#Gàidhlig Mhuile TOSGAIR óg ùr eile anns an DROITSEACH! Another young TOSGAIR has joined the crew! Ged a nach eil TOSGAIR air tighinn gu bàrr bho chionn tacain gu dearbh a-nis, tha an leòr air a bhith a’ dol gus cur ris an DROITSEACH. Although we haven’t announced a TOSGAIR in a good while now indeed, there has been plenty happening in order to add to the ‘considerable number’. Tha sinn uamharraidh toilichte fàilte chridheil a chur air cuideigin a tha ainmeil ann an saoghal na Gàidhlig mar dhuine a tha dìcheallach agus misneachail a thaobh cànain agus ciùil nan Gàidheal. Chaigh a shùghadh ann an dualchas an eilein Mhuile bhon a bha e na ghille, agus tha e làn-fhollaiseach gu bheil e air an oighreachd seo a ghlacadh an dà-rìreadh agus le déinead. We are delighted to give a warm welcome to someone who is famous in the world of Gaelic as a man who is diligent and passionate about the language and music of the Gael. He was immersed in the heritage of the Isle of Mull since he was a boy, and it is fully apparent that he has taken on this inheritance in earnest and with fervour. ‘S e an seinneadair óg buadhach, Alasdair MacIlleBhàin, a tha air TOSGAIREACHD Mhuile a ghabhail os làimh. Thóisich an càirdeas eadar an DROITSEACH agus an ceòladair sònraichte seo duair a thug e seachad òrain agus beul-aithris dhuinn aig A’ GHEALBHAN na bu tràithe anns a’ bhliadhna; bhuail e oirnn gu mór an sin gun e fear air leth a bh’ ann, bhon bha e cho eòlach air an dualchas agus cho fialaidh agus e ga thoirt seachad fo dhòigh fhosgailte, nàdarra. Ann am faclan eile, tha e an dàn dha a bhith na sheanchaidh! It is the young, talented singer Alasdair Whyte who has assumed the role as ambassador for Mull. The friendship between DROITSEACH and this excellent musician began when he shared songs and folklore with us at AN GEALBHAN earlier in the year; it struck us greatly then that this was a special individual, as he was so knowledgeable in the tradition and so generous with passing it on in an open, natural manner. In other words, he’s fated to be a tradition bearer! Buinidh Alasdair MacIlleBhàin do Mhuile agus tha còmhnaidh an teaghlaich san t-Sàilean, ged a thogadh aig ceann Locha Frìosa ann an ceann a tuath an eilein e. B’ ann san t-Sàilean a thogadh athair Alasdair, Reay, mac do Chamshron MacIlleBhàin agus Màiri NicDhòmhnaill. Tha ainm athar a’ nochdadh fhreumhan a shinnsearain ann an Dùthaich MhicAoidh: b’ ann às an sgìre sin a thàinig an teaghlach, Aodhaich, a Mhuile aig deireadh an naoidheimh linn deug. B’ ann do Loch Abar a bhuineadh Clann MhicIlleBhàin bho shean. Alasdair Whyte was brought up in Mull and the family home is in Salen on the Sound of Mull coast, although the family lived at the head of Loch Frisa in the north of the island during the early part of his life. Alasdair’s father, Reay, son of Cameron Whyte and Mairi MacDonald, was brought up in Salen. Alasdair’s father’s name illustrates the family’s connection with Reay country on the northern mainland, some of that family, MacKays, having moved to north Mull from that area at the end of the nineteenth century. The Whyte side of the family hails from Lochaber. Bhuineadh na Dòmhnallaich taobh seanmhar Alasdair bho shean do dh’Aontrom agus dàimh aca ri ciad Iarla Chòig Uladh, Raghnall Arainneach. Bha an teaghlach grathann ann an Liandail san Eilean Sgitheanach mus do thuinich sinn-seanair Alasdair, an Lighiche Raghnall MacDhòmhnaill, ann am Muile. Bhuineadh bean Raghnaill, Flòraidh, a bha na ban-lighiche, do Chlann an Lèigh a’ Chrògain. B’ e Lachann Dubh a’ Chrògain bràthair do shinn-shinn-shinn-sheanair Alasdair, Niall. On Alasdair’s grandmother Mairi’s side, his MacDonald relations can trace their line back to Randal MacDonnell, first Earl of Antrim, and beyond. The family were thereafter in Lyndale in Skye before Alasdair’s great-grandfather, Dr Reginald MacDonald, settled in north Mull. Reginald’s wife, Flora, also a