[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] ‘S ann à Uibhist a Deas a chaidh do thogail gu ìre mhòr?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] B’ann ann an Uibhist a Deas a chaidh mo thogail gu ìre, a chionn ‘s gur ann an taigh mòr ann an Uibhist a Deas a bha teaghlach m’ athar , a bha m’ athair. Ach b’ ann à Bheàrnaraigh a bha mo mhàthair, mar sin bha mi eadar deas is tuath. Nuair a ruiginn gu tuath, bhiodh iad a’ magadh orm airson ‘s ann deasach a bha mi a’ bruidhinn, nuair a bhithinn sa ceann a deas bhithinn a’ faighinn magadh orm son a bhith caran tuathach a’ bruidhinn, ach bha mise eadar dà lionn.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Ach bha thu cuideachd speileag air tìr-mòr?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Bha sinn speileag air tìr-mòr, chaidh m’athair a dh’ obair greis aig Oighreachd mhòr ann an Siorrachd Sruighlea nuair a bha mi mu chòig bliadhna a dh’ aois, agus bha e caran sgriosail ann an dòigh dhòmhsa, cha robh agamsa ach Gàidhlig, bha mi air a bhith trì mìosan san sgoil anns an taigh mhòr, ‘s bha bean-teagaisg againne ann an sin, ‘s e Mrs McRury, ‘s bha i uabhasach laghach ris an fheadhainn bheaga ged nach robh guth air poileasaidh Gàidhlig aig an àm. Nuair a ruigeamaid dhan sgoil ‘s gun cus Beurla againne, ‘s e Gàidhlig a bh’ aice ga bhruidhinn, fhios a’d, gus am biodhamaid saorsanail ’ no gus am biodhamaid toilichte san sgoil. ‘S mar sin, bha sinn a’ tighinn gu ìre Beurla a thuigsinn. Ach nuair a ghluais an teaghlach gu Siorrachd Sruighlea gu Port of Menteith, thuigsinn Beurla meadhanach math. Ach, uill, chànainn “No” co-dhiù. Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gur e sin an aon fhacal a bh’ agam.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Is bha agad ri dhol dhan sgoil?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Bha agam ri dhol dhan sgoil. Bha mi coltach ris a’ chloinn bhig, fhios a’d, cluinnidh tu an-diugh na tha de dhaoine a’ tighinn a Bhreatainn às gach ceàrn, ‘s tha chlann bheag sin a’ dol dhan sgoil, ‘s chan eil Beurla aca. Tha fhios agamsa cò ris a tha e coltach.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Cò ris a bha e coltach?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Uill, cha robh aon duine sa sgoil sin aig an robh Gàidhlig. Is a’ chiad latha san sgoil, tha cuimhne a’m, ‘s mo mhathair gam thoirt ann. Agus a’ mìneachadh, of course bha Beurla aig mo mhàthair, ach ise ag innse dha na tidsearan “Ò, nì i cunntadh is nì i sums bheaga is nì i beagan sgrìobhaidh, ‘s nì i a h-uile càil”. Is thuirt an tidsear “Ò faighnich mi dhi fhèin ma-thà”. Is bha i a’ faighneachd dhòmhsa, fhios agad, “An aithne dhut an aibidil? Do you know the alphabet? ”aice-se, is ghnog i cinn gu modhail is “Do you know your numbers?” aice-se gu robh gu bheil, fhios agad cho modhail le sìon.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Bha thu modhail an uair sin?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Bha, fhios agad, ach ‘s dòcha bha an àm a bha mi seachd gu robh sin air seargadh , chan eil fhios agam. Is thuirt i rium an uair sin “Can you count for me, dear?” arsa ise, “Can you count from one to ten? ” Boireannach bochd is bha i cho laghach is cho gasta is thòisich an oinnseach “aon, a dhà, a trì, a ceithir, a còig” is chunnaic mi, fhios agad, a h-aghaidh, bha e shuas os mo chionn, o chionn ‘s bha mise cho beag is bha bean-teagaisg a bh’ innte nise cho mòr ‘s cho àrd, dh’ atharraich a h-aghaidh is bha mi a’ faicinn air aghaidh inbheach dì-tuigse, ‘s an uair sin, bha mi a’ smaointinn gun robh a’ chiad thuigse gun robh cànan ann agus gun robh aineolas cànain a sgaradh dhaoine, o chionn ‘s cha robh am boireannach sin ga mo thuigsinn aig dòigh sam bith.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Ach an àite do chuir an aghaidh cànain, ’s ann a chuir e gu cànan thu.
