Thòisich mi ris a' Ghàidhlig a theagasg ann an naoi ceud deug ceithir fichead 's a sia deug ann am Baile nan Gall, Ceap Breatainn, trì mìosan deug an déidh dhomh tòiseachadh r' a h-ionnsachadh. Tro na bliadhnaichean eadar sin 's an diugh tha mi air aithne a chuir air iomadh duine á caochladh àite, 's nach ann taitneach a bha ( 's a tha ) an rathad a thagh mi! A nise, le bhith teagasg os leth Acadamaidh Gàidhlig an Atlantaig, bidh oileanaich agam o àiteachan fad 'is farsuing. Bha fhios agam carson a chuir mise romham Gàidhlig dh' ionnsachadh agus bha e riamh 'na chùis-ùidhe dhomh carson a bhiodh ùidh aig daoine á àiteachan cho sgapte far a chéile ( m. e. Crìot, Mongòilia ) air a' Ghàidhlig?

Seo beagan dhe na fhuair mi amach ré nam bliadhnaichean:

A 's trice 's e ceòl nan Gaidheal a tharruingeas daoine aig nach eile fhios air a' chànan no air an dualchas gu ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig. 'Nuair a thòisich mi, 's e ceòl Teaghlaich 'Ic Fhraing a tharruing; an diugh 's e Màiri Sìne Nic Laomainn 'is Julie Fowlis na h-ainmean a chluinneas mi a ' trice.

Bidh cuid de dhaoine ag ionndrainn a' chànain a chual' 'ad 'nan òige agus cuid aig an robh criomagan dhi 'nuair a bha iad 'nam pàisdean. Bidh cuimhn' aca air na làithean sona a bh' ann agus bidh e 'na shòlas dhaibh an cànan a chluinntinn 's a bhruidhinn a rithist.

Bidh e 'na mhór-thoileachas dhomh an uiread de phìobairean a bhios airson na Gàidhlig a thogail. Innsidh iad dhomh gu tric gu bheil iad deònach air ceòl na pìoba 'san t-seann nòs a dh' ionnsachadh... an déidh dhaibh fhaighinn amach gu bheil a leithid ann am bìth!  

'Nuair a bha mi aig a' Cholaisde Ghàidhlig, b' iongantach leam an uiread de dhannsairean Ghàidhealach a thàinig gu na clasaichean agam gus an d' fhuair mi fios gu robh am ban-sgoilear Ceallaigh Nic Artair a' moladh dhaibh an cànan 's an seinn dh' ionnsachadh gus am biodh 'ad eòlach air an co-cheangail làidir eadar dannsa, ceòl 'is cànan. Tha bana-charaid agam ann am Florida a th' air a bhith deanamh obair mhór air sgàth na Gàidhlig fad bliadhnaichean. Thuirt i rium turus, " Mur an do thòisich mi ri dannsa Gàidhealach a dh' ionnsachadh 'nam òige ( 'S tha i fada bho bhith sean fhathast. ) , cha bhiodh ùigh agam ann, no fiù 's fios agam air, mo dhualchas an diugh. "

Tha seanfhacal ag ràdh, " 'S iomadh rud a thig air laogh air nach do shaoil a mhàthair." 'San aon ruith faodar a ràdh gu bheil iomadh dorus ann tro 'n tig daoine gu ionnsachadh na Gàidhlig air nach saoil sinne 's air nach eil dùil againn. Gun cuir sinn fàilte bhlàth air gach uile duine, gé b' e an dorus tro 'n till e gus a chànan 's a dhualchas a thoirt asteach ás ùr.

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Where Do They Come From?

I started teaching Gaelic in 1996 in Englishtown, Cape Breton, thirteen months after I started learning it. Through the years between then and now I've met many people from a variety of places and hasn't the road I've chosen been ( and is ) enjoyable! Now, through teaching with the Atlantic Gaelic Academy, I have students from places far and wide. I know why I stared to learn Gaelic and I've always been curious as to why people from such diverse places (e. g. Crete, Mongolia) would have an interest in Gaelic.

Here's a little of what I've found out through the years:

Most often it's the music of the Gaels that draws people who don't know anything about the language or the heritage to learn Gaelic. When I started it was the Rankin Family who drew them, but now the names I usually hear are Mary Jane Lamond and Julie Fowlis.

Some people miss the language they heard in their youth and some who had tidbits of it when they were young. They remember those happy days and it's a comfort to them to hear and speak the language again.

It's a great pleasure for me to see the number of pipers who want to have the Gaelic. They often tell me they want to play the pipes to the old Gaelic stylings... after they find out such a thing exists!

When I was at the Gaelic College I was surprised at the number of highland dancers who came to my classes until I found out that their teacher, Kelly MacArthur, was advising them to learn the language and the singing so they would know the strong connection between the dance, the music and the language. A friend of mine in Florida has been strongly supporting Gaelic for years now and she once told me, "If I hadn't started highland dancing when I was young (and she's still far from old) I'd have no interest in, nor even know anything about, my heritage today."  

A proverb says, " There's many a thing will happen to a heifer that his mother didn't think about." In the same spirit it can be said that there are many doors through which people come to learn Gaelic which we don't think about or expect. May we show a warm welcome to all, whatever door they come through in order to reclaim their language and their heritage.