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Tha an teacsa agus faidhle chlaistich de "Litir do Luchd-Ionnsachaidh" le Ruairidh MacIlleathain ri fhaotainn an seo gach feasgair Dihaoine. Br�th an �omhaigh airson �isteachd ris an Litir fhad �s a tha thu a� leughadh na teacsa. Primary Format : Ethnic Language : Gaelic Also Listed as: City : Glasgow State/Province : Scotland Country : United Kingdom Region : EU User Tags: User Votes: RSS Feed Website People found this Podcast Searching for: View this Podcast on a Google Map. Podcast iTunes Link Text Only listing of Letter to Gaelic Learners Podcasts Methings.com listings of Letter to Gaelic Learners Podcasts If you like this podcast, you might also like:

Letter: 16 Dec 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 648 Roddy was in Wales recently. He noticed that the area was beautiful and that the language was strong. There is lots of language in that area that is easy for a Gael to understand. Snowdonia is the highest mountain, or Yr Wyddfa, in Welsh. It has a very unexpected meaning. Find out what that meaning is and the amazing story behind it, in this week’s letter. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 09 Dec 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 647 Caithness was a miserable place under Campbell’s Earldom. Rent was unpaid, the Earl’s buildings were destroyed and his livestock was stolen. Campbell retaliated by sending military force. The Sinclairs of Caithness and the Campbells began a fierce battle. Who were successful and how did they celebrate their victory? Unlock the secret of the name of the place in this week’s letter. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 02 Dec 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 646 Roddy has been on a walk in Caithness on a famous site. The name is in Gaelic and commemorates an event in 1680. The name is Altimarlach or Allt nam Mèirleach and translates as The Burn of the Robbers. There is a memorial stone there commemorating a battle that took place there. Who were the robbers and why is the battle being commemorated? Roddy sets the scene for the battle that took place there, the Battle of Altimarlach. Duelling lairds and a disputed title; 19th Century politics and ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 25 November 11 : Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh Do you know the word geodha or geo? Geodha in Gaelic, geo in Scots. It’s plentiful in place-names in the north of Scotland. It’s especially plentiful in Caithness. There are a few examples of Gaelic names in Caithness, such as Geodha nam Fitheach. But most of them have a Scots or Scandinavian form. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 18 Nov 11: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 644 Will the soldier ever make his way to the Kingdom of Coldness to find his lost love? Who will help him on his way and who will impede him? He will meet another man with a beard, a giant and an eagle on his way! Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 11 Nov 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 643 As the story gathers pace, the beautiful woman escapes the clutches of the Awisks, she makes a promise with the soldier. However, he meets some very interesting people when he leaves the castle. A fairy woman, and some bearded men with very strange preening devices meet him on his way. Download the next instalment for more information. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 04 Nov 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 642 Sometimes there is more to a beautiful woman than meets the eye! Part of the mystery of the beautiful woman who gives food to the soldiers, but takes away the light. Why does she punish kindness? Why is she in this castle? The final soldier enters the room? Will he meet her challenge and uncover the mystery! Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 28 Oct 11: Litir do Luchd ionnsachaidh 641 AMHAISG – do you know what this word means? It means a very small person of bad intention. Roddy has a story for you this week which is called “Na h-Amhaisgean”, or the Three Soldiers. The three soldiers in question are hungry after a quest and follow a big dog who promises them that there is a house close to them. Find out what happens at this house in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 21 Oct 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 640 Hidden gold! Bonnie Prince Charlie! The Jacobites! Magic, mystery and mayhem. What more could you want from this week’s letter? Who found the hidden gold of the Jacobites and is it still there? Did it have an impact on the land, its legend and placename? There is only one way to find out; listen and learn! Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 14 Oct 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 639 Another fascinating tale from Loch Ewe – this week it’s about a fair-haired chap. He has gold and the news soon spreads round the region, but what are the consequences of this? Learn more about this tale involving mysterious people, French gold, a missing messenger and Bonnie Prince Charlie! Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 07 Oct 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 638 There is a loch in Wester Ross called Loch an Draing on the map. It’s near Loch Ewe. The meaning of the name, Loch an Draing isn’t clear. Local people don’t say “Loch an Draing”. They say “Locha Druing” no “Locha Dring”. Roddy has a story from the area about a fairy, listen to the podcast to find out more. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 30 Sep 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 637 Papar – Gaelic-speaking hermits – were living in Iceland in the year 870. Íslendingabók tells us that. That’s the year the Norse appeared. The papar left. They did not return. They left bells and books on the island. Were they the only Gaels that went to Iceland and were to be found there? Find out in this week’s podcast? Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 23 Sep 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 636 The Norse influenced the Gaelic language. But did the Gaels influence the Norse language? Well, yes, to a small degree. Roddy was in Iceland recently. There is a debate going on there – what effect did the Gaels have on the island? Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 16 Sep 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 635 Roddy was in Iceland recently and saw interesting place-names. They reminded him of place-names in Scotland. For example, the capital city, Reykjavik. You’ll know the word in Scots and English – reek. Edinburgh had the nickname Auld Reekie. Reykja-vík means “reeky bay” or “smoky bay”. There are several places in Iceland with reykja- in the name. Those are places where smoke rises from the ground. He's got more information on the place-names of Iceland in this week's podcast. A ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 09 Sep 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachadh 634 The Westmann Islands in Iceland are small but rugged. From the mainland, the view of the islands reminded Roddy of St Kilda. It’s submarine volcanoes that made them. That was eleven thousand years ago. Ruairidh has plenty of stories about them. Learn more in this week's podcast. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 02 Sep 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh Roddy often goes to Scandinavia. A short while ago, he went to a Scandinavian country that was new to him – Iceland. He really enjoyed it. He found something that surprised him. It was how often he saw and heard things with connections to Scotland. Find out what these where in this week’s podcast. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 26 Aug 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 632 Roddy was telling you about cairidhean/yairs. There were lots of them in the Beauly Firth, west of Inverness. In olden times it was called Poll an Ròid in Gaelic. That means “the inlet of the rood or cross”. That’s the same Rood as in Holyrood House in Edinburgh. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 19 Aug 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 631 There are cairidhean/yairs in many places in the Highlands. They are all old. People haven’t used them for a long time. Cairidh means a small stone wall that people were building on a beach. Fish were swimming over the wall with the flood tide. When the ebb occurred, the water left; but the fish didn’t leave. It was easy for people to pick up the fish from the sand. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co. ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 12 Aug 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 630 Here is a traditional story – "The Ox and the Donkey". An ox and a donkey were lived on the same farm. The ox had a poor life. He worked every day from dawn to dusk. But the donkey had a good life. He didn't do any work. He just rested. One day, the ox said to the donkey, "I'm fed up of working all the time." "You do too much," the donkey agreed. "You plough, you harrow and you pull a cart. I'll tell you what to do. Pretend you’re not well. Then you won’t have any work." Find out more ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 05 Aug 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 629 This is in Dwelly’s dictionary – ùruisg: ‘being supposed to haunt lonely and sequestered places, water-god’. People were believing in urisks in many places. They were strong in Perthshire. A verse names the best-known ones in Breadalbane. Learn more about this verse and the characters in it, in this week'd podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 29 July 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 628 Roddy was telling you about Taigh nam Bodach, or Taigh na Cailliche, near Loch Lyon. People put the stones out of the ‘house’ every Beltane. They bring them in again for the winter at Halloween. