Sùil air: Còisir Ghàidhlig Chomar nan Allt – Thig is Ionnsaich Òran Gàidhlig // Case Study: Cumbernauld Gaelic Choir – Come and Learn a Gaelic Song
Air Seachdain na Gàidhlig, le taic bho Mhaoin nan Tabhartas Beag (Bòrd na Gàidhlig), bha oidhche de cheòl is ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig aig Còisir Ghàidhlig Chomar nan Allt air Diluain 20 Gearran bho 7.30f gu 10f le 70 an làthair. Chaidh fàilte a chur air a h-uile duine sa Ghàidhlig agus chaidh aca air a bhith còmhradh is cabadaich aig bùird far an robh measgachadh de dh’ìrean fileantais. Chaidh an oidhche fhosgladh le neach-taic na Gàidhlig aig a’ chòisir a mhìnich mar a bhiodh an oidhche. Sheinn Còisir Ghàidhlig Chomar nan Allt trì òrain agus an uairsin ghabh an còmhlan SIAN ris an àrd-ùrlar airson sia òrain a sheinn ann an cò-sheirm. Dh’innis iad mu bhrìgh nan òrain sa Ghàidhlig agus sa Bheurla. Bha cothrom an uairsin teatha fhaighinn is cabadaich airson leth-uair leis a’ chòmhlan agus a’ chòisir.
Chaidh iad tron Ghàidhlig air fad gu mionaideach agus an t-eadar-theangachadh, agus sheinn iad fhèin agus na com-pàirtichean uile còmhla. Aig a’ cheann thall, bha an tachartas air leth soirbheachail, le measadh bho na bha an làthair a’ bruidhinn air cho math ‘s a chòrd e riutha a bhith a’ cluinntinn is ag ionnsachadh mu òrain, a’ cluinntinn a’ Ghàidhlig ga bruidhinn agus ag èisteachd ri sàr cheòl bhon chòmhlan is bhon chòisir.
Chaidh triùir dhan chòisir às ùr an-dèidh dhaibh a bhith aig an tachartas. Cha robh iad air cluinntinn mun chòisir roimhe ach chòrd e riutha cho neo-fhoirmeil ‘s a bha an oidhche agus shaoil iad gun còrdadh e riutha a bhith ag ionnsachadh sa chòisir.
On Seachdain na Gàidhlig, with support from the Small Grants Fund (Bòrd na Gàidhlig), Cumbernauld Gaelic Choir provided an evening of Gaelic learning and entertainment from on Monday 20th February from 7.30pm until 10pm for 70 people. Participants were greeted and welcomed in Gaelic and were able to chat/mingle at tables using varying levels of Gaelic. The event was opened in Gaelic by the choir’s Gaelic reader who gave an overview of the event. Cumbernauld Gaelic Choir sang 3 Gaelic choral arrangements and then the Gaelic singing group SIAN took over and sang 6 songs in harmony. They spoke in Gaelic and English and provided a thorough background of the songs. There was then a 30 min tea break where participants could chat to choristers and SIAN.
The second part of the evening involved SIAN leading the room in a Gaelic waulking song workshop of 18 verses. They went over pronunciation, translated the Gaelic and then led the room in singing the song. Overall the event was a great success with excellent feedback from participants who were delighted to be able to learn songs and their background, hear Gaelic spoken, take part in a waulking song, and enjoy an evening of great music from SIAN and the choir.
The choir gained 3 new members after the event. None of them had heard of the choir before but the informal nature of the event and learning songs really made them feel that this was something that they could do and enjoy.
Copies of the waulking song were distributed to each participant along with a translation. A video was also taken of the group singing the song and shared on the Cumbernauld Gaelic Facebook page which can be seen here. This will allow members and the choir to continue to sing the song in future.
