Tha tiogaidean fhathast air fhàgail son a’ Chuirm Bhliadhnail ‘Fàilt’ air an Dùthaich’ cola deug bhon diugh (Dihaoine 4mh Cèitean. 7.30f) aig Eden Court – £12 / £10 – air (01463) 234234 no www.eden-court.co.uk.

Tickets are still available for the Annual Gaelic Showcase ‘Fàilt air an Dùthaich (Homeland Salute)’ which is a fortnight from tonight (Friday 4th May, 7.30pm) at Eden Court.

To buy tickets – £12 / £10 – call the Box Office on (01463) 234234 or see www.eden-court.co.uk.

Our sincere thanks also to Professor Boyd Robertson, for his support and contribution to the Society during his year as the Society Chief.

Ceannard 2012–13 / Chief of the Society 2012–13

The Co-Chomhairle is pleased to announce that Professor Donald MacLeod M.A D.D. has agreed to serve as Society Chief for the year 2012–13. Donald Macleod retired as principal of the Free Church of Scotland College in Edinburgh in March 2011, but he is still professor of systematic theology.

Donald began his ministry in Kilmallie Free Church where he served from 1964–1970. The next stage of his ministry was urban, in Partick Highland Free Church in Glasgow from 1970–1978. Ever good with words, he edited the Monthly Record from 1977–1990. He has been a Visiting Professor in Glasgow University since 1999. In 2007, he was honoured with a D.D. by Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia.

Prior to coming to the Free Church College in 1978, Donald was already highly regarded for his incisive theological mind. During the last 30 years, he has moulded the minds of many students, and published numerous books and articles. Donald Macleod is well known as a previous editor of the Monthly Record of the Free Church and as a columnist in the West Highland Free Press and the Observer newspaper.

Donald and his wife Mary are both from Lewis, and have three sons.

Clàr 2012-13/ Syllabus 2012-13

The Syllabus Sub-committee will shortly be selecting papers for the September 2012–April 2013 meetings and would welcome any suitably prepared papers for selection either this year or next year.

Coinneamh Bhliadhnail 2012 / Annual Business Meeting 2012.

The Annual Business Meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Friday 13th April in the Netley Centre, Bishop’s Road. All members and friends are welcome to attend. This will be followed by a talk by Society Chief, Professor Boyd Robertson, on “Beairteas Cainnt” (“Language Wealth”).

Seirbhis-chuimneachaidh / Culloden Anniversary 2012

The Anniversary Service will be held at the Cairn on Saturday 14th April. This will follow the usual pattern with the Society Chief giving his Address followed by prayers and a blessing by members of The Clergy. A lament will be played by one of the Society Honorary Pipers after which a wreath will be laid on behalf of the Society.

Cuirm Chiuil 2012 / Annual Event 2012

This year the Annual Gaelic Showcase will be on Friday 4th May at 7.30pm at Eden Court Theatre, Inverness. The theme of the evening will be “Fàilt’ air an dùthaich” / “Homeland Salute”. The solo singers this year are: Margaret Stewart, Norman MacArthur, Jenna Cumming, James Graham, Kathleen MacInnes and Paul MacCallum. The ceilidh band this year will be the Robert Nairn Ceilidh Band. Piper this year is Dr. Angus MacDonald, Society piper, and the chairman for the evening will be Allan Campbell.

Tickets are £12 / £10 and available from Eden Court on 01463 234234 or via the Eden Court website.

We anticipate an exceptional evening of entertainment this year and would urge you to book tickets soon to avoid disappointment!

Cille Choirill Memorial Plaque and summer excursion

Last year the Society commissioned a memorial plaque for Cille Choiril Chapel, to mark the interment there of the Keppoch Bard Donald Finlay MacKillop, and to record the visit to Roybridge in 1873 of Mary Mackillop who was canonised in Rome in 2010 as St Mary of the cross MacKillop.

The plaque is to be formally unveiled at a ceremony at Cille Choirill on Saturday 19th May, and the GSI 2012 Summer Outing from Inverness will take place on 19th May to coincide with the ceremony. If you would like to attend the Outing to Lochaber and the ceremony at Cille Choirill, please contact the Secretary.

