The Mar Bu Nòs Project convened two groups of Gaelic speakers representing different Highland settlements in Cape Breton. Its purpose was to record in Gaelic circumstances and standards for transmission of traditional arts such as song, storytelling and music. Sessions brought together speakers from Cape Breton’s Barra/South Uist tradition in Iona at Highland Village and Gaels of Lochaber, Morar and Moideart ancestory at the Glenora Distillery in Inverness County. Mar Bu Nòs is an excellent source of idiomatic phrases and vocabulary that can be used as a tool for Gaelic language learning.

Glenora Distillery
Anna MacKinnon - Broad Cove Banks,
Willie Fraser, Deepdale,
Hector MacIsaac, Port Hawkesbury
Interviewed by Jim Watson, Queensville and John Shaw, Scotland
Organized by Jim Watson, Tiber Falzett and Shamus Y. MacDonald
Camera operated by Marc Almon

Tape One
Total Play Time: 01:29:00

36:26-38:04 Anna talks about how tunes are played today; Willie tells a joke View | Listen
38:17 introductions
59:30 talking about songs
01:03:19 Anna and Willie sing a song; Willie talks about his life
01:16:52 Willie talks about how he learned to stepdance, his life as a step dancer
01:25:10-01:32:56 telling stories at the house; forerunners; ghosts Listen
01:34:05-01:41:11 Niall Ailein Duinn; Hector's story about Dòmhnall Ailein Duinn, and others from Anna and Willie Listen
01:42:45-01:45:24 the evil eye Listen
01:46:40 Alec Francis plays the fiddle

Tape Two
Total Play Time: 58:30

05:31 How Alec Francis learned the fiddle; who used to come visiting
07:54-15:24 Willie tells a cute story; talking about pipers; Willie jigs a tune View | Listen
15:40 Alec Francis plays the Inverness Gathering
19:08 Willie sings a song
23:09 Willie sings Ho Ro Mo Nighean Donn Bhoidheach

Highland Village, Iona
August 07, 2007

Joe Peter MacLean, Boisdale
Peter Jack MacLean, Christmas Island
Mickey John H. MacNeil, Iona
Maxie MacNeil, Christmas Island
Theresa Burke, Sydney
Martha Ramey, Coxheath
Angie Farrell, Benacadie
Glen Marion Burke, Antigonish

Disc One
Total Play Time: 1:03:02

10:32-18:05 introductions; talking about songs View | Listen
18:10 people who were good at singing
20:11-26:33 making ceilidhs; Maxie talks about how he learned the Gàidhlig songs
26:48-30:42 wake houses; passing time at the wakes View | Listen
30:44 picnics; Peter Jack and Mickey tell stories
36:05-42:31 work the women did; milking cows - Theresa has a tune for milking
View | Listen
44:55-48:39 saps and syrups; healing remedies
48:40-53:00 carding and spinning wool; dancing and singing View | Listen
53:00-54:40 summertime; storing seeds View | Listen
54:58 types of songs people made; Mickey talks about children jumping in the hay

Disc Two
Total Play Time: 01:03:00

03:03-09:08 introductions
10:03-20:19 piping and fiddling tunes; making whistles/chanters
20:20 how they learning to play tunes and dance
27:07 pipers who were well known
33:14 discussion about whether the first immigrants had pipes; bad luck to have a piper at a wedding
37:46-40:30 Mickey tells a story View | Listen
42:02-46:24 discussion about storytelling; Mickey tells another story View | Listen
46:26-53:07 spirits or ghosts; forerunners; Joe Peter, Peter Jack, Theresa & Mickey tell stories View | Listen
54:07-01:00:06 charm against fairies in the barn; Jim tells a story View | Listen
01:00:10 Challum Cille
01:01:24-01:05:02 Theresa tells a tongue twister Listen

Disc Three
Total Play Time: 00:29

05:22-10:24 Jim tells a story Listen
11:51-16:58 Joe Peter plays the fiddle
18:37-22:45 Tiber and Joe Peter play
23:50-26:17 another few tunes on the fiddle and pipes Listen
26:53-33:51 Peter Jack sings a song to end the ceilidh View | Listen