Poetry in South Uist

The Sothern isles in general have been able to preserve much of the traditions of the Scots Gael, I can only speak about South Uist though, We do seem to have quite of few Bards to our credit, ranging from Mhgr Ailein Domhnallaich(1859-1905), Domhnall Ruadh Mac an t-Staoir ("The Paisley Bard," 1889-1964), Domhnall Iain MacDhomhnaill (1918-1986) As well as being the birth place of modern Bards such as Angus Peter Campbell who was Bard in residence at Sabhal Mor Ostaig. Why does South Uist has so many? Some say that because of the fact that the Southern Isles are predominantly Catholic, they where saved from the purge of the Anglocentric Reformers from the Lowlands that where sent to the Isles to encurage the reformation. Others, that the tide was too high for Cromwell to cross the sands from Benbecula to South Uist. Either way traditions flurished in The Uists for a long time. In the 1930s Margret Fay Shaw, and others recorded songs, poems and traditions, long since vanished from other parts of Scotland, and Ireland. Ossianic ballads were still being used in Uist. Most of that generation would have leared the songs and poems through the oral tradition, To an extent the oral tradition is still with us, but in an altered state. As for us young ones we certainly learned poems at school, and learned songs first as poems and then learnt the tune, I used my mothers old text book "Cascheum nam Bard" to learn "Chi mi na Mor-Bheanna" as a poem in primary 6, And every year the local and national Mod takes place with contestents in every age group. But we also learned songs and poems at home as well, and thats where the oral tradition is still with us.

As far as I'm aware it is unusual to hear a recitation of a poem at a Ceilidh Dance (The Village hall type) but I've been at many a true ceilidh where old stories and poems have been recited with people joining in as the poem goes on. Though that could have been because the township I grew up in had two bards, Roidseag Mac Iain Clachair and Domhnall Aonghais Bhan!

Anyway I'm no expert on these matters, but I am more than willing to sing the praises of Uist, and to help widen the understanding of Scot Gaelic culture. If I can be of any further help please let me know!

Slan leat.

Aodh.

Sheinneas ailleachd is cliu Tir an Eorna,(lb) 'S gum bi mi'g iarraidh's ag urnaigh, (lb) Gum faigh mi chriochnachadh m' uin ann, (lb) 'S gum bi mi tiodhlaicht' an uir mo luchd-eolais.