The Little Letter for Gaelic Learners

• Updated:
  Weekly
• Average duration:
  4 minutes

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Recent episodes (10)

• 04 Jan 10: An Litir Bheag 243

  Mon, 4 Jan 10

  Duration:
  4 mins

  We’re still in Caithness this week. We’re looking at the Gaelic heritage of that area. Here is advice from Caithness about alcoholic drink. It tells about the influence one glass, two glasses and three glasses of whisky have on a person.

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• 14 Dec 09: An Litir Bheag

  Mon, 14 Dec 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Ruairidh has a story from Caithness for you this week. It’s from the Dunbeath area. It’s called The Three Knots. It starts in Liabost – that’s the Gaelic for Lybster – a village in the south-eastern part of Caithness. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

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• 07 Dec 09: An Litir Bheag

  Mon, 7 Dec 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  Last week we were in Helmsdale. That’s in [East] Sutherland. We’re staying in that area today. Ruairidh wants to tell you about something that happened in the Strath of Kildonan. He's not sure when it happened. It comes from oral tradition. The crofters weren’t using coal in their fires. They were using peat. They were cutting the peat. They were keeping the “peats” – the dry pieces of peat – in stacks. The stacks were near their houses. But one crofter was a thief. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

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• 30 Nov 09: An Litir Bheag 240

  Mon, 30 Nov 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  I was in Sutherland recently. I was in Bun Ilidh. That’s the Gaelic for Helmsdale. I heard about a tree in the area. The name it has, or had, is The Làmh Tree. You’ll know the Gaelic word làmh. The Làmh Tree – Craobh na Làimhe. It’s interesting that it’s The Làmh Tree that people say in English, rather than The Hand Tree. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

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• 23 Nov 09: An Litir Bheag

  Mon, 23 Nov 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  On the Isle of Canna there is the Corra-dhùn. It is next to the shore. In English its name is Coroghon Castle. It’s a small stone building, at the top of a hill. According to oral tradition it was a prison. A clan chief of Clan-ranald kept his wife there. She was a prisoner. Learn more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

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• 16 Nov 09: An Litir Bheag: 238

  Mon, 16 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  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. Find out more about Coroghon Castle in this week’s podcast. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

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• 09 Nov 09: An Litir Bheag 237

  Mon, 9 Nov 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Why is Eigg’s nickname the Isle of the Big Women? Isle of the Big Women. According to oral trad-ition, 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 text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

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• 02 Nov 09: An Litir Bheag 236

  Mon, 2 Nov 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  We have nicknames for the islands of Scotland. For example we call Skye Eilean a’ Cheò (Isle of the Mist). We call Lewis Eilean an Fhraoich (Isle of the Heather). And here now are the names of three more islands. Do you know them? Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

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• 26 Oct 09: An Litir Bheag 235

  Mon, 26 Oct 09

  Duration:
  4 mins

  Ruairidh was telling you last week about goats. The old people were saying that goats killed and ate snakes. Well, Ruairidh is not so sure about that. Goats appear often in Gaelic proverbs. Here is one for you: With violets and goats’ milk anoint your face, and there is not a king’s son in the world will not be after you. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

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• 19 Oct 09: An Litir Bheag 234

  Mon, 19 Oct 09

  Duration:
  5 mins

  Ruairidh saw goats in the summer. He doesn’t mean a farmer’s goat. He means wild goats on the hills. He was walking in the deer forest of Letterewe. He was in Glen Bianasdail. Close by there was Meallan Ghobhar [little rounded hill of the goats]. He saw tracks in the heather. The ground was steep. It is goats that made the paths. find out more about the goats in this week's podcast. Accompanying text in both English and Gaelic can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/litirbheag.

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