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Am Bratach No. 192 Letter to the editor Alec George’s lovely Gaelic A few years ago when in the north on our usual yearly visit, my younger daughter, Margaret, and I called at the Tongue community centre, where the senior citizens were gathered for the monthly communal meal, to see our old friend, Hugh from Modsary [Skerray]. In the course of our conversation,
I asked Hugh what the Gaelic for “bait” was, but he
couldn’t remember. Then a voice from the other side of the
room called out “maorach”. This was Alec George. Since
then we have called to see him when we are north and enjoy talking
to him and listening to his lovely Gaelic. We saw him last May
and got a great welcome and we were soon chatting in Gaelic.
How glad I was that I could still do that after sixty years in
England! When we left, with a large box of chocolates from him,
his parting words were, “Gum bitheadh an cruithfhear còmhla
ruit” and I replied, “Agus còmhla ruit fheìn”.
I should have said, “Agus còmhla ribh fheìn”
which is more suitable for an older person. This means, to non-Gaelic
speakers, “May God (the Creator) go with you,” or translated,
“thyself”. My wish is that Alec George will be with
us for many years, delighting us with his wonderful memories
of old times. |