang a few songs with us.

This afternoon the class finished early and we had some free time. I went on a little trip around Sleat with a couple from the States. We went through Tarksavaig, Tokavaig and Ord, and visited Dunscaith castle. The views were wonderful.

Sgoinneil

By Simon

When someone asks you ‘Ciamar a tha thu?’ (How are you?) in Scottish Gaelic, the standard answer is ‘(Tha mi) gu math’ (I’m fine). An interesting alternative I learnt today is ‘Tha mi sgoinneil’ [ha mi sgɤn̪ˠʲal]

The word sgoinneil means ‘trim, well-made; careful; cool, groovy’ according to Am Faclair Beag and ‘careful, heedful; attentive; efficacious, producing a good effect; neat, trim, tidy; decent, tasteful; energetic, active, bustling.’ according to Am Faclair Dwelly.

I just like the sound of it and will try to fit it into my Gaelic conversations.

Related words include:

  • neo-sgoinneil = flimsy; drabbish; idle; lacking in bodily vigour; sluggish
  • sgoinnear = heedful
  • mì-sgoinneil = inactive, wanting energy; silly, awkward; careless, inattentive, causing indifference or disdain; incorrect.

Braon

By Simon

Bha seisean math ann anns an Talla Mhòr an-raoir, agus sheinn mi an fhideag ìseal agus an bodhrán. Bha mi i mo leapaidh mu aon uair deug, ach bha daoine eile a’ seinn gu dhà uair, agus bha iad uabhasach sgìth an-diugh.

Bha madainn bhraonaich ann an-diugh, ach tha i nas tiorma a-nis. Dh’ionnsich sinn sia òrain ùr an-diugh: puirt à beul, òrain luaidh, Eilean Sgiathanch Nam Buadh (òran gaoil airson an t-Eilean Sgitheanach), agus Sìos Dhan An Abhainn, tionndadh Ghàidhlig de Down In The River to Pray. le Kenna Campbell, màthair Mhàiri Anna.

There was a good session in the main hall last night, and I played the low whistle and the bodhrán. I was in my bed by about 11, but others were singing and playing until about 2am, and they were rather tired today.

It was damp this morning, but it’s drier now. We learnt six songs today: some mouth music, a couple of waulking songs, Eilean Sgiathanch Nam Buadh (a love song to the Isle of Skye), and Sìos Dhan An Abhainn, a Gaelic version of Down In The River to Pray. by Kenna Campbell, Mary Ann’s mother.

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig

By Simon

This week I am doing a course in Scottish Gaelic songs with Mary Ann Kennedy at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college on the Isle of Skye. This is my third visit to the college and each time my Gaelic gets a bit better. Even though I’m not doing a course in Gaelic language, I have opportunities to speak Gaelic with other students and with members of staff, and occasionally even with local people, and this really helps me to improve my speaking and listening abilities.

There are fourteen of us in the class from various countries, including Scotland, Ireland, Austria, the USA, Canada and Japan, so I have some opportunities to use my other languages. There’s one lad who’s fluent in Gaelic, and quite a few of the others have studied it at least a little, though I think I’m the only other who’s conversational in the language. The teaching is in English with only odd bits here and there in Gaelic. There are no other courses in the main college this week but there is a Gaelic language course running at Flodigarry (Flòdaigearraidh) in the north end of the island – we are in the south, and we will meet those students at a cèilidh on Thursday night.

Òrain Ghàidhlig

By Simon

Thòisich an cursa maidainn an-diugh agus rinn sinn cuig òrain an-diugh: Seo mar Rachinn Fhèin is Thu, Seoc a’ Bhàigh, Dà Thàbh air an Fharaidh, Ceud Soiridh, Ceud Fàilte, agus Till an Crodh, Dhonnchaidh.

Tha ceithir daoine dheag againn anns an clas à Alba, à Èirinn, òn Stàitean Aonichte, à Canada, òn t-Seapan agus òn Ostair. Tha beagan Gàidhlig aig an mhór chuid againn, agus tha balach à Inbhir Nis agus Gàidhlig fileanta aige. Tha Màiri Anna tìdsear gle-mhath.

Tha seisean ann anns an talla mhòr anochd.

The course started this morning and we did five songs today: Seo mar Rachinn Fhèin is Thu, Seoc a’ Bhàigh, Dà Thàbh air an Fharaidh, Ceud Soiridh, Ceud Fàilte, and Till an Crodh, Dhonnchaidh

There are 14 of us in the class from Scotland, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Japan and Austria. The majority have at least a little Gaelic, and there’s a lad from Inverness who is fluent. Mary Ann is a great teacher.

There’s a session in the talla mhòr (big hall) tonight.