A’ Tional nam Flùraichean	Picking the Flowers
“Flower of The West: The Runrig Songbook” le Ruairidh is Calum Dòmhnallach; Ridge Books, Beurla/Gàidhlig, £29.15 UK (Eòrpa £33.20, eile £39.50) le postachd, cruaidh ri fhaighinn bho Ridge Books, 1 York Place, Obar Dheathain AB11 5DL lèirmheas le Niall Gòrdan	Flower of The West: The Runrig Songbook” by Rory & Calum MacDonald; Ridge Books, English/Gaelic, £29.15 UK (Europe £33.20, other £39.50) including postage, hardback available from Ridge Books, 1 York Place, Aberdeen AB11 5DL review by Niall Gòrdan
Tha mise air aon dhiubh sin a tha fortanach gu leòr a thiodhlacan Nollaig is cinn-là breith fhaotainn dlùth air a chèile: agus an geamhradh seo, fhuair mi leabhar a bheir bàrr air a’ chòrr san tiùrr!	I’m one of those lucky individuals who get their Christmas presents close to their birthday ones: and this winter, I received a book which outshines all the rest in the pile!
Se an leabhar, co-chruinneachadh de 115 òran le Ruairidh is Calum Dòmhnallach bhon chòmhlan Runrig. Mar is eòl do mhòran bhall de ChLI, b’iad Runrig a ghin annam – còrr is dusan bliadhna air ais – ùidh sa Ghàidhlig: uime sin, tha e ceart agus iomchaidh gun dèanainn moladh is meas air an leabhar mhìorbhaileach ùr seo.	The book is a collection of 115 songs by Rory and Calum MacDonald of the group Runrig. As many CLI members will be aware, it was Runrig who caused me – over twelve years ago – to take up an interest in the Gaelic: therefore, it is right and proper that I appraise this marvellous new book.
Uill, chan e dìreach leabhar òran a th’againn an-seo, ach cuideachd eachdraidh air mar a chaidh na h-òrain a chur ri chèile. Air feadh an leabhair tha dealbhan, cùl-sgeòil is facail gach òran (le eadar-theangachadh air an fheadhainn Ghàidhlig), agus ceòl is còrdan giotàir sgrìobhte sìos air dòigh so-leantainneach: a h-uile nì, gu dearbha, a tha dhìth air duine sam bith, eadar ’s gur e neach san t-sreath, neach ciùil no dìreach neach leanmhainn a th’ann (faodaidh mi radha, cuideachd, gum faigh na tha ’nam buill de bhuidheann leanmhainn Runrig rud a bharrachd an cois an leabhair... ach is dòcha nach bu chòir dhomh cus a radha mun a-shin!).	It’s not just a song-book we have here, but also a history of how the songs were put together. Throughout there are pictures, background notes and lyrics (including translations of the Gaelic ones, of course), and written music and guitar chords set out in an easy-to-follow manner: everything, in fact, needed by anyone at all, be they the average bod, a musician or a follower of the band (I can also say that members of the band’s fan club get an extra something along with the book... but perhaps I should keep quiet about that!).
Thoireamaid sùil a-steach am broinn an leabhair ma-tà. An dèidh facal taing on dithist sheòid ciùil iad fhèin, tha ro-ràdh le Iain MacAnndrais (aig Rèidio na h-Alba), facal toisich leis a’ bhàrd Aonghas Dubh MacNeacail agus, gach dìleas gu deireadh, beagan fhaclan aig Andy Thorburn a chuir earrann “teignigeach” a’ chiùil (ma ghabhas sin a chantail ris) ri chèile.	Let’s take a look inside the book, then. After a word of thanks from the two musical heroes themselves, there is an introduction by Ian Anderson (of Radio Scotland), a foreword by bard Aonghas Dubh MacNeacail and, last but not least, a few words from Andy Thorburn, who put together the “technical” (if it may be called that) part of the music.
A thaobh seo, tha na còrdan giotair ann, agus bu chòir ’s gum b’urrainn do dhaoine òga fear sam bith – no a h-uile fear, gu dearbh – dhe na h-òrain a chluich air an giotàran aig an taigh... rud a tha gu mòr a dhìth air saoghal na Gàidhlig ’na mo bharail-sa!	There are guitar chords, and this should make it possible for youngsters to play any song – or, indeed, every one – on their guitars at home…something which has been lacking in the Gaelic world for a long time in my view!