Leabharlann / The Society Library

We are grateful for the donations of books, records, etc. received in the past months. All members are reminded that they are free to make use of the Library (within the Public Library) at Farraline Park, Inverness.

Indices to volumes I to LXIV of the Transactions are available and can be accessed on the Gaelic Society’s website in the following formats: sorted by subject or sorted alphabetically by title.

Transactions Volume LXV

Some of you would have noticed that a page of Professor William Gillies’ paper on “The Gaelic of Niall MacMhuirich” appeared twice resulting in one page of the text being missing in the volume. We have apologised to Professor Gillies for this most unfortunate technical error and have issued by post the corrected page 70 to all members.

Northern Scotland

Launched in 1972 by the Centre for Scottish Studies in the University of Aberdeen, Northern Scotland has been published by Aberdeen University ever since. Ownership of the title has now been transferred to a company limited by guarantee, Northern Scotland Journal Limited, trading as Northern Scotland, and from now on the periodical will be published annually by Edinburgh University Press. Northern Scotland Journal Limited is a joint venture by the School of Divinity, History and Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen and the UHI Centre for History. An order form for the publication Northern Scotland is enclosed should anyone be interested in subscribing.

Ballrachd / Membership

We have welcomed a number of new members since the beginning of the session and it is most encouraging to do this on a regular basis. Our Treasurer, Alec Graham, is grateful to all of you who complied with our request to pay your subscription by Standing Order. Those of you who have not yet taken advantage of this facility are reminded that this can be done by contacting the Treasurer at any time.

Membership remains at £15 per annum and is due for renewal on 1st July each year. Sending reminders to such a large membership is quite costly, so please put this date in your diary to avoid any lapse of your membership. Anyone requiring further information should contact the Treasurer or the Secretary.

Caoidh / Obituaries

Sadly, we have noted the loss of some of our members in the past few months. We would like to extend our sincere sympathy to those members who are mourning the loss of family and friends at this time. We would ask that you keep us informed of the passing of any of our members in order that a formal tribute may be paid to them at our members’ meetings and subsequently recorded in the Society Transactions.

Tha tiogaidean fhathast air fhàgail son a’ Chuirm Bhliadhnail ‘Guth na h-Òige’ an ath h-oidhch’ aig Eden Court – £12 / £10 – air (01463) 234234 no www.eden-court.co.uk. Faodaidh sibh cuideachd tiogaidean fhaighinn aig an dorus – bidh an consairt a’ tòiseachadh aig 7.30f.

Tickets are still available for the Annual Gaelic Showcase ‘Guth na h-Òige’ which is tomorrow (Friday) at Eden Court.

To buy tickets – £12 / £10 – call the Box Office on (01463) 234234 or see www.eden-court.co.uk. If you haven’t yet got plans, you can buy your tickets at the last minute at the door! The concert will start at 7.30pm.

Mar is dual bidh cuid de phrìomh luchd-ciùil na Gàidhlig air àrd-ùrlar, agus am measg na chluinnear an turas seo bidh: Jenna Chuimeanach, Kirsteen NicDhòmhnaill, Darren MacIlleathain agus Steven MacÌomhar, agus Canntaireachd a’ seinn, an Còmhlan Cèilidh Monach Isle, agus am pìobaire òg Brìghde Chaimbeul.

Tha sinn air leth toilichte gu bheil Ellen NicDhòmhnaill à Canntaireachd gu bhith na bean an taighe son na h-oidhche, còmhla ri Ailean Caimbeul a bhios na fhear an taighe. ’S ann an Gàidhlig a bhios an consairt ach le eadar-theangachadh agus dealbhan bho Chailean MacIlleathain. Tiogaidean bho Eden Court, £12/£10, 01463 234234 no www.eden-court.co.uk

Language and culture exist only where people sustain them, and the survival of any language requires young people to use and celebrate it. A week tonight, on Friday 18th March, in a concert entitled Guth na h-Òige (Voice of Youth), the Gaelic Society of Inverness will reflect some of the confidence which Scotland’s Gaelic community has in the future of its language.

