THE GAELIC SOCIETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12425, 7 August 1902, Page 6

THE GAELIC SOCIETY

The' monthly meeting of the Gaelic -Society was held at the' Stuart Street Oddfellows' Hall last evening, when there was a largo - attendance. • Tne chief (Mr Dugalu il-Therson) presided, and'-in his; opening address said that,;-since lie, had been at the previous meeting he had been in both the northern and', southern districts. In Hawkc's Bay ho had been entertained by the Gaelic people, and last Friday night he had been present at the Ihvereargill gathering, At both places lie had been uelighled- to' meet so many Highlanders. Some comparisons had been, made between the Dunedi:l and lurercargi.il societies as to the.general use of tne Gaelic tongue at the meetings, but the. Dunedin Celts held 13 meetings a year, and the Invercargill body only ■ managed to hold one, so that there could not really bo much comparison. He had' just received a lejter from General Sir Hector Macdonald acknowledging receipt of the Gaelic Society's, presents, which had been sent out to him, and had duly arrived after a somewhat lengthy journey. The letter was dated from the headquarters at Ceylon, and Sir Hector extended a cordial invitation to him (the speaker) lo pay a visit to Ceylon if at any time ■he happened to be anywhere liear. ■ The arrangements for the annual gathering were in a very forward state, and atl that would now be required was a large attendance. The Chief than made a presentation, 011 behalf of,the clioir, of a handsome, silver-mounted baton, suitably inscribed, to tho choirmaster, llr J. Nelson, and in doing so said the Gaelic choir had been originally inaugurated by Mr Rae, and the society owned Mr Rae a debt of gratitude for his careful work. For a considerable time past Jlr Nelson'had trained the choir, and it was in' token of appreciation of his labours that the presentation was made. Great credit was also due to'Mr Donald il'Pherson for the interest he had taken in the choir. The choir had been ou many occasions of great service to the, society, both at the annual and ordinary pieetings and at the entertainment to Sir" Hector Macdoiiald. He hoped it would continue to prosper.—(Applause.) Itr Alexander M'Lean was elected a member.

The concert which followed -was,; as usual, entertaining. " Hail lo the chief," by the choir, was the first item, and other songs contributed were:—"Gee] tha mi gup oliTodh guu aghean," by ■ Mrs Campbell; "The drunkard's raggit wqan,'.by Miss Campbell; " Soots wha. hae," by Mr Wm. Sinclair, with violin obligato by Mrs it. M'Donald; "-Jock M'Gr.V," by. Mr Colin M'Kenzic; "'S gile mo run," by Miss M'Kinnoii;' "A nurniich agns a )e?,r,nan," by Mr Wm. Mackenzie; " Eilean an ihraoieh," by Mrs H. M'Donald; tho choir Tendered ' Bruaiciicau Ghlinn Bhraoin" and

"Horo mo. nighean doun bhoidheach'; and " Mo run geal dileas," by Mr J. Turner, who also gave "a .Gaelic reading, "Posadh a. Cheaird" ("The Tinker's Wedding "). Master J. ' M'Kechnie danced a seauntreus. The pipers were Pipe-major M'Kechnie and Messrs Duncan Cameron and J. Murray. Miss Eecve played the accompaniments.