[Innes Rothach - Preseantair] Chaidh na prògraman rèidio mu dheireadh an craoladh bho thogalach a’ BhBC air Sràid na h-Eaglaise ann an Steòrnabhagh an-dè. Thairis air a’ chola-deug a tha romhainn, gluaisidh na seirbheisean rèidio agus telebhisean gu ionad ùr air Rathad Shìophoirt air iomaill a’ bhaile. Mar a tha Aonghas Dòmhnallach ag aithris, tha seo a’ toirt còig bliadhna deug thar fhichead de chraoladh ann an Togalach Rosebank gu crìoch.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Ged a bha 'm BBC a’ cruinneachadh naidheachdan ‘s prògraman eile sna h-Eileanan, ‘s ann seachdain a’ Mhòid naoi ceud deug trì fichead ‘s a naoi deug a chaidh stèisean BBC Rèidio nan Eilean fhosgladh an toiseach. Aig an àm, fhuair i taic mhòr bho Chomhairle nan Eilean agus taic làidir anns a’ choimhearsnachd fhèin.
[Ailean Dòmhnallach] Bha barrachd a-mach às a’ cheud ag èisteachd ri Rèidio nan Eilean aig an àm a bha sin na bha ag èisteachd ri stèisean rèidio sam bith anns an dùthaich. Tharraing e daoine ri chèile. Bha iad uabhasach faisg, bha iad a’ faireachdainn gur ann leotha a bha e. Agus anns a’ chiad bhliadhna, thug sinn ochd ceud duine ùr gu craobh-sgaoileadh Gàidhlig anns a’ bhliadhna sin air an rèidio. Agus anns an dòigh sin, bha sinn a’ toirt air daoine creidsinn annta fhèin, bruidhinn am measg a chèile, deasbad am measg a-chèile, ‘s iad fhèin a thoirt air adhart aig an àm a’ chomhairle cuideachd ag obair air an aon rud.
[Neen NicAoidh] Rèidio nan Eilean, sin dìreach rud a bh’ ann, prògraman dha na daoine às na h-eileanan, agus cha robh feasgar no seachdain a’ dol seachad nach robh Cailleach NicArtair shìos an rathad an seo bhiodh i tighinn suas le duf a h-uile feasgar Dihaoine. Bha sinn a’ faighinn bèicearachd, bha a h-uile seòrsa rud a’ tachairt.
[Magaidh Choineagan] Bha teipichean a’ dol air plèanaichean, bha teipichean a’ dol air busaichean, bha teipichean a’ dol air aiseigean agus mar sin, bha an dòigh anns an robh sinn a’ tarraing a h-uile càil ri chèile, saoilidh tu an-diugh uabhasach doirbh ach aig an àm a bha sin dìreach a’ smaoineachadh gur e, fiù ‘s gun robh sinn a’ faighinn teipichean agus daoine a’ bruidhinn Gàidhlig oir ‘s e rud mìorbhaileach a bh’ ann an sin fhèin.
[Jo NicDhòmhnaill] Tha cuimhne 'am an t-Ollamh Dòmhnall Meek a bhith ag ràdh gun robh e coltach ri glaodh no rudeigin a bha a’ tàthadh coimhearsnachd na Gàidhlig ri chèile air sgàth tha a’ choimhearsnachd sgapte.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Ann an naoi ceud deug ceithir fichead ‘s a còig, bha an t-seirbheis air leudachadh gu ìre agus gun deach BBC Radio nan Gàidheal a chur air cois.
[Coinneach MacÌomhair] Leudaich cùisean an uair sin, agus dh’ atharraich cùisean son chaidh Radio nan Gàidheal a chruthachadh agus dh’ atharraich sin a’ chùis seo bho bhith na stèisean a bha cha mhòr na stèisean choimhearsnachd dhan an taobh an Iar gu bhith na stèisean nàiseanta.
[Jo NicDhòmhnaill] Bha saorsa aig an luchd-obrach a bha seo, air falbh, ‘s dòch’ bho ùghdarras Ghlaschu, bha saorsa aca rudan ùr’ fheuchainn agus cha robh an t-airgead ach gann, ach bha tòrr misneachd, am measg an luchd-obrach a bha seo, mar a tha fhathast.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Le teachd tuilleadh phrògraman telebhisean Gàidhlig agus an uair sin, BBC ALBA, tha an t-seirbheis agus an luchd-obrach air fàs ro mhòr do Thogalach Rosebank.
