Retirement

The following is an open letter to the membership of our Gaelic society, Slighe nan Gaidheal regarding my decision to retire from the Board of Directors after 18 years of service.

Mo Shoraidh Slan Leibh (fad greis)

My Fond Farewell To You (for a while)

Back in 1995 when the guys in my Scottish Gaelic class with Richard Hill started organizing events together I could not have imagined the joys, the challenges, and the love that the next twenty years would bring into my life. I have been called upon to grow as a student of Gaelic and it's history and culture, as a community organizer, and as a human being and I know that growth will serve and sustain me for the rest of my life.

Three years ago, when I decided that I was running for my last term on the Board of Directors this day seemed a distant dot on the horizon, but here it is. Deciding to retire wasn't easy, and last Monday evening when a new season of Seirm started without my help it was strange. Good, but strange.

I was one of the original incorporators back when we started Slighe nan Gaidheal in 1997, and there were a couple years of work before that also, so all told, I have served this community as an organizer for twenty years without a break. I have life goals that are sitting basically idle and I’m hoping that I’ll be able to accomplish some with the time I’ll have back by retiring from the Board, the Communications Committee, and the Gaelic Music Committee. I will continue to teach through the Zero to Gaelic program, though, so if you miss me, come sign up!

Working to help build Slighe nan Gaidheal the organization and its community is without a doubt the most important thing I've ever done, and it has been hugely rewarding. The opportunity to meet and learn from our many tradition bearing presenters over the years is something that I will be grateful for forever. Just as importantly, knowing, working with, and sharing time with all of you has made my life into so much more than I ever thought it would be. Thank you.

Together we have built something extraordinary and precious. Féis Seattle, Seirm, and Zero to Gaelic are models that other communities are already starting to emulate. I know that whatever challenges may lie ahead, Slighe nan Gaidheal is strong and resilient enough to make it through with all of our help and the continuing leadership and dedication of our Board of Directors. It is especially comforting that our first president and another person who signed the incorporation documents, Richard, is back on the Board and steering the way to a bright future for our organization.

While I won't be involved in Slighe nan Gaidheal's day-to-day operations for the foreseeable future, I will most certainly be working hard for Gaelic in our region. Doug and I are already involved in the launch of Guth nan Eilean's inaugural season of their program, Conversational Gaelic, and we hope to be able to provide some organizational assistance to other groups as well.

Sharron Gunn and I at Folklife circa 1998

So it's really not farewell, it's just see you in different contexts. If you want to stay in touch, you can join my musician page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seumasgaelicmusic

Or sign up for my e-mail newsletter: http://mail.seumasgagne.com/mailman/listinfo/friends_seumasgagne.com

Chí mi sibh uile a-rithist!

Seumas