[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Murchadh Peutan – fear-teagaisg a chaidh mu choinneimh clas an toiseach ann an Afraga ’s a bha mu dheireadh a’ teagasg saidheans tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig. Ach mus do rinn e dad dhen sin bha e air a’ phoileas an sàs an lùib rannsachadh foireansaig air cuid de chùisean muirt ainmeil. Tha e an-diugh air fear de na daoine glice a bhios a’ feallsanachd air Prògram Choinnich. Fàilte oirbh, a Mhurchaidh.
[Murchadh Peutan] ’S e do bheatha.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] ’S e pundit tha mi a’ creid a th’ annaibh, nach e, air Prògram Choinnich?
[Murchadh Peutan] Uill chan eil fhios agam. Cha chanainn sin idir. Na pundits ’s e an leithid Dan Moireach a bhios air a h-uile Dihaoine. Bidh mise dìreach a’ bruidhinn air cuspairean co-cheangailte ri saidheans ’s matamataig ’s teicneòlas.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Tha sin a-nis gur dèanamh nas glice na pundit no an caochladh?
[Murchadh Peutan] Chan eil, chan eil e a’ dèanamh ... Chan eil e a’ dèanamh dad ach dìreach a’ sealltainn ... Tha mòran dhaoine a’ smaoineachadh nach e cànan a th’ anns a’ Ghàidhlig a tha comasach air cuspairean mar saidheans agus matamataig agus teicneòlas a mhìneachadh, agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil e cudromach gum bi sinn a’ cur às dhan bheachd a tha sin agus a’ dearbhadh gu dearbh gun urrainn dhuinn na cuspairean a tha sin a dheasbad ann an Gàidhlig cho math ri cànan sam bith eile.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] ’S toigh le Coinneach daoine air a’ phrògram a tha làn bheachdan. An e duine beachdail a th’ annaibh?
[Murchadh Peutan] Tha mi an dòchas nach e duine beachdail a th’ annam ach tha beachdan làidir agam dìreach air cuspair no dhà.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Uill thig sinn gu fear no dhà dhen sin tha mi cinnteach mar a thèid sinn air adhart, ach innsibh dhuinn an toiseach cò às sibh. Sgitheanach.
[Murchadh Peutan] Sgitheanach a th’ annam. Tha mi a’ fuireach, agus thogadh mi, ann an sgìre an t-Sruthain anns an Eilean Sgitheanach, faisg air Dùn Bheagain, agus chaidh mi dhan bhun-sgoil ann am Bhatan, bun-sgoil bheag faisg oirnn, agus chaidh mi an uair sin dhan àrd-sgoil ann am Port Rìgh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Agus ’s e àite a th’ ann an Àrd-Sgoil Phort Rìgh a th’ air buaidh mhòr a thoirt air ur beatha. Thig sinn a-rithist gu bliadhnaichean teagaisg ann an Àrd-Sgoil Phort Rìgh ach mar sgoilear bha sibh anns an ostail cuideachd, nach robh, fhad ’s a bha sibh anns an sgoil?
[Murchadh Peutan] Bha mi a’ fuireach anns an ostail agus tha e iongantach a’ coimhead air an-diugh gun robh agam ri fuireach anns an ostail. Tha sgoilearan an-diugh a’ siubhail nas fhaide na an dachaigh agamsa bho Phort Rìgh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Dè cho fad ’s a tha an dachaigh agaibh à Port Rìgh?
[Murchadh Peutan] Mu shia mìle deug.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Smaoineachail.
[Murchadh Peutan] Smaoineachail gun robh againn ri fuireach anns an ostail dìreach airson astar beag mar sin.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] An robh an sgoil ’s an ostail a’ còrdadh ribh?
[Murchadh Peutan] Bha an ostail gu sònraichte a’ còrdadh rium.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] An robh gu dearbh?
[Murchadh Peutan] Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gun robh càirdeas ann ’s bha rudan ann a bha dìreach iongantach agus tha caraidean agamsa a bha còmhla rium anns an ostail ’s tha iad nan caraidean chun an latha an-diugh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Rinn sibh bliadhnaichean na sgoile ma-thà agus thòisich ùidh ann an saidheans an uair sin, nach do thòisich?