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 22 July 11 : Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 627 Bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Thaigh nam Bodach – no Taigh na Cailliche – ann an Gleann Cailliche ann an Siorrachd Pheairt. Tha iomadh ciall air an fhacal cailleach. Seo na tha aig Dwelly: old woman, nun agus supernatural or malign influence dwelling in dark caves, woods and corries. Tha iomadh stòiridh againn mu na cailleachan a bha a' fuireach anns na beanntan. Lorg mi còrr is ceud ainm-àite ann an Alba anns a bheil am facal 'cailleach'. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 15 July 11 : Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 626 Ruairidh tell us more about MacGregor's Leap. Gregor MacGregor jumped over it in the sixteenth century. There was another man who tried to do the same thing. He was an acrobat. But he didn’t succeed. He lost his life. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 08 July 11 : Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 625 We're still in Glenlyon in Perthshire. West of Fortingall, the road is close to the river. There is a thick wood there. The river is in a gorge. It is fast-running and narrow. On the map it's called MacGregor’s Leap. Leum Mhic-Griogair. But who was the MacGregor? Why was he jumping? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 01 Jun 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 624 Roddy was telling you about Fortingall in Perthshire. The name means “the church of the fort”. Was the place sacred to the pagans, before there was a church there? Some people think it was because there is a famous yew tree growing next to the church. It’s very old. They say that it’s the oldest tree in Europe. It’s between two thousand and five thousand years old. It’s not whole now. But it’s still alive! Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all availab ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 23 Jun 11L Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 623 Ruairidh was recently in Glenlyon in Perthshire. That area is famous for history and oral tradition. And, according to oral tradition, the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, was born in the area. His father was in Scotland as part of the Roman army. Accompanying text is available in both English and Gaelic at bbc.co.uk/litirbheag. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 17 Jun 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 622 This week Roddy tells us about a programme that he's been enjoying. It's from Denmark. It is called Forbrydelsen. That means “The Killing”. It takes place in Copenhagen. It’s about murder and the investigation the police make. It inspires Roddy to think about Danish, English, Scots and Gaelic words connected with death. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 10 Jun 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 621 Last week Roddy told us the story The Descendants of the Speckled Horse who was Never Wise. It’s from the Loch Lomond area. The story tells how the name Mac an Oighre or MacNair/Macnair came into being. Mac an Oighre means “the son of the heir”. This week he shares another story from the area. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 03 Jun 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 620 What’s the Gaelic for MacNair/Macnair? Well, in Rossshire it’s Mac ̓an Uidhir. It means Mac Iain Uidhir. That’s the old form of Mac Iain Odhair or “the son of John of the sallow complexion”. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 27 May 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 619 Roddy was telling you about the Bràisteach Mòr, George Gunn. He was the clan chief of the Gunns. Roddy told how he and seven of his sons were killed. That was in combat with the Keiths of Ackergill. The Keiths stole the famous brooch and a sword from the Bràisteach Mòr’s body. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 20 May 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 618 Roddy continues his tale about George Gunn, the clan chief of the Gunns. He had a nickname – the Bràisteach Mòr [“the great brooched one”]. He was alive in the 15th Century. He had a castle at Kinbrace in Sutherland. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 13 May 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 617 The village of Kinbrace is in the county of Sutherland. The Gaelic for it is Ceann a’ Bhràist. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 07 May 11: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 616 St Andrews is the English name for the town in Fife, Cill Rìmhinn. To begin with, "St Andrews" was connected only to the church. It wasn’t connected to the town.Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 30 April 11 : Letter to Gaelic Learners 615 There is a town in Fife called Cill Rìmhinn. It’s not a big town. But it’s famous. It was important in the history of Scotland. And it’s still important to golf and golfers. It has a link to the patron saint of Scotland – St Andrew. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 22 Apr 11: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 614 This week Ruairidh shares an old song with you. The song is old. It’s from the parish of Loch-carron in Wester Ross.Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 15 Apr 11 Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 613 I was telling you last week about the song The Thistle of Scotland. It was the Loch Fyne bard, Evan MacColl, that wrote it. I was in the parish in which he was born recently. There is a memorial to him at Kenmore, on the shore of Loch Fyne. MacColl was born at Kenmore in 1808. The memorial was erected for him in 1930. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 08 Apr 11 Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 612 The Thistle of Scotland is a famous plant of virtues, Neat plant of the prickly tufts which are provenly hard; A magnificent emblem of my beautiful beloved land, Often its fame kindled a bonfire in my cheek. Do you recognise the verse? Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 01 Apr 11 Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 611 A new book came out recently. It's called "Gnàthasan-Cainnt". That means "idioms". They are collected from people that belonged to Lewis, Harris, North Uist and Berneray. I'm going to give you an example or two from the book. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 25 Mar 11 Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 610 I'm going to finish the history of the painting The Death of the Stag by the American painter, Benjamin West. Francis Humberston MacKenzie was going to hang the painting in his castle, Brahan Castle in Rossshire. Through the 1790s, however, the castle was being developed. Thus, the painting remained in London, in Benjamin West's studio. It was there for thirty years. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/ ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 18 Mar 11 Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 609 The painting The Death of the Stag is in the National Gallery of Scotland. It shows Colin Fitzgerald. He is saving the life of King Alexander III. Colin was the progenitor, according to oral tradition, of the MacKenzie clan. The MacKenzies were loyal to the Kings of Scotland. But the fifth Earl of Seaforth, William MacKenzie, supported the Jacobites in their rebellion in 1715. He lost his title and he lost his land. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar poi ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 11 Mar 11 Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 608 The painting The Death of the Stag is in the National Gallery of Scotland. It's a large painting. It shows Colin Fitzgerald saving the life of a Scottish King. That was Alexander III. The King was in danger from an angry stag. But who was Colin Fitzgerald? He was an ancestor, according to oral tradition, of the man who ordered the painting – Francis Humberston MacKenzie. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc. ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 04 Mar 11 Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 607 Do you know the National Gallery of Scotland? It's in Edinburgh. In the big chamber, on your right, there is the largest painting in the gallery. In the picture, a Scottish King has fallen from a horse. He and some others were hunting in the Highlands. The King – Alexander III – is lying on the ground. He is in danger from a stag. The stag is angry. Another man is going to thrust a spear into the stag. There are dogs, hunters and other horses. The name of the painting is Alexande ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 25 Feb 11 Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 606 I'm going to finish the story Great Gulp. The Widow's Son wanted to marry the King's daughter. But the King wasn't willing to give him his daughter. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 18 Feb 11 Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 605 I'm telling the story Great Gulp. The Widow's Son wanted to marry the King's daughter. The King wasn't willing to give him his daughter. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 11 Feb 11 Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 604 I was telling you the old story Great Gulp. The Widow's Son built a vessel. He was hoping to marry the King's daughter. The vessel was good at sailing on sea or land. The Widow's Son was the skipper. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 603 04 Feb 11 Here's an old Gaelic story called Great Gulp. A king had a daughter. She was exceptionally beautiful. Many men wanted to marry her. But she was only going to marry a man who would build a ship that would sail on sea and on land. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 28 Jan 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh The Rev James Stuart [also "Stewart"] made the first translation of the New Testament into Scottish Gaelic. He was the minister in Killin in Perthshire. The New Testament appeared in 1767. James Stuart was born in 1700 in Glen Finglas in the Trossachs. He became a minister in Killin in 1737. Find out more in this week's podcast. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 21 Jan 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 601 Three people were heavily involved in bringing the Bible to the Gaels of Scotland in Gaelic. The first man was Robert Boyle, the son of the Earl of Cork. The second man was James Kirkwood, a minister who was once living in Perthshire. And the third person? He was Robert Kirk, minister in Aberfoyle in the Trossachs. Kirk brought out the Irish Bible in Latin script for the Gaels of Scotland in 1690. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 14 Jan 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 600 In the seventeenth century, many people in the Church in Scotland were opposed to the Gaelic language. Thus, no translation was made of the Bible into Gaelic. But the situation was better in Ireland. In the seventeenth century, the New Testament and the Old Testament appeared in Irish Gaelic. They had surplus copies of the Old Testament. They sent some to Scotland. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/li ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 07 Jan 11: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 599 I'm going to read a verse from the Bible. It's from the New Testament. Here it is: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. That is a new translation of the Gospel according to John, Chapter 1, Verse 1. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 31 Dec 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 598 People ask me, "Is Hogmanay a Gaelic word?" Well, no. Hogmanay came into English and Scots from French. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 24 Dec 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 597 The Gaelic for Christmas is Nollaig. We say, "Nollaig chridheil dhuibh" for "Merry Christmas to you". In the old days, there were two Nollaigs – the Nollaig Mhòr and the Nollaig Bheag. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 17 Dec 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 596 Have you ever heard of faire chlaidh? Graveyard watch. Faire chlaidh. People believed that the spirit of a person who had been buried kept watch over the dead. He did that until another man was buried. People didn't want that spirit to keep vigil too long. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 10 Dec 10: Litir do Luchd-Ionnsachaidh 595 The Lochaber Bard, John MacDonald, was recorded by the School of Scottish Studies. He has stories and anecdotes on the Tobar an Dualchais website. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 03 Dec 10: Litir do Luchd-Ionnsachaidh 594 Calum Maclean met John MacDonald, the "Lochaber Bard", in January 1951. Calum was famous for collecting Gaelic oral tradition. John was famous, at least locally, as a poet and storyteller. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 26 Nov 2010: Litir do Luchd-Ionnsachaidh 593 I'm going to finish the traditional story, Billy. This young guy, Billy, was keen on thieving. The gentleman wanted to set him one more test. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 19 Nov 2010 Litir do Luchd-Ionnsachaidh 592 I'm contining with the story, Bilidh. Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 12 Nov 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 591 This week Ruairidh has a traditional tale from Barra for you. The name of the story is “Bilidh”. The tale was collected with others in the 19th century. Billy was a farmer’s son who wished to become a master of thievery. Learn more about this character and his wily ways in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 05 Nov 10: Litir do Luchd-Ionnsachaidh 590 We have a nice song in Gaelic. It's a lullaby. It's name is Uiseag Bheag Dhearg. In the song a child is speaking to a lark. The lark tells where it was sleeping. It slept badly in the bramble bush. It slept badly at sea. But it slept well between two leaves. If it works well, the child will be asleep before the end of the song. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 29 Oct 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 589 I was telling you about the Bratach Shìth – or Fairy Flag. It’s in Dunvegan Castle on Skye. People were saying – when it’s raised at a time of conflict, that a fairy host will come. The fairies will give help to the people who have the flag. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 22 Oct 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 588 The Fairy Flag is famous. It’s on the Isle of Skye. It belongs to the Clan MacLeod of Dunvegan. It’s in Dunvegan Castle. In English it’s called the Fairy Flag. The flag is made of silk. It’s very old. And valuable. Learn more about this famous artefact in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 16 Oct 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 587 The Gaelic for The Milky Way is Slighe Chlann Uisnich [“the path of the children of Uisneach]. Milky Way came into English from the Latin Via Lactea. Many languages took their name for the Milky Way from Latin. The Romance languages themselves are like that. In Italy, for example, it’s Via Lattea. The German Milchstraße and the Dutch Melkweg are trans-lations from Latin. As are the names in the Slavic languages. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 08 Oct 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 586 The Scot Gregor MacGregor was in France. He had been involved in fraud. Many people went to Poyais in Central America. MacGregor was praising Poyais. But the country didn’t exist. The people lost a lot of money. Find out more about this scallywag in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 01 Oct 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 585 The Scot Gregor MacGregor was involved in deceit. He created an imaginary country. That was Poyais. It was in the Gulf of Honduras in Central America. MacGregor was saying that he was His Serene Highness Gregor I, Prince of Poyais. Was he out of his mind. No. But he was dishonest. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 24 Sep 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 584 More about Neil MacLeod of Lewis. He was a murderer. But he stood against the Fifers who were trying to take Lewis over. To some he was a hero. In the government’s opinion he was a criminal. Learn more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 17 Sep 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 583 At the beginning of the seventeenth century, a group of Lowlanders from Fife went to Stornoway. They were the Fife Adventurers. They were going to set up a colony in Lewis. They had support from the King, James VI. Neil MacLeod, and other MacLeods, stood against them. The MacLeods destroyed the Fifers’ stronghold. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 10 Sep 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 582 In the nineteenth century, there was a Procurator Fiscal in Stornoway called Thomas Drummond. He tried to change the name of the town. He wasn't pleased with Stornoway. Find out more with Ruairidh in this week's little letter. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 03 Aug 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 581 Ruairidh likes the place name Steòrnabhagh. What is your opinion of it? Ruairidh reckons that it’s attractive in English as well. Stornoway. It’s a Norse name. It was Stjórnarvágr. That means the bay of the rudder or the bay of the steering – in English, rudder bay or steering bay. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 27 Aug 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh Here is the story An Nios agus an Sionnach. The Weasel and the Fox. An Nios agus an Sionnach. It’s from Loch Lomondside. Foxes are very crafty. But this weasel was craftier. Listen to this story in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 20 Aug 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 579 Last week Ruairidh was talking about the word samh. That’s the Gaelic for the common sorrel or sourock, Rumex acetosa. He was saying that perhaps the name came from Polish to Yiddish to English to Gaelic. This week, Ruairidh has a story about sorrel depicting its healing properties. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 13 Aug 10: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 578 The plant Rumex acetosa is called samh in Gaelic. People call it common sorrel in English. The English name came from the taste of the leaf. It’s sour. In Scots its name is sourock. It’s not too clear where the Gaelic name came from. Does the plant have a strong smell? Find out more in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 06 Aug 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 577 At the end of the last podcast, Ruairidh posed a question. I asked what Oidhche nan Seachd Suipearan (The Night of the Seven Suppers) is. Find out what it is in this week’s podcast! Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 30 Jul 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 576 Ruairidh was speaking last week about Seachd Cadalaichean an t-Saoghail. They are The Seven Sleepers of the Earth – creatures that were spending the winter at home, hibernating. They weren’t leaving for a foreign land in the winter. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 23 Jul 10: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 575 Have you ever heard about Seachd Cadalaichean an t-Saoghail? The Seven Sleepers of the Earth. Ruairidh tells us more about them in this week's letter. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 16 Jul 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 574 The Rev Alexander Pope was a minister in Reay in Caithness. That was in the eighteenth century. He collected Gaelic oral tradition in Caithness. That was around 1739. Learn one of these tales in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 09 Jul 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 573 The Rev Alexander Pope was aminister in Reay in Caithness. That was in the eighteenth century. He was a strong man. He had a stick.He was using the stick to “encourage” people to go to church. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 02 Jul 10 Litir do luchd ionnsachaidh Rev Alexander Pope was a minister in Reay (parish) in the eighteenth century. Reay is in Caithness. Mr Pope spoke Gaelic. It was a Gaelic congregation he had. He was a strong man. He had a stick. He was using the stick on the people of the congregation. Learn more about him in this week’s podcast! Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 25 Jun: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 571 Sandy MacDonald was a gamekeeper in the Cairngorms early in the twentieth century. Sandy found something on the hill after the First World War. He thought it was a bomb, but it was a flare. How did it get there? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 18 Jun 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh: 570 In Perthshire, near Amulree, is Glen Quaich. In that Glen is a loch called “Loch Freuchie. How did the loch get its name? Is it derived from the plant – heather? Well, maybe not according to legend. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 11 Jun 09: Litir do Luchd ionnsachaidh 569 Black, white and red. Three colours that are well known to our ancestors and well used in stories. You will probably have heard of Deirdre and the Sons of Uisne and Ruairidh has a story that involves them and the three colours. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 04 Jun 10: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 568 As Ruairidh was saying last week, he was in the Sami region in the north end of Sweden. He was skiing through the region where people still keep reindeer. He only saw two of them himself, but he saw many people out looking for reindeer. Find out more about hs adventures in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 28 May: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 567 Kebnekaise is the highest mountain in Sweden. Ruairidh visited there at Easter time and tells you more about the mountain this week. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 21 May 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 566 Last week, Ruairidh was telling us about Conlaoch, the Scottish hero who was son of the Ulster hero Cuchullin. Conall, who was related to Cuchullin, according to legend. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 14 May 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 565 This week Ruairidh is going to tell you of a special legend. It is about a strong hero called Conlaoch. He was a Scot. He was a stong hero with links to the Isle of Skye. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 07 May 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 564 Last week Ruairidh was telling us about the different words for elephants and the image that celts had of these great African beasts when Hannibal’s army crossed the Alps to rome on 3BC. Ruairidh continues his theme of elephants in battle in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 30 Apr 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 563 Ruairidh has a challenge for you this week at the start of the letter. Here are some words from old dictionaries and they all mean the same thing ailp, ailpe, boir, borr and fil. You don’t know them? Never fear, neither did Ruairidh! Find out what they mean in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 23 Apr 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 562 This week, Ruairidh finishes the story “The King and the Foal”. The king said to the man, “Come here tomorrow. If you don’t tell me what is swiftest in the world, you’ll lose your head.” Find out what happened in this week's podcast! Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 16 Apr 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 561 Ruairidh continues last week’s story, The King and The Foal. Why not contiue the tale with him in this week’s podcast? Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 09 Apr 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 560 This week, Ruairidh has a story for you. It is called "The King and the Foal". Why not listen to this week's story in this week's podcast? Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 02 Apr 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 559 Ruairidh was looking at an old page in Mac-Talla. That’s an old newspaper. Mac-Talla was published in Nova Scotia. That was at the end of the 19th Century and beginning of the 20th Century. Find out what he discovered in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 26 Mar: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 558 Last week, Ruairidh was talking about the lynx and how evidence was uncovered proving it was alive in Scotland in the First Century. This week, he looks at why the lynx left and how other countries which still have lynxes are affected by their presence. Learn more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 19 Mar 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 557 When was the lynx last seen in Scotland? Ruairidh is certain that you are familiar with the lynx – a big wildcat that lives in the forests in Asia and Europe. It once lived in Scotland. But when and why did it leave? Learn more about the lynx and Celtic words for this mighty beast in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 12 Mar 10: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 556 Ruairidh was looking at an electronic map, it was made between 1747 and 1755 by William Roy. Roy was brought up in Lanarkshire, he was in the Hanovarian Army at the time of the Jacobite Rising. Learn more about William Roy in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 5 Mar 10: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 555 This week Ruairidh talks of Creag nam Ban, which is near Balmoral, in Aberdeenshire. It's beside the River Dee. And it's above Abergeldie Castle. Creag nam Ban means “the rocky hill of the women”. People say that witches were burned to death there. People still remember the name of one of the witches – Kitty Rankine. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 26 Feb 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 554 Last week Ruairidh was talking about John Fraser who was famous for categorising exotic plants. He was born in 1750. Four years later another Gael who was famous for the same reason was born. He was Archibald Menzies. The area was Aberfeldy in Perth. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 19 Feb 10: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 553 Ruairidh is certain that you have heard Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia. She was in charge of Russia at the end of the 18th Century. She was powerful. It seems like she was quite fond of plants – find out more about Catherine the Great in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 12 Feb 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 552 There are a species of plant called Frasera – for example Frasera speciosa. They are named for a guy John Fraser. He was good at collecting plants. He was very famous. And he was a Gael. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 05 Feb 10: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 551 Ruairidh has a new word for you, Barbag, well, he expects it’s a new word for many of you. If you are wondering what it is, it is a type of plant. Ruairidh will tell you all about this plant and others that are not native to this country and ponders, how did they get here? Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 29 Jan 10: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 550 This week, Ruairidh finishes the story The Black Bodach of Morven. It's from Braemore in Caithness. The men were in pursuit of the Bodach. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 22 Jan 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 549 Braemore is the town nearest the highest mountain in Caithness – Morven. It is 706 metres above sea leve, it is not that tall, but is a lovely sight. It’s a crofting settlement, but it used to have a much larger population, and people used to tell each other stoies, just as they did all over the Highlands. Here is a story from Braemore – The Black Bodach of Morven. