Letter To Gaelic Learners

Ruairidh recently took a cruise. One of the places he visited was Tobermory, in Mull. Beginning with a very wise proverb, Ruairidh explains some of the things that he saw on the cruise.

Iain Dubh, An Seòladair, has had some adventures. From rescuing and marrying the Princess of Spain from the band of robbers, to giving peace to three dead men. How will this tale end for the most remarkable of characters? Find out in this week’s podcast!

Continuing the adventures of Iain Dubh an Seòladair. Iain is head of the bandits. Learn of what happens when Iain Dubh enters the forbidden room. What does he find? Don’t miss out as this story heats up!

Ruairidh continues with his tale of Iain Dubh Leòdhasach, an Seòladair. Learn new phrases and words whilst being entertained by this tale of the sailor from Lewis.

This week, Ruairidh invites you to listen to the tale of a sailor called Black-haired John! Sit back and relax and learn of this character from the Isle of Lewis.

Although the Cromarty Fisherfolk was a form of Scots, there were loads of words that came from Gaelic. Ruairidh runs through some of them. Have a listen to learn more.

Ruairidh got a new book recently; it's about a dialect in the Highlands that is becoming extinct. Interestingly, he's not talking about a dialect of Gaelic, but English. It’s the “Cromarty Fisherfolk Dialect”. Learn more in this week’s podcast.

Ruairidh moves away from Raasay and talks about a lochan in Islay called Lochan na Nigheadaireachd. He wonders if washing was carried out in this lochan. Flora Macdonald wrote memoirs of her youth in Benbecula, in this she describes the joy of clothes washing! Listen to this fascinating tale and learn new words, phrases and Gaelic similes in this week's podcast.

This wee Ruairidh takes us to Loch nam Mnà in Raasay. Find out how the loch got its name and who was the mysterious lady of this particular lake!

This week, Ruairidh tells us a bit more about Gilleasbaig, or Archibald, Cook. He was a church minister who gave sermons in both English and Gaelic. Sometimes his sermons were so popular, they had to be held outside the church. He also had an opposing view to alcohol to many of his contemporaries. Learn more in this week's podcast.

This week Ruairidh introduces us to two more Gaelic characters; Archibald and Finlay Cook. Both were born on the island of Arran, but both spoke different dialects of Gaelic. Both brothers were ministers. Archibald travelled and preached in different areas of Scotland.

Among those who are buried in Inchmahome, near The Lake of Menteith, is Robert Cunninghame Graham, or Don Roberto as he was known in his second country, Argentina. Learn all about this man who came from the gentry and what happened on the very first ever day that came to be known as ‘Bloody Sunday’.

We have a treat at the start of this week's podcast! It's another Gaelic riddle, why not pause the podcast and try and solve it? After the riddle, we travel back in time to learn of an important left-wing figure in Scottish politics.

In the Norwegian town of Otta, there is a statue of a young woman named Pillarguri. She is well known in Norwegian history. In the statue she is blowing a horn. She is commemorating an attack on Scots in Sweden in 1612. In this week’s podcast, find out why the Scots were there and why the Norwegians had to attack!

Have you ever heard of the Battle of Kringen? It is a famous Norwegian battle. Find out all about it and Scotlan's relevance to it, in this week's letter.