[Murchadh Peutan] Uill chan eil fhios a’m. Tha mi a’ creidsinn gun do thòisich ùidh ann an saidheans ach anns an sgoil bha agad ri taghadh a dhèanamh glè thric eadar cuspairean, agus ’s e an taghadh a bh’ againne, tha cuimhne a’m, mas math mo chuimhne co-dhiù, bha againn ri taghadh a dhèanamh eadar saidheans agus ealan, agus tha e eu-comasach dhòmhsa dealbh shìmplidh a tharraing. Cha robh feum sam bith annam ann an ealan agus mar sin chaidh mi gu saidheans.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Chan aithne dhòmhsa cuide seach chuid a dhèanamh. ’S math nach robh mi ann an Àrd-Sgoil Phort Rìgh aig an àm. Agus chaidh sibh dhan oilthigh a dhèanamh dè? Fiosaigs agus ... ?
[Murchadh Peutan] Fiosaigs ’s matamataig.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Carson? Dè bha sibh a’ cur romhaibh a dhèanamh leis an sin?
[Murchadh Peutan] Cha robh mi a’ cur dad romham. Tha cuimhne agam nuair a bha mi anns an oilthigh cha robh beachd idir, idir agam dè bha mi a’ dol a dhèanamh nuair a thòisich sinn, nuair a rachainn a-mach gu saoghal obrach agus an aon bheachd a bh’ agam bha beachdan gu math làidir agam air rudan nach robh mi ag iarraidh a dhèanamh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Leithid?
[Murchadh Peutan] Leithid a bhith a’ teagasg.
Chaidh am prògram seo, Thuige Seo, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 2011.
[Donald Morrison] Murdo Beaton – a teacher who initially stood in front of a class in Africa and who latterly taught science in Gaelic. But before he did any of that he was in the police working in forensic research on some notorious murder cases. He is now one of the wise folk who philosophise on Prògram Choinnich [Coinneach MacIver’s programme on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal]. Welcome to you, Murdo.
[Murdo Beaton] You are welcome.
[Donald Morrison] You are a pundit I believe, aren’t you, on Prògram Choinnich?
[Murdo Beaton] Well I don’t know. I wouldn’t say that at all. The pundits are the likes of Dan Murray who are on every Friday. I just talk about subjects linked to science and mathematics and technology.
[Donald Morrison] Now that makes you wiser than a pundit or the opposite?
[Murdo Beaton] It doesn’t, it doesn’t make ... It doesn’t do anything but just shows ... Many people think that Gaelic isn’t a language that is capable of explaining subjects like science and mathematics and technology, and I think that it is important that we dispel that opinion and indeed prove that we can debate those subjects in Gaelic just as well as any other language.
[Donald Morrison] Coinneach likes people on the programme who are full of opinions. Are you an opinionated person?
[Murdo Beaton] I hope that I am not an opinionated person but I do have strong opinions about just a couple of subjects.
[Donald Morrison] Well we will come to a couple of those I am sure as we go along, but tell us firstly where you are from. A Skyeman.
[Murdo Beaton] I am a Skyeman. I live, and I was raised, in the area of Struan in the Isle of Skye, near Dunvegan, and I went to primary school in Vatten, a little primary school near to us, and I then went to high school in Portree.
[Donald Morrison] And Portree High School is a place that has had a great impact on your life. We will return to the teaching years in Portree High School but as a pupil you were in the hostel too, weren’t you, whilst you were in school?
[Murdo Beaton] I stayed in the hostel and it is astonishing looking at it now that I had to stay in the hostel. Nowadays pupils travel further than my home from Portree.
[Donald Morrison] How far is your home from Portree?
[Murdo Beaton] About sixteen miles.
[Donald Morrison] It is a wonder.
[Murdo Beaton] It is a wonder that we had to stay in the hostel just for a small distance like that.
[Donald Morrison] Did you enjoy school and the hostel?
[Murdo Beaton] I particularly enjoyed the hostel.
[Donald Morrison] Did you really?
[Murdo Beaton] I think that there was friendship and there were things that were just wonderful and I have friends that were with me in the hostel and they are still friends to this day.
[Donald Morrison] You did the school days then and an interest in science began at that time, didn’t it?
[Murdo Beaton] Well I don’t know. I believe an interest in science did begin but in school you had to very often choose between subjects, and the choice that we had, I remember, if I remember correctly at least, we had to choose between science and art, and it is impossible for me to draw a simple picture. I am useless at art and therefore I went to science.
[Donald Morrison] I don’t know how to do either. It is good that I wasn’t in Portree High School at the time. And you went to university to do what? Physics and ... ?
[Murdo Beaton] Physics and mathematics.
[Donald Morrison] Why? What were you planning to do with that?
[Murdo Beaton] I wasn’t planning anything. I remember when I was in university I didn’t have any idea at all at all when we started, when I would go out to the world of work and the only idea that I had I had very strong opinions of things that I didn’t want to do.
[Donald Morrison] Such as?
[Murdo Beaton] Such as teaching.
