The Scottish Snippets Newsletter in its original format began in April 1997 and continued in an unbroken series for 591 issues. Although no longer produced in that style, there is now this regular update on the new and updated pages on the Rampant Scotland site including "Scottie's Photo Diary From Scotland".
To receive a text version of this newsletter as a reminder to look at these Web pages when they are published, just send an e-mail to Scottie@RampantScotland.com with "Subscribe Newsletter" in the subject line.
Gaelic Language
The Scottish Radiance site had a number of sections related to the Gaelic Language and it will take some time to move them all onto Rampant Scotland. Here is an initial selection:
Gaelic Sound Clips
Unless you are in certain parts of Scotland or in Nova Scotia or Cape Breton Islands in the east of Canada, you are unlikely to hear what the Gaelic language actually sounds like. So here's a collection of pages with words listed in Gaelic and English - along with sound files in which a Gaelic speaker reads out the Gaelic versions of each of the words or phrases. See (and hear) at Gaelic Sound Clips
Scots Gaelic Phrases
A collection of pages with words and phrases in Gaelic, English and a phonetic representation of these words - the initial index covers Greetings and Polite Expressions; How Are You? and People (with more to be added later). See Scots Gaelic Phrases Index
Index and Future Gaelic Sections
Further Gaelic sections will include "Far and Wide / Fada's Farsaig" (Aspects of Scottish and Gaelic culture written in both Gaelic and English) plus a column presented in both Scots Gaelic and English and Gaelic versions of popular first names for children. The index of Gaelic pages so far included also has an aid to Gaelic pronunciation. See: Gaelic Index
Scottish Clans on YouTube
Copies of the BBC TV series by Paul Murton on aspects of the histories of a number of Scottish clans have been uploaded to YouTube by various editors (copyright issues seem to be ignored on the justification of "education"!). Each programme is 30 minutes long, though some of the earlier items have been split into three parts due to YouTube time limitations in those days. So far I've tracked down and listed 15 clan histories in this series ranging from Armstrong, Cameron and Campbell through MacDonald, MacGregor and MacLean to Robertson and Scott. See Scottish Clans on YouTube.
Scottish History - Pictish Kings and Dalriada
Early kings were warlords, whose authority was expressed and acknowledged largely in the receiving of tribute, and of whom were expected military successes and the acquisition of prestige goods, by war, plunder or treaty. Dalriada in what is now Argyll, and Strathclyde (with their base at Dumbarton Rock) also had their own kings in various forms. See Scottish History - Pictish Kings and Dalriada.
Whisky Connoisseur - Talisker
The next tale by Arthur J A Bell, the Whisky Connoisseur is about Talisker Whisky, now the only whisky distillery on the beautiful island of Skye in the Inner Hebrides (That's Talisker Bay on Skye, via Wikimedia). Writer Charles MacLean, in his Pocket Whisky Book describes Talisker as "The lava of the Cuillins exploding off the palate and slipping down like shreaving fire". See Talisker Whisky from Skye.
Over the Pond By Frank Hatton
Guest writer Frank Hatton describes changing from "Shillings and Pence" to Decimal Currency and further changes to a metric system that have taken place in Scotland and the UK as we conform to European Union regulations. See Decimalisation and Metrication
Scottish Lighthouses
Sanda Lighthouse
Located on an island just off the Mull of Kintrye south of Campbeltown. It is built on the top of a small detached rock off Sanda nicknamed "Ship Rock". The engineer designed a stone tower with 3 sections set against the face of the rock, still the only one of its kind in Scotland. See Sanda Lighthouse, Mull of Kintyre.
Start Point (Sanday) Lighthouse
On the third largest of the Orkney Islands. Sanday can be reached by Orkney Ferries or plane from Kirkwall on the Orkney Mainland. It was the first Scottish lighthouse to have a revolving light which gave it a unique character making it easily distinguished from other lights. Graphic by Beth Loft via Wikipedia. See Start Point (Sanday) Lighthouse
Cape Wrath Lighthouse
On the most north-westerly tip of the Scottish mainland on one of the UK's highest vertical cliffs. The lighthouse keepers' cottage is leased by a couple who, despite the remoteness, operate the "Ozone" cafe. In 2013 it had 6,000 visitors. See Cape Wrath Lighthouse
Next Newsletter
The next newsletter is scheduled for 8 February. In addition to more pages from "Scottish Radiance" there will be another collection of YouTube mainstream videos, this time on Scottish Castles.
Yours aye
Scottie
Previous editions of this Newsletter are available in an Archive. The Index to the other pages of the Rampant Scotland site is available here.
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