doctor, belonged to the Livingstons of Croggan on Loch Spelve in Mull. Flora’s grandfather, Neil, was the brother of Lachlan Livingston, the Croggan bard. Taobh a mhàthar, thogadh seanmhair Alasdair, Christian (Creina) NicGriogair, ann an Dùrar mus do thuinich an teaghlach ann an Loch Àlainn sa Mhorbhairne. Bhuineadh màthair Creina, Iseabail, do Laobhraich Baile a’ Chaolais. Bhuineadh céile Creina, Alasdair Jackson, don Apainn. B’ ann do Dhùn Phris a bhuineadh a shinnsearan bho shean mus tàinig sinn-sinn-sinn-seanair Alasdair air an taobh sin a Ghleann Cainnir ann am Muile. B’ aithne do Raghnall MacDhòmhnaill agus a bhean, Flòraidh, sinn-seanair Alasdair taobh a mhàthar, Alasdair Jackson, agus a bhean Sìne NicThòmais. On Alasdair’s mother’s side, his grandmother, Christian (Creina) MacGregor, was brought up in Duror before the family settled in Lochaline, Morvern. Creina’s mother, Isobel Lawrie, belonged to Ballachulish. Creina married Alasdair Jackson from Appin, his family belonging to Dumfries before Alasdair’s great-great-great-grandfather on that side settled in Glencannel in Mull. Alexander Jackson, Alasdair’s great-grandfather on his mother’s side, and his wife Jane Thomson, were contemporaries and acquaintances of Dr Reginald and Dr Flora, the practising physicians in the district at that time. Aig aois òg, bha ùidh mhór aig Alasdair sa chànan agus sna h-òrain. Stéidheachadh Aonad Gàidhlig an t-Sàilein ann an 1996 agus, ged nach d’ fhuair e cothrom air foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig, bha màthair Alasdair, Riona, a tha na seinneadair, ag obair san Aonad bho thùs agus fhuair e cothrom òrain a thogail ’s a bhith a’ seinn aig Mòdan na bhalach. Shoirbhich leis ann am farpais a’ Bhuinn Òir aig Mòd Dhùn Omhain ann an 2006. A thuilleadh air bàrdachd a dhèanamh, tha e na ùidh mhór aig Alasdair òrain is bàrdachd ionadail a rannsachadh. Gaelic language and song were Alasdair’s major passions from an early age. Years of campaigning on the island eventually brought a Gaelic Medium Unit to Salen Primary School in 1996 although Alasdair, then aged 9, missed out on primary-school education in the language. Nevertheless, Alasdair’s mother Riona’s position as a classroom assistant in the GMU and her passion for Gaelic song meant that he grew up surrounded by Gaelic culture. Alasdair competed at provincial and national Mòds at all agegroups before being awarded the An Comunn Gàidhealach Gold Medal at the Royal National Mòd in Dunoon in 2006. As well as composing verse in Gaelic, Alasdair spends a lot of time researching songs and bards from Mull and the surrounding area. A thaobh foghlaim, bha Alasdair bliadhna aig Sabhal Mór Ostaig ann an 2004-5 an déidh dha sia bliadhna a chur seachad ann an Àrd-sgoil Thobar Mhoire. San Dàmhair 2012, thòisich Alasdair air PhD ann an roinn na Ceiltis is na Gàidhlig aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu, far an do cheumaich e le MA agus, an uair sin, le MRes (Maighstireachd-Rannsachaidh) san t-Samhain 2012, an dèidh dha beagan mhìosan a chur seachad ag obair aig DASG (Dàta airson Stòras na Gàidhlige) san oilthigh fhéin. Is e a phrìomh chuspair rannsachaidh an-dràsta ainmean-àite Mhuile is mar a tha dualchainnt agus eachdraidh an eilein gan taisbeanadh sna h-ainmean. Tha an rannsachadh a’ cuimseachadh air an dà chuid na tùsan sgrìobhte a lorg is a sgrùdadh agus beul-aithris na sgìre ùisneachadh le bhith a’ clàradh luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig san eilean. In terms of formal education, Alasdair attended Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in 2004-5 after completing six years at Tobermory High School. In October 2012, Alasdair began doctoral research in Celtic and Gaelic at the University of Glasgow where he was awarded an MA prior to graduating with an MRes (Master of Research) in November 2012, following a short hiatus from academia working as an archivist on