You can find the book reviewed below here.

Seòl an Sgiobair	The Ways and Works of the Skipper
"Hebridean Song-maker - Iain MacNeacail of the Isle of Skye" le Tòmas A. MacIain; Polygon, Beurla/Gàidhlig, £18.95 bog le CD leis	"Hebridean Song-maker - Iain MacNeacail of the Isle of Skye" by Thomas A. McKean; Polygon, English/Gaelic, £18.95 paperback including CD
Tha corp an leabhair seo air a roinn ann an dà earrann. Anns a' chiad chuibhreann, "A Bheatha 's na h-Orain", gheibhear trì caibideilean: Bho Shiadar is Gleann Chonain gu achaidhean na Frainge; Nuair a thilleas mi do dh'Uige; agus An dualchas bàrdachd, na bàird bhaile agus an taigh cèilidh. 'Sann air eachdraidh beatha an duine fhèin agus an saoghal anns an robh e beò a tha na caibideilean seo a' coimhead, ged a tha na h-òrain a' nochdadh annta cuideachd mar phàirt nàdarra dhen aithris.	The body of this book is divided into two sections. The first of these, "His Life and his Songs", consists of three chapters: From Shader and Glen Conon to the fields of France; When I return to Uig; and The poetic heritage, the township bards and the cèilidh house. These chapters look at the lifetime of the man himself and at the world in which he lived, though his songs also feature here as a natural part of the narrative.
Tha an dàrna roinn a' toirt sùil air "Bàrd nan Òran", a chuid ealain, àite nan òran ann an coimhearsnachd sna h-Eileanan Siar, agus mothalachd bhàird nan òran. Ann an ceithir eàrr-ràdhan mionaideach, tha ùghdar an leabhair ag innse m'a dhòighean obrach fhèin, a' toirt iomraidhean air gach òran, a' toirt naidheachdan mu Ghilleasbaig Aotrom, aig an robh buinteanas ri Gleann Hìonnasdail, agus a' toirt liosta dhe na h-òrain a tha air an CD a gheibhear an cois an leabhair.	The second section looks at the poet as composer, at his artistry, at the role of his songs in the Western Isles community, and at the bard's own perception of the songs. In four detailed appendices, the book's author tells of his own approach to the work, comments on each song, relates tales of Gilleasbaig Aotrom, who had links with Glen Hinnisdal, and gives a list of the songs to be found on the CD which accompanies the book.
Tha, cuideachd, dusan duilleag teann de notaichean, liosta dhe na teipichean aig Sgoil Eòlais na h-Albainn bhon tàinig gach aithris, agus leabhar-thrusadh tàbhachdach a tha dèanamh iomradh, chan ann a-mhàin air bàrdachd is dualchas nan Gàidheal agus an cuid eachdraidh, ach air fiosrachaidhean bhon t-saoghal mhòr fharsaing a tha suathadh ann an dòigh sam bith ri prìomh chuspair an leabhair, agus mar a chaidh a dhealbh a tharraing.	There are also a dozen densely-typed pages of notes, a list of the tapes held by the School of Scottish Studies on which each version was found, and a handy bibliography that refers not only to the poetry and heritage of the Gaels and to their history, but also to reference material from right round the world that in any way relates to the prime subject matter of the book, and on how its description was compiled.
Mus tèid thu a-staigh dhan leabhar fhèin, chithear mapa de Cheann a Tuath an Eilein Sgitheanaich, Tròndarnais, far an do rugadh is an do thogadh am bàrd Iain MacNeacail, an "Sgiobair", agus far an do chuir e seachad a' mhòrchuid dhe a bheatha, eadar Uige, Gleann Hìonnasdail agus a' Chuidreach, far a bheil a dhachaigh fhathast.	Before you get immersed in the meat of the book, you are presented with a map of the north end of Skye, Trotternish, where the poet Iain MacNeacail, the "Skipper", was born and brought up and where he has spent most of his life, between Uig, Glen Hinnisdal and Cuidreach, where he still has his home.
Ann an ro-ràdh, tha an t-ùghdar Tòmas MacIain ag innse dhuinn mar a dhùisg ùidh ann an ceòl dannsa na h-Albainn agus òrain na Galldachd ioghnadh 'na cheann mu Alba fhèin. Air a' chiad chuairt dhan dùthaich as Aimearagaidh, ann an 1980, chuala e Gàidhlig air son a' chiad uair. An ceann seachd bliadhna eile fhuair e cothrom tighinn a Dhun Èideann a ghabhail iar-cheum anns an Roinn Cheilteach aig Oilthigh Dhun Eideann. Ann a-shin, choinnich e ris an rannsachair beul aithris ainmeil Mairead Bennett, a bhuineas do Pheighinn Choinnich ann an Uige an Eilein Sgitheanaich.	In an introduction, author Tom McKean tells of how his own interest in Scottish dance music and Lowland songs woke a curiosity in his head about Scotland itself. On his first visit to Scotland from America, in 1980, he heard Gaelic for the first time. Seven years later he got the chance to come to Edinburgh to undertake post-graduate studies in the Celtic Department of the University of Edinburgh. Once there, he met the well-known oral tradition researcher Margaret Bennett, who belongs to Peighinn Choinnich in Uig, Isle of Skye.
