Month: January 2014

An fheadhainn tha laighe sàmhach

~ Gordon Wells ~ Leave a comment

Tha pròiseact ùr air tòiseachadh le Comann Eachdraidh Uibhist a Tuath, a bhios a’ coimhead air ais 100 bliadhna gu 1914, nuair a thòisich an Cogadh Mòr. Tha Taigh Chearsabhagh an sàs ann cuideachd, le taisbeanadh gu bhith ann, a dh’fhosglas air 11/11/2014.

Am measg rudan eile ’s ann a bhios am pròiseact a’ cruinneachadh stòraidhean agus cuimhneachan aig muinntir Uibhist a Tuath. Agus, cuide ri Caraidean Uibhist agus Tagsa, tha Guthan nan Eilean gu math toilichte a bhith a’ toirt taic dhan phròiseict seo.

Tha iad air blog a thòiseachadh mar-thà, far am faighear fiosrachadh a bharrachd mu dheidhinn.

Watch this space!

Tae a Louse an Tae a Selfie

~ Gordon Wells ~ Leave a comment

Burns night in Sabhal Mòr Ostaig was celebrated in some style a couple of nights ago. Student Sophie Stephenson offered something old and something new with the bard’s own “Tae a louse” followed swiftly by Lorna Wallace’s brand new “Tae a selfie”.

Both were caught on camera, and Clilstore creator Caoimhín Ó Donnaíle took no time at all in producing this new Clilstore unit, with links to a choice of online Scots dictionaries.

An interesting contrast with the Benbecula Burns night also given the Clilstore treatment a wee while back!

Kallin Shellfish “Clilstored”

~ Gordon Wells ~ Leave a comment

The Kallin Shellfish video, made by ESOL learners back in 2006, was among the first experiments with supporting UGC (User Generated Content) by the Island Voices project. It’s since been viewed with interest by many ESOL teachers around the world, and earned a special mention in the Island Voices chapter in this British Council book on innovations in English language teaching. The production standards are some way from broadcast quality, but its human qualities shine through still. It was planned, shot, edited, and scripted by the learners themselves. And now that script has been given the “Clilstore treatment” too, so you can listen and read at the same time. Follow this link.

Uist and the French MacDonald

~ Gordon Wells ~ 2 Comments

Jean-Didier Hache is a frequent traveller between Paris and Uist, having the good fortune to have a home in each location. He is also a writer and historian, among other things, and so is perfectly placed to offer Tommy Macdonald a French perspective on the Bonnie Prince Charlie story.

Early in the new year the two sat down for a dram and a brief chat, in which Jean-Didier added more biographical detail on the comings and goings of the multilingual Uibhisteach Neil MacEachan, the prince’s constant companion during his travels in Uist. We also learn more about Neil’s son, “The French MacDonald”, who rose to high rank in the French army during Napoleonic times, and about whom Jean-Didier has written this book.

Tommy and Jean-Didier spoke first in English. The conversation is split into two parts, the first dealing with the father, the second with the son.

On Neil MacEachan:

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/616552533″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

 

On Alexandre MacDonald:

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/616553355″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

 

After that Jean-Didier delivered a précis in French, for the benefit of Francophone listeners, while adding some more detail on specific events and sites in France that relate to the tale.

En Français:

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/616554906″ params=”color=#ff5500&auto_play=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Looking Backwards, Moving Forwards

~ Gordon Wells ~ 1 Comment

The new year is upon us! Our very best wishes for 2014 go out to all Island Voices followers, here in the Hebrides and right around the world.

This time last year we were anticipating exciting developments for 2013, and are now glad to note success in much that was predicted – and also in much that was not! Our European links continue to grow, through projects like TOOLS and now POOLS 3, and another significant Soillse research project was brought to fruition.  And, crucially, we have continued to help individuals and groups who want to develop this kind of work in the local community.

The bilingual project with Stòras Uibhist on tales of Bonnie Prince Charlie has uncovered new recording stars, Tommy Macdonald not least among them, and continues to grow with more recordings in the offing in the new year. An Radio, the new community station for Uist, also offers promise as a more polished outlet for the kind of skills this work entails, and Island Voices is well placed to help more volunteers, who are much needed, onto the first rungs of that ladder of opportunity. Watch these spaces!

The annual WordPress statistics record some interesting facts and figures, and applause is due to Mary Morrison and Iain Trumisgarry for this post, which garnered the most views in one day throughout the year. Mary did much other work in Gaelic and English with both young and young at heart, and is an example to us all. One wonders what plans she has for 2014…

The stats also reveal that this site had visitors from 87 different countries in 2013 (and our YouTube channel from 154!). Let it not be said that the language work we pioneer is somehow “remote” or “peripheral” because of our islands base. To quote Jenny Pugsley, “…  those who are monolingual and determined to remain so may be the losers in the battle for a sense of strong personal identity and communal comfort in the UK of the moment.” The Island Voices/Guthan nan Eilean project looks forward with confidence and enthusiasm to further grassroots bilingual and multimedia development in 2014!