Category: Intermediate

Gaelic song competition Mòd nan Lochan Mòra to be held June 8-10

The premiere Scottish Gaelic song event of the Midwest — Mòd nan Lochan Mòra or The Great Lakes Mòd — returns to Akron, Ohio, June 8-10.

Lochinver-singer-James-Graham

This year’s adjudicator will be Seumas Greumach (James Graham) of Sutherland, Scotland, winner of the men’s Bonn Òr a’ Chomuinn or Gold Medal at the Royal National Mòd. James has been an instructor at ACGA’s Grandfather Mountain Gaelic Song and Language Week and a guest at the ACGA US National Mòd.

Mòd events will include singing competitions, storytelling, poetry recitations, and a workshop. This year we have some exciting events, including an all new competition — a Folk Band Challenge. You don’t need to already have a folk group; any singer or musician can learn the prescribed piece and we will randomly select groups to compete together.

Kids are especially welcome to come take part in the Mòd. We have a competition for Youth age 14-17, and one for children 13 and under.

Please email Anne Alexander at tinwhistle_aa@yahoo.com for complete information, including the registration form.

By Advanced, Announcements, Beginner, Events, Gaelic Song, Intermediate

Registration Open for 20th Annual Gaelic Song and Language Week

BeinnSeanairThey say time flies, but it’s still hard to believe we will be gathering in North Carolina this July for the 20th Grandfather Mountain Gaelic Song and Language Week, held from July 9 to 13 in Banner Elk, just before the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games July 12-15.

Every year since 1998, An Comunn Gàidhealach Ameireaganach has held a week of classes taught by some of the finest Gaelic singers from Scotland and Nova Scotia, and some of the finest Gaelic language teachers from Scotland, Canada and the United States.

This year we will welcome Margaret Bennett, folklorist, Gaelic singer and teacher, and we’ll welcome back Catrìona Parsons and Jamie MacDonald. We look forward to spending a week with them at Lees MacRae College in Banner Elk, in the mountains of North Carolina.

Lodgings are provided at the college’s “Virginia” dormitory, with check-in the afternoon of Sunday, July 8. Meals are provided through the college, though students may opt to eat off-campus in Banner Elk or other nearby towns as well (see the registration form).

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The week is an unparalleled opportunity to dive deep into Scottish Gaelic song and language, with classes at three levels for learners ranging from absolute beginners to fluent speakers. Students can mix and match classes and teachers and subjects as they please.

The week also features special events such as sessions on Highland folklore, movies in Gaelic, hiking and evening cèilidhs and song sessions. We hold a popular silent auction. In recent years we’ve had sessions on dance, types of songs and songs from specific islands and regions.

The Grandfather Mountain Highland Games — now celebrating their 63rd year — follow the event. The Grandfather Mountain games feature the North Carolina Provincial Mòd, a competition in Scottish Gaelic song judged by our Song and Language Week instructors.

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We hope you’ll join us! Tiugainn leinn! For more information, go to the Events section this website and the Grandfather Mountain GSLW page. To register, click here.

By Advanced, Announcements, Beginner, Events, Gaelic Song, Gaelic Week @ GFM, Intermediate

“Criomagan” from “Fear na Céilidh,” 1928

“‘S i an droch-sgeul a’s luaithe ruigeas sinn.”

The Scottish Gaelic periodicals published in Nova Scotia in the early 20th Century contained many short stories and news bulletins that are interesting, information and often amusing, opening a window into the world of the Gaelic reader in times past.

We’ll be publishing occasional selections of these bits or “criomagan” of news for visitors to our website both as a learning exercise and for fun. Try your hand at translating them!

This first criomag is from the first issue of Fear na Céilidh, March 1928, Vol, 1, No. 1. The sentiment rings true today:

“Leis gach gnìomh oillteil air am faighear fios anns na pàipeirean, tha daoine buailteach air bhi smaoineachadh gu’m bheil an saoghal a’ sìor dhol dh’ionnsaidh an uilc.  Ach feumar a chuimhneachadh gu’m bheil cùisean air atharrachadh gu mòr o chionn dà fhichead no leth-cheud bliadhna. Aig an am sin cha bhiodh de naidheachdan aig an t-sluagh ach na thigeadh à earainn bhig de’n dùthaich fhèin: bhiodh mort (ag)us reubainn a’ dol air adhart an dùthchannan eile air nach faigheadh iad forfhais ri’m beò. An-diugh, bithear a’ faighinn brath a h-uile latha as gach cearna de’n t-saoghal, agus ‘s i an droch-sgeul a’s luaithe ruigeas sinn.”

We’ll post a translation with our next criomag.

If you want to send us your translation, or want translation help, e-mail Liam at willbcassidy@gmail.com.

By Advanced, Criomagan, Gaelic Resources, Intermediate , , ,

Gaelic Periodicals from the Nova Scotia Archives

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To those always looking for new reading material in Gaelic, especially from North America, we recommend a visit to the website of the Nova Scotia Archives. There, in a section on historical newspapers, you’ll find four Scottish Gaelic periodicals, all published in Sydney, Cape Breton, in the first half of the 20th century: Teachdaire nan Gaidheal (1924-1934), Fear na Céilidh (1928-1930), Mosgladh (1922-1933) and An Solus Iùil (1925-1927).

These newspapers followed Mac-Talla, a biweekly newspaper published by Jonathan MacKinnon from Sydney between 1892 and 1904. The entire corpus of Mac-Talla is available online through Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Scottish Gaelic university on the Isle of Skye. Some issues are also available through the Nova Scotia archives.

The periodicals are only part of the records preserved by the Nova Scotia Archives that document the province’s rich Gaelic roots and continuing Gaelic-language culture, heritage, and traditions. Some additional links to resources are collected under the archive’s Gaelic Resources: Goireasan Gàidhlig page.

The archives presented these four Gaelic newspapers in partnership with the Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University, and Nova Scotia’s Office of Gaelic Affairs.

 

By Advanced, Gaelic Resources, Intermediate

Baltimore-DC area Gaelic Learning Groups plan June 5 Picnic

CarderockTwo East Coast Gaelic Learning Communities plan to meet up on Sunday, June 4, from 1-5 pm, for a picnic and Gaelic hike at Carderock Recreation Area just outside Washington, D.C.

Gàidhlig Photomac, a group of Gaelic learners in the DC-Northern Virginia-Southern Maryland area, will join with Sgoil Ghàidhlig Bhaile an Taigh Mhòir, the Baltimore Gaelic School, for càirdeas, ceòl, cluichean agus coiseachd (fun, music, games and walking).

The outing will start at 1 pm (try to get there a bit early), with a short class and a game, followed by the hike (which should be an easy one). We’ll learn appropriate Gaelic phrases and vocabulary on the way, and return for our picnic by about 3 pm.

This is the first joint event sponsored by the two groups, and a sign of growing interest in linking Gaelic Learning Communities throughout North America in social activities as well as language learning.

ACGA recently completed an initial survey on Gaelic Learning Communities and is looking for ways to actively support and encourage them and connect them.

For information on the picnic, visit Sgoil Ghàidhlig Bhaile an Taigh Mhòir’s Facebook page, or the Meetup page of Gàidhlig Photomac.

— Liam Ó Caiside

By Advanced, Announcements, Beginner, Events, Gaelic Learning Communities, Intermediate