Leis an ùidh a bha aige ann an Gàidhlig, agus ann a bhith ag obair còmhla ri seinneadair, mhol ise dha coinneachadh ris an Sgiobair, a bha mar-thà pìos seachad air a' cheithir fichead	With his interest in Gaelic, and in working with a singer, she recommended that he meet the Skipper, who was already at that time well into his eighties.
As a' choinneachadh sin tha againn a-nise an leabhar mìorbhaileach seo a tha toirt dealbh bheothail shoilleir dhuinn dhen duine fhèin, fear dhe na bàird baile mu dheireadh a tha againn ann an saoghal na Gàidhlig, agus bàrd de sheòrsa nach eil sinn buailteach fhaicinn gu bràth tuilleadh. Tro bhriathran a' bhàird fhèin, tha sinn a' faighinn sealladh air an t-saoghal anns an do dh'fhàs e suas, na cleachdaidhean a bh'aca, agus na daoine is na suidheachaidhean ris an do choinnich e tro bheatha fhada, anns an d'fhuair e a chuibhreann fhèin de bhròn is de dh'fhulangas, gu h-àraid aig àm an dàrna cogaidh nuair a bha e san arm anns an Fhraing is anns a' Bheilg. Cha deach e fhèin a leòn, ach b'aithne dha feadhainn a chaill am beatha, caraidean, oifigearan agus clann òga.	From that meeting we now have this marvellous book which gives us a lively and clear picture of the man himself, one of the last township bards left in the Gaelic world, and a poet of the kind we are not likely to ever see again. Through the poet's own words we get a picture of the world in which he grew up, the ways they had at the time, and the people and situations which he encountered throughout his long life, in which he got his full share of sadness and suffering - especially during the Second World War when he was with the army in France and Belgium. He was not himself wounded, but he knew some who lost their life, friends, officers and young children.
Ri tìde thigeadh na taighean geala agus iomadh goireas iongantach eile - dealan, uisge ruith a gocan am broinn an taighe, an teleafòn is mar sin air adhart. Ach, aig an àm ud, cho do rinn an gluasad mòran atharrachadh air an dòigh beatha, seach barrachd fearainn a thoirt dhaibh. Bha an crac is an cèilidh mar a bha iad riamh. Aig an àm ud, bha an riaghaltas fhathast a' dèanamh rèiteachadh air suidheachadh an fhearainn, agus is beag an t-iongnadh gu robh fuadaichean agus srì air son ceartas fhathast nan cuspairean còmhraidh am measg muinntir an àite.	Iain MacNeacail was born in Shader, on the south side of the River Conon in Uig, in 1903. His first home was a thatched "black house", and Iain well remembers how such houses were built, how they were maintained in good order, and how comfortable they were to live in. When he was seven years old the family moved across the river to a new house and croft in Peighinn Chonain. This was another thatched house, more modern than the old black house in some ways - the cattle weren't under the same roof as the people!
Ri tìde thigeadh na taighean geala agus iomadh goireas iongantach eile - dealan, uisge ruith a gocan am broinn an taighe, an teleafòn is mar sin air adhart. Ach, aig an àm ud, cho do rinn an gluasad mòran atharrachadh air an dòigh beatha, seach barrachd fearainn a thoirt dhaibh. Bha an crac is an cèilidh mar a bha iad riamh. Aig an àm ud, bha an riaghaltas fhathast a' dèanamh rèiteachadh air suidheachadh an fhearainn, agus is beag an t-iongnadh gu robh fuadaichean agus srì air son ceartas fhathast nan cuspairean còmhraidh am measg muinntir an àite	Eventually the slated "white houses" and many other surprising facets of modern life arrived - electricity, water running from taps inside the house, the telephone and so on. But, at the same time, the move did not change the way of life, other than to give them more land. The crack and the cèilidh were as they had always been. At that time the government were still trying to solve the land problem, and it is small wonder that evictions and the struggle for justice were still the topic of conversation amongst the locals.
