Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] Cuide rium tha Conall MacIlleChiar, a tha a' dol a dh'innse dhomh beagan mun a bhith a' cluich a' phìob. Fàilte, a Chonaill. Nise, inns dhomh dè bha cho tarraingeach dhutsa mun a' phìob?
[CONALL] Uill, feumaidh mi aideachadh nach robh mòran aig an toiseach. 'S e mo phàrantan a thug orm a' phìob a dh'ionnsachadh. Tha mi a' smaoineachadh, air sàilleibh nach robh an cothrom aca ceòl a bhith aca nuair a bha iad òg, bha iad airson gum bitheadh an cothrom agamsa. Mar sin, thug iad orm a' phìob ionnsachadh agus cha do chòrd e rium airson dha no trì bhliadhnaichean, ach às dèidh greis, bha e a' còrdadh rium 's bha mi ag ionnsachadh fuinn a bha a' còrdadh rium agus bha e tòrr nas fheàrr. Bidh mi ga dhèanamh mòran a-nise. Bidh mi a' cluich fad na h-ùine, so tha mi gu math fortanach, chanainn.
[SARAH] Ciamar a thòisich thu ri ionnsachadh?
[CONALL] Uill, thòisich mi air an fheadan an toiseach, agus thòisich mi anns na fèisean ann an Inbhir Nis, Fèis na h-Òige, agus 's e Donnchadh Dòmhnallach a bha a' teagasg aig an fhèis, agus às dèidh a bhith aig an fhèis, chaidh mi a Dhonnchadh airson leasanan a-mach às na fèisean, às dèidh na sgoile, agus bha mi a' dèanamh sin airson iomadach bliadhna, agus an uairsin, dh'ionnsaich mi a' phìob a chluich às dèidh ... Ach 's e ... Bha e gu math duilich a' dol bhon an fheadain air (dhan) a' phìob.
[SARAH] Dè a bha cho doirbh mun an gluasad a bha sin bhon an fheadain chun a' phìob?
[CONALL] Chanainn gur e dìreach anail. Cha robh gu leòr spionnadh agam airson a' mhàla a lìonadh agus a' cumail a' dol. Ach tha cuid de dhaoine ag ionnsachadh air an rud ris a chanas iad ... 'S e "goose" a th' ann, agus 's e pìob a th' ann gun na duis. Mar sin, tha e gu math furasta a' sèideadh agus a' cumail am màla a' dol, ach gu mì-fhortanach, cha robh sin agam, so bha mi dìreach bhon an fheadain air (dhan) a' phìob, 's bha sin gu math doirbh.
[SARAH] Nis, bha thu a' bruidhinn a siud air an (na) duis. Dè na rudan a dh'fheumas tu a bhith mothachail air fhad 's a tha thu a' cluich a' phìob?
[CONALL] Uill, feumaidh tu a bhith mothachail mu dheidhinn ... gu bheil na duis ann an gleus leis an fheadan air a' phìob, agus tha sin gu math doirbh, agus tha e a' toirt ùine mhòr a bhith a' fàs cleachdte ris. Agus, chun an latha a tha seo, tha mi fhathast ga fhaighinn gu math duilich uaireannan a' phìob a ghleusadh leis an t-sionnsair.
[SARAH] Agus mar sin, dè na fuinn is toigh leat fhèin a bhith a' cluich agus carson?
[CONALL] Uill, tha mòran diofar fhuinn a tha a' còrdadh rium, ach fear a tha a' còrdadh rium gu mòr, 's e Òran Mòr MhicLeòid. Agus 's e seann òran a th' ann agus 's ann às an Eilean Sgitheanach a tha e, agus tha mi a' dol ga chluich dhut an dràsta.
[SARAH] Taing, a Chonaill. Cò na pìobairean eile is toigh leat?
