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Ceol na Mara & Harris

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Written by Phil MacDonald

Saturday, 29 March 2008

by PhilMacDonald

The Gaelic language is a most poetic ancient language still spoken in areas such as the Outer Hebrides/Western Isles of Scotland. The language includes some of the most beautiful phrases used to describe things that are rather common and generally considered, by modern society, as unimportant. One such phrase is Ceol na Mara which describes the sound of the sea and means "music of the sea". You may see a number of seaside guest houses bearing the name of "Ceol na Mara" as it is a highly popular name in places where the Gaelic is common.

The Outer Hebrides consist of a number of inhabited islands which are found off the west coast of Scotland. The main town is Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. The isle of Lewis is joined to the Isle of Harris and are together known as the long island. Throughout the Isle of Harris most people have Gaelic as their first language and English as their second. The accent is incredibly soft but also very clear and the English spoken is beautiful and sometimes contains phrases akin to the Gaelic phrases (and Gaelic also contains many English words but usually for most modern things such as television).

If you ever have the opportunity to visit this part of the world you will immediately notice how clean and pure everything is. The Outer Hebrides must be one of the least polluted places in the United Kingdom with the air so clean and fresh that you immediately feel relaxed. The waters of the many lochs and the sea are so clear that you can see far down and diving is a wonderful experience. However it is the beaches that most people find most beautiful. On South Harris are some of the most beautiful shell sand beaches in Europe.

The Hebridean culture has a long, and sometimes troublesome, past. At one time the islands of the Hebrides we ruled by the Lords of the Isles. These rulers, especially Somerled, were incredibly powerful and something of a threat to the kings of Scotland. It was during this period that the unique mix of the Nordic and the Celtic cultures helped create the wonderful Hebridean culture. Both cultures have a deep understanding of poetic writing and even today the 'Bard' is an important member of society who writes poems and songs, often influenced by Ceol na Mara and the countryside.

The beaches of South Harris should be top of your list of places to visit on the Isle of Harris. Both the east and west coasts of Harris are incredibly beautiful but they are very different, to the west are the beaches and machair but the east coast is incredibly rocky with pebble beaches and rocky inlets. The medieval church at Rodel, found at the very south of Harris, is one of the most interesting places to visit and well worth picking the key up for from the local hotel. North Harris is very, very hilly.

If you want to enjoy Ceol na Mara you will need to pay a visit to the Isle of Harris. Fortunately there is a regular ferry service to the main town of Tarbert and also a ferry from the southern islands which docks in Leverburgh on South Harris. You can also travel, by ferry, to the main town of the Outer Hebrides/Western Isles, Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis (Lewis is attached to Harris). It is also possible to get flights to Stornoway airport if you so desire.

One or two of the guest houses on the Isle of Harris are known as Ceol na Mara as many are very close to the shore and most have wonderful views out to sea. Besides the incredible views from the guest houses of Harris the hospitality is truly incredible and of the highest standard. Harris is so wonderfully peaceful that you can often hear the music of the sea as you drift off to sleep.

Of course there are other ways to stay on Harris. There is only a very small selection of Harris Hotel accommodation but it is some of the friendliest accommodation available. Ardhasaig House near Tarbert is one of the best hotels on Harris and has the advantage of some of the best views. Camping and caravanning are also very popular and there is a campsite on South Harris that is almost on the shore. Basically just a field it is the perfect place to hear Ceol na Mara.

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If you want to hear the sounds of Ceol na Mara and visit harris then you should visit Harris bed and breakfast

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