12.9.08

A' Leughadh Sgeulachdan

Bha aoighean à Alba againn o chionn ghoirid – Seumas Greumach agus Kirsteen Nic Dhomhnaill, dithist sheinneadair Gàidhlig. Bha iad san sgìre seo airson Mòd Naiseanta Aimearagaidh, agus fhuair iad fàilte agus furan aig Taigh Mhic an Ultaigh fhad's an robh iad ann.

We had guests from Scotland recently - James Graham and Kirsteen MacDonald, two Gaelic singers. They were in the area for the U.S. National Mòd, and they got a big welcome at the McNulty house as long as they were here.

Leugh Kirsteen leabhar Gàidhlig do Lorien agus Aoife – abair gun robh iad toilichte. Bha iad mar a chuir i fo gheasan iad!

Kirsteen read Gaelic books to Lorien and Aoife - they were really pleased. It was as if they were spellbound!

Tha Kirsteen agus Seumas a’ fuireachd ann an Glaschu – tha sinn toilichte gun tàinig iad gu Washington. Ceud mìle taing!

Kirsteen and James live in Glasgow - we're delighted they came to Washington. A hundred thousand thanks!

9.9.08

Chaidh Sinn dhan Tràigh

Chaidh a h-uile duine dhan tràigh as t-samhradh. Abair gun do chòrd an turas rinn – gu h-àraidh an clann. Rinn Arbory agus Aoife an dealbh seo le ainmean rudan a gheibhear air an tràigh. A’ bheil sibh eòlach orra uile gu lèir?

Everyone went to the beach this summer. We really enjoyed it - especially the kids. Arbory and Aoife made this picture with names of things that are found on the beach. Do you know all of them?

Faoileag, Faoileagan = Seagull, Seagulls

Cearban = Shark

Crosgag = Starfish (gheibhear crisgein-craisgein, croise na tràghad agus reannag na mara cuideachd)

Leumadair-mara = Dolphin (muc-bhiorach, cuideachd)

Muc-mhara, Mucan-mhara = Whales

Taigh-Solais = Lighthouse

Giomach, Giomaich = Lobster, Lobsters

Slige, Sligeachan = Shell, Shells

Bucaid, Bucaidean = Bucket, Buckets

Sluasaid = Shovel

Bàta, Bàtaichean = Boat, Boats

Muir = Sea

Meal ur naidheachd, Aoife agus Arbory - 's math a rinn sibh!

16.6.08

CroileaganDC air Bhideo



Rinn sinn bhideo nuair a chruinnich sinn an àm mu dheireadh - tha sinn an dòchas gun còrd e ribh! Seo mar a thoisich sinn a h-uile cròileagan, a' seinn "Ciamar a tha thu? Tha mi gu math" ...

We made a video when we gathered the last time - we hope you enjoy it! This is is how we start every cròileagan, singing "Ciamar a tha thu? Tha mi gu math" ...

Agus chì sibh pìos beag còmhla ri Aoife aig deireadh an bhideo ...

And you'll see a little bit with Aoife at the end of the video ...

18.5.08

Cròileagan DC air a’ BhBC!

“'S tric san là a th' ann a gheibhear iongnadh ann an saoghal na Gàidhlig.”

“There are plenty of surprises today in the world of Gaelic.”


Sin tòiseachadh airteagal a sgrìobh Teàrlach Quinnell aig a’ BhBC ann an Alba mu dheidhinn Cròileagan DC. Fhuair Liam iognadh nuair a leugh e na sgrìobh Teàrlach. Bhruidhinn Liam ri neach-naidheachd aig Radio nan Gàidheal mu dheidhinn na tha sinn a’ dèanamh, agus sgrìobh Teàrlach airteagal as dèidh sin.

That’s the beginning of an article written by Teàrlach Quinnell at the BBC in Scotland about Cròileagan DC. Liam was surprised when he read Teàrlach’s article. He spoke with a reporter at Radio nan Gàidheal about what we’re doing, and Teàrlach wrote an article after that.

Chòrd an naidheachd rinn gu fìor. Dh’fhaodadh a leughadh aig:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/alba/naidheachdan/story/2008/05/080513_washington.shtml

We really enjoyed the story. It may be read at the link above. Or just click on the headline.

15.5.08

Earrach Trang, Làithean Sona

Abair gun robh sinn trang as t-earrach. Choinnich sinn anns a' Ghearran, ann am Màirt agus anns a' Ghiblean, agus cruinnichidh sinn a-rithist airson cròileagain a dh'aithghearr. Seo Scott agus na pàisdean: Autumn (na seasamh), Aoife, Lucas agus Lorien (beagan dheth, cò-dhiubh!).

We've had a busy spring. We met in February, in March and in April. We'll be meeting again for a playgroup soon. Here's Scott and the children: Autumn (standing), Aoife, Lucas and Lorien (a little bit of him, anyway!)

