Council publishes Gaelic Carol Book in time for Christmas

7th December 2008

A Christmas Gaelic song and carol book titled "Duan Nollaig" has been published this week by The Highland Council's Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellowship.

The book follows the successful production of 'Duan Nollaig' in 2007 - the only double CD of Gaelic Christmas songs and carols for all ages. The Duan Nolliag CD proved to be a great success, remaining at the top of the Christmas best seller lists in Scotland for several weeks over the 2007 festive season and has continued to sell well all year round.
Both the Duan Nollaig book and CD were created through the Council's Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellowship in response to requests from all over the world for recorded and published Gaelic Christmas songs and carols.

Councillor Hamish Fraser, Chairman of The Highland Council Gaelic Committee said: "The publication of Duan Nollaig is not only in time for Christmas but it is very appropriate as we look towards the Year of Homecoming 2009. In addition to providing an excellent teaching resource for all Gaelic Medium teachers throughout Scotland, the book will also strike a chord with Gaelic speakers and learners at home and abroad."

Fiona Mackenzie Highland Council's Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellowship Officer said: "Following the initial success of the CD, I received many emails and calls from all over the world, particularly from teachers and solo singers, for a published version of the songs. There is no other Gaelic carol book in publication at present, and certainly no book which contains actual arrangements of Gaelic Christmas songs."

Irvin Duguid, who produced the CD, has arranged sixteen of the songs taken from the CD, for voice, piano and guitar and they include traditional Gaelic Christmas hymns such as:
"Laoidh Mhoire Mhaighdeann" (the Virgin Mary's Hymn);
- translations of well known carols such as 'Ciain an Oidhche' (Silent Night) and Fada Cian ann an Staball (Away in a Manger); and
- songs suitable for young children such as 'Rinn sinn bodach sneachd an diugh' (We made a snowman today).

Other well known Christmas songs such as 'Air a Chiad latha' (The 12 Days of Christmas) and 'Nollaig Chridheil' (We wish you a Merry Christmas) are also included.
Fiona added: "We hope that the book will prove very useful to teachers particularly in Highland schools who struggle every year, to find suitable and attractive material for the numerous concerts and Nativity plays at Christmas."

The 'Duan Nollaig Book' will be available priced around ý10 from Highland Council's Education Centre in Dingwall; Highlander Music in Muir of Ord; The Music Shop, Inverness; other retailers and online from www.musicscotland.com and www.footstompin.com.
For more information, e-mail: fiona.mackenzie[AT]highland.gov.uk
or telephone: 01349 863441.