[Ailean Dòmhnallach] ‘S e fìor dheagh naidheachd a bh’ ann, an t-seachdain-sa chaidh, a’ faicinn àite ùr airson craobh-sgaoileadh ga fhosgladh shìos air Rathad Seaforth ann an Steòrnabhagh agus tha ceud duine a-nis ag obair ann an Steòrnabhagh anns na meadhanan rèidio is telebhisein.
[Marion NicFhionghain] Dh’ fhàs sinn a-mach às an togalach a tha seo bho chionn fhada. Le sin, tha sinn a’ dol sìos gu Taigh Shìophoirt, goireasan ùr’, stiùideothan gleansach ùr’ agus tha mi cinnteach às gum bi iomadh cothrom cruthachail aig a h-uile duine a bhios ann. Cuimhnich gun do thòisich ceathrar a-staigh anns an togalach a tha seo ‘s a tha dà fhichead a-nis a’ gluasad sìos an rathad agus tha mi cinnteach gum bi sinn a’ cur ris an àireamh a tha sin.
[Coinneach MacÌomhair] Bha feum air goireasan obrach na b’ fheàrr is na b’ èifeachdaich, ach an-dèidh sin, mar a tha seann charaid, chuireadh tu suas ris na teachdan geàrr anns a bheil thu air fàs cho eòlach air agus bidh e rudeigin duilich dhut faighinn eòlach, ‘s dòch’, air an fheadhainn ùr’, air sgàth gu bheil daoine ùr’ a’ tighinn a-steach le dòighean ùr’ agus eòlas tòrr nas fheàrr na th’ agads’.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Ceum ùr eile ann an craoladh nan Gàidheal. Aonghas Dòmhnallach, BBC An Là, ann an Gàrradh Rosebank, ann an Steòrnabhagh.
Innes Munro - Presenter] The final radio programmes were broadcast from the BBC’s building on Church Street in Stornoway yesterday. Over the next fortnight we will move the radio and television services to a new centre on Seaforth Road at the edge of the town. As Angus MacDonald reports, this brings 35 years of broadcasting to an end.
[Angus MacDonald - Reporter] Although the BBC was newsgathering and other programmes in the Islands, it was Mod week 1979 that the BBC Radio nan Eilean was first opened. At that time, it was largely subsidised from the Islands Council and had strong support from the community itself.
[Allan MacDonald] There was a higher percentage listening to Radio nan Eilean at that time than listened to any other radio station in the country. It brought people together. They were really close; they felt that it was theirs. And in the first year, we introduced 800 new people to Gaelic broadcasting on the radio. And in that way, we gave self-belief to the people themselves, to talk to amongst themselves, debate amongst themselves, to push themselves forward at that time and the council too working on the same thing.
[Neen MacKay] Radio nan Eilean, that’s just what it was, programmes for the people in the islands, and there wasn’t an afternoon or a week that old Mrs MacArthur down the road, she would come up with duff every Friday afternoon. We would get baked goods, all sorts of things were happening.
[Maggie Cunningham] Tapes were going on planes, tapes were going on buses, tapes were going on ferries. The way in which we put everything together, I think of it today as being really awkward but at that time, we just thought it was, even getting tapes and people speaking Gaelic, it’s a great thing.
[Jo MacDonald] I remember Professor Donald Meek saying that it was like the glue, or something, which bonded the Gaelic community together as it was a disparate community.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] In 1985, the service expanded to a degree and Radio nan Gàidheal was set up.
[Kenny MacIver] Matters developed then and things changed as Radio nan Gaidheal was created and that changed the purpose from being a station that was really a community for the west coast to being a national station.
[Jo MacDonald] The staff had freedom, away, maybe from the authority in Glasgow, they had freedom to try new things and the money was tight, but there was a lot of confidence amongst the staff, as there is today.
[Angus MacDonald - Reporter] With more Gaelic programmes and the BBC ALBA, the service and the staff are getting to big for the Rosebank building.
[Angus MacDonald] It was great news, last week, to see a new place for broadcast opening down on Seaforth Road in Stornoway and there are 100 people now working in Stornoway in radio and television media.
[Marion MacKinnon] We grew out of this building a long time ago. With that, we are going down to Seaforth Road, new resources, shiny studios and I am sure that many creative opportunities for all will come of it. Remember that four started in this building and forty are now moving down the road and I am sure that we will add to that number.
[Kenny MacIver] There was a need for better and more efficient working facilities, but after that, just like an old friend, you’ll put up with the shortcomings which you become accustomed to and it will be somewhat hard to get used to, maybe, on the new ones, as new people come in with new ways and better knowledge than you have.
[Angus MacDonald - Reporter] Another new step in Gaelic broadcasting. Angus MacDonald, BBC An Là, in the Rosebank Garden, in Stornoway.