[CONALL] Uill, chanainn gu robh mi ag èisteachd ri mòran phìobairean a bha a' dèanamh ... a bha a' cluich ceòl co-fharpais, mar Stuart Liddell agus Gordon Walker, ach tha mi a-nise ag èisteachd ri pìobairean mar Aonghas MacNeacail, Aonghas MacCoinnich agus cuideachd, tha fear ann, Ross Ainslie. 'S ann à Baile Chloichridh a tha Ross Ainslie, agus tha esan a' cluich còmhla ri còmhlan gu math ainmeil a-nise: Treacherous Orchestra, agus tha esan a' dèanamh mòran rudan ùra leis a' phìob nach cuala mise riamh mus robh mi ag èisteachd ri Treacherous.
[SARAH] Agus sin a tha a' còrdadh riut?
[CONALL] Sin a tha a' còrdadh rium, fuinn ùra. Ach tha e fhathast a' cluich puirt a tha gu math sean cuideachd, ach tha e a' sgrìobhadh mòran fuinn cuideachd. Sin a tha a' còrdadh rium gu mòr.
[SARAH] Uill, mìle taing airson bruidhinn rinn, Conaill. Tapadh leat.
[CONALL] 'S e do bheatha. Tapadh leibh.
Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] With me is Conall MacIlleChiar, who is going to tell us a little about playing the bagpipes. Welcome, Conall. Now, tell us what attracted you so much to the bagpipes?
[CONALL] Well, I must admit that there wasn't much to begin with. My parents made me learn the pipes. I think that, because they didn't have the chance to learn music when they were young, they wanted me to have that opportunity. So they made me learn the pipes and I didn't like it at all for two or three years, but after a while, I began to enjoy it and I was learning tunes that I liked and it was much better. I do it often now. I play all the time, so I'm very lucky, I'd say.
[SARAH] How did you start to learn?
[CONALL] Well, I started on the chanter at first, and I started through the fèisean in Inverness, at Fèis na h-Òige, and Duncan MacDonald was the tutor at the fèis, and after attending the fèis, I went to Duncan for lessons outwith the fèisean, after school, and I did that for many years, and then I learnt to play the pipes after ... But it was ... It was very difficult to move from the chanter to the pipes.
[SARAH] What was so difficult about moving from the chanter to the pipes?
[CONALL] I'd say it was just breath. I didn't have the strength to fill the bag and to keep it going. But some people learnt on something they call ... It's a "goose", which is a set of pipes without drones. So it's fairly easy to blow and to keep the breath going, but unfortunately, I didn't have that, so I just went straight from the chanter to the pipes and that was very difficult.
[SARAH] Now, you spoke there about the drones. What sorts of things do you have to keep in mind while you are playing the pipes?
[CONALL] Well, you have to make sure that the drones are in tune with the chanter on the pipes, and that is quite difficult, and it takes a long time to get used to it. And, to this day, I still sometimes find it very difficult to tune the pipes to the chanter.
[SARAH] And so, what tunes do you like to play and why?
[CONALL] Well, there are a lot of different tunes that I like, but my favourite would be Òran Mòr MhicLeòid. And it's an old song that comes from the Isle of Skye, and I'm going to play it for you now.
[SARAH] Thank you, Conall. Which other pipers do you like?
[CONALL] Well, I'd say I listened to a lot of pipers who do ... who play competition music, such as Stuart Liddell and Gordon Walker, but I now listen to pipers like Angus Nicolson and Angus MacKenzie and there's also a man called Ross Ainslie. Ross Ainslie comes from Pitlochry, and he plays in a band that is now quite famous: Treacherous Orchestra, and he does a lot of things with the pipes that I had never heard before I listened to Treacherous.
[SARAH] And that's what you like?
[CONALL] That's what I like, new tunes. But he still plays some very old tunes too, but he also composes a lot of tunes too. That's what I really like.
[SARAH] A thousand thanks for speaking to us, Conall. Thank you.
[CONALL] You're welcome. Thank you.
Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] Cuide rium tha Conall MacIlleChiar, a tha a' dol a dh'innse dhomh beagan mun a bhith a' cluich a' phìob. Fàilte, a Chonaill. Nise, inns dhomh dè bha cho tarraingeach dhutsa mun a' phìob?
[CONALL] Uill, feumaidh mi aideachadh nach robh mòran aig an toiseach. 'S e mo phàrantan a thug orm a' phìob a dh'ionnsachadh. Tha mi a' smaoineachadh, air sàilleibh nach robh an cothrom aca ceòl a bhith aca nuair a bha iad òg, bha iad airson gum bitheadh an cothrom agamsa. Mar sin, thug iad orm a' phìob ionnsachadh agus cha do chòrd e rium airson dha no trì bhliadhnaichean, ach às dèidh greis, bha e a' còrdadh rium 's bha mi ag ionnsachadh fuinn a bha a' còrdadh rium agus bha e tòrr nas fheàrr. Bidh mi ga dhèanamh mòran a-nise. Bidh mi a' cluich fad na h-ùine, so tha mi gu math fortanach, chanainn.
[SARAH] Ciamar a thòisich thu ri ionnsachadh?
[CONALL] Uill, thòisich mi air an fheadan an toiseach, agus thòisich mi anns na fèisean ann an Inbhir Nis, Fèis na h-Òige, agus 's e Donnchadh Dòmhnallach a bha a' teagasg aig an fhèis, agus às dèidh a bhith aig an fhèis, chaidh mi a Dhonnchadh airson leasanan a-mach às na fèisean, às dèidh na sgoile, agus bha mi a' dèanamh sin airson iomadach bliadhna, agus an uairsin, dh'ionnsaich mi a' phìob a chluich às dèidh ... Ach 's e ... Bha e gu math duilich a' dol bhon an fheadain air (dhan) a' phìob.
[SARAH] Dè a bha cho doirbh mun an gluasad a bha sin bhon an fheadain chun a' phìob?
[CONALL] Chanainn gur e dìreach anail. Cha robh gu leòr spionnadh agam airson a' mhàla a lìonadh agus a' cumail a' dol. Ach tha cuid de dhaoine ag ionnsachadh air an rud ris a chanas iad ... 'S e "goose" a th' ann, agus 's e pìob a th' ann gun na duis. Mar sin, tha e gu math furasta a' sèideadh agus a' cumail am màla a' dol, ach gu mì-fhortanach, cha robh sin agam, so bha mi dìreach bhon an fheadain air (dhan) a' phìob, 's bha sin gu math doirbh.
[SARAH] Nis, bha thu a' bruidhinn a siud air an (na) duis. Dè na rudan a dh'fheumas tu a bhith mothachail air fhad 's a tha thu a' cluich a' phìob?
[CONALL] Uill, feumaidh tu a bhith mothachail mu dheidhinn ... gu bheil na duis ann an gleus leis an fheadan air a' phìob, agus tha sin gu math doirbh, agus tha e a' toirt ùine mhòr a bhith a' fàs cleachdte ris. Agus, chun an latha a tha seo, tha mi fhathast ga fhaighinn gu math duilich uaireannan a' phìob a ghleusadh leis an t-sionnsair.
[SARAH] Agus mar sin, dè na fuinn is toigh leat fhèin a bhith a' cluich agus carson?
[CONALL] Uill, tha mòran diofar fhuinn a tha a' còrdadh rium, ach fear a tha a' còrdadh rium gu mòr, 's e Òran Mòr MhicLeòid. Agus 's e seann òran a th' ann agus 's ann às an Eilean Sgitheanach a tha e, agus tha mi a' dol ga chluich dhut an dràsta.
[SARAH] Taing, a Chonaill. Cò na pìobairean eile is toigh leat?
