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An Litir Bheag 816

Litir Bheag na seachdain sa le Ruairidh MacIlleathain. Litir 脿ireamh 816. Roddy Maclean is back with this week's short letter for G脿idhlig learners.

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Sun 3 Jan 2021 16:00

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An Litir Bheag 816

Tha mi fhathast a鈥� togail chriomagan 脿s an l脿raich-l矛n 鈥�Sgeul na G脿idhlig aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu鈥�. Chuir an Comunn Oiseanach athchuinge don riaghaltas ann an ochd ceud deug, trithead 始s a naoi (1839). Bha iad ag iarraidh gum biodh a鈥� Gh脿idhlig air a teagasg san oilthigh. Cha d鈥� fhuair iad taic sam bith.聽

Ann an ochd ceud deug, naochad 始s a ceithir (1894), fhuair an t-oilthigh airgead d矛leib airson sreath 貌raidean 鈥楥eilteach鈥� a chumail ann. Airson c貌ig bliadhna, shuidh an t-oilthigh air an airgead. Cha do rinn iad dad leis. Mu dheireadh, chuir oileanaich athchuinge gu C霉irt an Oilthigh mun ghnothach.聽

Bliadhna an d猫idh sin, thug an neach-saidheans, an t-脌rd-ollamh M脿nus MacGhill鈥橢ain, sreath de dheich 貌raidean seachad air cuspairean Ceilteach. 始S ann 脿s an Eilean Sgitheanach a bha MacGhill鈥橢ain, agus bha G脿idhlig aige.

Ann an naoi ceud deug is sia (1906), chaidh an t-Oll. Urr. De貌rsa MacEanruig fhastadh mar 貌raidiche l脿n-th矛de. Bha cothrom aig oileanaich c霉rsaichean Ceilteach a dh猫anamh mar ph脿irt de cheum oilthigh. Gu m矛-fhortanach, chaochail MacEanruig ann an naoi ceud deug 始s a dh脿-dheug (1912). Bha e d矛reach ceathrad 始s a sia bliadhna a dh鈥檃ois.

脌s a dh猫idh, th脿inig an t-Oll. Urr. De貌rsa Calder. Bha esan na 貌raidiche gu naoi ceud deug, trithead 始s a c貌ig (1935). An uair sin, bha Seumas MacIlleMh矛cheil MacBh脿tair, mac an sgoileir ainmeil Uilleam MacBh脿tair, ann airson tr矛 bliadhna. 脌s a dh猫idh, th脿inig Aonghas MacMhathain 脿 Uibhist a Tuath. Bha esan san oilthigh airson fichead bliadhna.聽

Ann an naoi ceud deug, caogad 始s a sia (1956) chaidh Aonghas a dh猫anamh na 脌rd-ollamh. An d猫idh str矛 a th貌isich c貌rr is ceud bliadhna roimhe, bha Cathair Cheilteach ann an Glaschu. Tha daoine ainmeil air a bhith anns an dreuchd 鈥� Ruairidh MacTh貌mais, D貌mhnall MacAmhlaigh, Cathair 脫 Dochartaigh agus T貌mas Clancy.聽

Ann an d脿 mh矛le 始s a deich (2010), chaidh Cathair Gh脿idhlig a chur air d貌igh cuideachd. Bhon uair sin, tha an t-脌rd-oll. Roibeard 脫 Maolalaigh air a bhith anns a鈥� Chathair. Nuair a tha sinn a鈥� coimhead air ais, tha e f矛or ri r脿dh gu bheil piseach m貌r air tighinn air suidheachadh na G脿idhlig ann an Oilthigh Ghlaschu.

The Little Letter 816

I鈥檓 still picking up crumbs from the website 鈥楾he Gaelic Story at the University of Glasgow鈥�. The Ossianic Society sent a petition to the government in 1839. They were wanting Gaelic to be taught [that Gaelic would be taught] at the university. They got no support.

In 1894, the university received a legacy for hosting a series of 鈥楥eltic鈥� lectures. For five years, the university sat on the money. They did nothing with it. Eventually, students sent a petition to the University Court about the matter.

A year after that, the scientist, Professor Magnus Maclean, delivered a series of ten lectures on Celtic subjects. It鈥檚 from Skye that Maclean hailed, and he was a Gaelic-speaker.

In 1906, the Rev. Dr. George Henderson was employed as a full-time lecturer. The students had an opportunity to do Celtic courses as part of a university degree. Unfortunately, Henderson died in 1912. He was only 46 years of age.

After him came the Rev. Dr. George Calder. He was a lecturer until 1935. Then James Carmichael Watson, the son of the famous scholar, William [J.] Watson, was there for three years. After him came Angus Matheson from North Uist. He was at the university for twenty years.

In 1956, Angus was made a professor. After a struggle that began more than a hundred years before, there was a Celtic Chair in Glasgow. Famous people have been in the job 鈥� Derick Thomson, Donald MacAulay, Cathair 脫 Dochartaigh and Thomas Clancy.

In 2010, a Gaelic Chair was also established. Since then, Prof. Roibeard 脫 Maolalaigh has been in the chair. When we are looking back, it is true to say that the situation of Gaelic at the University of Glasgow is much improved.

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  • Sun 3 Jan 2021 16:00

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Tha gach Litir Bheag an seo / All the Little Letters are here.

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