Featuring leading Gaelic performers, and with a focus on youth, these themed concerts have become increasingly popular Gaelic showcase events. The 2011 programme will include singers Jenna Cumming, Kirsteen MacDonald, Darren MacLean and Steven MacIver (all four of them are Mòd Gold Medallists); Canntaireachd (youth singing group led by Eilidh Mackenzie); the Monach Isle Cèilidh Band, and young prize-winning piper Brìghde Chaimbeul.

In keeping with the theme of “Youth”, we are delighted that for the first time, the event will be co-hosted by Ellen MacDonald of Canntaireachd and our own Chairperson, Allan Campbell. The concert will be presented, as usual, in Gaelic. There will be a simultaneous translation to English by Powerpoint presentation and illustrated with beautiful photography by Cailean MacLean. Tickets from Eden Court, £12 / £10, 01463 234234 or www.eden-court.co.uk

Bha fìor dheagh oidhche ann aig Cuirm Bhliadhnail Chomunn Gàidhlig Inbhir Nis an raoir, aig taigh-cluiche Eden Court ann an Inbhir Nis. Bha cha mhòr 400 neach an làthair airson èisteachd le na seinneadaran is luchd-ciùil ainmeil a bha còmhla rinn.

Last night’s Annual Event at Eden Court Theatre lived up to and indeed exceeded expectations. Almost 400 people came along to be entertained by the talented singers and musicians who were performing. The solo singers were: Kathleen MacInnes, Maggie MacDonald, Arthur Cormack and Paul MacCallum. It was wonderful to hear different styles of singing from each performer and the audience enjoyed hearing songs such as “Allt an t-Siùcar”, “Ceud fàilt’ air gach gleann” and many more which all fitted in with the “Seasons and Moods” theme. The excellent Monach Isles Ceilidh Band, led by Michael Macmillan, played rousing jigs and reels to get the audience in the celidh spirit, along with some lovely lilting waltzes. It was great to see so many youngsters singing with “Canntaireachd” – the youth choral group led by Eilidh Mackenzie. They sang beautifully and again were very popular with the audience. We were priviliged to have with us the Society’s Honorary Piper, Dr Angus MacDonald, who opened the show and played again in the second half. Brigadier Iain MacPhàrlain, the Society Chief for the coming year, delivered a short speech before the concert closed with performers and audience singing together the songs “Cànan nan Gàidheal” and “Soraidh leibh is oidhche mhath leibh”.

A powerpoint was displayed above the stage with a running translation between performances and each song was accompanied by landscape photographs by Cailean MacLean. The stunning photographs perfectly complemented each different song. Allan Campbell, Chairperson of the Society, did an expert job as Fear an Taighe.

Ràithean is Fuinn promises an exceptional evening of Gaelic entertainment and the programme will feature soloists Kathleen MacInnes; Maggie MacDonald; Arthur Cormack; and Paul MacCallum. They will be joined by acclaimed youth group Canntaireachd, and the talented Michael MacMillan with his Monach Isles Ceilidh Band. The Gaelic Society’s honorary piper Doctor Angus MacDonald completes what all fans of Gaelic music will recognise as a sensational line-up.

Featuring leading Gaelic performers, and with a particular focus on youth, these annual events organised by the Gaelic Society of Inverness have become increasingly popular, with people travelling from across Scotland to enjoy high quality themed programmes which, while celebrating Gaelic, also enable full appreciation and enjoyment by non-speakers. The concerts are presented in Gaelic with simultaneous English language interpretive Power Point presentation against a stunning backdrop of complementary photography by Cailean MacLean.

Society Chairman Allan Campbell, who will also present the concert, said, “The Gaelic Society of Inverness is proud to promote Gaelic by presenting a display of such outstanding Gaelic musical ability. We are immensely grateful and encouraged by the support of Bòrd na Gàidhlig, recognising our contribution to Gaelic development. It is particularly pleasing to acknowledge the support of the UBC Group to this event, as it recognises with pride its own roots in the Gaelic community.”