This programme, Thuige Seo, was first broadcast in 2011.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Murchadh Peutan – fear-teagaisg a chaidh mu choinneimh clas an toiseach ann an Afraga ’s a bha mu dheireadh a’ teagasg saidheans tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig. Ach mus do rinn e dad dhen sin bha e air a’ phoileas an sàs an lùib rannsachadh foireansaig air cuid de chùisean muirt ainmeil. Tha e an-diugh air fear de na daoine glice a bhios a’ feallsanachd air Prògram Choinnich. Fàilte oirbh, a Mhurchaidh.
[Murchadh Peutan] ’S e do bheatha.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] ’S e pundit tha mi a’ creid a th’ annaibh, nach e, air Prògram Choinnich?
[Murchadh Peutan] Uill chan eil fhios agam. Cha chanainn sin idir. Na pundits ’s e an leithid Dan Moireach a bhios air a h-uile Dihaoine. Bidh mise dìreach a’ bruidhinn air cuspairean co-cheangailte ri saidheans ’s matamataig ’s teicneòlas.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Tha sin a-nis gur dèanamh nas glice na pundit no an caochladh?
[Murchadh Peutan] Chan eil, chan eil e a’ dèanamh ... Chan eil e a’ dèanamh dad ach dìreach a’ sealltainn ... Tha mòran dhaoine a’ smaoineachadh nach e cànan a th’ anns a’ Ghàidhlig a tha comasach air cuspairean mar saidheans agus matamataig agus teicneòlas a mhìneachadh, agus tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil e cudromach gum bi sinn a’ cur às dhan bheachd a tha sin agus a’ dearbhadh gu dearbh gun urrainn dhuinn na cuspairean a tha sin a dheasbad ann an Gàidhlig cho math ri cànan sam bith eile.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] ’S toigh le Coinneach daoine air a’ phrògram a tha làn bheachdan. An e duine beachdail a th’ annaibh?
[Murchadh Peutan] Tha mi an dòchas nach e duine beachdail a th’ annam ach tha beachdan làidir agam dìreach air cuspair no dhà.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Uill thig sinn gu fear no dhà dhen sin tha mi cinnteach mar a thèid sinn air adhart, ach innsibh dhuinn an toiseach cò às sibh. Sgitheanach.
[Murchadh Peutan] Sgitheanach a th’ annam. Tha mi a’ fuireach, agus thogadh mi, ann an sgìre an t-Sruthain anns an Eilean Sgitheanach, faisg air Dùn Bheagain, agus chaidh mi dhan bhun-sgoil ann am Bhatan, bun-sgoil bheag faisg oirnn, agus chaidh mi an uair sin dhan àrd-sgoil ann am Port Rìgh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Agus ’s e àite a th’ ann an Àrd-Sgoil Phort Rìgh a th’ air buaidh mhòr a thoirt air ur beatha. Thig sinn a-rithist gu bliadhnaichean teagaisg ann an Àrd-Sgoil Phort Rìgh ach mar sgoilear bha sibh anns an ostail cuideachd, nach robh, fhad ’s a bha sibh anns an sgoil?
[Murchadh Peutan] Bha mi a’ fuireach anns an ostail agus tha e iongantach a’ coimhead air an-diugh gun robh agam ri fuireach anns an ostail. Tha sgoilearan an-diugh a’ siubhail nas fhaide na an dachaigh agamsa bho Phort Rìgh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Dè cho fad ’s a tha an dachaigh agaibh à Port Rìgh?
[Murchadh Peutan] Mu shia mìle deug.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Smaoineachail.
[Murchadh Peutan] Smaoineachail gun robh againn ri fuireach anns an ostail dìreach airson astar beag mar sin.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] An robh an sgoil ’s an ostail a’ còrdadh ribh?
[Murchadh Peutan] Bha an ostail gu sònraichte a’ còrdadh rium.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] An robh gu dearbh?
[Murchadh Peutan] Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gun robh càirdeas ann ’s bha rudan ann a bha dìreach iongantach agus tha caraidean agamsa a bha còmhla rium anns an ostail ’s tha iad nan caraidean chun an latha an-diugh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Rinn sibh bliadhnaichean na sgoile ma-thà agus thòisich ùidh ann an saidheans an uair sin, nach do thòisich?
