[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Màiri Bremner, Bàn-Uibhisteach, comhairliche, tidsear, òstair, fiù`s uair dha robh saoghal, agus tè a tha ainmeil air feadh nan Eilean Siar, is gu dearbh nas fharsainge na sin cuideachd. Fàilte oirbh, a Mhàiri.
[Màiri Bremner] Fàilte ort fhèin, a Dhòmhnaill.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Tha mi cinnteach gur e gun deach sibh air a’ Chomhairle, ‘s coireach gu bheil sibh nur suidhe an seo, is coireach gu bheil sibh cho ainmeil ‘s a tha sibh.
[Màiri Bremner] Saoilidh mi a-nis gu bheil sin ceart.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] A bheil sibh a’ dèanamh dheth gum biodh sibh ainmeil co-dhiù?
[Màiri Bremner] ’S dòcha gun robh mi air a bhith ainmeil co-dhiù.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Ach, a dhol air a’ Chomhairle, thug sin farsaingeachd dhuibh nach robh agaibh, ‘s nach biodh air a bhith agaibh às aonais, tha mi cinnteach.
[Màiri Bremner] Thug, le cinnt, agus a-rithist thug e mi gu iomadach àite agus choinnich mi ri iomadach duine. ‘S dòcha nach robh mi air coinneachadh riutha. ‘S dòcha gun robh mi air rud air choreigin eile a dhèanamh lem bheatha ach mar a thachair agus mar a chuir mi seachad a’ mhòr-chuid dhem bheatha, tha mi gu math toilichte gur ann mar sin a rinn mi e.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Uill, ‘s e beatha thrang a th’ air a bhith ann agaibh air a’ chomhairle agus ann an rudan eile cuideachd agus thig sinn gu cuid dhen sin. Ach thòisich a’ bheatha thrang sin gu math tràth ann an Uibhist, sùileach gu leòr nur còis, nach do thòisich?
[Màiri Bremner] Thòisich, cha robh mi ach ochd bliadhna nuair a dh’ fhalbh mo mhàthair agus bha piuthar bheag agam, bha i seachd mìosan, dh’ fhàs i tinn agus dh’ fhalbh mo mhàthair leatha, a-nis bha ochd mìosan deug as a dhèidh sin bhon nach fhaca sinn ar màthair. ‘S, bha ceathrar bhràithrean agam aig an àm a bha sin agus ‘s mi mar gum biodh a bha a’ coimhead as an dèidh, bha cuideachadh anns an taigh, ach an dèidh sin bha tòrr uallaich ormsa mar an duine a bu shine anns an teaghlach a bhith a’ coimhead as an dèidh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Is bha sibh gu math òg,
[Màiri Bremner] Cha robh mi ach mu ochd bliadhna.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Anns na bliadhnaichean as-dèidh sin, nuair a dh’ fhàs sibh suas, bha sibh fhèin air a’ cheann thall os cionn obair shòisealta anns Na h-Eileanan Siar. Nise, nam biodh sibh air aithisg fhaighinn mu dheidhinn nighean, deich bliadhna a dh’ aois, no ochd bliadhna a’ dh’ aois air an robh an t-uallach sin, bhiodh sibh air gnothach a ghabhail rithe, tha mi cinnteach.
[Màiri Bremner] Bhiodh. Anns an t-saoghal a th’ ann an-diugh, ach anns an latha a bha sin, bha sinn air ar togail gu bhith ‘g obair agus cha robh sìon eile againne ach a bhith ag obair, ‘s cha robh eòlas againne air sìon eile, ‘s bha a h-uile duine a bh’ ann ag obair. Is gu seach àraid, bha iad a’ diùltadh dha daoine na bu shine anns an teaghlach a bhith ag obair agus a’ cuideachadh anns an dachaigh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Teaghlach mòr, cia mheud a bha anns a teaghlach?
