Fàilte! (Welcome!)

Fàilte! (Welcome!)
This blog is the result of my ongoing research into the people, places and events that have shaped the Western Isles of Scotland and, in particular, the 'Siamese-twins' of Harris and Lewis.
My interest stems from the fact that my Grandfather was a Stornowegian and, until about four years ago, that was the sum total of my knowledge, both of him and of the land of his birth.
I cannot guarantee the accuracy of everything that I have written (not least because parts are, perhaps, pioneering) but I have done my best to check for any errors.
My family mainly lived along the shore of the Sound of Harris, from An-t-Ob and Srannda to Roghadal, but one family 'moved' to Direcleit in the Baighs...

©Copyright 2011 Peter Kerr All rights reserved

Monday 5 March 2012

An Ribheid Chiuil - Reed Music

I have been patiently waiting to obtain a copy of the late Alick Morrison's (1911-2005) 1961 book:

An Ribheid Chiuil
being the Poems of
Iain Archie MacAskill, 1898-1933
Bard of Berneray, Harris

When a signed copy appeared for sale the temptation proved irresistible!

What has proved a most intriguing surprise, however, is the handwritten inscription:

To Fred Macaulay
With Kindest Regards
Alick Morrison
24/3/61

What intrigues me is whether the recipient was perhaps the late Fred MacAulay (1925-2003) who was originally  from Sollas, North Uist and then went on to become the Senior Gaelic Producer at BBC Scotland in 1964, following Finlay J Macdonald (1926-1987)  in that role?

I shall have to do a little more checking but the name Fred MacAulay is extremely rare in Scotland and it seems entirely plausible that Alick Morrison would sign a copy of his new book for the fellow Gaelic scholar from just across the Sound of Berneray?

Incidentally, Fred MacAualy was named, via a relative Frederick Thomas Gillies, after Captain FWL Thomas.

Update:
I did get the handwriting verified, and a correspondent kindly confirmed that my copy had indeed once been sitting on Fred MacAulay's bookshelf at the BBC.

It is now sitting on my own bookshelf in Alick Morrison's home island of Berneray...







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