Wednesday 23 January 2013

Fhuair AS1 an cothrom pàirt a ghabhail ann an cuirm-chiùil a' Bhothain airson Oidhche Challainn a chomharrachadh am bliadhna, agus abair deagh oidhche a bh' aca.

Bha sinn fortanach leis gun d'fhuair a' chlann beagan oideachaidh eachdraidheal bho Choinneach Peutan, a thàinig dhan sgoil ron Nollaig, a dh'innse dhan chloinn na bhiodh a' tachairt ann an Uibhist aig àm na Seann Bliadhn' Ùra.  Dh'innis e dhuinn mar a bhiodh an oigridh a' gabhail duan mun deigheadh iad a-steach do na taighean sa choimhearsnachd.  Agus b'e sin na bha romhpa...an duan aca fhein a dheanamh. 

Fhuair a' chlann stiùireadh sa chlas bhon sgrìobhadair ainmeil Màrtainn Mac an t-Saoir fhad's a bha iad a' sgrìobhadh nan duan is mar sin bha deagh bhàrdachd aca deanta aig a' cheann thall; bàrdachd a bha an dà chuid a' bualadh air eachdraidh a' ghnothaich a bharrachd air tachartasan bhon latha an-diugh.

Anns an t-seachdain ron chuirm thàinig Dave Martin a-staigh airson an duan a chlàradh.  Tha Dave mion-eòlach air gnothaichean clàraidh is leig e leis an clas cluich air a' choimpiutair aige agus guthan atharrachadh agus fuaimean a chur ris.

Thàinig latha na cuirm is dh'fhosgail còmhlan-phìob na sgoile an oidhche is b'ann an uair sin a dh'iarradh air AS1 a thighinn air an àrd-ùrlar airson an duan a rinn iad a ghabhail.  Bha na sgoilearan fìor-mhath air an àrd-ùrlar is iad ag èigheachd air Màrtainn (fear an taighe) an doras fhosgladh agus an leigeil a-steach.  Fhuair iad an uair sin poca-cluasaige làn shuiteis is ghabh iad fois a' coimhead an luchd-ciùil - Kathleen NicAonghais, Griogair Labhruidh, Ailean Domhnullach is Seumas Moore nam measg - is a-rèir choltais chòrd seo riutha glan.

Bu mhath leinn taing a thoirt do mhuinntir a' Bhothain airson an oidhche seo a chur air dòigh agus fiathachadh a chur thugainn pàirt a ghabhail innte.

S1 were recently given the opportunity to take part in Bothan's Old New Year celebration on the 11/12th January and what a night it was!  Their task was to make up their own poem based around the type heard in Uist.

Things kicked off with a session from Kenny Beaton giving an account of the Old New Year tradition in Uist which was followed by a writing workshop held with Martin Macintyre.  These two sessions produced some excellent poetry which touched on the history of Old New Year and as well adding a modern slant to it.  We also had a visit from Dave Martin, sound technician and musician, who recorded one of the poems and allowed the class to have a go at playing with some fairly high tech equipment!

The night itself was a huge success, as S1 followed the pipe band's opening set with a rendition of their duan.  They performed this admirably and were formally invited into the ceilidh by fear an taighe Martin.  Having been rewarded with a pillowcase full of sweets, they sat down with the rest of the audience to enjoy what was a memorable night of music, with performances from Kathleen Macinnes, Griogair Labhruidh and Allan Macdonald amongst others.

JGHS Gaelic dept would like to thank Bothan for organising this event and inviting us to take part.