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Gun robh mi a’ faireachdainn sin, nuair a dh’ fhàs mi nas sine, cha robh an uair sin. Ach tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gur e sin mar gum biodh am fras anns an do dh’ fhàs ùidh ann an cànan.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Agus tha an aois sin a’ leantainn fhathast. Thig sinn gu sin a-rithist. Chaidh thu dhan oilthigh, Uill, chaidh thu an toiseach air ais a dh’ Uibhist is chaidh thu dhan àrd-sgoil ann an Loch Abair, cò ris a bha sin coltach?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Cha robh an sgoil uabhasach math. Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil e nas fheàrr an-diugh leis na tha mi a’ cluinntinn mu dheidhinn, ach aig an àm, chan eil mi a’ smaoineachadh gun robh putadh làidir gu leòr a thaobh leantainn ort gu foghlam aig àrd ìre.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Dè mu dheidhinn saoghal ostail?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Ò bha saoghal ostail. Bha a h-uile ostail dona na dòigh fhèin. ’S e an rud as motha air a bheil cuimhne agamsa mun ostail, ‘s e na sèithrichean. Cha robh aon sèithear cofhurtail dhen t-seòrsa-sa am broinn an togalaich. Ò uill, bha aig a’ mhatron san t-seòmar aice fhèin am bateigin anns a’ chùl ach far an robh sinne, bha sèithrichean cruaidh, fiodha. Dèan fhèin ceithir, dealbh dheth, ceithir bliadhna air do mhàs air sèithear cruaidh fiodha.
Chaidh am prògram seo, Thuige Seo, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 2010.
[Donald Morrison] You were mainly brought up in South Uist?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] I was brought up in South Uist to a degree as my father’s family was from a big house in South Uist, my father. But my mother was from Bernaray, as such I was between south and north. When I went north they would mock me as I would speak with a south accent, when I would go to the south end, I would get mocked as I would kind of speak north, but I was between two waters.
[Donald Morrison] But you also had a spell on the mainland?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] We were a short spell on the mainland, my father went to work on the great estate on a Stirlingshire when I was about five years of age and it was quite disgraceful in a way to me, I only had Gaelic, I was three months in school in the big house and we had a school mistress there, Mrs McRury, she was awful nice to the wee ones although there was no word of the Gaelic policy at the time. When we went to school without much English, she spoke Gaelic, you know, until we would be happy in our mind or until we would be happy in school. And as such we would come to understand English. But when the family moved to Stirlingshire to Port of Menteith, understanding English quite well. Ach, well, I would say “No” anyway. I think that wa the one word I had.
[Donald Morrison] And you had to go to the school?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] I had to go to the school. I was like the small children, you know, you’ll hear today from people who come to Britain from each corner, and those small children go to school, and they don’t have English. I know what it’s like.
[Donald Morrison] what is it like??
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] Well, there wasn’t a person at that school with Gaelic. And the first day of school, I remember, my mother took me there. And was explaining, of course, my mother had Gaelic and she was telling the teachers “Oh, she’ll count and she’ll do wee sums and she’ll do a bit of writing and she’ll do everything.” And the teacher said “Oh, I’ll ask her myself then”. And she was asking me, you know, “Do you know the alphabet?”, she said and she nodded her head politely “Do you know your numbers?” she had to see was as polite as anything.
[Donald Morrison] You were polite then?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] I was, you know, but perhaps at that time I was seven before it withered, I don’t know. And she said then “Can you count for me, dear?” she said, “Can you count from one to ten? ” the poor woman and she was so nice and lovely and the idiot started “aon (one), a dhà (two), a trì (three), a ceithir (four), a còig (five)” and I saw, you know, her face, it was up above me, as I was so small and the teacher was now so big and so tall and she changed her face and I saw her incomprehensible adult face and then I thought the first understanding that there was language and there was language ignorance dividing people and the woman did not understanding me in any way.
[Donald Morrison] But instead of turning you against language it put language in you.
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] I was feeling that, when I got older, I didn’t then. But I think that was the shower where my interest grew in language.
[Donald Morrison] And that age continues yet. We’ll come back to that again. You went to university. Well, you went first back to South Uist and you went to high school in Lochaber, what was that like?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] The school was not awful good. I think it is better today with what I hear about it, but at the time, I don’t think there was a strong enough push to continue with education at a higher level.
