Sar Sgeoil: As the Women Lay Dreaming 

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Cathy MacDonald

Sàr Sgeòil: As the Women Lay Dreaming

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media

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Sàr Sgeoil

As the Women Lay Dreaming

Sàr Sgeòil

BBC ALBA - Sàr Sgeòil, As the Women Lay Dreaming

Cathy MacDonald explores fact behind fiction in the novel As the Women Lay Dreaming.

Cathy Dhòmhnallach a’ lorg fìrinn air cùl ficsean san nobhail As the Women Lay Dreaming. Cathy MacDonald explores fact behind fiction in the novel As the Women Lay Dreaming.

Tha Cathy NicDhòmhnaill a’tadhal air Eilean Leòdhais a chur eòlas air na h-aitichean agus an eachdraidh a thug air Dòmhnall S Moireach a nobhail ùr As the Women Lay Dreaming a sgrìobhadh. Tha an leabhar a-measg a’ chiad dòrlach obraichean ficseanail a’ coimhead air call na h-Iolaire, air a’ chiad latha den Fhaoilleach 1919: tubaist-mara bhàsmhor san do chailleadh còrr is dà cheud fear, a’ mhòrchuid dhiu eileanaich a’tilleadh ‘on chogadh. 

Tha Cathy a’coimhead Biastan Thuilm, na sgeirean biorach air an deach an Iolaire sìos, cho faisg air a’ chala air an robh am bàta ag amas. Còmhla ris an ùghdar thèid Cathy gu Dail bho Dheas ann an Nis, dachaigh prìomh charactar na sgeòil – agus cuideachd am baile san do thogadh Dòmhnall Mòireach fhèin. Tha iad a’ rannsachadh a’ bhuaidh eagallach a bh’aig a’ Chiad Chogadh agus call na h-Iolaire air an sgìre agus a’coimhead an fhìrinn chruaidh a th’air cùl na sgeulachd chianail.

Cathy MacDonald visits the Isle of Lewis to explore the locations and history that inspired author Donald S Murray in the writing of his novel As the Women Lay Dreaming. The book is one of the first works of fiction to explore the Iolaire tragedy of 1 January 1919 – a disaster at sea in which over 200 men, the majority of whom were islanders returning home from the war, were lost.

Cathy visits the Beasts of Holm, the deadly skerries on which the ship foundered, just a short distance from the harbour the vessel was bound for. In the company of the author, she travels to South Dell in the north of the island, the home of the central character of the story. It is also the village in which Donald Murray grew up.

While there, they discuss the huge toll the Great War and the Iolaire tragedy took on this area. Together, Cathy and Donald unpick the fact behind the fiction in this moving, timely tale.

In Gaelic with English subtitles.

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