[Innes Rothach - Preseantair] Chaidh na prògraman rèidio mu dheireadh an craoladh bho thogalach a’ BhBC air Sràid na h-Eaglaise ann an Steòrnabhagh an-dè. Thairis air a’ chola-deug a tha romhainn, gluaisidh na seirbheisean rèidio agus telebhisean gu ionad ùr air Rathad Shìophoirt air iomaill a’ bhaile. Mar a tha Aonghas Dòmhnallach ag aithris, tha seo a’ toirt còig bliadhna deug thar fhichead de chraoladh ann an Togalach Rosebank gu crìoch.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Ged a bha 'm BBC a’ cruinneachadh naidheachdan ‘s prògraman eile sna h-Eileanan, ‘s ann seachdain a’ Mhòid naoi ceud deug trì fichead ‘s a naoi deug a chaidh stèisean BBC Rèidio nan Eilean fhosgladh an toiseach. Aig an àm, fhuair i taic mhòr bho Chomhairle nan Eilean agus taic làidir anns a’ choimhearsnachd fhèin.
[Ailean Dòmhnallach] Bha barrachd a-mach às a’ cheud ag èisteachd ri Rèidio nan Eilean aig an àm a bha sin na bha ag èisteachd ri stèisean rèidio sam bith anns an dùthaich. Tharraing e daoine ri chèile. Bha iad uabhasach faisg, bha iad a’ faireachdainn gur ann leotha a bha e. Agus anns a’ chiad bhliadhna, thug sinn ochd ceud duine ùr gu craobh-sgaoileadh Gàidhlig anns a’ bhliadhna sin air an rèidio. Agus anns an dòigh sin, bha sinn a’ toirt air daoine creidsinn annta fhèin, bruidhinn am measg a chèile, deasbad am measg a-chèile, ‘s iad fhèin a thoirt air adhart aig an àm a’ chomhairle cuideachd ag obair air an aon rud.
[Neen NicAoidh] Rèidio nan Eilean, sin dìreach rud a bh’ ann, prògraman dha na daoine às na h-eileanan, agus cha robh feasgar no seachdain a’ dol seachad nach robh Cailleach NicArtair shìos an rathad an seo bhiodh i tighinn suas le duf a h-uile feasgar Dihaoine. Bha sinn a’ faighinn bèicearachd, bha a h-uile seòrsa rud a’ tachairt.
[Magaidh Choineagan] Bha teipichean a’ dol air plèanaichean, bha teipichean a’ dol air busaichean, bha teipichean a’ dol air aiseigean agus mar sin, bha an dòigh anns an robh sinn a’ tarraing a h-uile càil ri chèile, saoilidh tu an-diugh uabhasach doirbh ach aig an àm a bha sin dìreach a’ smaoineachadh gur e, fiù ‘s gun robh sinn a’ faighinn teipichean agus daoine a’ bruidhinn Gàidhlig oir ‘s e rud mìorbhaileach a bh’ ann an sin fhèin.
[Jo NicDhòmhnaill] Tha cuimhne 'am an t-Ollamh Dòmhnall Meek a bhith ag ràdh gun robh e coltach ri glaodh no rudeigin a bha a’ tàthadh coimhearsnachd na Gàidhlig ri chèile air sgàth tha a’ choimhearsnachd sgapte.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Ann an naoi ceud deug ceithir fichead ‘s a còig, bha an t-seirbheis air leudachadh gu ìre agus gun deach BBC Radio nan Gàidheal a chur air cois.
[Coinneach MacÌomhair] Leudaich cùisean an uair sin, agus dh’ atharraich cùisean son chaidh Radio nan Gàidheal a chruthachadh agus dh’ atharraich sin a’ chùis seo bho bhith na stèisean a bha cha mhòr na stèisean choimhearsnachd dhan an taobh an Iar gu bhith na stèisean nàiseanta.
[Jo NicDhòmhnaill] Bha saorsa aig an luchd-obrach a bha seo, air falbh, ‘s dòch’ bho ùghdarras Ghlaschu, bha saorsa aca rudan ùr’ fheuchainn agus cha robh an t-airgead ach gann, ach bha tòrr misneachd, am measg an luchd-obrach a bha seo, mar a tha fhathast.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Le teachd tuilleadh phrògraman telebhisean Gàidhlig agus an uair sin, BBC ALBA, tha an t-seirbheis agus an luchd-obrach air fàs ro mhòr do Thogalach Rosebank.
[Ailean Dòmhnallach] ‘S e fìor dheagh naidheachd a bh’ ann, an t-seachdain-sa chaidh, a’ faicinn àite ùr airson craobh-sgaoileadh ga fhosgladh shìos air Rathad Seaforth ann an Steòrnabhagh agus tha ceud duine a-nis ag obair ann an Steòrnabhagh anns na meadhanan rèidio is telebhisein.