[Donald Morrison] What about the world of the hostel?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] Oh the hostel world. Every hostel was bad in its own way. The biggest thing that I remember about the hostel is the chairs. There was not one comfortable chair of that type within the building. Oh well, the matron had one in her own room somewhere in the back but where we were, there were hard, wooden chairs. Create for yourself four, make an image, four years on your bottom and a hard wooden chair
This programme, Thuige Seo, was first broadcast in 2010.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] ‘S ann à Uibhist a Deas a chaidh do thogail gu ìre mhòr?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] B’ann ann an Uibhist a Deas a chaidh mo thogail gu ìre, a chionn ‘s gur ann an taigh mòr ann an Uibhist a Deas a bha teaghlach m’ athar , a bha m’ athair. Ach b’ ann à Bheàrnaraigh a bha mo mhàthair, mar sin bha mi eadar deas is tuath. Nuair a ruiginn gu tuath, bhiodh iad a’ magadh orm airson ‘s ann deasach a bha mi a’ bruidhinn, nuair a bhithinn sa ceann a deas bhithinn a’ faighinn magadh orm son a bhith caran tuathach a’ bruidhinn, ach bha mise eadar dà lionn.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Ach bha thu cuideachd speileag air tìr-mòr?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Bha sinn speileag air tìr-mòr, chaidh m’athair a dh’ obair greis aig Oighreachd mhòr ann an Siorrachd Sruighlea nuair a bha mi mu chòig bliadhna a dh’ aois, agus bha e caran sgriosail ann an dòigh dhòmhsa, cha robh agamsa ach Gàidhlig, bha mi air a bhith trì mìosan san sgoil anns an taigh mhòr, ‘s bha bean-teagaisg againne ann an sin, ‘s e Mrs McRury, ‘s bha i uabhasach laghach ris an fheadhainn bheaga ged nach robh guth air poileasaidh Gàidhlig aig an àm. Nuair a ruigeamaid dhan sgoil ‘s gun cus Beurla againne, ‘s e Gàidhlig a bh’ aice ga bhruidhinn, fhios a’d, gus am biodhamaid saorsanail ’ no gus am biodhamaid toilichte san sgoil. ‘S mar sin, bha sinn a’ tighinn gu ìre Beurla a thuigsinn. Ach nuair a ghluais an teaghlach gu Siorrachd Sruighlea gu Port of Menteith, thuigsinn Beurla meadhanach math. Ach, uill, chànainn “No” co-dhiù. Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gur e sin an aon fhacal a bh’ agam.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Is bha agad ri dhol dhan sgoil?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Bha agam ri dhol dhan sgoil. Bha mi coltach ris a’ chloinn bhig, fhios a’d, cluinnidh tu an-diugh na tha de dhaoine a’ tighinn a Bhreatainn às gach ceàrn, ‘s tha chlann bheag sin a’ dol dhan sgoil, ‘s chan eil Beurla aca. Tha fhios agamsa cò ris a tha e coltach.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Cò ris a bha e coltach?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Uill, cha robh aon duine sa sgoil sin aig an robh Gàidhlig. Is a’ chiad latha san sgoil, tha cuimhne a’m, ‘s mo mhathair gam thoirt ann. Agus a’ mìneachadh, of course bha Beurla aig mo mhàthair, ach ise ag innse dha na tidsearan “Ò, nì i cunntadh is nì i sums bheaga is nì i beagan sgrìobhaidh, ‘s nì i a h-uile càil”. Is thuirt an tidsear “Ò faighnich mi dhi fhèin ma-thà”. Is bha i a’ faighneachd dhòmhsa, fhios agad, “An aithne dhut an aibidil? Do you know the alphabet? ”aice-se, is ghnog i cinn gu modhail is “Do you know your numbers?” aice-se gu robh gu bheil, fhios agad cho modhail le sìon.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Bha thu modhail an uair sin?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Bha, fhios agad, ach ‘s dòcha bha an àm a bha mi seachd gu robh sin air seargadh , chan eil fhios agam. Is thuirt i rium an uair sin “Can you count for me, dear?” arsa ise, “Can you count from one to ten? ” Boireannach bochd is bha i cho laghach is cho gasta is thòisich an oinnseach “aon, a dhà, a trì, a ceithir, a còig” is chunnaic mi, fhios agad, a h-aghaidh, bha e shuas os mo chionn, o chionn ‘s bha mise cho beag is bha bean-teagaisg a bh’ innte nise cho mòr ‘s cho àrd, dh’ atharraich a h-aghaidh is bha mi a’ faicinn air aghaidh inbheach dì-tuigse, ‘s an uair sin, bha mi a’ smaointinn gun robh a’ chiad thuigse gun robh cànan ann agus gun robh aineolas cànain a sgaradh dhaoine, o chionn ‘s cha robh am boireannach sin ga mo thuigsinn aig dòigh sam bith.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Ach an àite do chuir an aghaidh cànain, ’s ann a chuir e gu cànan thu.