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 15 Jan 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh There are two villages in Caithness called Ballachly – the township of the cemetery. There is a Ballachly near Dunbeath. It’s quite well known as archaeologists found interestesting ancient artefacts there. It’s from that wee settlement that the story comes this week. Here is the story – “The Witch of Ballachly”. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 08 Jan 10: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 547 We are still in Caithness looking at the area’s heritage through stories. A short tinme ago Ruairidh received some Caithnessian advice on the influence strong drink has on a person. The advice was what one glass hads on a person, two glasses and finally the effect three glasses has on a person. Ruairidh is talking about whisky here. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 18 Dec 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 546 Ruairidh continues with his journey through Sutherland and Caithness, accompanied by stories from this area. He’s travelling over the border of Caithness – to the area of Dunbeath; an area renowned for its rich Gaelic storytelling history. He brings us the tale of the three knots. Both the number three and knots are significant in Gaelic heritage. Learn more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 11 Dec 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 545 Ruairidh has a story from Cataibh today, it’s about a crofter from Sutherland. Most Crofters were diligent at cutting peats for the cold winter nights and building their stacks. Not all were like this, this particular crofter, he was a thief. Find out about his wily ways in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 04 Dec 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh Ruairidh has come across two trees that have Gaelic names, but no English names. He describes these in this week’s podcast. He also describes a tree called “The Làmh Tree”. Find out the origins of this name in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 27 Nov 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 543 Another letter from Canna this week. Ruaraidh was telling us about Coroghan Castle where the wife of Black Donald of the Cuckoo was held captive. This week, Ruairidh tells us more about this character, a clan-chief who would lock up his wife. Find out more in the podcast.Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 20 Nov 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 542 Ruairidh leaves the Isle of Eigg this week, but he remains in the Small Isles as he heads off to the Isle of Canna. 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. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and voc ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 13 Nov 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 541 The Isle of Eigg’s nickname is the Isle of the Big Women. According to oral tradition, 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 Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 06 Nov 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 540 How familiar are you with Scotland’s islands? This week Ruairidh examines nicknames associated with three islands. Do you where The cross-wise island, The kingdom of the wild forest and The island of the big women are located? Find out in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 30 Oct 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 539 Last week, Ruairidh was telling us about what the opinion Gaels had of goats in times gone by. That was that they were capable of killing and eating snakes. Well, it’s interesting how often the goat appears in Gaelic proverbs “The thing that kept the ivy from the goats”. What does that mean? Find out in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 23 Oct 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 538 How often have you seen a goat in Scotland? Ruairidh does not mean a big white goat behind a white fence, but wild goats who live in the moors. He has seen some many times, in places like the Black Isle, an Colonsay in Strath Spey and, more recently, in Kinlochewe in Ross-shire. Learn more about these wild goats in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 16 Oct 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 537 Over the past fortnight Ruairidh has been looking at the poetry and life of Rob Donn. This week, he will take one final look at a piece Rob Donn wrote. This piece is about the difference in attitudes between the Gaels and lowland Scots, in particular the Gaels of the MacKay country. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 09 Oct 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh Your ears do not deceive you, the introduction to this week’s letter is the same as last week’s, but Ruairidh just wants to say a little more about this poem. Specifically he wants to talk about the Glen that features in this poem, where there was a beautiful forest. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 02 Oct 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 535 Ruairidh begins this week’s letter with a refrain from a famous Gaelic poem originating from one of the most northerly points of the Highlands, the MacKay Country (of North Sutherland). It was written by the famous Gaelic poet, Rob Donn. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 25 Sep 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 534 Eric MacLeod and his family moved to Kerracher on the shore of Loch a’ Chàirn Bhàin in Assynt in 1976. The old house wasn’t in a good condition. They had to get a caravan to Kerracher, but unfortunately for them there was no road. Learn more about Kerrochar and the MacLeod family who lived there in this week's podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 18 Sep 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 533 This summer Ruairidh got the chance to go to a garden that he always wanted to see. It’s a public garden with lovely flowers and it has plenty visitors. In tha way, it’s like Inverewe Gardens or gardens of that type which are all along the Highland coast. There is one difference though, find out what that is, where the garden is and about a family there in this week’s letter. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 11 Sep 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 532 More often than not, Ruairidh talks about subjects pertaining to the Highlands. However, this week he will talk to you about an event that occurred, outside the Highlands, although every mothers’ son will understand why this week’s subject affects Ruairidh. Learn what this is and a whole more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 04 Sep 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 531 Last week Ruairidh started telling us about The lady of Lawers, who had second sight. It is thought that she lived in the seventeenth century. She planted a tree beside the church in Lawers and she made a prophecy regarding it. At around 1880, two men dug up the tree. As you would expect, things did not go too well for these two. Find out more in this week’s podcast. Accompanying Gaelic text, grammar points and vocabulary are all available at bbc.co.uk/litir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 28 Aug: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 530 Ben Lawers is above Loch Tay. It is in Perthshire. The mountain is very high. It’s covered with snow in the winter. And it’s famous for plants. Lawers is also the name of a small settlement and an area adjacent to Loch Tay. Gaelic was strong in that area at one time. There was a famous woman once living in Lawers. She had the second-sight. Learn more in this week's podcast! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 21 Aug 2009 : Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 529 Ruairidh talks about the meaning of the word "farach" and The Doctrine of Signatures. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 14 Aug 2009 : Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 528 Ruairidh talks of the the Island of Boreray in this weeks letter. Boreray means "fort-island" in Old Norse. It's close to North Uist and Berneray. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 07 Aug 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh Ruairidh discusses the name 'Eddrachillis Bay'. How did it come to be? It cames from Gaelic and in this letter, Ruairidh explains the meaning. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 31 Jul 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 526 More magnificent placenames this week, Ruairidh ponders over Eddrachillis Bay. There is only one way to learn about this place and its Gaelic origins, listen to the podcast! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 24 Jul 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 525 Ruairidh recently took a cruise. One of the places he visited was Tobermory, in Mull. Beginning with a very wise proverb, Ruairidh explains some of the things that he saw on the cruise. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 17 Jul 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 524 Iain Dubh, An Seòladair, has had some adventures. From rescuing and marrying the Princess of Spain from the band of robbers, to giving peace to three dead men. How will this tale end for the most remarkable of characters? Find out in this week’s podcast! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 10 Jun 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 523 Continuing the adventures of Iain Dubh an Seòladair. Iain is head of the bandits. Learn of what happens when Iain Dubh enters the forbidden room. What does he find? Don’t miss out as this story heats up! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 03 Jul 09 Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh Ruairidh continues with his tale of Iain Dubh Leòdhasach, an Seòladair. Learn new phrases and words whilst being entertained by this tale of the sailor from Lewis. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 26 Jun 2009: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 521 This week, Ruairidh invites you to listen to the tale of a sailor called Black-haired John! Sit back and relax and learn of this character from the Isle of Lewis. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 19 Jun 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 520 Although the Cromarty Fisherfolk was a form of Scots, there were loads of words that came from Gaelic. Ruairidh runs through some of them. Have a listen to learn more. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 12 Jun 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 519 Ruairidh got a new book recently; it's about a dialect in the Highlands that is becoming extinct. Interestingly, he's not talking about a dialect of Gaelic, but English. It’s the “Cromarty Fisherfolk Dialect”. Learn more in this week’s podcast. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 05 Jun 08: Litir do Luchd ionnschaidh 518 Ruairidh moves away from Raasay and talks about a lochan in Islay called Lochan na Nigheadaireachd. He wonders if washing was carried out in this lochan. Flora Macdonald wrote memoirs of her youth in Benbecula, in this she describes the joy of clothes washing! Listen to this fascinating tale and learn new words, phrases and Gaelic similes in this week's podcast. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 29 May 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 517 This wee Ruairidh takes us to Loch nam Mnà in Raasay. Find out how the loch got its name and who was the mysterious lady of this particular lake! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 22 May 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 516 This week, Ruairidh tells us a bit more about Gilleasbaig, or Archibald, Cook. He was a church minister who gave sermons in both English and Gaelic. Sometimes his sermons were so popular, they had to be held outside the church. He also had an opposing view to alcohol to many of his contemporaries. Learn more in this week's podcast. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 15 May 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 515 This week Ruairidh introduces us to two more Gaelic characters; Archibald and Finlay Cook. Both were born on the island of Arran, but both spoke different dialects of Gaelic. Both brothers were ministers. Archibald travelled and preached in different areas of Scotland. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 08 May 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 514 Among those who are buried in Inchmahome, near The Lake of Menteith, is Robert Cunninghame Graham, or Don Roberto as he was known in his second country, Argentina. Learn all about this man who came from the gentry and what happened on the very first ever day that came to be known as ‘Bloody Sunday’. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 01 May 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 513 We have a treat at the start of this week's podcast! It's another Gaelic riddle, why not pause the podcast and try and solve it? After the riddle, we travel back in time to learn of an important left-wing figure in Scottish politics. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 24 Apr 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 512 In the Norwegian town of Otta, there is a statue of a young woman named Pillarguri. She is well known in Norwegian history. In the statue she is blowing a horn. She is commemorating an attack on Scots in Sweden in 1612. In this week’s podcast, find out why the Scots were there and why the Norwegians had to attack! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 17 Apr 07: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 511 Have you ever heard of the Battle of Kringen? It is a famous Norwegian battle. Find out all about it and Scotlan's relevance to it, in this week's letter. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 10 Apr 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 510 Roddy has been ski-ing in mountains in the Rodane in Norway. The Rodane became a national park in 1962. There are small huts and bothys in the Rodane and the Norwegian names for these are very similar to the English names. Find out about these lodges and one in particular with this week's podcast. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 03 Apr 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 509 "Mark my word, Pat, she'll be an unlucky ship." This week, hear how Peter Morrison from Grimsay overheard two Irishmen talking as the Titanic launched in Belfast. Did one of the old men see an omen or supernatural warning? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 27 Mar 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 508 Roddy has a new book, Thugam agus Bhuam, by Patrick Morrison. It is a collection of stories. A wee bit of Patrick's own tale is given and Roddy begins a new tale about when Patrick saw the Titanic. NEW! AN LITIR BHEAG, or The Little Letter is now available as a podcast! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 20 Mar 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 507 This week, Roddy tells of a place close to Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh which iscalled Croft-an-Righ. Not Croit anRìgh, but Croft-an-Righ. Without question, it’s a Gaelic name. Howdid it get its title? Find out in this week's podcast. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 13 Mar 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 506 There is a route in Edinburgh called Piper’s Walk. It’s on Arthur’s Seat. Roddy will tell you how Piper’s Walk got its name – at least, according to oral tradition. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 06 Mar 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 505 This week, Roddy researches how Arthur's Seat, situated in Edinburgh's Holyrood Park, got its name and whether or not it's connected to King Arthur. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 27 Feb 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 504 Roddy got a letter himself this week. The correspondent advised him to type in 'Caithness' into the online version of Dwelly. One hundred and twenty four words cropped up and Roddy takes us through the most unusual words Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 20 Feb 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 503 A valuable resource for Gaelic learners over several generations has been Edward Dwelly's dictionary. There are many interesting words to be found within its pages, Roddy looks at some of these words and their origins. Two plucky people recently put the dictionary online, listen to how they achieved this mammoth task! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 13 Feb 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 502 Do you know the word muir? It means “sea”. A’ mhuir – the sea. Do you know the word tìr? It means “land”. An tìr – the land. Muir is tìr – the sea and the land. Both are important in the Gaidhealtachd. Well, this week Roddy has a conundrum for you: what does 'Muir-thìreach' mean? He explains in the later and brings a whole host of intriguing words that appear in a new online dictionary. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 06 Feb 2009: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 501 Do you know what the word Cùtach means? Many apply it to today's dialect of Gaelic. Do you agree? The word also leads Roddy to think about the dialect of Gaelic that orginated from Aberdeen. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 30 Jan 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 500 Roddy is delighted to present the 500th Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh and would like to thank those who have contacted him regarding Litir. This week's letter concludes the tale of Cù Fhearchair Bhàin. What exactly happened to Fraoch on that night? What was that devilish sound the couple heard? Find out by listening to this week's podcast. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 23 Jan 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 499 Listen to the story of an amazing dog in Cù Fhearchair Bhàin. It is about a wonderdog called Fraoch who was an excellent sheepdog and was quite a character! In this tale, we'll hear of what happened to a couple who came to the master's house one eerie night........ Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 16 Jan 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 498 We come to the end of our fascinating journey along the Antonine Wall. Roddy looks at the other names of Forts that may have originated from Gaelic. He finishes by ruminating that although the Romans only used the wall for a generation, the legacy has lasted much longer. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 09 Jan 09: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 497 More fascinating stories emerge from the forts that run along the Antonine Wall. Are you familiar with how the name Bearsden came to be the name of the town. It was not the original name of the town and only came to be after a technological advancement. find out what it was and much more in this week's podcast. