91Èȱ¬

Television brought rallying into the lives of youngsters on Lewis in the 1970s. A young generation with keen engineering instincts watched agog as Scandinavian stars hurled their cars at forest bends, scattering stones and spectators alike. The boys were smitten, and when oil money transformed the island economy in the following years, it became filled with rally-inspired, modified cars. The result was a chaotic couple of decades, as island policemen struggled to keep a lid on youthful high jinks.

Iain Mackay, who wasn’t alive at the time but wishes he was, investigates. With a rock 'n' roll soundtrack to match the frenetic action, Cearcaill Ceò is a fast-moving hour.

Fhuair òigridh Leòdhais a’ chiad blas de railidheadh tro phrògraman teilibhisean anns na 1970an. Bha ginealach òg le ùidh mhòr ann an innleadaireachd air am beò-ghlacadh le draibhearan Lochlannach a’ rèiseadh tro choilltean, a’ sgapadh chlachan is luchd-amhairc rompa. Bha balaich an eilein air cur-seachad ùr a lorg, is nuair a thànaig airgead an ola dhan eilean anns na bliadhnaichean a lean, lìon e le càraichean air an atharrachadh agus air an uidheamachadh mar chàraichean railidh.

Lean fichead bliadhna de dh’ùpraid air na rathaidean, le poileas an eilein a’ strì gus smachd a chumail air cleasan na h-òigridh. Tha Iain MacAoidh, fear nach robh beò aig an t-àm, ach a tha a’ miannachadh gun robh, a’ rannsachadh chùisean. Tha uair a thìde loma-làn de cheòl is cleasachd air thoiseach le Cearcaill Ceò. Tha Iain MacAoidh ag aithris.

In Gaelic with English subtitles