[Angela NicIlleathain – Preseantair] Chaidh leabhar mu eachdraidh Rèineagadail anns na Hearadh, agus an t-srì a rinneadh airson rathad a thogail ann, fhoillseachadh gu h-oifigeil aig deireadh na seachdain. Bha an t-ùghdar, Coinneach MacAoidh, gu mòr an sàs san iomairt baile àraich a chumail beò. Tha an aithris seo aig Eilidh NicLeòid.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Thàinig daoine a dh’ fhuireach ann an Rèineagadail bho chionn 200 bliadhna, air am fuadachadh à bailtean eile às na Hearadh. Dh’ fhàs a’ choimhearsnachd agus aig toiseach na linne a dh’ fhalbh bha mi 100 duine a tàmh ann.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Mus robh rathad ceart ann, ‘s ann air chois a bha a’ mhòr-chuid de dhaoine a’ tighinn a-mach agus a-steach a Rèineagadail. Mu thrì mìle gu leth eadar Urgha aig deas agus am baile agus mu dhà mhìle gu ruige Màraig aig tuath.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] B’ e slighe a ghabh Coinneach MacAoidh gach latha nuair a bha e na phost. Thogadh e ann an Rèineagadail agus nuair a bha e a’ dol dhan bhun-sgoil aig àm an dàrna cogaidh bha 15 pàistean a’ faighinn foghlam innte. Nuair a chaidh esan an-sàs anns an iomairt son rathad ceart fhaighinn, anns na 80an, cha robh ach naoinear air fhàgail ann an Rèineagadail uile gu lèir.
[Coinneach MacAoidh] Tha litrichean agam fhathast ‘s nuair a bha mi faighinn freagairt uaireannan nach robh uabhasach misneachail ach tha mi creidsinn gu bheil 10 bliadhna tha mi creidsinn.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Bha ceist air cuid a luchd-poilitigs am b’ fhiach cosgais cho mòr airson sluagh cho beag. Ach shoirbhich leotha agus air an 20mh latha dhen Ghearran 1990 chaidh an rathad fhosgladh. Tha sgeulachd ga h-innse anns an leabhar a sgrìobh Coinneach.
[Coinneach MacAoidh] Pàirt dhen duilgheadas a bha anns a’ bhaile, bha mi ann is ga fhaicinn. Agus cha robh mi airson daoine a chùm am baile a’ dol tro na bliadhnaichean, cha robh mi airson gun deigheadh e ann an dìochuimhn’ na rinn iad airson am baile a chumail a’ dol. Tha e dìreach duilich nach eil iad ann airson seo fhaicinn an-diugh, rathad dhan bhaile.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Chosg an rathad £1.5 millean not. Bhon uair sin chaidh còig taighean a thogail agus an-diugh tha còrr is 20 duine a’ fuireach ann.
[Coinneach MacAoidh] Nam faighinn-sa mo thoil agus iomadach uair a’ faighinn na tha mi ag iarraidh, bhithinn airson dà thaigh eile co-dhiù fhaicinn sa bhaile. Bha 15 a theaghlaichean an seo an uair sin, chan eil ann ach glè bheag an-diugh an taca ris an sin agus tha e gu math nas fhasa taighean a thogail anns a’ bhaile an-diugh. Àite brèagha ‘s àite tha mi glè chinnteach a chòrdadh ri daoine nam biodh taigh no dhà eile air a thogail ann.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Eilidh NicLeòid, BBC An Là, Rèineagadail.
[Angela MacLean – Presenter] A book on the history of Rhenigidale in Harris and the efforts to get road built there, was launched officially at the weekend. The author, Kenny MacKay, was heavily involved in the campaign to keep his place of birth alive. Eilidh MacLeod has this report.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] People came to live in Rhenigidale 200 years ago, cleared from other villages in Harris. The community grew and at the beginning of last century there were around 100 people living there.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Before there was proper road, most people came in and out of Rhenigidale on foot. About three and a half miles between Urgha to the South and the village and about two miles up to Maraig to the North.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] It was a journey Kenny MacKay took each day when he was a postman. He was raised in Rhenigidale and when he was in primary school during the Second World War there were 15 children being educated. When he became involved in the campaign for a proper road, in the 80s, there were only nine left in Rhenigidale in total.
[Kenny MacKay] I still have letters, when I wasn’t getting very encouraging responses, but I believe there are 10 years.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Some politicians questioned whether it was worth spending so much on a community so little. But they were successful and on the 20th February 1990 the road was opened. The story is told in the book Kenny wrote.
[Kenny MacKay] Some of the struggles in the village, I was there experiencing it. And I didn’t want those who kept the village going through the years to be forgotten after all they did to keep the village alive. It’s just sad that they’re not here today to see this, the road to the village.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] The road cost £1.5 million. Since then, five houses have been built and today there are over 20 people living there.
[Kenny MacKay] If I had my choice and I often got what I wanted, I’d have liked to have seen another two houses anyway in the village. There were 15 families here then, there is only a small number now compared to that and it’s much easier to build houses in the village now. It’s a lovely place and a place I’m sure people would enjoy if there were to be a few more houses built here.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Eilidh MacLeod, BBC An Là, Rhenigidale.