[Murchadh Peutan] Uill chan eil fhios a’m. Tha mi a’ creidsinn gun do thòisich ùidh ann an saidheans ach anns an sgoil bha agad ri taghadh a dhèanamh glè thric eadar cuspairean, agus ’s e an taghadh a bh’ againne, tha cuimhne a’m, mas math mo chuimhne co-dhiù, bha againn ri taghadh a dhèanamh eadar saidheans agus ealan, agus tha e eu-comasach dhòmhsa dealbh shìmplidh a tharraing. Cha robh feum sam bith annam ann an ealan agus mar sin chaidh mi gu saidheans.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Chan aithne dhòmhsa cuide seach chuid a dhèanamh. ’S math nach robh mi ann an Àrd-Sgoil Phort Rìgh aig an àm. Agus chaidh sibh dhan oilthigh a dhèanamh dè? Fiosaigs agus ... ?
[Murchadh Peutan] Fiosaigs ’s matamataig.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Carson? Dè bha sibh a’ cur romhaibh a dhèanamh leis an sin?
[Murchadh Peutan] Cha robh mi a’ cur dad romham. Tha cuimhne agam nuair a bha mi anns an oilthigh cha robh beachd idir, idir agam dè bha mi a’ dol a dhèanamh nuair a thòisich sinn, nuair a rachainn a-mach gu saoghal obrach agus an aon bheachd a bh’ agam bha beachdan gu math làidir agam air rudan nach robh mi ag iarraidh a dhèanamh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan] Leithid?
[Murchadh Peutan] Leithid a bhith a’ teagasg.
Chaidh am prògram seo, Thuige Seo, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 2011.
[Donald Morrison] Murdo Beaton – a teacher who initially stood in front of a class in Africa and who latterly taught science in Gaelic. But before he did any of that he was in the police working in forensic research on some notorious murder cases. He is now one of the wise folk who philosophise on Prògram Choinnich [Coinneach MacIver’s programme on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal]. Welcome to you, Murdo.
[Murdo Beaton] You are welcome.
[Donald Morrison] You are a pundit I believe, aren’t you, on Prògram Choinnich?
[Murdo Beaton] Well I don’t know. I wouldn’t say that at all. The pundits are the likes of Dan Murray who are on every Friday. I just talk about subjects linked to science and mathematics and technology.
[Donald Morrison] Now that makes you wiser than a pundit or the opposite?
[Murdo Beaton] It doesn’t, it doesn’t make ... It doesn’t do anything but just shows ... Many people think that Gaelic isn’t a language that is capable of explaining subjects like science and mathematics and technology, and I think that it is important that we dispel that opinion and indeed prove that we can debate those subjects in Gaelic just as well as any other language.
[Donald Morrison] Coinneach likes people on the programme who are full of opinions. Are you an opinionated person?
[Murdo Beaton] I hope that I am not an opinionated person but I do have strong opinions about just a couple of subjects.
[Donald Morrison] Well we will come to a couple of those I am sure as we go along, but tell us firstly where you are from. A Skyeman.
[Murdo Beaton] I am a Skyeman. I live, and I was raised, in the area of Struan in the Isle of Skye, near Dunvegan, and I went to primary school in Vatten, a little primary school near to us, and I then went to high school in Portree.
[Donald Morrison] And Portree High School is a place that has had a great impact on your life. We will return to the teaching years in Portree High School but as a pupil you were in the hostel too, weren’t you, whilst you were in school?
[Murdo Beaton] I stayed in the hostel and it is astonishing looking at it now that I had to stay in the hostel. Nowadays pupils travel further than my home from Portree.
[Donald Morrison] How far is your home from Portree?
[Murdo Beaton] About sixteen miles.
[Donald Morrison] It is a wonder.
[Murdo Beaton] It is a wonder that we had to stay in the hostel just for a small distance like that.
[Donald Morrison] Did you enjoy school and the hostel?
[Murdo Beaton] I particularly enjoyed the hostel.
[Donald Morrison] Did you really?
[Murdo Beaton] I think that there was friendship and there were things that were just wonderful and I have friends that were with me in the hostel and they are still friends to this day.
[Donald Morrison] You did the school days then and an interest in science began at that time, didn’t it?
[Murdo Beaton] Well I don’t know. I believe an interest in science did begin but in school you had to very often choose between subjects, and the choice that we had, I remember, if I remember correctly at least, we had to choose between science and art, and it is impossible for me to draw a simple picture. I am useless at art and therefore I went to science.
[Donald Morrison] I don’t know how to do either. It is good that I wasn’t in Portree High School at the time. And you went to university to do what? Physics and ... ?
[Murdo Beaton] Physics and mathematics.
[Donald Morrison] Why? What were you planning to do with that?
[Murdo Beaton] I wasn’t planning anything. I remember when I was in university I didn’t have any idea at all at all when we started, when I would go out to the world of work and the only idea that I had I had very strong opinions of things that I didn’t want to do.
[Donald Morrison] Such as?
[Murdo Beaton] Such as teaching.
This programme, Thuige Seo, was first broadcast in 2011.