[Màiri Bremner] Bha dà dhuine dheug anns an teaghlach againne ach mar a thuirt mi riut, bhàsaich mo phiuthar nuair nach robh i ach seachd mìosan. Agus o chionn dà bhliadhna air ais, bhàsaich bràthair eile dhomh, cha robh e ach gu math òg. Tha deichnear againne ann fhathast.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Dèan dealbh dhomh air an t-seòrsa coimhearsnachd ann an Uibhist a Deas, dè am pàirt às Uibhist a Deas às an robh sibh?
[Màiri Bremner] Geirinish.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Is dè seòrsa àite a bha sin?
[Màiri Bremner] Baile le fichead taigh. Bha sinn uile eòlach air a chèile. Bha a h-uile duine aig an àm a bha sin, bha iad a’ cuideachadh càch a chèile. Bhiodh sinn a’ dol a-mach às a bhaile cuideachd aig amannan cuideachd is rudan mar sin a’ tachairt. Ach, ‘s e saoghal socair a bh’ ann ann an aon dòigh, saoghal a tha gu tùr eadar-dhealaichte on saoghal a th’ ann an-diugh. Cha robh solais againne, cha robh uisge againne. Bhithinn-sa a’ tarraing dhachaigh an uisge às an tobar. Cha robh sìon dhe na goireasan againne a th’ agad an-diugh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Cha robh sin furasta, nighean deich bliadhna a dh’ aois, a’ cumail chàich glan, tha mi cinnteach?
[Màiri Bremner] Cha robh, agus ‘s e fiù ‘s tuba a bh’ ann airson a bhith a’ nighe a h-uile duine agus tuba a bh’ ann cuideachd airson dèanamh na nigheadaireachd agus aig amannan, bha mi dìreach a’ dol gu taobh an loch is a’ togail teine beag aig taobh an locha agus a’ dèanamh tòrr nigheadaireachd sin anns an t-samhradh. Lem chuimhne-sa, chanainn gu robh na samhraidhean a bh’ann na b’ fheàrr na samhraidhean a th’ air a bhith againne a- nise a thaobh sìde. Ach ‘s e là, mòr, mòr, mòr a bh’ ann, mu dhà no trì làithean mòra a bh’ ann, nuair a bha thu a’ dol dhan loch agus a’ dèanamh na nigheadaireachd. Bha beatha cho diofraichte. Bha sinn a’ bleoghainn nam beathaichean, bha mi a’ bleoghainn bheathaichean nuair a bha mi beag agus ag obair air a’ chroit, air feur air arbhair, is a leithid sin còmhla ri mo bhràithrean
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] An t-Ionnsachadh Òg dha-rìribh.
[Màiri Bremner] Tha cuimhe a’m cuideachd, cha robh mi ach gu math, gu math òg, bha dà each aig m’ athair is bha e fhèin ag obair nas anmoiche air a’ chroit agus bha e air sinne a chur air muin an eich is bha na h-eich gar toirt dhachaigh agus bha mo mhàthair gar toirt bhon each aig an taigh.
Chaidh am prògram seo, Thuige Seo, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 2009.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] Mary Bremner, from Uist, councillor, teacher, hotelier, and someone who is known all over the Western Isles and further afield than that too. Welcome, Màiri.
[Mary Bremner] Welcome to you too, Donald.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] I am sure that since you have been on the council, it’s the reason you are sitting here, it’s the reason you are as renowned as you are.
[Mary Bremner] I reckon you are correct.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] Are you making you that you would be famous anyway?
[Mary Bremner] Maybe I would be famous anyway.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] But going on the council, that gave you breadth that you didn’t already have and you wouldn’t have without it, I’m sure.
[Mary Bremner] It gave, certainly, and again, it took me to many placed and I met many people. Maybe I would not have met them otherwise. Maybe I would have done something else with my life, but as it happened and the way I spent most of my life, I am very happy that is the wat I have done it.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] Well, you’ve had a busy life at the council and in other things too, and we’ll come to that. But, being busy started very early in Uist, the expectation to be awake early, didn’t it start?
[Mary Bremner] It did, I was only eight years old when my mother went and I had a little sister, she was seven months, she got sick and my mother went with her, now it was only eighteen months after that that we saw our mother. And I had four brothers and at that time I was as it was looking after them, there was help at the house, but after that I had a lot of responsibility, as the oldest person in the family to look after them.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] And you were very young.