[Angela NicIlleathain – Preseantair] Chaidh leabhar mu eachdraidh Rèineagadail anns na Hearadh, agus an t-srì a rinneadh airson rathad a thogail ann, fhoillseachadh gu h-oifigeil aig deireadh na seachdain. Bha an t-ùghdar, Coinneach MacAoidh, gu mòr an sàs san iomairt baile àraich a chumail beò. Tha an aithris seo aig Eilidh NicLeòid.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Thàinig daoine a dh’ fhuireach ann an Rèineagadail bho chionn 200 bliadhna, air am fuadachadh à bailtean eile às na Hearadh. Dh’ fhàs a’ choimhearsnachd agus aig toiseach na linne a dh’ fhalbh bha mi 100 duine a tàmh ann.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Mus robh rathad ceart ann, ‘s ann air chois a bha a’ mhòr-chuid de dhaoine a’ tighinn a-mach agus a-steach a Rèineagadail. Mu thrì mìle gu leth eadar Urgha aig deas agus am baile agus mu dhà mhìle gu ruige Màraig aig tuath.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] B’ e slighe a ghabh Coinneach MacAoidh gach latha nuair a bha e na phost. Thogadh e ann an Rèineagadail agus nuair a bha e a’ dol dhan bhun-sgoil aig àm an dàrna cogaidh bha 15 pàistean a’ faighinn foghlam innte. Nuair a chaidh esan an-sàs anns an iomairt son rathad ceart fhaighinn, anns na 80an, cha robh ach naoinear air fhàgail ann an Rèineagadail uile gu lèir.
[Coinneach MacAoidh] Tha litrichean agam fhathast ‘s nuair a bha mi faighinn freagairt uaireannan nach robh uabhasach misneachail ach tha mi creidsinn gu bheil 10 bliadhna tha mi creidsinn.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Bha ceist air cuid a luchd-poilitigs am b’ fhiach cosgais cho mòr airson sluagh cho beag. Ach shoirbhich leotha agus air an 20mh latha dhen Ghearran 1990 chaidh an rathad fhosgladh. Tha sgeulachd ga h-innse anns an leabhar a sgrìobh Coinneach.
[Coinneach MacAoidh] Pàirt dhen duilgheadas a bha anns a’ bhaile, bha mi ann is ga fhaicinn. Agus cha robh mi airson daoine a chùm am baile a’ dol tro na bliadhnaichean, cha robh mi airson gun deigheadh e ann an dìochuimhn’ na rinn iad airson am baile a chumail a’ dol. Tha e dìreach duilich nach eil iad ann airson seo fhaicinn an-diugh, rathad dhan bhaile.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Chosg an rathad £1.5 millean not. Bhon uair sin chaidh còig taighean a thogail agus an-diugh tha còrr is 20 duine a’ fuireach ann.
[Coinneach MacAoidh] Nam faighinn-sa mo thoil agus iomadach uair a’ faighinn na tha mi ag iarraidh, bhithinn airson dà thaigh eile co-dhiù fhaicinn sa bhaile. Bha 15 a theaghlaichean an seo an uair sin, chan eil ann ach glè bheag an-diugh an taca ris an sin agus tha e gu math nas fhasa taighean a thogail anns a’ bhaile an-diugh. Àite brèagha ‘s àite tha mi glè chinnteach a chòrdadh ri daoine nam biodh taigh no dhà eile air a thogail ann.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Eilidh NicLeòid, BBC An Là, Rèineagadail.
[Angela MacLean – Presenter] A book on the history of Rhenigidale in Harris and the efforts to get road built there, was launched officially at the weekend. The author, Kenny MacKay, was heavily involved in the campaign to keep his place of birth alive. Eilidh MacLeod has this report.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] People came to live in Rhenigidale 200 years ago, cleared from other villages in Harris. The community grew and at the beginning of last century there were around 100 people living there.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Before there was proper road, most people came in and out of Rhenigidale on foot. About three and a half miles between Urgha to the South and the village and about two miles up to Maraig to the North.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] It was a journey Kenny MacKay took each day when he was a postman. He was raised in Rhenigidale and when he was in primary school during the Second World War there were 15 children being educated. When he became involved in the campaign for a proper road, in the 80s, there were only nine left in Rhenigidale in total.
[Kenny MacKay] I still have letters, when I wasn’t getting very encouraging responses, but I believe there are 10 years.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Some politicians questioned whether it was worth spending so much on a community so little. But they were successful and on the 20th February 1990 the road was opened. The story is told in the book Kenny wrote.
[Kenny MacKay] Some of the struggles in the village, I was there experiencing it. And I didn’t want those who kept the village going through the years to be forgotten after all they did to keep the village alive. It’s just sad that they’re not here today to see this, the road to the village.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] The road cost £1.5 million. Since then, five houses have been built and today there are over 20 people living there.
[Kenny MacKay] If I had my choice and I often got what I wanted, I’d have liked to have seen another two houses anyway in the village. There were 15 families here then, there is only a small number now compared to that and it’s much easier to build houses in the village now. It’s a lovely place and a place I’m sure people would enjoy if there were to be a few more houses built here.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Eilidh MacLeod, BBC An Là, Rhenigidale.