Aonghais a’ bhalaich, tha sinn a’ cur feum air tuilleadh òran, le Murray MacLeòid

‘S beag a bha dùil aig Aonghas MacPhàil bho chionn dìreach dhà no thrì sheachdainean gum biodh e os cionn iomairt mhòr phoileataigeach.

Aonghas MacPhàil bhon chòmhlan Skippinish

[English-language version below]

Mar iasgair agus ball dhen chòmhlan Skippinish, cha robh fa-near dha ach a bheatha a chur seachad aig muir le bàta beag iasgaich agus am bogsa a chluiche aig cèilidhean; beatha a bha gu mòr air a bhogadh ann an traidisean a bhuinneas gu mòr ga theaghlach.

Ach, an uair sin, thàinig na Fìor Sgìrean Glèidhteachais Mara: molaidhean cruaidh a tha a’ bagairt cur às don dhòigh-bheatha aige, agus chaidh e air a chasan.

Chan eil e na aonar le sin. Air feadh a’ chosta an iar agus nan eilean, tha fearg air èirigh nach fhacas airson ùine fhada – ma thig na molaidhean air adhart, cuiridh iad às do dh’obair sam bith timcheall na mara – agus chaidh Aonghas a ghluasad gu òran.

Agus abair òran. Le a dheagh charaid, Dòmhnall Frances MacNèill à Bhatarsaigh a’ seinn, thàinig “The Clearances Again” beò, agus là an dèidh dha a thighinn a-mach, bha na mìltean air èisteachd ris air na clàraidhean air-loidhne.

Thàinig co-chomhairleachadh nan HPMAs gu crìch an t-seachdain a chaidh agus dùil gun tug na mìltean freagairt, ged a bha gu leòr air an sàrachadh le cho duilich ‘s a bha e a dhol troimhe, ‘s gun càil a' choltas gun deach a dhèanamh airson a bhith furasta dhan duine àbhaisteach.

‘S nach e sin an duilgheadas.

Chan eil duine, air an taobh an iar no àite sam bith eile, a thig an aghaidh dìon na h-àrainneachd ann am prionnsabal. Ach, tha e do-chreidsinneach g’ eil an fheadhainn a tha an urra ris an dearbh obair sin airson am bith-beò a bhith air a ghlasadh a-mach às na còmhraidhean. Gu mì-fhortanach, tha e na chomharra air cus eile a tha a’ dol ann am poileataigs an-dràsta.

Tha Humza Yousaf air a ràdh nach tig na molaidhean a chur an sàs an aghaidh toil nan coimhearsnachd, agus le sin, shaoileadh tu gur e sin crìoch na cùise – ann an dòigh bha na faclan glè shoilleir. Ach, tha faireachdainn ann g’ eil poileataigs meallta na chois.

Cha bhi e idir airson e fhèin fhàgail anns an t-suidheachadh far a bheil e cur a chùlaibh ri seo gu tur, agus ri linn mar a tha e airson na h-Uainich a chumail air an dòigh, tha amharas ann nach eil an gealltanas cho soilleir ‘s a tha e a’ coimhead.

Ma thig na molaidhean a tha seo a chasg, no nas dualtaiche buileach a lagachadh ann an dòigh a choireigin, faodaidh Aonghas agus an iomadach duine eile a thog an guth nan aghaidh a bhith pròiseil. Gu ìre.

Bhon a tha eagal orm, fiù ‘s aig an sin, nach e deireadh na sgeòil. Chan eil “reubaltaich nan taighean-seinnse fìon”, mar a thug Fearghas Ewing orra, idir deiseil.

An t-seachdain seo fhèin, chuir tè aca, am ball Gàidhealach Uaine Arianne Burgess, tachartas air dòigh sa Phàrlamaid airson lince (cait fhiadhaich mhòr) a thoirt air ais dhan sgìre. Tha seo na phàirt den iomairt airson raointean mòra dùthchail ath-fhiadhachadh, no airson a chur ann am faclan eile nach aidich iad, cur às dhe na daoine.

Mar a thuigeadh duine sam bith le leth-chiall, tha iadsan a tha an urra ris an tuath airson beò-shlàinnt air a ràdh cho gòrach ‘s a tha seo, bho nach urrainn tuigse cheart a bhith aig duine air dè a’ bhuaidh a bhiodh aig a leithid aig a’ cheann thall.

Ach, chan eil sin a’ freagairt deasbad nan taighean-seinnse ann an Dùn Èideann.

Aonghais a bhalaich, tha sinn feumach air an tuilleadh òran.

English-language version:

Just a few short weeks ago, Angus MacPhail would have shuddered at the thought of becoming a political cause celebre. A fisherman and box player with the traditional band Skippinish, his existence revolved around the serenity of life on the ocean wave in his small fishing boat and entertaining at ceilidhs, a life very much centred around tradition.

But then came the dreaded highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) consultation, threatening the livelihood that he holds dear, and a revolution was born. The sense of injustice throughout coastal communities is palpable – if the proposals go ahead in their current form it will mean virtually all marine-related economic activity banned across huge areas of the western seaboard – and Angus was inspired to song. Many others are seething at the imposition of such Draconian and unnecessary measures.

With his great friend, 64-year-old fisherman Donald Francis MacNeil from Vatersay, on vocals, “The Clearances Again” was born and just 24 hours after its release claimed a Top Ten iTunes download position. The HMPAs consultation closed last week and it is understood to have drawn a high number of responses, although many were hugely frustrated at its impenetrable nature, almost impossible for the layman to follow.

You won’t find anyone, on the west coast or elsewhere, who will disagree with the general principle of environmental protection, but the notion that those whose livelihoods depend on ensuring sustainability should be sidelined from the process seems incredibly perverse and cack-handed. But, unfortunately, it’s a symptom of a wider malaise.

Humza Yousaf has given a clear commitment in parliament that HPMAs will not be imposed on communities “against their will”, which given the strength of opposition should mean that, in their current form at least, the proposals are dead in the water. But it may not be that simple.

The new First Minister will understandably want to avoid an embarrassing climbdown and given he has made such a virtue out of keeping the Greens onside – the proposals are a direct result of the Bute House SNP-Green agreement – a strong sense of suspicion prevails that they will remain on the table.

If the HPMAs are eventually ditched, which seems unlikely given the political ramifications, or more likely watered down, it will be in small measure down to the efforts of the likes of Angus MacPhail and the collective sense of anger that has come out of communities that face increasing marginalisation through no fault of their own.

Unfortunately, however, there are more warning signs on the horizon. “The wine bar revolutionaries”, as they have been so memorably termed by SNP Highland MSP Fergus Ewing, are clearly not finished. Just this week, Highland Green MSP Arianne Burgess hosted a parliamentary event to promote the reintroduction of lynx, part of the rewilding agenda, or as it should more accurately be coined, the depopulation of the countryside agenda.

Needless to say, the majority of those who still make their living in rural areas are opposed to the introduction of apex predators as the consequences – on other wildlife, domestic animals and, of course, livestock – can never truly be understood until it’s too late. Angus, we need more songs.