Tickets for Ràithean is Fuinn are £12 / £10 and available from Eden Court (01463) 234234.

Further Information:

Allan Campbell, Chairman, Gaelic Society of Inverness (GSI), 01463 23060
Shona Campbell, Honorary Secretary, GSI, 01463 792318

Thig cuspair na cuirme bhliadhnail aig Comunn Gàidhlig Inbhir Nis, ann an Talla na h-Ìmpireachd aig Taigh-cluiche Eden Court, Dihaoine 12 Màrt 2010, beò tro cheòl agus òrain Ghàidhlig a thaisbeanas lèirsinn a’ Ghàidheil air ràithean na bliadhna.

Tha Ràithean is Fuinn a’ gealltainn sàr fheasgar an cuideachd nan seinneadairean Caitlin NicAonghais; Magaidh NicDhòmhnaill; Art MacCarmaig; agus Pòl MacCaluim. Còmhla riutha sin bidh an còmhlan òg ainmeil Canntaireachd, agus an ceòladair tàlantach Mìcheal MacMhaoilean le Còmhlan Cèilidh Eilean Mhònach. Cuiridh pìobaire urramach a’ Chomuinn bàrr air clàr a dh’ aithnicheas feadhainn le meas air cèol Gàidhlig, a tha na chruinneachadh sònraichte.

Daonnan a’ nochdadh cuid de phrìomh luchd-ciùil na Gàidhlig, agus le aithne àraid air feadhainn as òige, tha na cuirmean seo air cliù a chosnadh thar nam bliadhnaichean is cuid a’ siubhal far feadh Alba gus sàr phrògraman a chluinntinn. Ged a tha na cuirmean air an lìbhrigeadh gu tur ann an Gàidhlig tha cothrom èisteachd is tuigse cuideachd dhan fheadhainn aig nach eil an cànan, le eadar-theangachadh mar-aon air Power Point, agus an luib sin taisbeanadh barraichte dhealbh bho Chailean MacIllEathain.

Thuirt Cathraiche a’ Chomuinn, Ailean Caimbeul, a bhios na Fhear an Taighe air a’ chuirm, “Tha Comunn Gàidhlig Inbhir Nis moiteil a bhith a’ lìbhrigeadh leithid seo de thaisbeanadh de shàr cheòl Gàidhlig. Tha sinn fada an comain Bòrd na Gàidhlig airson a chuid taice agus aithne air mar a tha sinn a’ cur ri leasachadh na Gàidhlig. Tha sinn gu sònraichte toilichte taing a thoirt dha Buidheann UBC airson an cuid taice, is a’ Bhuidheann a’ gabhail ealla mhoiteil ri a freumhan Gàidhealach fhèin.”

Gheibhear tiocaidean airson Ràithean is Fuinn aig £12 neo £10 bho Eden Court (01463) 234234.

Tuilleadh fiosrachaidh:

Ailean Caimbeul, Cathraiche, Comunn Gàidhlig Inbhir Nis (CGI), 01463 23060
Shona Chaimbeul, Rùnaire Urramach, CGI, 01463 792318

“Leis na cuirmean seo a’ tàladh luchd-èisteachd far feadh Alba ’s fhiach tiogaidean a chur air dòigh cho luath ’s a ghabhas”, arsa Cathraiche a’ Chomuinn, Ailean Caimbeul.

“Seasons and moods”, the 2010 theme for the Gaelic Society of Inverness concert at Eden Court’s Empire Theatre on Friday 12 March 2010, will present a Gaelic music and song perspective of the seasons.

Featuring leading Gaelic performers, and with a focus on youth, these themed events have become increasingly popular Gaelic celebrations with simultaneous interpretive Power Point presentation. The 2010 programme will include Kathleen MacInnes; Arthur Cormack; Maggie MacDonald; Paul MacCallum; Canntaireachd; and the Monach Isles Ceilidh Band.

“ ‘Book early to avoid disappointment’ may be a cliché, but with this kind of line-up we expect a full-house!” says Society Chairman Allan Campbell.