Letter To Gaelic Learners

• Updated:
  Weekly
• Average duration:
  5 minutes

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Recent episodes (10)

• 18 Dec 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 546

  Fri, 18 Dec 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  Ruairidh continues with his journey through Sutherland and Caithness, accompanied by stories from this area. He’s travelling over the border of Caithness – to the area of Dunbeath; an area renowned for its rich Gaelic storytelling history. He brings us the tale of the three knots. Both the number three and knots are significant in Gaelic heritage. Learn more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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• 11 Dec 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 545

  Fri, 11 Dec 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  Ruairidh has a story from Cataibh today, it’s about a crofter from Sutherland. Most Crofters were diligent at cutting peats for the cold winter nights and building their stacks. Not all were like this, this particular crofter, he was a thief. Find out about his wily ways in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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• 04 Dec 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh

  Fri, 4 Dec 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  Ruairidh has come across two trees that have Gaelic names, but no English names. He describes these in this week’s podcast. He also describes a tree called “The Làmh Tree”. Find out the origins of this name in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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• 27 Nov 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 543

  Fri, 27 Nov 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  Another letter from Canna this week. Ruaraidh was telling us about Coroghan Castle where the wife of Black Donald of the Cuckoo was held captive. This week, Ruairidh tells us more about this character, a clan-chief who would lock up his wife. Find out more in the podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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• 20 Nov 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 542

  Fri, 20 Nov 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  Ruairidh leaves the Isle of Eigg this week, but he remains in the Small Isles as he heads off to the Isle of Canna. There is a place in Canna called Coroghon Castle. It’s not a normal castle. In Gaelic it’s called the Corra-dhùn. The steep fort or hill. Although it is not big, it is steep. The building is next to the shore. It is very old. It is in a poor condition. If somebody doesn’t do something soon, it won’t be there long. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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• 13 Nov 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 541

  Fri, 13 Nov 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  The Isle of Eigg’s nickname is the Isle of the Big Women. According to oral tradition, it goes back to the Seventh Century. The island was still under the control of the Picts. Indeed, it was under the control of a Pictish queen. Find out more about Eìgg’s nickname and this Pictish queen in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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• 06 Nov 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 540

  Fri, 6 Nov 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  How familiar are you with Scotland’s islands? This week Ruairidh examines nicknames associated with three islands. Do you where The cross-wise island, The kingdom of the wild forest and The island of the big women are located? Find out in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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• 30 Oct 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 539

  Fri, 30 Oct 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  Last week, Ruairidh was telling us about what the opinion Gaels had of goats in times gone by. That was that they were capable of killing and eating snakes. Well, it’s interesting how often the goat appears in Gaelic proverbs “The thing that kept the ivy from the goats”. What does that mean? Find out in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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• 23 Oct 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 538

  Fri, 23 Oct 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  How often have you seen a goat in Scotland? Ruairidh does not mean a big white goat behind a white fence, but wild goats who live in the moors. He has seen some many times, in places like the Black Isle, an Colonsay in Strath Spey and, more recently, in Kinlochewe in Ross-shire. Learn more about these wild goats in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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• 16 Oct 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 537

  Fri, 16 Oct 09

  Duration:
  6 mins

  Over the past fortnight Ruairidh has been looking at the poetry and life of Rob Donn. This week, he will take one final look at a piece Rob Donn wrote. This piece is about the difference in attitudes between the Gaels and lowland Scots, in particular the Gaels of the MacKay country. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir.

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