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 02 Jan 09: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 496 Bliadhna Mhath Ùr! The first letter of the year and Roddy is looking at the biggest structure that the Romans ever built in Scotland, the Antonine Wall. A brief history of Antoninus is given, connections and comparisons to Hadrian are made, before Roddy gives us an introduction to the first couple of forts along the wall. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 26 Dec 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh Roddy examines more Galatian history and culture and wonders what sort of language they spoke Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 19 Dec 08: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 494 Roddy looks at one of the most famous letters ever written, one that's been translated into many different languages. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 12 Dec 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 493 As the sorry chapter of Robbie Northway ends, another opens about another bothy-dwelling character. The old fox, or James McRory Smith, lived in a bothy in Strathcailleach for thirty years. Listen to this week's podcast to learn all about his wiley ways! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 05 Dec 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 492 The final instalment of the strange tale of the Northways unfolds. The twists and turns unfold and unfurl, but does the tale of Robbie echo similar circumstances to events that happened years ago in the area? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 28 Nov 08: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 491 The strange case of the Northways and their animals moving into a bothy caused uproar with local crofters. It caused the authorities quite a headache. Learn more by listening to the podcast! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 21 Nov 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 490 This week, Roddy examines several Sutherland place names. Also, hear an unusual story about a couple who moved into Srathan Bothy in 2000 along with their animals. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 14 Nov 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 489 This week Roddy re-acquaints us with an offical bird of state in America. The name of the bird looks like a Greek word, however the name originated from Gaelic. Find out about the name, the state and the mighty bird itself! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 07 Nov 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 488 The final instalment of the fascinating school, Keil School, is given. Rugby and Gaelic are added to the school's curriculum - two big, bold moves! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 31 Oct 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 487 The foundations of the school in Keil were laid by Sir William MacKinnon. Find out more about the Kintyre Technical School Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 24 Oct 08: Litir do luchd ionnsachaidh Campbeltown in Kintyre is the setting of this week's letter. Roddy points out a striking memorial in the town. The figure is of William MacKinnon, a wealthy mercant who originated there. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 17 Oct 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 485 In this final instalment, we find out what effect McKenzie's policies had on the Maori. We learn which areas he was radical in and what area he was extremely conservative in. We also learn of how Sir John died. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 10 Oct 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 484 Last week we found out what incident shaped Sir John McKenzie's policies. Find out this week about one of those policies and the "999 year lease". Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 03 Oct 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 483 Sir John McKenzie, a famous Gaelic-speaking 19th century politician, is the subject of this week's letter. Find out how some etched names on a church window influenced him Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 26 Sep 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh The terrible consequesnces of the statutes of Iona are further explored in this week's letter. Find out the effects that this had on the Gaels and Gaelic. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 19 Sep 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 481 A terrible event in the Gaels' history occurred 400 years ago. Roddy looks back on the Statutes of Iona and the terrible effect that they had on the Gaelic language. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 12 Sep 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 480 Roddy travels to Wales this week. He is enchanted by the red kite. The hawk was obliterated in Scotland twenty years ago. The hawk has a rich history which is illustrated in this week's podcast. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 05 Sep 08: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh Roddy explores the history of Stanley in Perthshire this week. The region's Gaelic roots are explored as he looks to the area's cotton mills. The thistle's importance also stemmed from that area, saving Scots from a vicious end from some barefooted, bloodthirsty Vikings! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 29 Aug 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 478 An ancient feud between the MacSorlie family and Clan Chattan in the Glen Nevis area comes to a violent conclusion when an irate piper plays a war tune. You�ll find out what happened and how the cave, Uamh Shomhairle, played its part and got its name in this week�s podcast. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 22 Aug 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 477 Continuing the theme of the Orkney islands, Roddy sails down the �igh-sgeir in the hope of seeing some sharks, but what happens when he and his fellow voyagers get a bit more than they bargained for? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 15 Aug 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 476 Roddy is at sea for this week's letter. On a recent trip to Orkney he discovered seasickness for the first time. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 08 Aug 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 475 Could the origin of the ancient Kirkwall Ba' game lie with the battle between two earls? This was a vicious and bloody battle in which even the victor ultimately met his violent end! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 01 Aug 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 474 The place-names of Orkney are examined this week, including the Glens of Kinnaird on Hoy. Roddy questions whether this name is of Highland origin, just as scholar Hugh Marwick had done years beforehand. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 25 Jul 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 473 The similarities between Highland and Scandanavian place names are examined this week. During a recent trip to Orkney, Roddy discovered the majority of the island's place names derived from the old Norse language. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 18 Jul 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 472 Find out what became of the prince in the final instalment of 'The Three Green Dogs' tale. Also, Roddy offers an explanation as to how the village of Luss on the banks of Loch Lomond got its name. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 11 Jul 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 471 The fascinating tale of 'The Three Green Dogs' continues this week. In this part, the prince comes under the influence of somebody out to do him harm. Listen to this letter and find out what the wrongdoer does and how the mighty hounds react to this! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 04 Jul 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 470 A magic tale of three green dogs, Knowledge, Swiftness and Heaviness are the topic of this week's letter. They are bought by a prince and they help him catch deer, but can they help their royal owner overcome battle with some mischievous giants? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 27 Jun 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 469 Gaelic speakers in Scotland are confident that they have a Gaelic minister looking after the language's interests. Roddy looks to the nineteenth century, when there was a movement to protect Scottish and Irish Gaelic, in Canada! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 20 Jun 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 468 Cho be� ri eun, cho marbh ri cloich. Ruairidh brings you a wealth of Gaelic similies in this week's letter. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 13 Feb 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 467 Gaelic has many names for the fingers! Roddy starts off this week's letter with a rhyme his kids learnt at nursery and muses on how the fingers got their splendid names. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 06 Jun 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 466 This week's letter looks at the Isle of Skye's famous mountains, The Cuillins. There are many theories as to where their name came from, ranging from two Gaelic heroes, a plant, to ancient Norse words from Viking invaders! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 30 May 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 465 We all know of St Columba, who connects Scotland with Gleann Cholm Cille in Ireland, however, this week Roddy tells of another connection. Listen to this tale of a very famous Jacobite fleeing Culloden to Gleann Cholm Cille. Can you guess who it is? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 23 May 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 464 This week, a magic mist in a Donegal glen is explained in a St Columba folk tale. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 16 May 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 463 The traditional tale of "The Lass that Was Sold" reaches its incredible conclusion. Prepare to be amazed as to what happens at the end of her epic journey! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 09 May 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 462 The traditional tale of "The Lass that was Sold" continues in this week's letter Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 02 May 08 Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 461 The traditional tale, The Lass that was Sold, is the subject of Letter 461. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 25 Apr 08 Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 460 This week, Roddy tells about the ghost of the redcoat soldier, Arthur Davies. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 18 Apr 08 Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 459 Arthur Davies, a wealthy, well-liked redcoat soldier is the subject of this week's letter. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 11 Apr 08 Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 458 Roddy continues the tale of the last Jacobite to die on Drumossie Moor at the Battle of Culloden, join him as he recounts the life and times of Patrick Grant! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 04 Apr 08: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 457 The Battle of Culloden is visited in this week's letter. Roddy remembers Patrick Grant, the last man to die on the battlefield and recounts his story. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 28 Mar 08 - Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 456 This week's letter discusses Springtime. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 21 Mar 08 - Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 455 The original Gaelic names given to the months of the year are the subject of this week's letter. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 14 Mar 07: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 454 Saint Paul's mystical powers over animals are the subject of this week's letter Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 07 Mar 08: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 453 A Celtic tale is disclosed, this week. Travel with Roddy to a Breton Monastery and learn about Saint Paul! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 29 Feb 08: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 452 Letter 452 tells the story of The Beggar's Death. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 22 Feb 08: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 451 A Perthshire ghost is the topic of this week's letter. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 15 Feb 08: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 450 A gaelic song about curling is the subject of this week's letter. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 08 Feb 08: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 449 This week, Roddy tells us of a 19th century song written about curling. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 01 Feb 08: Litir do luchd-ionnsachaidh 448 This week, Roddy looks at the shamrock and the unique position it holds in Irish storytelling. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 25 Jan 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 447 Roddy visits a new exhibition about whales which leads him on to tales about a very famous whale! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 18 Jan 08: Litir do luchd-Ionnsachaidh 446 Various expressions, similar in both Gaelic and Scots, are examined. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 11 Jan 08: Litir do luchd-Ionnsachaidh 445 The sailing boat, The Linnet, is the subject of this week's letter. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 04 Jan 08: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 444 A tongue twister from Broomton is the topic of this week's letter. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 28 Dec 07: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 443 A verse about Dornoch is the topic of this week's letter. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 21 Dec 07: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 442 19th century poverty is central to this week's letter. Roddy outlines the situation and describes a modern group that ensure the impact is never forgotten. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 14 Dec 07: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 441 Find out what happens when Roddy accepts an invitation from an Irish Haad of State to visit the most beautiful place on the Emerald Isle`! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 07 Dec 07: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 440 This week, hear all about Finan MacDonald from Knoydart who fought a bison with his bare hands and survived! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 30 Nov 07: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 439 Another story abouth Boban Saor from Mingulay. This time Roddy explores the extraordinary way that his son got his wife. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 23 Nov 07: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 438 From Mingulay to Cape Breton, Roddy gives us a different account of what happened to Boban Saor in this extraordinary tale! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 16 Nov 07: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 437 A new book about the people of Mingulay is the topic of this week's letter. Although he's reluctant to give too much away, he shares a tale about one of the island's characters. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 09 Nov 07: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 436 Johann Von Lamont's short biography comes to its interesting conclusion. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 02 Nov 07: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 435 The transformation from to Iain MacIlleDhuibh Johnann Von Lamont, the famous Highland Anstronomer is outlined in this week's letter. A brief history is given on his amazing life. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 26 Oct 07: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 434 You'll have stars in your eyes when you listen to this week's letter. Roddy indroduces the most famous astronomer to hail from the Highlands, however from the chap's name, you'd be correct to have your doubts! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 19 Oct 07: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 433 Continuing the recent theme of saints associated with the lovely landscape of Loch Lomond, Roddy turns his attention to a buddy of Paisley. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 12 Oct 07: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 432 Roddy divulges last week's mystery and reveals the popular folklore and the the Scottish hero who's to blame! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 05 Oct 2007: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 431 This week, Roddy takes us on a journey to an island near Loch Lomond, Inchcailloch. He outlines the island's intriguing history and leaves us wondering what exactly is out there? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 28 Sep 07: Litir do Luchd Ionnsachaidh 430 Children's rhymes and sayings from the different areas of Scotland are on the tip of Roddy's tongue this week. Listen and love his comparisons and distinctions from all over Scotland! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 21 Sep 07: Litir Do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 429 Discover what happened in this month's letter when King James I invited the clann chiefs of the Highlands to meet him in 1427. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 14 Sep 07: Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 428 Roddy revisits last week's 15th century poem and examines its inspiration - The Battle of Inverlochy. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 7 Sep 2007: Litir Do Luchd-Ionnsachaidh 427 A comparison between a 15th Century Gaelic poem and a traditional: proverb. Roddy wonders what came first? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 31 Aug 07: Litir do Luchd Ionnsachaidh 426 An tale of a spear with supernatural powers! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 24 Aug 07: Litir do Luchd Ionnsachaidh 425 A tale of Cuchulainn's strength and might, as he battles warriors single-handledly in Ireland! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 17 Aug 07: Litir do Luchd Ionnsachaidh 424 Cuchulainn and Fionn MacCumhail make heroic appearances in this week's letter! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Letter: 10 Aug 07: Litir do Luchd Ionnsachaidh 423 The 18th Century Gaelic poet Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair is the topic of this week's Letter. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website