[CONALL] Uill, chanainn gu robh mi ag èisteachd ri mòran phìobairean a bha a' dèanamh ... a bha a' cluich ceòl co-fharpais, mar Stuart Liddell agus Gordon Walker, ach tha mi a-nise ag èisteachd ri pìobairean mar Aonghas MacNeacail, Aonghas MacCoinnich agus cuideachd, tha fear ann, Ross Ainslie. 'S ann à Baile Chloichridh a tha Ross Ainslie, agus tha esan a' cluich còmhla ri còmhlan gu math ainmeil a-nise: Treacherous Orchestra, agus tha esan a' dèanamh mòran rudan ùra leis a' phìob nach cuala mise riamh mus robh mi ag èisteachd ri Treacherous.
[SARAH] Agus sin a tha a' còrdadh riut?
[CONALL] Sin a tha a' còrdadh rium, fuinn ùra. Ach tha e fhathast a' cluich puirt a tha gu math sean cuideachd, ach tha e a' sgrìobhadh mòran fuinn cuideachd. Sin a tha a' còrdadh rium gu mòr.
[SARAH] Uill, mìle taing airson bruidhinn rinn, Conaill. Tapadh leat.
[CONALL] 'S e do bheatha. Tapadh leibh.
Presenter: Sarah Cruickshank
[SARAH] With me is Conall MacIlleChiar, who is going to tell us a little about playing the bagpipes. Welcome, Conall. Now, tell us what attracted you so much to the bagpipes?
[CONALL] Well, I must admit that there wasn't much to begin with. My parents made me learn the pipes. I think that, because they didn't have the chance to learn music when they were young, they wanted me to have that opportunity. So they made me learn the pipes and I didn't like it at all for two or three years, but after a while, I began to enjoy it and I was learning tunes that I liked and it was much better. I do it often now. I play all the time, so I'm very lucky, I'd say.
[SARAH] How did you start to learn?
[CONALL] Well, I started on the chanter at first, and I started through the fèisean in Inverness, at Fèis na h-Òige, and Duncan MacDonald was the tutor at the fèis, and after attending the fèis, I went to Duncan for lessons outwith the fèisean, after school, and I did that for many years, and then I learnt to play the pipes after ... But it was ... It was very difficult to move from the chanter to the pipes.
[SARAH] What was so difficult about moving from the chanter to the pipes?
[CONALL] I'd say it was just breath. I didn't have the strength to fill the bag and to keep it going. But some people learnt on something they call ... It's a "goose", which is a set of pipes without drones. So it's fairly easy to blow and to keep the breath going, but unfortunately, I didn't have that, so I just went straight from the chanter to the pipes and that was very difficult.
[SARAH] Now, you spoke there about the drones. What sorts of things do you have to keep in mind while you are playing the pipes?
[CONALL] Well, you have to make sure that the drones are in tune with the chanter on the pipes, and that is quite difficult, and it takes a long time to get used to it. And, to this day, I still sometimes find it very difficult to tune the pipes to the chanter.
[SARAH] And so, what tunes do you like to play and why?
[CONALL] Well, there are a lot of different tunes that I like, but my favourite would be Òran Mòr MhicLeòid. And it's an old song that comes from the Isle of Skye, and I'm going to play it for you now.
[SARAH] Thank you, Conall. Which other pipers do you like?
[CONALL] Well, I'd say I listened to a lot of pipers who do ... who play competition music, such as Stuart Liddell and Gordon Walker, but I now listen to pipers like Angus Nicolson and Angus MacKenzie and there's also a man called Ross Ainslie. Ross Ainslie comes from Pitlochry, and he plays in a band that is now quite famous: Treacherous Orchestra, and he does a lot of things with the pipes that I had never heard before I listened to Treacherous.
[SARAH] And that's what you like?
[CONALL] That's what I like, new tunes. But he still plays some very old tunes too, but he also composes a lot of tunes too. That's what I really like.
[SARAH] A thousand thanks for speaking to us, Conall. Thank you.
[CONALL] You're welcome. Thank you.