Nist, ma tha thu coltach riumsa, bidh aon òran is annsa leat os cionn chàich, agus on a tha na h-òrain air an cur an òrdugh na h-aibidile, faodaidh tu falbh chun an òrain sin sa bhad. Tagham an-dràsta òran cho drùidhteach ainmeil ’s a th’aca, An Ubhal As Àirde (sgrìobhte gu ceart ann an-seo, chan ann air a “leasachadh” le peadantaich a’ Chomuinn Ghaidhealaich!): gheibh sinn rann is sèist leis a’ cheòl sgrìobhte. Agus air an aon duilleig dealbh dubh-is-geal de Dhòmhnall Iain MacDhòmhnaill, athair na dithist, duine socair eireachdail a rèir choltais. Tha sgeulachd an òrain – agus mar a chaidh a chur ri chèile aig a’ cheann thall – dìreach drùidhteach, agus is math a b’fhiach an leabhar a cheannach air tàillibh sin fhèin. Leugh fhèin e is chì thu dè tha mi a’ ciallachadh.	Now, if you are like me, you will have a favourite song, and since the songs are alphabetically arranged, you can go to that song instantly. Let me select one just now which is as famous and as impressive as any they have, An Ubhal As Àirde [The Highest Apple] (written correctly here, not “improved” by the pedants of An Comunn Gaidhealach!): there is verse and chorus, the notation and chords. And a black-and-white photograph of Donald John MacDonald, the pair’s dad, a gentle, handsome man by all appearances. The song’s story – and how it ultimately took shape – is quite affecting, and the book would be worth buying on that score alone. Read it yourself and you will see what I mean.
Tha Ruairidh agus Calum a’ toirt seachad am pìosan beaga fhèin mu na h-òrain, agus an cois an fhiosrachaidh seo tha far a bheil a h-uile clàradh riamh dhe gach òran ri’m faotainn; cuid dhiubh air an dèanamh le còmhlanan is seinneadairean eile. Tha cuimhne a’m fhìn gun do chuir Cathy Anne Nic-a-Phì loinn air leth air Cearcall a’ Chuain bho chionn fhad an t-saoghail, agus cha chreid mi nach ann aicese a chuala ’s a thuig mi an t-òran slàn an toiseach is mi fòs ag ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig. Tha mo chuimhne thaobh sin cho biorach fòs.	Rory and Calum provide their own commentaries on the songs, and along with this information is where every recording of each song can be found; some of which are by other groups and singers. I myself remember Cathy Anne MacPhee’s lovely version of Cearcall a’ Chuain [The Cycle of the Sea] a good while back, and I think it was that version which helped me to fully hear and understand the song for the first time when I was still learning the Gaelic. My memory of that is still poignant.
A bharrachd air na dealbhan sgoinneil, tha na rudan beaga neònach nach b’aithne dhuinn ach a bu toil leinn faighneachd mu’n deidhinn gan toirt am follais: mar eisimpleir, car son a litricheadh blaring mar a tha san òran sgairteil Bheurla, Pride of The Summer:	In addition to the fine pictures, the strange little things we didn’t know but wanted to ask about are revealed: for example, why is blaring spelt in the way it is in the rousing English song, Pride of the Summer:
Across the bay I can still hear the strains The two step loud and Blair-ing	Across the bay I can still hear the strains The two-step loud and Blair-ing
Càite bheil na “snares in the square”, ge-tà? Chan ann san Eilean idir, ach àiteigin nas fhaisge air dà chaolas àraid mun ear-thuath…feumar an leabhar a cheannach son sin fhaighinn a-mach!	Where are the “snares in the square”, though? Not in Skye at all, but somewhere nearer two certain north-east firths... you’ll have to buy the book to find that out!
San dealachadh, ma-tà, bu toil leam beagan a radha mu phrìs an leabhair: dh’fhaodadh gun smaoinicheadh cuid g’eil £25 ’na phrìs ro mhòr son leabhar sam bith, ach gu dearbh fheine chan aontaichinn riutha. Càite eile am faigh duine ceòl is òrain is eachdraidh is ealantachd dhealbh anns an aon leabhar? ’Se leabhar a th’ann a bu choir a bhith sa h-uile taigh air Ghaidhealtachd – mura h-ann air an t-saoghal – leabhar a mhaireas na linntean, fada as dèidh dhomh fhìn is dhuit fhèin, a leughadair ghlic, ar saoghal fhàgail. Cha bhi ar turas fada, ge-tà…dèan cinnteach gun giùlain thu beagan de dhraoidheachd spioradail òrain Runrig cuide riut.	As a parting shot, then, I would like to say something about the price: some might think £25 is a bit over the top, but I certainly wouldn’t agree with them. Where else will one find music, songs, history and impressive photography in the same book? It is a book which ought to be in every home in Gaeldom – if not the world – a book to last for generations, long after you and I, wise reader, have left our world. Our journey won’t be long, though... so make sure you carry a little bit of the spiritual magic of Runrig’s songs with you.

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