Tha deagh chuimhne aige cuideachd air an sgoil dhan deach e aig a sia, Gàidheal òg a' dol, mar a chaidh gach Gàidheal òg eile tro na bliadhnaichean, a-staigh do shaoghal far nach robh àite no inbhe sam bith aig a' chànan. B'urrainn dha 'athair cuideachadh a thoirt dha leis a' Bheurla, chionn 's gum b'e dràibhear carbad an Taigh Òsta agus bha e eòlach air a bhith measg luchd na Beurla, ach b'e Iain fhèin a dh'ionnsaich a bhith leughadh na Gàidhlig - tro bhith leughadh seann leabhraichean òrain agus sgeulachdan, agus anns an aon dòigh dh'ionnsaich e sgrìobhadh, gu ìre.	He still has a good recollection of the school where he went at the age of six, a young Gael going, as every young Gael had gone through the years, into a world where his language had no role or status. His father could help him with his English, since he was the chauffeur for the Hotel and was used to being amongst English-speakers, but it was Iain who taught himself how to read in Gaelic - by reading old books of songs and tales, and in the same way he learnt, to an extent, to write in Gaelic.
Tha cuimhne aige air iomadh maighstir sgoile lapach leibideach, agus aon fhear sònraichte, duine òg a Leòdhas. Bha grunn chuspairean ri'n ionnsachadh, a bharrachd air leughadh, sgrìobhadh is cunntas: fhuair iad blasad de dh'eachdraidh, de chruinneòlas is de mharaireachd, agus gu leòr de Leabhar Aithghearr nan Ceist. Tron dà bhliadhna mu dheireadh a bha e san sgoil, b'fheudar do dh'Iain a bhith ga chosnadh fhèin mar sgalag nuair a bha an latha sgoile seachad - air son taic a thoirt dhan teaghlach, oir bha an Cogadh Mòr air tòiseachadh.	He remembers many poor, useless teachers, and one in particular, a young man from Lewis. There were several subjects to be learnt, in addition to reading, writing and arithmetic: they got a little history, geography and seamanship, and plenty of the Shorter Catechism. Throughout the final two years of schooling, Iain had to earn his keep as an agricultural labourer after school - in order to help support the family, because the First World War had begun.
B'ann mun àm seo a rinn am bàrd a' chiad òran, "Ho-rò, Tha Mi fo Smalan Dheth", agus b'ann mu ghainne an tombaca a bha e, ged nach robh Iain fhèin a' smocadh ach a' dol air a thòir air son "chàich". An uair sin fhuair e obair aig a' ghobha, shìos ann an Lìonacro, agus ged nach robh am pàigheadh ro mhath bha iad, a rèir coltais, glè spòrsail le chèile, oir tha an ath òran a rinn e mu chuairt a ghabh iad le chèile, 'nan ceàrdannan mas fhìor, a' feuchainn ri barganan a dhèanamh le muinntir an àite. Cha shaoilinn gum feumadh tu bhith eòlach air a cheàrna air son deagh ghàire. Ag èisteachd ris mar a thug iad ho ho-rò air gach cailleach - agus air bodach no dha cuideachd.	It was about this time that the poet composed his first song, "Ho-rò, Tha Mi fo Smalan Dheth" [I'm saddened by it], which was about a shortage of tobacco, even though Iain himself did not smoke but went to get it for "the others". He then got work with the blacksmith, down in Linicro, and though the pay did not amount to much they were, it would seem, both full of fun, for the next song he composed tells of a trip they made together, as if they were travelling folk, trying to conclude bargains with the local people. I don't think you need to know the area to get a good laugh from it. Listening to how they got round all the old cailleachs - and a few of the old bodachs as well.
B'ann aotrom, aighearach a bha a' mhòrchuid dhe na h-òrain a rinn an Sgiobair mun àm seo dhe bheatha - "Òran mu Bhaidhsagal", "An t-Each Iarainn", agus fear mu "Tarbh Bhràigh Uige" a theich agus an ùpraid a dh'èirich as a-sin. Ach cha b'fhada gus an robh e ris na h-òrain gaoil, agus ged a tha a' mhòrchuid dhiubh seo aotrom, bàidheil, tha leithid "Ho-rò Chan eil an Smal Orm" a leigeil fhaicinn nach robh e buileach do thè òg sam bith a char a thoirt as, oir bha e 'na chomas dìoghaltas a chur ann am briathran binn'.	Around this time in his life most of the Skipper's songs were light and joyful - "Òran mu Bhaidhsagal" [song about a bicycle], "An t-Each Iarainn" [the iron horse, ie train], and one about "Tarbh Bhràigh Uige" [the bull of Upper Uig - and the uproar it caused when it escaped]. However, it was not long before he turned to composing love songs, and though most of these were light and affectionate, some such as "Ho-rò Chan eil an Smal Orm" [I'm not vexed] reveal that he was not going to let any young girl away with teasing him, for he had the ability to wreak revenge with sweet words.

To Be Continued.

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