[Mary Bremner] I was only eight years old.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] In the years after that, when you grew yup, you were head of Social Work in the Western Isles. Now if you were to get a report a girl of ten years old, or an eight year old who had that responsibility, you would take issue with it, I am sure.
[Mary Bremner] We would. In the world today, but in that day, we were brought up to work and there was nothing else for us but to work, and we did not know anything else. And everyone works. And especially they would forbid people who were older in the family to work ot help in the house.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] A big family, how many were in the family?
[Mary Bremner] There was twelve people in our family but as i said to you, my sister died when she was only six months old. And about two years ago, another brother died, he was very young. There are ten of us left.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] Tell me about the sort of community that was in South Uist, what part of south Uist were you from?
[Mary Bremner] Geirinish.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] And what sort of place was that?
[Mary Bremner] A town of twenty houses. We all knew each other. Everyone at that time, helped each other. We would go out of the town too, at times too and things would happen. But it was a quiet world in a way, a world that is very different from the world we have today. We did not have lights, we did not have water. I would get the water from the well. We did not have the same facilities that we have today.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] It was not easy, a girl of ten years old, keeping everything clean, I am sure?
[Mary Bremner] It wasn’t, and we used a tub to wash everyone and a tub to do the washing and at times, I just went to the side of the loch and I would build a small fire beside the loch and I would do a lot of washing there in the summer. From memory, I would say that the summers we had were better than the ones that we have now with weather. But it was a big, big, big day, about two or three big days, when I was going to the loch and doing the washing. Life was so different. We milked maids, I was milking beasts when I was little and working on the croft, on grass and corn and the like with my brothers.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] A young education, I am sure.
[Mary Bremner] I remember too, I was only very, very young, my father had two horses and he would work later on the croft and he would put us on top of the horses and the horses would take us home and my mother would take us off the horses at the house.
This programme, Thuige Seo, was first broadcast in 2009.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Màiri Bremner, Bàn-Uibhisteach, comhairliche, tidsear, òstair, fiù`s uair dha robh saoghal, agus tè a tha ainmeil air feadh nan Eilean Siar, is gu dearbh nas fharsainge na sin cuideachd. Fàilte oirbh, a Mhàiri.
[Màiri Bremner] Fàilte ort fhèin, a Dhòmhnaill.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Tha mi cinnteach gur e gun deach sibh air a’ Chomhairle, ‘s coireach gu bheil sibh nur suidhe an seo, is coireach gu bheil sibh cho ainmeil ‘s a tha sibh.
[Màiri Bremner] Saoilidh mi a-nis gu bheil sin ceart.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] A bheil sibh a’ dèanamh dheth gum biodh sibh ainmeil co-dhiù?
[Màiri Bremner] ’S dòcha gun robh mi air a bhith ainmeil co-dhiù.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Ach, a dhol air a’ Chomhairle, thug sin farsaingeachd dhuibh nach robh agaibh, ‘s nach biodh air a bhith agaibh às aonais, tha mi cinnteach.
[Màiri Bremner] Thug, le cinnt, agus a-rithist thug e mi gu iomadach àite agus choinnich mi ri iomadach duine. ‘S dòcha nach robh mi air coinneachadh riutha. ‘S dòcha gun robh mi air rud air choreigin eile a dhèanamh lem bheatha ach mar a thachair agus mar a chuir mi seachad a’ mhòr-chuid dhem bheatha, tha mi gu math toilichte gur ann mar sin a rinn mi e.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Uill, ‘s e beatha thrang a th’ air a bhith ann agaibh air a’ chomhairle agus ann an rudan eile cuideachd agus thig sinn gu cuid dhen sin. Ach thòisich a’ bheatha thrang sin gu math tràth ann an Uibhist, sùileach gu leòr nur còis, nach do thòisich?