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Gun robh mi a’ faireachdainn sin, nuair a dh’ fhàs mi nas sine, cha robh an uair sin. Ach tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gur e sin mar gum biodh am fras anns an do dh’ fhàs ùidh ann an cànan.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Agus tha an aois sin a’ leantainn fhathast. Thig sinn gu sin a-rithist. Chaidh thu dhan oilthigh, Uill, chaidh thu an toiseach air ais a dh’ Uibhist is chaidh thu dhan àrd-sgoil ann an Loch Abair, cò ris a bha sin coltach?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Cha robh an sgoil uabhasach math. Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil e nas fheàrr an-diugh leis na tha mi a’ cluinntinn mu dheidhinn, ach aig an àm, chan eil mi a’ smaoineachadh gun robh putadh làidir gu leòr a thaobh leantainn ort gu foghlam aig àrd ìre.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Dè mu dheidhinn saoghal ostail?
[Màiri-Anna NicDhòmhnaill] Ò bha saoghal ostail. Bha a h-uile ostail dona na dòigh fhèin. ’S e an rud as motha air a bheil cuimhne agamsa mun ostail, ‘s e na sèithrichean. Cha robh aon sèithear cofhurtail dhen t-seòrsa-sa am broinn an togalaich. Ò uill, bha aig a’ mhatron san t-seòmar aice fhèin am bateigin anns a’ chùl ach far an robh sinne, bha sèithrichean cruaidh, fiodha. Dèan fhèin ceithir, dealbh dheth, ceithir bliadhna air do mhàs air sèithear cruaidh fiodha.
Chaidh am prògram seo, Thuige Seo, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 2010.
[Donald Morrison] You were mainly brought up in South Uist?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] I was brought up in South Uist to a degree as my father’s family was from a big house in South Uist, my father. But my mother was from Bernaray, as such I was between south and north. When I went north they would mock me as I would speak with a south accent, when I would go to the south end, I would get mocked as I would kind of speak north, but I was between two waters.
[Donald Morrison] But you also had a spell on the mainland?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] We were a short spell on the mainland, my father went to work on the great estate on a Stirlingshire when I was about five years of age and it was quite disgraceful in a way to me, I only had Gaelic, I was three months in school in the big house and we had a school mistress there, Mrs McRury, she was awful nice to the wee ones although there was no word of the Gaelic policy at the time. When we went to school without much English, she spoke Gaelic, you know, until we would be happy in our mind or until we would be happy in school. And as such we would come to understand English. But when the family moved to Stirlingshire to Port of Menteith, understanding English quite well. Ach, well, I would say “No” anyway. I think that wa the one word I had.
[Donald Morrison] And you had to go to the school?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] I had to go to the school. I was like the small children, you know, you’ll hear today from people who come to Britain from each corner, and those small children go to school, and they don’t have English. I know what it’s like.
[Donald Morrison] what is it like??
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] Well, there wasn’t a person at that school with Gaelic. And the first day of school, I remember, my mother took me there. And was explaining, of course, my mother had Gaelic and she was telling the teachers “Oh, she’ll count and she’ll do wee sums and she’ll do a bit of writing and she’ll do everything.” And the teacher said “Oh, I’ll ask her myself then”. And she was asking me, you know, “Do you know the alphabet?”, she said and she nodded her head politely “Do you know your numbers?” she had to see was as polite as anything.
[Donald Morrison] You were polite then?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] I was, you know, but perhaps at that time I was seven before it withered, I don’t know. And she said then “Can you count for me, dear?” she said, “Can you count from one to ten? ” the poor woman and she was so nice and lovely and the idiot started “aon (one), a dhà (two), a trì (three), a ceithir (four), a còig (five)” and I saw, you know, her face, it was up above me, as I was so small and the teacher was now so big and so tall and she changed her face and I saw her incomprehensible adult face and then I thought the first understanding that there was language and there was language ignorance dividing people and the woman did not understanding me in any way.
[Donald Morrison] But instead of turning you against language it put language in you.
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] I was feeling that, when I got older, I didn’t then. But I think that was the shower where my interest grew in language.
[Donald Morrison] And that age continues yet. We’ll come back to that again. You went to university. Well, you went first back to South Uist and you went to high school in Lochaber, what was that like?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] The school was not awful good. I think it is better today with what I hear about it, but at the time, I don’t think there was a strong enough push to continue with education at a higher level.
[Donald Morrison] What about the world of the hostel?
[Mary-Anne MacDonald] Oh the hostel world. Every hostel was bad in its own way. The biggest thing that I remember about the hostel is the chairs. There was not one comfortable chair of that type within the building. Oh well, the matron had one in her own room somewhere in the back but where we were, there were hard, wooden chairs. Create for yourself four, make an image, four years on your bottom and a hard wooden chair
This programme, Thuige Seo, was first broadcast in 2010.