Samhradh '78

An innis thu dhuinn beagan mu do dheidhinn fhèin airson toiseach tòiseachaidh?

’S ann an Lèanaidh faisg air Glaschu a thogadh mi is m’ athair à Uibhist-a-Deas is mo mhàthair à Glaschu. Ged a thug mi a-mach a bhith nam dhotair bha e riamh a’ còrdadh rium a bhith a’ sgrìobhadh: ficsean agus bàrdachd. Thug a dhà no thrì fharpaisean misneachd dhomh is an uairsin an sgeama ùr ficsein, Ùr-Sgeul san do nochd a’ chiad cheithir leabhraichean. Chaidh gu math leotha sin ann am farpaisean na Saltire etc.

Tha mi air a bhith sgrìobhadh fad 25 bliadhna.

Dè thug ort an leabhar a sgrìobhadh? 

Bha mi ag iarraidh coimhearsneachd is daoine a shealltainn aig àm sònraichte: far an robh tòrr atharraichean an impis tighinn ach seann saoghal nan sgeulachd is nan taighean-tughaidh fhathast ann taobh ri taobh ri bungalows is TV le 3 sianalan is Punk is daoine a’ gabhail ùidh mhòr ann an Cupa na Cruinne ann an Argentina – farpais cho ainmeil is a th’ ann an eachdraidh thruagh ball-coise eadar-nàiseanta na h-Alba

Cò mu dheidhinn a tha an leabhar?

Thug Cailean Quinn samhradh 1978 còmhla ri bràthair a mhàthar, Ruairidh MacGillÌosa, ann an Uibhist a Deas.

Fhad ’s a tha sùilean an t-saoghail, is mòran sna h-eileanan, air ball-coise an Argentina – thuirt Ally MacLeòid gun glèidheadh Alba Cuach na Cruinne gun strì – cuiridh dithist a bhuineas do Bharraigh dlùth-eòlas air a’ chèile.

 ’S e dotair-teaghlaich a th’ ann an Ruairidh, na bhanntrach o chionn bliadhna gu leth is cuid dhe a mhisnich a’ teannadh ri a thrèigsinn. Ach tha e ri locum fad mìos an ceann-a-deas an eilein is feumaidh inntinn a bhith geur is a sgilean dha rèir. Tha ùidh mhòr aige ann an am beul-aithris nan daoine is bidh e a’ tadhal orra is gan clàradh gu tric. Tha seo a’ toirt brosnachadh dha; sin agus gille laghach, glic, a bhith na chuideachd. 

’S e oileanach Arts a th’ ann an Cailean, a thogadh an Grianaig, is tha e a-nist, aig 20 bliadhna a dh’ aois, aig crois-rathaid na bheatha. Mura soirbhich leis as t-fhoghar, ann an deuchainnean Oilthigh Ghlaschu, bidh aige ri falbh is rud eile fheuchainn: “mar obair fhaighinn?” thilgeadh a mhàthair, Màiri Iagain Mhòir, air nan robh i a’ smaointinn gum faigheadh i èisteachd!

Tro làithean an t-samhraidh àraid sin, o chionn 40 bliadhna, chì sinn spèis, dàimh is tuigse a’ fàs eadar an dà phrìomh charactar is ioma toileachas is dùbhlan a’ tighinn mun coinneimh.

Chì sinn cuideachd mar a tha iad fhèin is muinntir an àite a’ tighinn air a’ chèile; an dà chuid ann an seaghan euslaint ach cuideachd nuair a thèid iad air tòir am beul-aithris is eile. 

Agus tha Ealasaid ann - tè ait a tha fo fhiachaibh coimhead às dèidh na dithist seo le cus gràidh is geir.

Tha Cailean deònach Ruairidh a chuideachadh gus sgeulachdan seanaiche ealanta – nach deach a chlàradh riamh – a thogail. Agus ’s ann an taigh Alasdair Mhic Sheumais Bhig a chluinneas esan – agus sinne - cuid de sheudan an dualchais. Ach ’s ann cuideachd a thèid Cailean an sàs, ge b’oil leis, ann an saoghal goirt, doirbh, Jane – ogha peathar Alasdair. 

