News Naidheachdan

[Iain Macaonghais – Preseantair] Nise, an dèidh 45 bliadhna, tha fear a th' air a bhith na phost san Eilean Sgitheanach a' leigeil dheth a dhreuchd. Thòisich Donaidh MacFhionghain à Gleann Dail air an obair ann an 1971, agus bidh e deiseil air an ath-mhìos. 'S e deireadh linn a th' ann cuideachd, oir b' e athair Donaidh a bha a' lìbhrigeadh litrichean na sgìre roimhe, agus an obair air a bhith san teaghlach cha mhòr 80 bliadhna uile gu lèir. Chaidh Calum MacIlleathain againne gus a choinneachadh.

[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Rathaidean Ghleann Dail. Rathaidean air a bheil Donaidh MacFhionghain air leth eòlach. Rugadh is thogadh e san sgìre agus ghabh e thairis obair mar phosta nuair a leig athair seachad a dhreuchd.

[Donaidh MacFhionghain] Nuair a start esan bha e a’ coiseachd, às an oifis ann an Gleann Dail gu an Èiste (Rubha na h-Èist), bha e dèanamh Mìolabhaig. Bha ceithir postaichean an uair an sin Gleann Dail ‘s an uair sin fhuair iad bhan ‘s dh’ionnsaich iad dhomhsa a bhith dràibheadh na bhana

[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Bidh latha fada aig Donaidh an-diugh agus Coimisean an Taghaidh air litrichean a sgaoileadh do gach dachaigh. Ach fiù’s air latha trang, tha cothrom ann stad agus còmhradh.

[Raibeart Dòmhnallach] Ma tha mi staigh ’s ma tha Donaidh air a’ phost bidh sinn a’ gabhail cupa tì còmhla.

[Donaidh MacFhionghain] Bidh sinn a’ cur an saoghal ceart.

[Raibeart Dòmhnallach] Cur an saoghal ceart, exactly. Uaireannan ma tha e fadalach fàsaidh an tì fuar ‘s feumaidh sinn an cupa bhlàthachadh suas. ‘S iomadh litir a thug Donaidh a dh’ Uiginish, feadhainn dhuibh math agus feadhainn nach robh cho math.

[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Tha Donaidh eòlach air gach neach air a’ chuairt aige agus ‘s ann tric a chuireas iad stad air airson cabadaich. A thuilleadh air litrichean a thoirt seachad sgaoilidh e fiosrachadh agus naidheachdan agus e a’ tadhal air daoine ma dh’ fhaoidhte nach faic neach eile tron latha.

[Donaidh MacFhionghain] Aon trup bha mi a’ dol timcheall air fad, bodach bha e fuireach ann an taigh leis fhèin. Agus chaidh mi aon taobh, latha as t-earrach bha latha fuar ann, chaidh mi chun an taigh ‘s bha e na laighe muigh, bha e air a bhith shuas agus air tuiteam. ‘S bha fhios aige gum bithinn a’ tighinn ‘s chaidh sinn an ath dhoras agus fhuair iad an duine staigh agus bha e all right. Ach mura robh mi air a bhith ann, bhiodh e ann gus am biodh a nighean aige air tighinn a-mach bho obair. So, rud gu math toilichte a bha sin.

[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] ‘S iad nan daoine ris an coinnich e a bhios e ag ionndrainn as motha nuair a thig an obair gu ceann.

[Donaidh MacFhionghain] ‘S e obair mhath a bh’ ann, chòrd e rium, a bhith a-mach am measg nan daoine ‘s na daoine uabhasach laghach. Uaireannan bhithinn a’ dol ann agus bhiodh cèilidh bheag ann agus bhruidhinn ris a h-uile duine smaoinicheas tu air, even daoine bha suas nam bliadhnaichean, nuair a fhuair iad eòlas ormsa fhuair mise eòlas orrasan. Bha deagh spòrs annta.

[Calum MacIlleathain – Neach-aithris] Chan eil ach beagan sheachdainean air fhàgail aig Donaidh mar phost, ach le croit agus oghaichean aige a-nise, bidh gu leòr gus a chumail trang. Calum MacIlleathain, BBC An Là, Gleann Dail.

[Iain MacInnes – Presenter] Now, after 45 years, a man who has been a postman in Skye is retiring. Donnie MacKinnon from Glendale started the job in 1971 and he’ll finish next month. It’s also the end of an era, as his father delivered the letters in the area before him, with the job having been in the family for almost 80 years in total. Calum MacLean went to meet him.

[Calum MacLean – Reporter] The roads of Glendale. Roads Donnie MacKinnon knows very well. He was born and raised in the area and he took over the role of postman when his father retired.

[Donnie MacKinnon] When he started he was on foot, from the office in Glendale to Neist Point, he was doing Milovaig. There were four postmen then in Glendale and then they got a van and taught me how to drive the van.

[Calum MacLean – Reporter] Donnie will have a long day today with the Electoral Commission delivering letters to each household. But even on a busy day, there’s time to stop and chat.

[Robert MacDonald] If I’m in and if Donnie is doing the post we have a cup of tea together.

[Donnie MacKinnon] We put the world to right.

[Robert MacDonald] Putting the world to right, exactly. Sometimes if he’s late the tea gets cold and we have to warm it up. Many’s a letter Donnie delivered to Uiginish, some good, some not so good!

[Calum MacLean – Reporter] Donnie knows each person on his round and very often they stop to chat to him. As well as delivering letters he’ll distribute information and news when visiting those who perhaps don’t see anybody else throughout the day.

[Donnie MacKinnon] One time I was doing the entire round and there’s a old man who lives alone. And I went one way, it was a cold day in spring, I went to the house and he had collapsed on the ground outside, he’d been up and had fallen. And he knew I’d be coming and we went next door, got him inside and he was alright. But if I hadn’t have gone, he would hfave been lying there until his daughter got back from work. So that was a good thing.

[Calum MacLean – Reporter] It will be those he has met who he will miss the most when the job comes to an end.

[Donnie MacKinnon] It was a good job, I enjoyed it, being out amongst people and the people are very nice. Sometimes I’d visit them and there would be a small ceilidhs and I’d be speaking to all sorts of people, even the elderly, as they got to know me I got to know them. They were good fun.

[Calum MacLean – Reporter] Donnie only had a few weeks left of being a postie, but with the croft and now grandchildren, there will be plenty to keep him occupied. Calum MacLean, BBC An Là, Glendale.