Why does it always rain on me

Come rain or shine, a special exhibition exploring Scotland’s relationship with rain opens this Friday (19 June) at the National Library of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Called ‘Rain’, the exhibition features a range of collections items exploring Scotland’s persistent preoccupation with inclement weather. Some items detail the academic breakthroughs in relation to meteorology, where others relate to homegrown innovations such as the development of rain-resistant material.

Director of Collections, Access and Research Alison Stevenson said:

“If we were to count the amount of times rain is mentioned in the national collections which span scientific journals and dystopian novels to film, poetry, prose, maps and music – the number would surely be in the millions. As evidenced in our newspaper and television news collections, it often makes the headlines. We talk about it, dress for it, measure it, write about it, avoid it, worry about it, sing about it.

“Rain has the power to ruin our days, our crops, to cancel a big event. But it is also essential in ensuring clean water to drink, and in the cultivation of food. This is something we can easily take for granted in Scotland. Visitors to our exhibition will find we are celebratory as well as reverent towards this most powerful phenomenon.”

The national film collections are on display through compilations of rainy days across Scotland and rain in popular culture is explored through the Library’s collection of musical scores and ephemera. The Library’s collections are complemented by borrowed items such as a Mackintosh coat, as well as rain gauges through the ages from the James Hutton Institute. And as the repository representing Scotland’s three official languages, the National Library has made sure to include a vast array of terms and words for ‘rain’ in Gàidhlig, Scots and English.

Star items on display include:

• James Hutton’s ‘Theory of Rain’ from 1788. The Edinburgh born geologist who is more well known for his studies of sedimentary rock, explored air temperature and humidity in a bid to better understand why clouds form and why they produce rain. This research contributed to what we now call the ‘water cycle’.
• A first edition copy ‘Daemonologie’ by James VI (1597). Often said to be the catalyst for Scotland’s ubiquitous witch trials, it was here that the monarch blamed witches for persistently cold and stormy weather, which was later described as a ‘little Ice Age’.
• A recipe book of Katherine Jane Ellice, 1846–59, which includes a recipe for waterproofing clothes. Ellice’s is a particularly beautiful example thanks to her detailed and often humorous pen drawings that accompany the text. This book is open on a page that decries the usefulness of umbrellas in Scotland.

Ms Stevenson adds that ‘Rain’ is a family-friendly exhibition that will delight multi-generational groups.

“There are lots of interactive activities for children, and some of their older family members or caregivers will have their memories jogged by some of the most well-known faces of 20th-century – TV meteorologists. People will also be able to pose in front of weather maps and have their photo taken as they carry out their forecasts.”

Rain opens to the public on Friday 19 June and will run until April next year. Entry is free.

Rain has been kindly supported by Scotland's Green Libraries Grant Fund (via the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals Scotland), The Seachdain na Gàidhlig Small Grants Fund, and the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

 

Carson a bhios e daonnan a’ sileadh orm

Ge b’ ann le sileadh no turadh, bidh taisbeanadh sònraichte ùr a' fosgladh Dihaoine seo (19 Ògmhios) ann an Leabharlann Nàiseanta na h-Alba ann an Dùn Èideann a tha a' coimhead air an dàimh eadar Alba is sileadh-uisge.

Bidh an taisbeanadh, air a bheil an t-ainm ‘Rain', a' gabhail a-steach grunn rudan bho na cruinneachaidhean againn a tha a' coimhead air mar a tha Alba daonnan air a beò-ghlacadh le droch shìde. Tha cuid de nithean co-cheangailte ri leasachaidhean acadaimigeach a thaobh sìde-eòlas, agus tha cuid eile a’ buntainn ri innleachdan ùra a chaidh a dhèanamh san dùthaich seo, leithid a bhith a' cruthachadh stuthan uisge-dhìonach. 

Thuirt Alison Stevenson, Stiùiriche nan Cruinneachaidhean, Ruigsinneachd agus Rannsachaidh:

“Nan cunntamaid cia mheud uair a chaidh iomradh a thoirt air sileadh-uisge anns na cruinneachaidhean nàiseanta, eadar irisean saidheansail agus nobhailean diostopach agus filmichean, bàrdachd, rosg, mapaichean agus ceòl – bhiodh na milleanan ann gun teagamh. Mar a chithear anns na cruinneachaidhean againn de naidheachdan TBh agus pàipear-naidheachd, bidh e gu tric a' nochdadh sna cinn-naidheachd. Bidh sinn a’ bruidhinn mu dheidhinn, a’ cur aodach oirnn gus ullachadh air a shon, bidh sinn ga thomhas, a’ sgrìobhadh mu dheidhinn, ga sheachnadh, a’ gabhail dragh mu dheidhinn, a’ seinn mu dheidhinn.