[Màiri Bremner] Thòisich, cha robh mi ach ochd bliadhna nuair a dh’ fhalbh mo mhàthair agus bha piuthar bheag agam, bha i seachd mìosan, dh’ fhàs i tinn agus dh’ fhalbh mo mhàthair leatha, a-nis bha ochd mìosan deug as a dhèidh sin bhon nach fhaca sinn ar màthair. ‘S, bha ceathrar bhràithrean agam aig an àm a bha sin agus ‘s mi mar gum biodh a bha a’ coimhead as an dèidh, bha cuideachadh anns an taigh, ach an dèidh sin bha tòrr uallaich ormsa mar an duine a bu shine anns an teaghlach a bhith a’ coimhead as an dèidh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Is bha sibh gu math òg,
[Màiri Bremner] Cha robh mi ach mu ochd bliadhna.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Anns na bliadhnaichean as-dèidh sin, nuair a dh’ fhàs sibh suas, bha sibh fhèin air a’ cheann thall os cionn obair shòisealta anns Na h-Eileanan Siar. Nise, nam biodh sibh air aithisg fhaighinn mu dheidhinn nighean, deich bliadhna a dh’ aois, no ochd bliadhna a’ dh’ aois air an robh an t-uallach sin, bhiodh sibh air gnothach a ghabhail rithe, tha mi cinnteach.
[Màiri Bremner] Bhiodh. Anns an t-saoghal a th’ ann an-diugh, ach anns an latha a bha sin, bha sinn air ar togail gu bhith ‘g obair agus cha robh sìon eile againne ach a bhith ag obair, ‘s cha robh eòlas againne air sìon eile, ‘s bha a h-uile duine a bh’ ann ag obair. Is gu seach àraid, bha iad a’ diùltadh dha daoine na bu shine anns an teaghlach a bhith ag obair agus a’ cuideachadh anns an dachaigh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Teaghlach mòr, cia mheud a bha anns a teaghlach?
[Màiri Bremner] Bha dà dhuine dheug anns an teaghlach againne ach mar a thuirt mi riut, bhàsaich mo phiuthar nuair nach robh i ach seachd mìosan. Agus o chionn dà bhliadhna air ais, bhàsaich bràthair eile dhomh, cha robh e ach gu math òg. Tha deichnear againne ann fhathast.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Dèan dealbh dhomh air an t-seòrsa coimhearsnachd ann an Uibhist a Deas, dè am pàirt às Uibhist a Deas às an robh sibh?
[Màiri Bremner] Geirinish.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Is dè seòrsa àite a bha sin?
[Màiri Bremner] Baile le fichead taigh. Bha sinn uile eòlach air a chèile. Bha a h-uile duine aig an àm a bha sin, bha iad a’ cuideachadh càch a chèile. Bhiodh sinn a’ dol a-mach às a bhaile cuideachd aig amannan cuideachd is rudan mar sin a’ tachairt. Ach, ‘s e saoghal socair a bh’ ann ann an aon dòigh, saoghal a tha gu tùr eadar-dhealaichte on saoghal a th’ ann an-diugh. Cha robh solais againne, cha robh uisge againne. Bhithinn-sa a’ tarraing dhachaigh an uisge às an tobar. Cha robh sìon dhe na goireasan againne a th’ agad an-diugh.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] Cha robh sin furasta, nighean deich bliadhna a dh’ aois, a’ cumail chàich glan, tha mi cinnteach?
[Màiri Bremner] Cha robh, agus ‘s e fiù ‘s tuba a bh’ ann airson a bhith a’ nighe a h-uile duine agus tuba a bh’ ann cuideachd airson dèanamh na nigheadaireachd agus aig amannan, bha mi dìreach a’ dol gu taobh an loch is a’ togail teine beag aig taobh an locha agus a’ dèanamh tòrr nigheadaireachd sin anns an t-samhradh. Lem chuimhne-sa, chanainn gu robh na samhraidhean a bh’ann na b’ fheàrr na samhraidhean a th’ air a bhith againne a- nise a thaobh sìde. Ach ‘s e là, mòr, mòr, mòr a bh’ ann, mu dhà no trì làithean mòra a bh’ ann, nuair a bha thu a’ dol dhan loch agus a’ dèanamh na nigheadaireachd. Bha beatha cho diofraichte. Bha sinn a’ bleoghainn nam beathaichean, bha mi a’ bleoghainn bheathaichean nuair a bha mi beag agus ag obair air a’ chroit, air feur air arbhair, is a leithid sin còmhla ri mo bhràithrean
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan - Preseantair] An t-Ionnsachadh Òg dha-rìribh.
