Allan Campbell - 14.11.24
Faisg air ochdad bliadhna bho chrìochnaich an Dàrna Cogadh agus tha nas lugha air am fàgail a bha “thall ’s a chunnaic”, ach tha e gun teagamh ceart is iomchaidh gun ghlèidhear cuimhne air gach neach a dh’ìobradh, agus gach neach a thug am beatha às, ach a chaill sinn bhon uairsin.
Mar a tha fios againn, gu mì-fhortanach tha cogadh air cron is sgrios a thoirt air iomadh ceàrnaidh den t-saoghal bho thàinig an t-sìth ann an 1945, agus gu dearbh tha eòlaichean a’ rabhadh gum bheil fois eadar-nàiseanta an t-saoghail an-dràsta fhèin ann an staid nas cunnartaiche na bha bho chionn ùine mhòr. Mar sin tha eòlas agus ànradh cogaidh a’ leantainn ann am beatha an t-saoghail, agus am bròn is an ionndrainn a tha daonnan na phàirt den chuimhne a tha an lùib sin. Nuair a dhùineas a’ mhòr-chuid againn ar sùilean aig àm sam bith ach ’s dòcha gu sònraichte air an aona latha deug den t-Samhain, Là an Arm-staid, tha mi cinnteach gun tig iomadh aghaidh is ìomhaigh air caraidean is eòlaich nar cuimhne, agus cothrom às ùr cuimhne spèiseil a thoirt dhaibh. Ach dhan fheadhainn a bha ri uchd bualaidh blàir saoilidh mi gum bi na cuimhneachain sin nas cràitiche, goirt, is cuid aca “a’ faicinn na mairbh beò” a-rithist mar a bha iad anns na diogan mu dheireadh de bheatha òg!
Chan fhiach ceòl a-ghnàth, ’s chan fhiach bròn a-ghnàth! Ann an cladhannan feadh na dùthcha tha clachan-uaghach nan cuimhneachain air feadhainn a chailleadh, agus tha iad cuideachd nan comharradh air na beàrnan a dh’fhàg an call sin air coimhearsnachdan far an tàinig grad-chrìoch air ginealaichean de theaghlaichean! Thug an dà chogadh mhòr buaidh shònraichte air Eileanan Alba agus air sgìrean iomallach na dùthcha, agus tha sin fhathast follaiseach le mar a tha àireamh an t-sluaigh air crìonadh anns an fharsaingeachd, agus cuideachd mar a tha òigridh a’ trèigsinn nan sgìrean sin ri linn dìth àitean-còmhnaidh agus chosnaidhean. Mar a dh’èirich dhan mhòr-chuid tha mise glè mhothachail air cho cudromach ’s a tha gnìomhachas turasachd dhan Ghàidhealtachd agus dha na h-Eileanan, ach saoilidh mi gum bheil cus earbsa air a dhol dhan roinn seo agus gum bheil dìth thaighean dha òigridh agus luchd-obrach sheirbheisean poblach nan comharra air sin. Cha bhi e soirbh smachd a ghabhail air a’ “bhochdan” seo a-rithist ach feumaidh sin tachairt ma tha coimhearsnachdan agus dualchas Gàidhealach gu bhith buan air na h-iomaill. Chithear agus cluinnear mar-thà ainmean àite is eachdraidh fuadain ga chruthachadh gus luchd-turais a riarachadh, agus mar a tha fios againn ma thèid breug aithris tric gu leòr thig i gu bhith na fìrinn!
San dealachadh an t-seachdain seo bu mhath leam clach a chur air càrn fìor dheagh charaid. Tha mi cinnteach gur iomadh gnìomh Crìosdail gasta a rinn Lachaidh MacLeòid MBE, ach bha a chuid saothrach agus spàirn thar còrr air còig bliadhna fichead gus ospais a stèidheachadh agus a chumail a’ dol ann an Romàinia da-rìribh sònraichte, agus airidh air moladh agus cuimhne! B’ e urram a bh’ ann an eòlas air Lachaidh!
Almost 80 years on from the ending of the Second World War there are understandably fewer survivors of the conflict, but it is right and proper that all who sacrificed life should be remembered, and also those survivors who have since passed.
Sadly, many areas of the globe have suffered the scourge and misery of war since peace was declared in 1945, and indeed experts are warning that world peace is currently at its most unstable level for a considerable time.
The experience and agony of war continues to be part of global life, together with the sorrow and loneliness that is part of its impact and memory. Most of us might close our eyes, particularly on Remembrance Sunday, and visualise images of departed friends and acquaintances whose memory we can honour anew. For conflict survivors, however, such an experience must be more brutally painful as they may be seeing “living dead” moments before their young lives ended!
Music alone is inadequate, and so too is mourning! Cemeteries nationwide display gravestones honouring the memory of those who perished, and tragically these markers also reflect voids in communities where the continuity of family lines were abruptly and savagely terminated.
The two World Wars had a particularly severe impact on Scotland’s Island and peripheral communities, a fact still reflected by dwindling populations, and the out-migration of young people who have neither access to housing nor employment.
While I recognise the importance of the tourism industry to the Highlands and Islands, I fear these communities are becoming overly reliant on it, and that the accommodation and employment challenges mentioned above are evidence of that.
It will not be easy to retake control of this “genie” but I believe this must happen if important cultural communities are to survive in peripheral areas. There are already many examples of invented placenames and history being created to entertain visitors, and as we should all understand an untruth, quoted sufficiently often, can becomes a truth.
Closing my column this week I wish to honour the memory of my very special friend the late Lachie MacLeod MBE. Lachie was a devout Christian and I am certain that throughout his life he did much which merits praise, but I wish to particularly mention his quarter century of dogged fundraising and commitment which created and maintained a hospice in Romania and gave comfort and peace to so many.
It was a privilege to be his friend.
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