Air Seachdain na Gàidhlig, le taic bho Mhaoin nan Tabhartas Beag (Bòrd na Gàidhlig), bha dà thachartas air-loidhne aig Comhairle nan Leabhraichean agus Clò a’ Bhradain a bha a’ toirt sùil air dà nobhail Gàidhlig, aon do dh’inbhich is aon do chloinn.

Ruith Aonghas MacLeòid seisean air nobhail grafaigeach Gàidhlig far an d’ fhuair na com-pàirtichean cothrom air nobhail a chluinntinn ga leughadh leis an ùghdair. Fhuair iad tuigse air an sgeulachd agus mhìnich Aonghas am briathrachas agus an gràmar a chleachd E san sgeulachd. Le bhith ga chluinntinn ga leughadh, fhuair iad oideachadh air mar a chanadh iad na faclan. Bha cuid de na bha an làthair air a bhith nan oileanaich aig an ùghdair ach bha cuid eile nach robh aithnichte do Aonghas no Clò a’ Bhradain. Bha seo a’ sealltainn gun robh an tachartas air daoine a ruigsinn nach robh eòlach air sgrìobhadh Aonghais no foillseachaidhean Chlò a’ Bhradain no Chomhairle nan Leabhraichean, agus ‘s e deagh rud a bha seo. Thàinig daoine a-steach bho na Stàitean Aonaichte, Canada agus an Rìoghachd Aonaichte. Bha barrachd ann ris an robh iad an dùil.

Leughaidhean Fionn MacCool: fhuair na com-pàirtichean cothrom nobhail Gàidhlig a chluinntinn ga leughadh gu dà-chànanach. Chuala iad sa Bheurla e, a leig leotha beagan eòlais a chur air an sgeulachd mus cuala iad sa Ghàidhlig e. Chuidich seo iad le bhith ag èisteachd ris a’ Ghàidhlig agus a bhith a’ cluinntinn litreachas chloinne. Bha a’ mhòr-chuid san èisteachd nan luchd-Ionnsachaidh inbheach – chan fhacar ach aon phàiste, ged a bha cuid de na camarathan eile dheth. Cha do dh’ aithnich Clò a’ Bhradain mòran de na com-pàirtichean, a bha a’ ciallachadh a-rithist gun robh iad air daoine ùr a ruigsinn. Bha daoine ann bho na Stàitean Aonaichte, Canada agus an Rìoghachd Aonaichte.

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On Seachdain na Gàidhlig, with support from the Small Grants Fund (Bòrd na Gàidhlig), Comhairle nan Leabhraichean and Bradan Press hosted two online webinars of graphic novels – one for adults and one for children. Webinar Aonghais MhicLeòid: the attendees were able to receive a free guided experience of reading an extract from a Gaelic graphic novel, guided by the author. Attendees were able to understand and enjoy the story, while also gaining exposure to and explanations of some more complex Gaelic grammatical structures and advanced vocabulary used by the author in the story. Attendees were also able to hear the story read aloud, which provides exposure to Gaelic pronunciation. We noted that some of the attendees were previous online students of the author’s, but there were also many attendees whose names were unfamiliar to either Angus or Bradan Press. This is a great sign that the event reached people who were not previously exposed to Angus’s teaching or Bradan Press’s Gaelic literature publications. We noted that were attendees from the US, Canada, and the UK. The number of attendees far exceeded our expectations, which was greatly appreciated. I would say this was largely the outcome of Seachdain na Gàidhlig’s and Comhairle nan Leabhraichean’s publicity efforts.

Leughaidhean Fionn MacCool: he attendees were able to receive a free participatory read-aloud experience in both English and Gaelic. Attendees were able to understand and enjoy the story in English, and then apply that familiarity to listening to the story in Gaelic. This provided good Gaelic listening practice as well as increasing their exposure to Gaelic children’s literature. They noted that most of the attendees seemed to be adult Gaelic learners; we only saw one child present, who was an infant (but other parent attendees may have been keeping their cameras off). Most of the attendees’ names were unfamiliar to Bradan Press. Again this is a good sign that the event reached people who were not previously exposed to Bradan Press’s Gaelic children’s book publications. There were attendees from the US, Canada, and the UK.