A' Fosgladh Cùirteanan a' Bhàird	Opening the Poet's Curtains
"Smuaintean fo Éiseabhal" le Dòmhnall Aonghais Bhàin, deasaichte le Raghnall MacilleDhuibh; Bìrlinn, Gàidhlig is Beurla, £7.99 bog lèirmheas le Niall Iòsaph a' Pheantair ri fhaighinn bho Chomhairle nan Leabhraichean	"Thoughts under Eiseaval" le Donald MacDonald, edited by Ronald Black; Birlinn, Gaelic & English, £7.99 softback review by Niall Gòrdon, Muir of Ord available from the Gaelic Books Council
Bidh an fheadhainn agaibh a leughas Pàipear Beag an Eilein Sgitheanaich air aistidhean Raghnaill MhicilleDhuibh mun bhàrd Uibhisteach nach maireann, Dòmhnall Dòmhnallach, no Dòmhnall Aonghais Bhàin, fhaicinn as t-samhradh. Mar an ceudna, bidh luchd leughaidh "Guth nan Innse Gall", Gazette Steòrnabhaigh, air tòrr de dhàin a' bhodaich chòir a leughadh. Is iongantach mur h-e na pàipearan naidheachd meadhan craolaidh stuth nam bàrd nar là-ne seach meadhan sam bith eile - ach a-nist tha bàrdachd Dhòmhnaill air nochdadh ann an clò ceart. Dh'ainmich mi aon mheadhan sgaoilidh - ach tha am bàrd seo air nochdadh air teilidh cuideachd: chunnacas e ag inneas a chuid bàrdachd don Athair Iain Aonghas Dòmhnallach air prògram fon ainm Songs of Longing agus, nas fhaisge air ar là-ne, bha e air Spiorad Dhè, prògram cairteal na h-uarach a sheallas air a' choimhearsnachd bhon a bhios seirbheis eaglais a' tighinn as dèidh làimhe ann an Glòraich Ainm. Gu dè gnè bàrdachd an fhir-sa ma-tà? 'S gann na chuirinn ris na sgrìobh Raghnall còir a-cheana, ach rud àraid dhomhsa, 'se gu robh Dòmhnall ri chuid bàrdachd ann an saoghal a tha glè eadar-dhealaichte on t-saoghal anns a bheil a' mhòrchuid againne a' tighinn beò: 'sann a bha Dòmhnall a' gabhail còmhnaidh an taigh tughaidh, a' dol ri caitheamh beatha sìmplidh, saor.'s dòcha gur e nach robh bean aige fhèin is adhbhar gun d'rinn e na h-uimhir a dhàin do bhoireannaich a bha air coibhneas air choreigin a nochdadh dha, leithid na tè-sa:	Those of you who read the West Highland Free Press will have seen Ronald Black's essays about the late Uist bard, Donald MacDonald, or Dòmhnall Aonghais Bhàin, in the summer. Likewise, readers of "The Voice of The Hebrides", The Stornoway Gazette, will have read many of Donald's poems there. Perhaps newspapers are the medium of communica-tion in our day for the work of poets more than any other medium - but now Donald's poetry has appeared in print proper. I mentioned one medium of dissemination - but this poet has appeared on television too: he was seen reciting his poetry to Father John Angus MacDonald on a programme entitled Songs of Longing and, nearer to the present day, he was on Spiorad Dhè, a quarter-hour programme which looks at the community from which a church service comes afterwards in Glòraich Ainm. Of what ilk is this man's poetry then? I could scarcely add anything to what Ronald Black has written already, but something which sticks out for me is that Donald wrote his poetry in an environment quite different from that in which the majority of us live: Donald actually resided in a thatched cottage, engaging in a very simple and free lifestyle.perhaps the fact that he did not have a wife is the reason he composed so many poems to women who had showed him some kindness or other, such as this one:
Gur e mis' a th'air mo dhòigh - Ghabh Rìgh na Glòrach truas rium An uair a fhuair mi Rìbhinn Bhàn A chumas blàth bhon fhuachd mi	I am well pleased - The King of Glory took mercy on me When I got the Fair Girl Who will keep me warm from the cold
Is i "Ina" cuspair an dàin is i a' cosnadh moladh Dhòmhnaill air sgàth.uill, leughadh sibh fhèin e san dàn air fad! Bu chòir a ràdh an-seo gu bheil an dàn-sa air aon dhe na 31 nach eil eadar-theangaichte gu Beurla - ach cha bhi sin a' cur bacadh air brèaghad is brìgh ciallach ealain a' bhàird. Cha chreid mi nach mothaich mi inntinn coltach ri inntinn Rob Dhuinn sna rannan seo o Na Solais Ùra:	"Ina" is the subject of the poem, and she earns Donald's praise because of... well, you may read it in the complete poem! It ought to be said here that this poem is one of the 31 without English translation - but that won't distract from the beauty and meaning of the poet's art. I believe I can discern a mind similar to that of Rob Donn's in these verses from The New Lights:
Bidh Ceit Màiri agus Flòraidh Cur nan cùirteanan an òrdugh: Iad am-bliadhna dol air fògradh - Dol a chòmhnaidh dhan pholl chreadhaidh	Kate Màiri and Flora Will put the curtains in order: This year they've gone into exile - Off to live in the clay-pit.
Thàinig Angela le ar dùrachd 'S thàinig Moira ann bho dhùthchas: Thug iad soilleireachd as ùr dhuinn - Thug iad sunnd dhuinn agus aighear	Angela came with our good wishes And Moira, she belongs here: They have given us new enlightenment - Brought us joy and happiness
Am measg nan dàn uile tha deagh oidhirp air saor-rannaigheachd, dàn beag mu bhith dol suas sna speuran ann an rocaid.dàn grinn, a fhreagradh an dà chuid pàiste agus inbheach. Gus a' chùis a dhùnadh (mar a chanas na bàird!) ma-tà, tha dealbh no dhà de Dhòmhnall, liosta dhen a h-uile dàn a rinn e - agus far am faighear iad - agus rò-rà ro ealanta aig Raghnall còir, le pìosan eile le Aonghas Phàdraig Caimbeul, Ailig O'Hianlaidh agus Henry Marsh, a' cur loinn air leabhar a tha 'na theisteanas air tàlann bàird nach robh bòst no pròis ann. Cuir an àireamh mapaichean, agus chan eil a' phrìs a-mach as an rathad idir.	Among all the poems there is a fine attempt at free verse, a little poem about going up into the skies in a rocket... a lovely poem, which would suit both child and adult. To close the matter (as poets say!) then, there are some pictures of Donald, a list of every poem he composed - and where they can be found - and a fine introduction by Ronald Black, with other pieces by Angus Peter Campbell, Alec O'Henly and Henry Marsh, adding lustre to a book which is a testimony to the talent of a poet who was neither boastful nor full of pride. Include maps, and the price is not over the top at all.
Nach èirich ur cabar oirbh a shliochd nan cas-bheann, 's iad creagach, aigeanta, neo-eisimeileach.	Will you not be aroused, you descendants of the steep mountains, rocky, spirited, independent?

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