“Tha cumhachd aig an uisge a bhith a' milleadh ar latha no ar bàrr, no a bhith a' cur stad air tachartasan mòra.” Ach tha e riatanach cuideachd gus dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil uisge glan againn ri òl, agus gus biadh a dhèanamh. Seo rudeigin air nach bi air ar n-aire gu ìre mhòr sam bith ann an Alba. Chì luchd-tadhail dhan taisbeanadh againn gu bheil sinn an dà chuid a’ comharrachadh agus a’ toirt urram dhan mhìorbhail chumhachdaich seo.”

Tha na cruinneachaidhean film nàiseanta air an taisbeanadh tro eisimpleirean de làithean fliuch air feadh na h-Alba agus thathar a' toirt sùil air an uisge ann an cultar mòr-chòrdte tro chruinneachadh de nithean bho chruinneachaidhean sgòran-ciùil agus ephemera an Leabharlainn. A bharrachd air rudan aig cruinneachaidhean an Leabharlainn, tha nithean air iasad ann cuideachd leithid còta Mackintosh, a bharrachd air gèidsichean-uisge thar nan linntean bho Institiud James Hutton. Agus mar bhuidheann a tha a' riochdachadh nan trì cànanan oifigeil ann an Alba, tha Leabharlann Nàiseanta na h-Alba air dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil farsaingeachd de dh'fhaclan agus briathran air ‘sileadh-uisge' ann an Gàidhlig, Scots agus Beurla.

Am meas nam prìomh nithean a tha gan taisbeanadh, tha:

• ‘Theory of Lane’ le Seumas Hutton, 1788. Rinn an geòlaiche seo a rugadh ann an Dùn Èideann, agus a tha nas ainmeile airson a chuid sgrìobhaidhean air clach ghrùideach, sgrùdadh air teòthachd agus taiseachd an adhair ann an oidhirp gus tuigse nas fheàrr fhaighinn air carson a bhios neòil a’ tighinn ri chèile agus carson a bhios iad a’ sileadh uisge. Chuir an rannsachadh seo ris an tuigse againn air an rud ris an can sinn ‘cearcall an uisge’ an-diugh.
• Leabhar bhon chiad bhreacadh de ‘Daemonologie’ le Seumas VI (1597). Bithear gu tric ag ràdh gun robh seo na mheadhan air deuchainnean bana-bhuidsich na h-Alba , agus b’ ann an seo a chuir an Rìgh a’ choire air bana-bhuidsichean airson an aimsir fhuar is stoirmeil a bha an-còmhnaidh ann aig an àm sin, rud a chaidh a mhìneachadh nas fhaide air adhart mar ‘Linn Deighe bheag’.
• Leabhar reasabaidhean le Katherine Jane Ellice, 1846–59, anns a bheil reasabaidh gus aodach a dhèanamh uisge-dìonach. ’S e eisimpleir gu sònraichte brèagha a th’ aig Ellice mar thoradh air na dealbhan peann mionaideach agus gu tric èibhinn aice a tha a’ dol leis an teacsa. Tha an leabhar seo fosgailte air duilleag a tha ag innse mu cho beag feum ’s a tha sgàileanan-uisge ann an Alba an da-rìribh

Thuirt a’ Bh-Uas Stevenson cuideachd gu bheil taisbeanadh ‘Uisge’ freagarrach do theaghlaichean agus gun còrd e ri buidhnean bho gach ginealach.

“Tha tòrr ghnìomhachdan eadar-ghnìomhach ann do chloinn, agus thèid cuid de na daoine as ainmeile san 20mh linn a chur an cuimhne buill nas sine den teaghlach -– eòlaichean-sìde TBh. Bidh cothrom aig daoine cuideachd a bhith a' seasamh air beulaibh mapaichean sìde agus dealbh a thogail fhad ’s a tha iad a’ dèanamh aithris na sìde.

Fosglaidh Rain dhan phoball air Dihaoine 19 Ògmhios agus mairidh e gus an Giblean an-ath-bhliadhna. Tha inntrigeadh an-asgaidh.

Tha Rain air taic fialaidh fhaighinn bho Mhaoin Tabhartasan Leabharlannan Uaine na h-Alba (tro Institiud Cairte Leabharlannaichean is Proifeiseantaich Fiosrachaidh na h-Alba), Maoin Thabhartasan Beaga Seachdain na Gàidhlig, agus Comhairle Rannsachaidh nan Ealan is nan Daonnachdan.