the DASG (Digital Archive of Scottish Gaelic) project. His primary research interest is in toponymics and the value of place-names in study of the history of Mull, particularly with regard to the linguistic history of the island. The research aims to locate and analyse the published and unpublished written sources, including local traditions associated with place-names through interview with local informants and, most importantly, local Gaelic speakers. Mar a thubhairt Alasdair fhéin: “Chan eil mi fileanta ann an dualchainnt an eilein aig an ìre-sa ach tha ùidh mhór agam anns na faclan, gnàthasan-cainnte agus fuaimean a tha sònraichte do Mhuile agus tha ùidh mhór agam cuideachd ann a bhith gan togail. Le bhith a’ rannsachadh bàrdachd agus ainmean-àite na sgìre, tha cothrom air a bhith agam bho chionn ghoirid cuid de na feartan sin fhaicinn agus a chluinntinn. An lùib an rannsachaidh anns a bheil mi an sàs ann an roinn na Ceiltis is na Gàidhlig aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu an-dràsta, tha mi làn dòchais gum bith cothrom ann agallamhan a chumail le luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig san sgìre agus, le sin, gum bith cothrom agam fhéin, agus aig càch san àm ri teachd, tuilleadh rannsachaidh a chumail air clàraidhean sam bith a chosnar ann am Muile mar thoradh air an iomairt seo. Is e nì deatamach, riatanach a th’ ann an glèidheadh agus àrdachadh nan dualchainntean agus tha e na urram mòr gun deach dreuchd a thabhann dhomh le DROITSEACH a bhith nam thosgair don eilean agam fhéin.” As Alasdair said himself: “I do not lay claim to fluency in the Gaelic dialect of Mull but I can profess to having a hunger for knowledge when it comes to finding words, idioms and sounds which are particular to the island and have a real passion to pick these up and to employ them in my own speech. Researching the songs and place-names of the area over the past few years has provided me with the opportunity to read and to hear some of these dialectal features and, by way of my current research in Celtic and Gaelic at the University of Glasgow, I am confident that there will be further opportunities to extend this research through the interviewing of native speakers from the area. It is hoped that these recordings will not only provide vital source material for my own project but also constitute a valuable resource for anyone wishing to research the dialect of Mull in the future. The preservation and promotion of dialects countrywide is vital to the vibrancy of this language and I am deeply honoured to be asked to be a representative of the dialect of Mull for DROITSEACH.” ‘S e dualchas beartach a th’ aca ann am Mhuile, agus ged nach eil an uiread sin de Ghàidhlig a bhuineas don àite ga bruidhinn an latha an-diugh, tha mi cinnteach gum fad an obair anns a bheil Alasdair an sàs spiorad Ghàidhealach an eilein, agus gun toir e air cùis na cànain dol am feabhas. Ma tha ùidh agaibh ur cuid a chuir ris an iomairt seo, no tuillidh fiosrachaidh fhaodainn agus eòlas a chur air Gàidhlig Mhuile agus an dualchas a tha a’ tighinn rithe, nach dèan sibh conaltradh ri Alasdair, agus tha sinn cinnteach gum bith e toileach air fad cuideachadh agus comhairle a thoirt dhuibh. It is a rich heritage that Mull has, and though there is not that much of the local Gaelic being spoken these days, I’m sure that the work that Alasdair is involved in will ignite the Gaelic spirit of the island, and will improve the language’s case. If you would like to add your share to the project, or to gain more info and become better acquainted with Mull Gaelic, get in touch with Alasdair, and we’re sure that he will be more than willing to advise and help you. Gu math a théid leat, a charaid! May it go well with you, friend! -- Màiri Ní Dhorchaidhe Latharna mairiruadhnidhorchaidhe@outlook
Posted on: Sun, 11 Aug 2013 21:38:29 +0000
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