Cha Dèanar Bàrd	A Bard isn't Made
"Òrain Red" le Coinneach Ruadh; Acair, Gàidhlig, £6.99 bog	"Òrain Red" le Kenneth MacLeod: Acair, Gaelic, £6.99 paperback
"Bàrdachd Dhòmhnaill Ailein" deasaichte leis an Athair Iain Aonghas Dòmhnallach; Comuinn Eachdraidh nan Eilean mu Dheas, Gàidhlig/Beurla, £12.99 cruaidh	"Bàrdachd Dhòmhnaill Ailein" edited by Father John Angus MacDonald; Southern Isles Historical Societies, Gaelic/English, £12.99 hardback
ri'm faighinn bho Chomhairle nan Leabhraichean	available from the Gaelic Books Council
lèirmheas le Niall Gòrdan, Am Blàr Dubh (teacs tùsail)	review by Niall Gordon, Muir of Ord (translation)
Sann tro Rèidio nan Gaidheal a chuir mise eòlas air an dithist bhàrd a tha fa-near dhomh an-dràst', is tha fhios gur fìor sin a thaobh dhaoine eile cuideachd, is an cuid òran gan seinn fad is farsaing. Tha bàrdachd an dithist air tighinn a-mach o chionn ghoirid - ann an leabhraichean fa leth - agus dar leam nach bu mhì-iomchaidh e sùil a thoirt orra le 'chèile.	Radio nan Gaidheal was the medium through which I first became acquainted with the two poets I am going to talk about just now, and the same must be true for others, with the bards' songs being sung far and wide. The poetry of the two men has recently been published separately - and I feel it would not be out of place to consider them together.
Rugadh Dòmhnall Ailean Dòmhnallach (Dòmhnall Ailean Dhòmhnaill na Bainich 1906-92) an Dalabrog an Uibhist a-Deas, agus Coinneach "Red" MacLeòid (Coinneach Ruadh Choinnich Ruaidh 1899-1977) a Pabail ann an Seisiadar, san Rubha, an Leòdhas. 'S iomadh òran a chuir iad as an dèidh, cuid dhiubh a tha ainmeil an saoghal nan seinneadairean a thug iad fa'r comhair, leithid Iain Dhòmhnallaich (Hoddan) is Mhurdaigean Dhòmhnallaich, a thug deagh shradag a òrain Choinnich, mar a tha "Gobhar an Deucoin":	Donald MacDonald (Dòmhnall Ailean Dhòmhnaill na Bainich 1906-92) was born in Daliburgh in South Uist, and Kenneth "Red" MacLeod (Coinneach Ruadh Choinnich Ruaidh 1899-1977) from Bayble in Sheshader in the Point district of Lewis. They both wrote many songs, some of which are well-known among the singers who brought them to us, such as John "Hodden" MacDonald and Murdigan MacDonald, who brought Kenneth's songs to life, songs like "The Deacon's Goat:
Sa mhadainn 'n àm dhomh èirigh	In the morning when arising
Bha e air ith' mo lèine	It had eaten up my shirt
'S bha gùn oidhch' na tèile	And herself's nightgown
'Na bhrèidean aig' 'na bheul -	Was in tatters in its mouth -
Thug mi dhachaigh gobhar	I took a goat home
Neo "Òran an AI" (mun bhò a chaidh leis an dàir!):	Or "The Artificial Insemination Song" (cow goes to bull!):
Thuirt a' chailleach ris a' bhodach, "Bidh an-àird air do chasan	Said the cailleach to the bodach, "Get up to your feet
Thoir leat as an sporan ud tastan no dhà	Take with you from the purse a shilling or two
Theirig a-null chun a' fòn is cuir cùisean an òrdugh	Take yourself over to the telephone and arrange matters
Is innis don Bhòrd gu bheil a' bho leis an dàir	And tell the Board the cow is lined up with the bull
'Se seo an seòrsa òran a rinneadh gu fealla-dhà - agus bhiodh am bàrd Uibhisteach ris an aon mhodh. Seo caob a "Òran nam Brògan":	This is the type of song designed to raise a laugh - and the Uist bard was also engaged in the same mode. Here is a slice from "The Song about the Boots":
0 hì, 0 hà, chan eil fàth dhomh bhith gearan (x3)	Oh hi, Oh ha, I have no reason to complain (x3)
Ged 's duilich mi tarraing nam brògan!	Even if I do find wearing the boots difficult!
