Niall O’Gallagher

Biography

Tha Niall O’Gallagher ag obair à Holyrood mar fhear-naidheachd poileataigeach do BhBC Alba agus Radio nan Gàidheal. Bha e air a’ gheàrr-liosta airson Fear-naidheachd Gàidhlig na Bliadhna ann an Duaisean nam Pàipearan Albanach 2009. Mus do thòisich e aig a’ BhBC, bha e a’ teagasg aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu agus e a’ sgrìobhadh trachdas air obair Alasdair Gray. Sgrìobh Niall mu bhàrdachd na Gàidhlig agus na Gaeilge don Herald agus don Ghuardian agus dh’fhoillsich e tionndaidhean Beurla bho bhàrdachd Chrìsdein MhicIlleBhàin. Tha e a’ fuireach ann an Glaschu.

Niall O’Gallagher works from Holyrood as a political reporter for BBC Alba and Radio nan Gàidheal. He was shortlisted for Gaelic Journalist of the Year in the 2009 Scottish Press Awards. Before joining the BBC he taught at Glasgow University while writing his doctoral thesis on the work of Alasdair Gray. Niall has written on Gaelic and Irish poetry for The Herald and The Guardian and published English verse translations from the Gaelic poetry of Christopher Whyte. He lives in Glasgow.

Writing Sample

Treànaichean

Soraidh slàn leis na treànaichean fo-thalamh

ghiùlain sinn eadar Baile Ghobhainn ’s Partaig,

Sràid na Drochaid is Ceann a’ Chnuic ’s an t-Oilthigh.

Soraidh slàn leis na carbadan pràiseach

am broinn a’ bhail’ a chleachd sinn ’son teicheadh bho

fhuaim na trafaig ’s nan daoin’ air Sràid Bhochanain.

Soraidh slàn leis na tiogaidean a fhuair sinn

is iad air a bhith cleachdte le daoin’ eile

nuair a thòisich ar cuairt aig an ceann-uidhe.

Soraidh slàn leis na h-oidhcheannan an dòchas

nach do mhothaicheadh leat do stad ’s gum feumadh

sinn a dhol mun a’ chearcall turas eile.

Farewell to the underground trains that carried us from Govan to Partick, Bridge Street, Hillhead and the University.

Farewell to the brassy carriages in the belly of the city that we used to escape the noise of the traffic and the people on Buchanan Street.

Farewell to the tickets we got after they’d been used by other people when our journey began at their destination.

Farewell to the nights in hope that you wouldn’t notice your stop and we’d have to go round the circle one more time.

Comment

Tha mi air mo dhòigh – abair cothrom agus brosnachadh a tha seo!

I’m delighted – what a great opportunity and encouragement!