Nar turas an caidreabh Chailein is Ruairidh: chì sinn bòidhchead nàdar nan eilean-mu-dheas is fairichidh sinn cumhachd nan siantan nuair a thig greann orra; chì sinn Archie Gemmill a’ cur an tadhail mhìorbhailtich ud an taigh an Dalabrog is fairichidh sinn cruadal a’ bhruadair na smodal. Cluinnidh sinn Runrig airson na ciad uair aig dannsa am Bàgh a’ Chaisteil is fairichidh sinn gaol is gràin gan sealltainn ann an dòighean nach eil sìmplidh no uaireannan tlachdmhor.

Cuiridh sgeul eile – stèidhte bliadhnachan mòra an dèidh làimh – rir sùim sna daoine seo is na thachair dhaibh bhon uairsin. Tuigear, air a’ cheann mu dheireadh, cò dha a tha Samhradh ’78dha-rìribh ga h-innse is carson a b’ fheudar sin a dhèanamh gun dàil.

Cò ris a bha am pròiseas sgrìobhaidh coltach? Dè cho fada ‘s a thug e airson an leabhar a sgrìobhadh?

Torr smaointinn, sgriobhadh is ath-sgrìobhadh; rannsachadh mòr mun àm is còmhraidhean is agallamhan le daoine a bha thall is a chunnaic (an Uibhist is Barraigh agus an Argentina!)

A bheil caractar as fheàrr agad bhon leabhar? 

Tha: am prìomh character, Cailean Quinn ged as fhìor thoigh leam am bodach Alasdair mac Sheumais  Bhig is tha truas agam ri Jane – dh’ fhaodadh a saoghal air a bhith diofraichte!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself to start?

I was born and raised in Lenzie, near Glasgow, my father from South Uist and my mother from Glasgow. Although I became a doctor, I have always enjoyed writing; fiction and poetry. Two or three competitions gave me some confidence and then the new fiction scheme, Ùr-sgeul from which the first four novels appeared. They did well in competitions such as Saltire etc. I have been writing for 25 years now.

What was your inspiration for the book?

I wanted to show a community and its people at a special time: where many changes were about to come but the old world of stories and blackhouses still existed alongside bungalows and TV with 3 channels and Punk and people taking a keen interest in the World Cup in Argentina – such a famous competition in the poor history of Scottish International football. 

What is the book about?

Colin Quinn spent the summer of 1978 with his uncle, Ruairidh Gillies, on South Uist.

 While the world at large and many in the islands watch football in Argentina – didn’t Ally MacLeod say Scotland would win the World Cup ‘nae bother’? – two ‘Barra’ men deepen their relationship.

 Ruairidh is a recently retired GP and has been a widower for the last eighteen months. Despite lacking some of his former confidence he has accepted a month’s locum for the practice at the south end of the island; an annual occurrence until 1976. His mind and clinical acumen must, therefore, be sharp and up to the task. Ruairidh has a passion for folklore and while on Uist will often visit informants to record their songs and stories. This work provides vital, non-medical, stimulus as does the company of a bright, sensitive, young lad. 

Colin, Ruairidh’s nephew, grew up in Greenock and is now at a crossroads in his life. If he fails his second-year degree exams in autumn he will have to leave Glasgow University and try something else: “like finding a job?” his mother, Màiri, might throw at him, if she thought he’d listen.

 Colin is keen to help his uncle gather the tales of an acknowledged seanachie who has never previously been recorded. And it is in Alasdair MacDonald’s home that he hears first-hand – as do we – some of the gems of Gaelic oral tradition. It is there also that Colin becomes involved in the difficult, damaged, world of Jane – the old man’s grand-niece. And then there is Ealasaid – a singular woman who assumes responsibility for looking after these men with too much love and lard.

Throughout these intense summer days and weeks, of almost forty years ago, we share the main characters’ growing intimacy and mutual understanding at joyful times and while facing some major challenges.

 In their company we enjoy the pristine beauty of the southern isles and feel the wrath of the elements when their mood changes. We rejoice when Archie Gemmil nets his iconic goal against Holland in the priest’s house but then feel the pain of that dream destroyed. We hear Run Rig for the first time at a dance in Castlebay and later observe affection and antipathy expressed in ways that are not straightforward.

Another shorter narrative – set years later – adds to our understanding of these characters and our interest in their lives since 1978; thus we learn to whom A Summer in South Uist is really being told and why the story had to be told now.

What was the writing process like?

There was lots of thinking, writing and re-writing; a lot of research about that time and conversations and interviews with people who were over there and saw (in Uist, Barra and Argentina!)

Do you have a favourite character from the book?

Yes: the main character, Cailean Quinn although I really like the old man Alasdair mac Sheumais Bhig and I also have pity for Jane – her world could have been different!