Anns a' chròileagan, tha sinn ag ionnsachadh faclan agus abairtean mu dheidhinn an taighe, an teaghlach, ciamar a tha sinn a' fearachdainn agus pàirt dhen chorp. Thoisich sinn cur-seachadan ùra. Seo "Matman" neo "Fear a' Bhrat." Dh'fhaodadh dhan chloinn Fear a' Bhrat a chur ri chèile pìos air phìos: dà shùil, sròn, beul, cluasan, gairdeanan, casan agus mar sin air adhart.

In the playgroup, we're learning words and expressions about the home, the family, how we feel and parts of the body. We've started new activities. This is "Matman" or "Fear a' Bhrat." The children assemble Fear a' Bhrat piece by piece: two eyes, a nose, a mouth, ears, arms, legs and so on.















Seo Lucas agus a charaid. Cha robh Fear a' bhrat glè-thoilichte, a rèir coltais.

Here's Lucas and his friend. Matman wasn't very happy, it seems.

Aig deireadh a' Ghiblein, chaidh sinn dhan fhèis Cheilteach - The Southern Maryland Celtic Festival, mar a chanadh iad. Chòrd sin gu mòr ris a h-uile duine. Dh'ionnsaich Aoife beagan mu dheidhinn na pìoba agus ciamar a tha iad ag obrachadh. Chì sibh Seumas, a h-athair, a' cluich an giotar agus Ed "MacFhearghais" Bradshaw a' cluich air a' phìob bheag.















At the end of April, we went to a Celtic festival - The Southern Maryland Celtic Festival. Everyone enjoyed it greatly. Aoife learned a bit about the bagpipes and how they work. That's James, her father, playing the guitar and Ed "MacFhearghais" Bradshaw playing the small pipes.

27.1.08

Cròileagan Eile … agus Taigeis

Choinnich sinn a-rithist air an t-siathamh latha air fhichead den Fhaoillich, agus abair gun robh an taigh loma-làn an uair sin! Thàinig caileag ùr, Eilidh, dhan chròileagan. Piuthar Brenna agus Lucas a th’innte, agus tha i trì bliadhna dh’aois, an aon aois ri Lorien. Thàinig Sandy, bean Scott, agus an ceathramh pàisde, Maebh, leanabh ochd mìosan deug a dh’aois, cuideachd. Bha dà theaghlach agus seachd clann ann! Dh’ionnsaich sinn beagan mu dheidhinn cruthan – ceàrnagan, cearcallan, triantannan – agus dathan. Shuas, chi sibh Lucas agus Aoife a leum gu ceàrnagan ... ceàrnagan ghorma, bhuidhe, dhearga agus uaine. Chuir sinn ùine seachad a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn beathaichean cuideachd – na seòrsa de bheathaichean a bhiodh ri fhaotainn air croit.

We got together again on January 26th, and we had a full-house this time! A new girl, Eilidh, joined the cròileagan. She is Brenna and Luke's sister and she is three years old, the same age as Lorien. Sandy, Scott's wife, and their fourth child, Maeve, an 18-month old child, came as well. That makes two families and seven children! We learned a bit about shapes – squares, circles and triangles – and colors. Above, you will see Luke and Aoife jumping to squares ... blue, yellow, red and green squares. We passed some time talking about animals, too – the kind of animals found on a croft or farm.


As dèidh cluichean, còmhradh agus òrain, bha na pàisdean acrach gu leòr, agus fhuair iad am biadh as fheàrr leotha – piotsa. Ach cha b’e sin a dh’ith na h-inbhich …

After games, conversation and songs, the children were hungry enough, and they got the food they like best – pizza. But that's not what the adults ate ...


Dh'ith sinn taigeis, agus dh'òl sinn deoch-slàinte do Raibeart Burns! Mòran taing do Sheumas agus Arbory airson suipeir gu math blasta!

We had haggis, and a toast to Robert Burns! Many thanks to James and Arbory for a very tasty supper!

26.1.08

Bliadhna Mhath Ùr! Happy New Year!



Tha sinn a’ toiseachadh a-rithist as dèidh Nollaig agus Oidhche Challainn. Bha sinn uile cho trang, cha robh tìde gu leòr againn post a chur suas air a’ bhlog seo, ach seo cuid de na dealbhan a thog sinn aig an treas cròileagan, anns an t-Samhainn. An uair sin, bha sinn uile a’ dèanamh dealbhan dhen ar taighean agus ar teaghlaichean fhèin agus ag ionnasachadh faclan mun deidhinn.

We're back again after Christmas and Hogmanay. We were all so busy, there wasn't time for us to put up a post on this blog, but here are some of the pictures we took at the third playgroup, in November. At that time, we were all drawing pictures of our own homes and families and learning words about them.

Deagh-thoiseachadh, Lucas! Ach tha na speuran caran trom, nach eil?

Good start, Luke! But the skies are a little heavy, aren't they?















Dè ’n dath as fheàrr leat, Aoife?

What's your favourite color, Aoife?


Abair gun robh Autumn toilichte!

Autumn sure was happy!
















Liam, am Buddha againn fhìn …

Liam, our own Buddha ...
















Bidh cròileagan againn Disathairne, an 26mh latha den Fhaoillich. Chì sinn sibh as dèidh sin!

We'll have a playgroup on Saturday, the 26th of January. We'll see you after that!