THA mi air a bhith ag èisteachd ri Sam Fender, neach-ciùil ùr bho chionn ghoirid – fear òg à Shields mu Thuath an ceann a tuath Shasainn. Tha e air cliù mhòr a choisinn dha fhèin aig aois òg, is e an aois rium fhin. Gu mì-fhortanach ge-tà, chan eil mi fhìn air Duais Bhrit a ghlèidheadh dhomh fhìn fhathast! Ach, ’s e cuspairean a chuid òran a tha air leth tarraingeach dhòmhsa. Bidh Fender a’ seinn mu iomadh rud: cultar a sgìre fhèin, poileataigs agus trioblaidean le deoch-làidir is drogaichean am measg rudan eile. Ach b’ e an t-òran ‘Dead Boys’ a bu mhotha a ghlac m’ aire-sa agus a thug orm smaoineachadh air cho coltach ri chèile ’s a tha cultar na Gàidhealtachd agus cultar a’ bhaile far an deach Sam Fender a thogail: The anniversaries are short lived But they come back around at a breakneck speed.
’S ann air fireannaich a b’ aithne dha a chuir làmh nam beatha fhèin a tha an t-òran agus tha e soilleir gun tug na sgeulachdan duilich seo buaidh mhòr air. Dh’aidich e ann am bhidio nach do shaoil e gum biodh duine aca air seo a dhèanamh gus an do thachair e. Sa bhaile san do thogadh drumair a chòmhlain, chuir dithis bhràithrean làmh nam beatha fhèin taobh a-staigh seachdain. Tuigidh mi fhìn briathran nan sreathan gu h-àrd glè mhath, gu h-àraid ann an coimhearsnachdan beaga. Tha a’ choimhearsnachd a’ cumail cuimhne air an fhear a chaochail gach bliadhna is bheir seo buaidh air daoine eile nach robh fiù ’s eòlach air.
Thug seo uile nam chuimhne an sgìre san deach mi fhìn a thogail. Marbhaidh fèin-mhurt barrachd fhireannach fo aois 45 na rud sam bith eile ann am Breatainn: b’ ann fireann a bha 75% den àireamh a chuir làmh nam beatha fhèin sa bhliadhna 2015. Ach, tha e coltach gu bheil na h-ìrean nas àirde buileach air a’ Ghàidhealtachd an coimeas ris a’ chòrr den dùthaich. Tha mi fhìn den bheachd gu bheil an cultar air a bheil sinn cho cleachdte san sgìre ag adhbhrachadh barrachd thrioblaidean. Air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, agus anns na h-eileanan gu h-àraid, tha nàdar de bheachd ann gum feum fireannaich a bhith duineil, fearail. Chan eil na faclan ud, san t-saoghal anns a bheil sinn beò, co-ionnan ri bhith fosgailte mu na trioblaidean a th’ aig daoine. Tha seo a’ ciallachadh nach bi fireannaich air a’ Ghàidhealtachd cho buailteach air taic fhaighinn ma tha trioblaidean-inntinn a’ cur dragh orra no ma tha iad a’ caoidh cuideigin eile, air eagal ’s gum bi coltas neo-fhearail orra.
Ach, bha rann eile ann am briathran Fhender a ghlac m’ aire: We all tussle with the black dog Some out loud and some in silence, Everybody ’round here just drinks, ’Cause that’s our culture.
Bheir an t-sreath sin cultar nan eilean do mo chuimhne sa bhad. Bidh mòran ag òl bhon a thathar den bheachd nach eil dad eile ri dhèanamh sa bhaile bheag aca ach ’s e a’ chunnart gum fàs deoch-làidir ro chudromach nuair a bhios cùisean doirbh dhaibh – agus mar a thuirt Sam fhèin: ‘sin agaibh ar cultar’. Leis gu bheil seo mar phàirt de bheatha tòrr dhaoine as aithne dhuinn, chan eil sinn idir cho mothachail às nuair a bhios cuideigin a’ cur feum air deoch gus trioblaidean eile a chumail am falach.
Tha còmhlan Fhender a’ moladh sa bhidio gum bu chòir do dh’fhireannaich bruidhinn mu na faireachdainnean aca. Tha iad ag ràdh gum faod fireannach a bhith na ‘gheezer’ mòr, làidir agus a bhith fosgailte mu na trioblaidean a th’ aige aig an aon àm. Chan eil aige ri aon slighe a thaghadh seach slighe eile. Ach na bu chudromaiche na sin, mhol e gun inns athair do mhac gu bheil e sàbhailte agus fallain dha bruidhinn mu thrioblaidean, gu bheil e nàdarra gu leòr a bhith a’ rànaich agus gun ruith an cleachdadh seo tro gach ginealach ùr a thig.
Cumaibh sùil air ur càirdean ’s ur caraidean: bhiodh e doirbh beachd baile neo eilean air fad a thaobh deoch-làidir atharrachadh. Ma dh’fhaoidte gum biodh e na bu dhorra buileach dòigh-giùlain ùr a mholadh do na balaich. Ach, tha òrain air buaidh mhòr a thoirt air an t-saoghal roimhe agus tha cruaidh fheum air òran a tha a’ moladh guth a thoirt do na fireannaich òga nar beatha nuair a tha trioblaid aca, mus tèid cùisean ro fhada. Air feadh Bhreatainn, tha e coltach gu bheil an ìre de dh’fhèin-mhurt am measg nam fireannach aig an ìre as ìsle ann an trithead bliadhna. Deagh naidheachd gu dearbh, ach tha eagal orm gu bheil na trioblaidean a th’ aig fireannaich a thaobh fearalas agus faireachdainnean falaichte fhathast cho bitheanta ’s a bha iad riamh.
SUMMARY:
We can learn something from young musicians drawing attention to important issues, such as Sam Fender and his song ‘Dead Boys’, bringing his personal experience of male suicide to the forefront and encouraging fathers to teach sons that it’s good to express how they really feel.
GLOSSARY:
Fèin-mhurt – Suicide
Ginealach – Generation
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