Getting to grips with Gaelic

Roddy Matine talks...

With no disrespect to Scotland Magazine's readership, I wonder how many of you are aware just how important a month October is for Highlanders? Or should I say for Gaels?

The thought occurs to me because two years ago, when I was in the town of Stornoway on Lewis, I was conscious of a large number of kilted men and tweed skirted ladies wearing white blouses all rushing about as if they were in a hurry to get somewhere.

What I quickly discovered was that they were all participating in the Royal National Mod (Am Mod Naiseanta Rioghail), Scotland's largest Gaelic festival.

Now before I write anything further, I need to make a confession. I do not speak a word of the Gaelic language, although over the years I have made several serious attempts.

My main complaint is that Gaelic words are spelled in an entirely different way to the manner in which they are pronounced, but perhaps that is deliberate, to make it more difficult.

As a Scot, albeit with a somewhat anglicised education, I will admit, I do know how to roll my “arrrrghs,” but I have never to date managed to master that wonderfully soft and lilting purr that is the Gaelic accent. But that is my fault for not being smarter. My excuse, of course, is that my paternal ancestors, a mixed crew of East Lothian farmers, doctors and brewers, probably had enough problems understanding old Scots.

Gaelc was never the language of all Scotland; it was the language of the Highlander, and as recently as the early part of the last...

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• By : Roddy Martine
• In : Roddy Martine's World
• Issue : 11
• Page : 7
• Words : 726