Rothaireachd Slighe Innse Gall, 2022. Gus co-theacs a thoirt don bhidio seo: tha mi air a bhith a’ fuireach agus ag obair ann an Vancouver, Canada bho 2007. As t-samhradh 2022, mhol mo phiuthar Ceit am beachd a bhith a’ rothaireachd Slighe Innse Gall còmhla. Turas 184 mìle a bheireadh sinn thairis air eileanan iongantach nan Eilean Siar. Bha sinn air an turas a phlanadh thairis air beagan mhìosan, ach ceithir latha mus do dh’ fhalbh mi, bha tubaist baidhsagal-beinne agam ann an Bhancùbhar, gam fàgail le sia asnaichean briste, ego brùite, agus briseadh-dùil nam chridhe. Às dèidh beagan beachdachaidh, cho-dhùin sinn gum biodh e na b’ fheàrr dhi an turas a dhèanamh, agus bhithinn ga leantainn mar thaic anns a’ bhan aice – a’ còcaireachd biadh agus a’ dèanamh cinnteach gum biodh gin agus tonic aice a’ feitheamh rithe aig gach làrach campachaidh nuair a ruigeadh i. Gu dìomhair, tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gum b’ fheàrr leatha am beachd sin. A dh’ aindeoin sin, bha mi dìreach toilichte gum b’ urrainn dhomh falbh fhathast, oir b’ e seo a’ chiad uair agam anns na h-Eileanan an Iar, agus bha mi air bhioran mu dheidhinn airson mìosan. B’ ann aig an ìre seo a chuir mi romham film goirid a dhèanamh gus am biodh barrachd adhbhar agam na dìreach a bhith na mheasgaiche cocktail pearsanta aig Ceit. Air a shuidheachadh an aghaidh cùl-raon nan seallaidhean iongantach, tha am film a’ fighe a-steach aithris bàrdachd, air a cho-sgrìobhadh le Ceit agus mise rè ar turais. Tha na faclan againn, a th’ air am bruidhinn ann an Gàidhlig thraidiseanta nan Eilean Siar, nan fìor mheòrachadh air tapachd, ceangal ri nàdar, agus an tòir airson brìgh ann an saoghal a tha fo atharrachadh mòr fo sgàil a’ ghalair lèir-sgaoilte. Chan e dìreach turas-siubhail a tha seo; ‘S e rannsachadh bàrdachd a th’ ann air cruth-atharrachadh pearsanta am measg aimhreit, suidhichte an aghaidh cùl-raon eireachdail nan Eilean Siar.

Cycling The Hebridean Way, 2022. To provide some context for this video: I’ve been living and working in Vancouver, Canada since 2007. In the summer of 2022, my sister Kate proposed the idea of cycling the Hebridean Way together. A 184-mile journey that would take us across the spectacular islands of the Outer Hebrides. We’d planned the trip over a few months, but four days before leaving, I had a mountain bike accident in Vancouver, leaving me with six broken ribs, a bruised ego, and disappointment in my heart. After some deliberation, we decided it would be best for her to do the ride, and I would follow her as support in her van—cooking meals and ensuring she had a gin and tonic waiting for her at each campsite upon her arrival. Secretly, I think she preferred that idea. Regardless, I was just happy that I could still go, as it was my first time in the Outer Hebrides, and I had been excited about it for months. It was at this point I decided to make a short film so that I had a greater purpose than simply being Kate’s personal cocktail mixer. Set against the backdrop of the awe-inspiring scenery, the film intertwines a poetic narrative, co-authored by Kate and I during our expedition. Our words, spoken in the traditional Gaelic language of the Western Isles, serve as a profound reflection on resilience, connection with nature, and the quest for meaning in a world undergoing profound change in the shadow of the pandemic. This is not just a travelogue; it’s a poetic exploration of personal transformation amidst adversity, set against the stunning backdrop of the Outer Hebrides.