Seanchas Ìle - Book Review by Susan Campbell
Monday, September 24 2007
Seanchas Ìle is an oral history project which has begun to record and preserve the Isle of Islay’s rich Gaelic heritage and unique dialect. This short book contains a selection of transcriptions of the local stories, traditional beliefs and proverbs which were collected by project workers. The stories are given in Islay Gaelic, with English translations on opposite pages. There are glossaries containing words unique to the Islay Gaelic dialect, and also bird names and sea creatures’ names in Islay Gaelic, all with English translations. The book’s Foreword has been written by Professor Donald Meek of the University of Edinburgh, who has close Islay connections. His fondness for Islay and its people is evident in the warmth of his support of this Seanchas Ìle publication. In the introduction, Emily Edwards, Seanchas Ìle project co-ordinator emphasises the importance of Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle, home of the Seanchas Ìle project and focal point for Gaelic and community cultural events in Islay. She briefly describes the collection of transcriptions and translations in the book, and expresses her appreciation of the Gaelic speakers of Islay whose willingness to share their oral heritage has made the project and book possible.
The layout of the book’s text is straightforward, with the Gaelic text on the left-hand pages and the English translation on the facing right-hand page. This makes it very easy to relate the Gaelic text to the corresponding English translation, which is particularly helpful for Gaelic learners and was obviously a priority in the formatting. However, as the Gaelic text is sometimes longer than the English translation, the blank spaces on the pages break the continuity somewhat. The photographs, all of which were taken in Islay and many by Emily herself, are varied both in subject and in quality. Most of the photographs personalise the pieces and add to the interest of the text, but the choice of cover photo, the Rhuvaal lighthouse, does not immediately suggest the subject of the book to the casual potential reader/purchaser.Despite small quibbles with presentation, the book is a gem; both attractive and important in presenting Islay Gaelic folklore in an easily accessible way. Seanchas Ìle will interest Islay people, Gaelic speakers and learners, students of ethnography and anyone with an interest in Islay. Definitely one for the bookshelf.
An interview with Emily Edwards will follow soon on this blog.
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