City's Gaelic Festival Continues To Flourish

The City of Edinburgh Council and the University of Edinburgh are to co-sponsor this year’s Edinburgh Gaelic Festival, which runs from 8 to 16 November 2019.

Seachdain na Gàidhlig is a city-wide festival that celebrates Edinburgh’s Gaelic community, past and present. It is a chance to highlight the rich, but often overlooked, history of Gaelic in Scotland’s capital.

The festival began as part of the University of Edinburgh’s initial Gaelic Language Plan in 2014. Since 2015 it has been organised by volunteers from across the city’s Gaelic community and is chaired by the University of Edinburgh’s Gaelic Officer.

This year’s programme of 30 events includes the Council offering a Gaelic-medium tour of its Museums Collections Centre, and Historic Environment Scotland providing a tree-themed storytelling event for children, in Gaelic.

The festival also raises the profile of Gaelic events which take place on a regular basis in Edinburgh. These include the weekly Saturday conversation group, Cànan is Cèic Gaelic, and

cèilidhs organised by Comann Tìr nam Beann. The University and the national advisory partnership, Ainmean-àite na h-Alba, will also be offering a talk on Gaelic place names in Edinburgh.  

 Cllr Alison Dickie, Gaelic Champion for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “We’re delighted to be co-sponsoring the festival as it reinforces our commitment to growing Gaelic in Scotland’s capital city and it’s great to see a tour of our museums’ collection centre being one of the highlights. These are exciting times for the language in Edinburgh as we are appointing a new Corporate Gaelic Development Officer who will support the strategic development of Gaelic across the city, reaching out to all partners and communities.

“We also have increasing numbers of learners across early years, primary and secondary and have worked collaboratively with the Gaelic community and parents to produce our second Gaelic Language Plan alongside a long-term strategy for the development of Gaelic Medium Education in the city. We have grown our teaching workforce, including additional needs support, and are working with partners to open up career pathways and opportunities.”

Bria Mason, the University of Edinburgh’s Gaelic Officer, said: “It is great to see the City of Edinburgh Council joining us as a co-sponsor of Seachdain na Gàidhlig. The festival has grown considerably since the University organised the first event in 2014, and this additional funding will help it go from strength to strength.

“The University’s engagement with the local Gaelic community is part of its ongoing commitment to social and civic responsibility, and its aim to deliver positive change at a local, as well as global, level.”

The full event listing is available at www.edinburghgaelicfestival.com.

Oilthigh agus Comhairle a’ tighinn còmhla son Seachdain na Gàidhlig 2019

Dh’aontaich Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann agus Comhairle Bhaile Dhùn Èideann taic-airgid a thoirt do Sheachdain na Gàidhlig a bhios a’ ruith eadar 8mh-16mh den t-Samhain 2019.

Bidh Seachdain na Gàidhlig a’ gabhail a-steach a’ bhaile air fad, is coimhearsnachd Ghàidhlig Dhùn Èideann an latha an-diugh is nan làithean a dh’fhalbh, is a’ comharrachadh eachdraidh lìonmhor na Gàidhlig ann am prìomh bhaile na h-Alba, rud a tha tric air a dhiochuimhneachadh.

Thòisich an fhèis sa chiad dol-a-mach mar phàirt den chiad Phlana Ghàidhlig aig Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann ann an 2014, ach bho 2015 air adhart, tha air a bhith ga cur air dòigh le buidheann saor-thoileach bho choimhearnsachd Ghàidhlig Dhùn Èideann is Oifigear Gàidhlig an Oilthighe ga stiùireadh.

Tha 30 tachartasan an lùib na fèise bliadhnail seo, a tha air an cur air dòigh le buidhnean feadh a’ bhaile.  Am measg na tha a’ dol am bliadhna, bidh Comhairle Bhaile Dhùn Èideann a’ tabhainn cuairt (tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig) timcheall Ionad Chruinneachaidhean nan Taighean-tasgaidh, agus Alba Aosmhor a’ toirt seachad seisean sgeulachdan co-cheangailte ri craobhan do chloinn, sa Ghàidhlig.

Bidh an fhèis cuideachd a’ brosnachadh inbhe nan tachartasan Gàidhlig leantainneach a tha a’ dol ann an Dùn Èideann.  Nam measg, tha buidheann còmhraidh Disathairne, Cànan is Cèic agus cèilidhean air an cur air dòigh le Comann Tìr nam Beann.  Bidh Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann agus Ainmean-àite na h-Alba cuideachd a’ toirt seachad òraid air ainmean-àite Dhùn Èideann.

Thuirt Comhairliche Alison Dickie, Galad na Gàidhlig Comhairle Bhaile Dhùn Èideann:

“Tha sinn air leth toilichte a bhith nar co-sponsair airson na fèise agus tha e a’ daingneachadh an dealais a th’ againn a thaobh a bhith a’ fàs na Gàidhlig ann am prìomh-bhaile na h-Alba agus tha e fìor mhath cuairt chruinneachaidhean nan taighean-tasgaidh fhaicinn mar aon dhe na tachartasan as sònraichte.  ’S e àm brosnachail a tha seo airson na Gàidhlig ann an Dùn Èideann, is sinn gus Oifigear Leasachaidh Ghàidhlig Corporra fhastadh a bheir taic do leasachadh ro-innleachdail na Gàidhlig air feadh a’ bhaile, a’ dèanamh ceangal ri compàirtichean is coimhearsnachdan.

Tha sinn cuideachd air a bhith ag àrdachadh àireamhan luchd-ionnsachaidh thar nan tràth-bhliadhnachan, na bun-sgoile agus na h-àrd-sgoile agus tha sinn air a bhith ag obair còmhla ri coimhearsnachd na Gàidhlig agus pàrantan airson an dàrna Phlana Ghàidhlig againn a chruthachadh, maille ri ro-innleachd leantainneach airson Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig a leasachadh sa bhaile.  Thug sinn fàs air ar feachd-obrach teagaisg, le taic ionnsachaidh na mheasg, agus tha sinn ag obair còmhla ri compàirtichean airson cothroman air cuairtean-dreuchd a leudachadh.”

Thuirt Bria Mason, Oifigear na Gàidhlig aig Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann: “Tha e sgoinneil gu bheil Comhairle Bhaile Dhùn Èideann ag obair còmhla rinn mar cho-sponsair Seachdain na Gàidhlig.  Tha an fhèis air a dhol am meud bhon a chuir an t-Oilthigh a’ chiad tè air dòigh ann an 2014, agus neartaichidh am maoineachadh a bharrachd seo an fhèis gu mòr.

“Tha an ceangal eadar an t-Oilthigh agus a’ choimhearsnachd Ghàidhlig mar phàirt de dhealas leantainneach an Oilthighe ri dleastanas sòisealta agus catharra, agus miann buaidh mhath a thoirt air gnothaichean aig ìre ionadail, a thuilleadh air ìre eadar-nàiseanta.”

Chithear liosta dhe na tachartasan air fad an seo: www.edinburghgaelicfestival.com.