MONDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2007
Dè tha dol? Tha sinn ann an Loch Abar a-rithist, is bidh sinn a’ dol dhan Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail anns a’ Ghearastan! This month we’re in Lochaber, heading for the Royal National Mòd in Fort William!
The Mòd is one of my very favourite events of the year! At no other time do so many people come together and celebrate Gaelic music and culture! The quality of the performances is second to none! There will be some of the best choir singing, clàrsach playing and storytelling you may ever hear! Of course, there will be some outstanding pìobaireachd! The bagpipes are my very favourite instrument!
The first Mòd was in 1892, after a church choir from Glasgow performed at a concert in Oban. I was lucky enough to be there, and it really was an incredible evening! Our adventurers should be in for an amazing time! That is, of course, as long as they don’t decide to enter themselves! Ho ho!
Besides, there is plenty for them to be doing! Seanair will be endlessly distracted by the incredible mountains to climb. There is plenty of history and arts to keep Morag and Melodaidh busy, and a good deal of sport for Munro. Even Brochan has a dog show to look forward to!
They certainly learnt a lot about history this month, with trips to many old buildings, and even some ancient ones! They saw buildings which were put up during the Second World War for radar, a castle, and buildings from ages long forgotten (although it’s amazing how seeing them again can jog one’s memory!).
Yes indeed, plenty for all in Lochaber, and by the time I’ve taught them a little more Gaelic, they won’t have a moment to spare!
Beannachd leibh!
Dwelly
POSTED BY DWELLY AT 09:59 AM - 0 COMMENTS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2007
Cha mhòr gu bheil mìos eile seachad! Almost another month has passed and it’s been another busy one!
The Mòd was a huge success, as always! Everyone really enjoyed it! There were some especially good younger singers, too. I always like to see the young talent of today, before they burst into stardom tomorrow! Judging by what we heard earlier this month, there are going to be a lot of very talented musicians in the coming years!
There was also the international shinty/hurling match between Scotland and Ireland, and it was a great game! Hurling and shinty both originally come from the same game, you know. I remember when it was played, all those years ago. I was quite the dangerous attacking player! Some people even described my play as magic! Ho ho! If only they knew!!
Even young Munro managed to get interested in a bit of history this month, learning about the Glencoe Massacre, a truly terrible piece of Scottish history.
Morag broadened her horizons a little further, and learnt about green wood-working, a form of wood-working which doesn’t involve any power tools! She certainly did quite well, and made a stool! I don’t think Munro has understood the beauty of not having power tools … he thinks life is too difficult and boring without them.
They also went on a steam train, the ‘Jacobite’, from Fort William to Mallaig and back again. It’s considered to be the nicest train journey in Britain, and some sections were used for the filming of the Harry Potter films. I’m very fond of those books. Teaching magic to children? They should have asked me first … that Harry has a lot to learn yet!
Just yesterday, they went to the small village of Inverie, which is one of my very favourite places in the whole Highlands! It’s an amazing little place, which is mainly accessible only by boat, but you can walk there, too.
That’s almost it for this month! Dìreach latha no dhà, is bidh sinn ann an àite ùr eile!
Mar sin leibh!
Dwelly
POSTED BY DWELLY AT 14:36 PM - 0 COMMENTS