Saoilidh mi gur e an diofar as mo a th'eadar an dithist gum biodh Dòmhnall Ailean ri barrachd smaointinn domhain, agus anns an leabhar dhe ' bhàrdachd-san tha an t-ùghdar air obair sgoileir a chur mu'r coinneamh, cho math ri eadar-theangachadh gu Beurla, rud nach eil ri fhaotainn an leabhar Choinnich. Ach chan eil a leithid 'na bhacadh do leughadair sam bith, oir tha òrain Choinnich cho èibhinn nàdarrach 's gun tig ciall is brìgh nan òran a-steach air duine sam bith gun trioblaid - eadhon ormsa!	I think the greatest difference between the two poets is that Donald Allan did more deep thinking, and in his book the author has presented us with a work of a more scholarly nature, as well as English translations, something not found in Kenneth's book. But the like of this is no obstacle to any reader, as Kenneth's songs are so funny and natural that their import can strike any reader, no bother - it even worked on me!
Dh'ainmich mi Rèidio nan Gaidheal: 'sann air "Inneas" (2.3.91) a chualas iomradh air Dòmhnall Ailean, agus an sreath ris an cante "Sàr Obair" a thug Ruaraidh MacThòmais tarraing air òrain "Red" is mar a chluinneadh e iad gan seinn san sgìre. Tha fhios gu bheil e 'na chomharra air luach obair nam bàrd seo gum bithear fòs a' gabhail nan òran aca: cò e nach cuala "Gruagach Òg an Fhuilt Bhàin" aig Dòmhnall? Gu dearbh, thathar ag radha san leabhar gum b'e deuchainn òrain dè cho tric 's a bhite ga sheinn - mar a b'fhaide mhair an t-òran am measg nan daoine, 'sann bu mhotha meas a bh'aca air bho thùs.	I mentioned Radio nan Gaidheal: "Inneas" (a bit like "aithris") is where I heard Donald Allan's name, and the series called "Sàr Obair" is where I heard Derick Thomson mention "Red's" songs as he heard them sung in the district. A sure sign of the worth of these bards' work must surely be the fact that their songs are still sung: who hasn't heard "Fair Maid of Barra", Donald's famed tribute? Indeed, it says in the book that the test for any song was the frequency of its singing - the longer the song lasted among the people, the more popular it was from the start.
Uill, tha e 'na fhìor thoileachas dhòmhsa gu bheil na h-òrain san dà leabhar seo ri fhaotainn an-diugh, agus san dealachadh bu toil leam a radha gur e brath Dhòmhnaill rud cho fìor 's a leugh mi a-riamh:	Well, it is a great source of pleasure for me that these songs are available in book form today, and in concluding I would like to say that I think this message of Donald's is one as true as any I have ever read:
"Chan eil de dh'fhoghlam air an t-saoghal a dhèanadh duine 'na bhàrd. Chan e e fhèin a tha a' dol ga dhèanamh gu sìorraidh mura bheil an rud san duine e fhèin, agus e làidir ann cuideachd."	"There is no education in the world that could make a bard of someone. No-one will ever do it if it isn't in him, and in him in strong measure too." (My translation)
Eadar 's gur e sgoilear, bàrd no duine cumanta sam bith a th'annad, ceannaich no goid an dà leabhar seo - tha eachdraidh beatha nam bàrd is na bàrdachd ri fhaotainn gu làn do mhiann annta. Nach math an rud nan dùisgte daoine ùra gu feuchainn ris an ealain aosta luachmhor seo?	Whether you are a scholar, poet or just an ordinary person, buy or steal these two books - in them you will find to your heart's content a history of poets and of poetry. Wouldn't it be good if new people could be stirred into trying their hand at this precious and ancient art?
Ach seo cuimhneachan do m' chàirdean	But, the day I die,
An là bheir mi suas,	I leave this as a memorial
'S don mhuinntir nì mi fhàgail	For my relations and friends,
Anns an fhàsaich air chuairt.	And I bequeath it to the people on their sojourn in the desert.
Bidh bàrdachd Chlann Dòmhnaill	The poetry of Clan Donald
'Na cheòl aig an t-sluagh	Will be sung by the people
Là nach cluinn sibh mo chòmhradh	When my speech is no longer to be heard
Is mo chòmhnaidh san uaigh.	And my abode is the grave.

You can find more articles in the archive under Gaelic Column and information on the organization at C.L.I.