Bliadhna nan ÒranYear of Song

Calum Ceanadach

Rugadh Calum Ceanadach air 2 Ògmhios 1928, ann an Orasaigh, ann an ceann a deas Sgìre nan Loch, ann an Leòdhas. B' e Murchadh Ceanadach a b' athair dhà agus b' i Seonag Buachaille, a bhuineadh do Ghrabhair, a mhàthair. Bha naoidhnear anns an teaghlach, sianar bhalach agus triùir nighean.

An dèidh na sgoile fhàgail, bha Calum airson ùine ghoirid ag obair anns na gàraidhean-iarrainn air Abhainn Chluaidh. Thug e greis bheag na neach-cunntais agus mu thrì bliadhna anns an arm.

Ann an 1953 phòs e Anna NicGillìosa, à Stafainn san Eilean Sgitheanach, ris an robh e air coinneachadh aig mòd ionadail ann an Glaschu. Rinn iad an dachaigh ann an Elderslie, faisg air Glaschu agus bha còignear nighean aca - Fiona, Kirsteen, Morag, Morven agus Deirdre.

Chaochail Anna gu h-aithghearr ann an 1974 agus thug seo buaidh mhòr air Calum. Chaidh bliadhnaichean seachad mus do sheinn e a-rithist.

Ann an 1987 phòs e Cairistìona NicUilleim, a bha cuideachd na seinneadair, agus bha aon nighean aca, Eilidh. Thàinig sgaradh anns a' phòsadh sin ann an 1999.

An dèidh pàirt a ghabhail ann am Mòd Dhùn Omhain a' bhliadhna roimhe sin, choisinn Calum Bonn Òr a' Chomuinn Ghàidhealaich aig Mòd Obar Dheathain, ann an 1955. Bha màthair na Bànrigh an làthair airson na duaisean a thoirt dhà fhèin agus do Sheonag NicChoinnich, a fhuair Bonn Òr nam ban.

Ann an 1957, choisinn Calum a' chiad àite ann an Co-fharpais eadar-nàiseanta ann am Moscow, far an robh còrr air còig cheud seinneadair bho air feadh an t-saoghail a' gabhail pàirt. Nam measg bha Richard Harris, an t-Èireannach a choisinn cliù mar actair an dèidh sin. B' e Nikita Khrushchev, Ceannard na Ruis aig an àm, a thug dha a dhuais ann an Talla a' Bholshoi.

Air prògram Beurla air Scottish Home Service a' BhBC air 22/05/1948, dh'innis e fhèin mun fharpais:

"In the Gold Medal competitions there were four hundred from all countries each singing in their own language. The competition lasted eleven days and was heard by twelve adjudicators drawn from different countries. Forty of us went into the final and at this stage I noticed that most of them had orchestral accompaniment of some sort.

I decided then that I too would have somebody to accompany me on to the stage and I am very grateful to John McFadyen of the College of Piping who played 'Over the Sea to Skye' as I went on-stage, and to Bobby Macleod, Tobermory and his band who accompanied me in some of the songs I sang. They looked really magnificent in tartan, playing our Scottish Dance Music.

There was one very amusing incident after I had been awarded the Gold Medal – one of the audience approached me and was very indignant that I had not sung to the accompaniment of the pipes as well as to the Bobby Macleod Band.

In mid Russia by the way their songs are rather like our own "big" songs and they have no dearth of bards. Just as Duncan Ban Macintyre is one of our favourite bards in the Highlands, Pushkin is theirs."

Dh'fhaodadh e a bhith air a ràdh gur e Calum a' chiad seinneadair Gàidhlig a rinn cosnadh làn-ùine a' seinn, ged nach b' e Gàidhlig a-mhàin a bha e a' seinn.

Tràth anns na seasgadan bhiodh e a' dol air chuairt feadh tallaichean bailtean na Gàidhealtachd ach bhiodh e cuideachd a' toirt seachdainean ann an taighean-cluich nam bailtean mòra.

Bha e tric ri fhaicinn air telebhisean agus tha e coltach gur e a rinn a' chiad phrògram a chaidh a-mach beò air Telebhisean Grampian. Rinn e àireamh mhòr phrògraman leithid Calum's Ceilidh agus Round at Calum's.

A bharrachd air a bhith na sheinneadair bha Calum na fhear-gnothaich agus bha ceangal aige ris a' chompanaidh leis an robh Taighean-cluich leithid an Tivoli ann an Obar Dheathain agus am Palace ann an Dùn Dèagh.

An dèidh dha shlàinte briseadh, chuir Calum seachad na bliadhnaichean mu dheireadh de bheatha ann an taigh-eiridinn ann an Siorrachd Obar Dheathain, dlùth ri dachaigh Fiona, a nighinn bu shine.

Chaochail e air 15 Giblean, 2006.