Research and translation assistence needed -- Gaelic

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TheSilverSpear
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Research and translation assistence needed -- Gaelic

Post by TheSilverSpear »

I'm not sure if the board should be used for this purpose, but I have tried several other avenues including emailing the Scottish Studies Dept. at Edinburgh Uni and Sabhal Mor Ostaig and not gotten anywhere (or even a response), so the worst that could happen is I'd be told off and be no worse off than I am. :) I've been a member of the Chiff Board for nearly seven years so maybe the moderators will be lenient with me.

I'm doing my PhD on the historical geography of insanity in the 18th and 19th century Highlands and Islands -- basically looking at the social construction of madness and how it was managed, by local communities, authorities, etc. in this historical and geographical context. About 98% (loosely) of my sources are in English anyway but there are a handful of Gaelic texts which it would be fantastic to have access to for this project. The one I would really like to get my hands on is the diary of Angus Mackay, a piper from Skye (and Queen Victoria's official piper) who went mad and was a patient in the Crichton-Royal Asylum in Dumfries before he made an ill-fated escape attempt which led to his demise in the River Nith. He kept the diary -- written in Gaelic on the back of sheets of music -- while in the asylum. Currently it's held by the NLS in Edinburgh. It might be totally irrelevent, or not, but I'd need to understand it to know. :) If anyone has any interest in the history of psychiatry and Gaelic culture and is up for having a look at this, let me know.

Cheers!
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