[Marion NicFhionghain] Dh’ fhàs sinn a-mach às an togalach a tha seo bho chionn fhada. Le sin, tha sinn a’ dol sìos gu Taigh Shìophoirt, goireasan ùr’, stiùideothan gleansach ùr’ agus tha mi cinnteach às gum bi iomadh cothrom cruthachail aig a h-uile duine a bhios ann. Cuimhnich gun do thòisich ceathrar a-staigh anns an togalach a tha seo ‘s a tha dà fhichead a-nis a’ gluasad sìos an rathad agus tha mi cinnteach gum bi sinn a’ cur ris an àireamh a tha sin.
[Coinneach MacÌomhair] Bha feum air goireasan obrach na b’ fheàrr is na b’ èifeachdaich, ach an-dèidh sin, mar a tha seann charaid, chuireadh tu suas ris na teachdan geàrr anns a bheil thu air fàs cho eòlach air agus bidh e rudeigin duilich dhut faighinn eòlach, ‘s dòch’, air an fheadhainn ùr’, air sgàth gu bheil daoine ùr’ a’ tighinn a-steach le dòighean ùr’ agus eòlas tòrr nas fheàrr na th’ agads’.
[Aonghas Dòmhnallach – Neach-aithris] Ceum ùr eile ann an craoladh nan Gàidheal. Aonghas Dòmhnallach, BBC An Là, ann an Gàrradh Rosebank, ann an Steòrnabhagh.
Innes Munro - Presenter] The final radio programmes were broadcast from the BBC’s building on Church Street in Stornoway yesterday. Over the next fortnight we will move the radio and television services to a new centre on Seaforth Road at the edge of the town. As Angus MacDonald reports, this brings 35 years of broadcasting to an end.
[Angus MacDonald - Reporter] Although the BBC was newsgathering and other programmes in the Islands, it was Mod week 1979 that the BBC Radio nan Eilean was first opened. At that time, it was largely subsidised from the Islands Council and had strong support from the community itself.
[Allan MacDonald] There was a higher percentage listening to Radio nan Eilean at that time than listened to any other radio station in the country. It brought people together. They were really close; they felt that it was theirs. And in the first year, we introduced 800 new people to Gaelic broadcasting on the radio. And in that way, we gave self-belief to the people themselves, to talk to amongst themselves, debate amongst themselves, to push themselves forward at that time and the council too working on the same thing.
[Neen MacKay] Radio nan Eilean, that’s just what it was, programmes for the people in the islands, and there wasn’t an afternoon or a week that old Mrs MacArthur down the road, she would come up with duff every Friday afternoon. We would get baked goods, all sorts of things were happening.
[Maggie Cunningham] Tapes were going on planes, tapes were going on buses, tapes were going on ferries. The way in which we put everything together, I think of it today as being really awkward but at that time, we just thought it was, even getting tapes and people speaking Gaelic, it’s a great thing.
[Jo MacDonald] I remember Professor Donald Meek saying that it was like the glue, or something, which bonded the Gaelic community together as it was a disparate community.
[Angus MacDonald – Reporter] In 1985, the service expanded to a degree and Radio nan Gàidheal was set up.
[Kenny MacIver] Matters developed then and things changed as Radio nan Gaidheal was created and that changed the purpose from being a station that was really a community for the west coast to being a national station.
[Jo MacDonald] The staff had freedom, away, maybe from the authority in Glasgow, they had freedom to try new things and the money was tight, but there was a lot of confidence amongst the staff, as there is today.
[Angus MacDonald - Reporter] With more Gaelic programmes and the BBC ALBA, the service and the staff are getting to big for the Rosebank building.
[Angus MacDonald] It was great news, last week, to see a new place for broadcast opening down on Seaforth Road in Stornoway and there are 100 people now working in Stornoway in radio and television media.
[Marion MacKinnon] We grew out of this building a long time ago. With that, we are going down to Seaforth Road, new resources, shiny studios and I am sure that many creative opportunities for all will come of it. Remember that four started in this building and forty are now moving down the road and I am sure that we will add to that number.
[Kenny MacIver] There was a need for better and more efficient working facilities, but after that, just like an old friend, you’ll put up with the shortcomings which you become accustomed to and it will be somewhat hard to get used to, maybe, on the new ones, as new people come in with new ways and better knowledge than you have.
[Angus MacDonald - Reporter] Another new step in Gaelic broadcasting. Angus MacDonald, BBC An Là, in the Rosebank Garden, in Stornoway.