[Màiri Bremner] Tha cuimhe a’m cuideachd, cha robh mi ach gu math, gu math òg, bha dà each aig m’ athair is bha e fhèin ag obair nas anmoiche air a’ chroit agus bha e air sinne a chur air muin an eich is bha na h-eich gar toirt dhachaigh agus bha mo mhàthair gar toirt bhon each aig an taigh.
Chaidh am prògram seo, Thuige Seo, a chraoladh an toiseach ann an 2009.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] Mary Bremner, from Uist, councillor, teacher, hotelier, and someone who is known all over the Western Isles and further afield than that too. Welcome, Màiri.
[Mary Bremner] Welcome to you too, Donald.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] I am sure that since you have been on the council, it’s the reason you are sitting here, it’s the reason you are as renowned as you are.
[Mary Bremner] I reckon you are correct.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] Are you making you that you would be famous anyway?
[Mary Bremner] Maybe I would be famous anyway.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] But going on the council, that gave you breadth that you didn’t already have and you wouldn’t have without it, I’m sure.
[Mary Bremner] It gave, certainly, and again, it took me to many placed and I met many people. Maybe I would not have met them otherwise. Maybe I would have done something else with my life, but as it happened and the way I spent most of my life, I am very happy that is the wat I have done it.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] Well, you’ve had a busy life at the council and in other things too, and we’ll come to that. But, being busy started very early in Uist, the expectation to be awake early, didn’t it start?
[Mary Bremner] It did, I was only eight years old when my mother went and I had a little sister, she was seven months, she got sick and my mother went with her, now it was only eighteen months after that that we saw our mother. And I had four brothers and at that time I was as it was looking after them, there was help at the house, but after that I had a lot of responsibility, as the oldest person in the family to look after them.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] And you were very young.
[Mary Bremner] I was only eight years old.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] In the years after that, when you grew yup, you were head of Social Work in the Western Isles. Now if you were to get a report a girl of ten years old, or an eight year old who had that responsibility, you would take issue with it, I am sure.
[Mary Bremner] We would. In the world today, but in that day, we were brought up to work and there was nothing else for us but to work, and we did not know anything else. And everyone works. And especially they would forbid people who were older in the family to work ot help in the house.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] A big family, how many were in the family?
[Mary Bremner] There was twelve people in our family but as i said to you, my sister died when she was only six months old. And about two years ago, another brother died, he was very young. There are ten of us left.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] Tell me about the sort of community that was in South Uist, what part of south Uist were you from?
[Mary Bremner] Geirinish.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] And what sort of place was that?
[Mary Bremner] A town of twenty houses. We all knew each other. Everyone at that time, helped each other. We would go out of the town too, at times too and things would happen. But it was a quiet world in a way, a world that is very different from the world we have today. We did not have lights, we did not have water. I would get the water from the well. We did not have the same facilities that we have today.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] It was not easy, a girl of ten years old, keeping everything clean, I am sure?
[Mary Bremner] It wasn’t, and we used a tub to wash everyone and a tub to do the washing and at times, I just went to the side of the loch and I would build a small fire beside the loch and I would do a lot of washing there in the summer. From memory, I would say that the summers we had were better than the ones that we have now with weather. But it was a big, big, big day, about two or three big days, when I was going to the loch and doing the washing. Life was so different. We milked maids, I was milking beasts when I was little and working on the croft, on grass and corn and the like with my brothers.
[Donald Morrison - Presenter] A young education, I am sure.
[Mary Bremner] I remember too, I was only very, very young, my father had two horses and he would work later on the croft and he would put us on top of the horses and the horses would take us home and my mother would take us off the horses at the house.
This programme, Thuige Seo, was first broadcast in 2009.