Category: Press Release

Bòrd na Gàidhlig has announced the allocation of funding for Gaelic Officers through a new round of the Gaelic Officers Scheme. The Scheme is funded in partnership by the Scottish Government and Bòrd na Gàidhlig and will support 27 posts across a range of organisations as they undertake Gaelic development work in communities across Scotland. Several groups will now benefit from multi-year support from the scheme for the first time.

The latest round of funding was opened in May and closed to new applications in June. A range of changes were made to the previous scheme, including further support and professional development for Gaelic officers. Bord na Gàidhlig received 44 applications from a wide range of charities, with a mix of previously-supported organisations and new bodies seeking support.

Successful applicants to the scheme had to meet a range of criteria and outline how they would deliver against the key priorities set out by Bòrd na Gàidhlig, including supporting the everyday use of Gaelic in communities, supporting Gaelic centres and events, developing community Gaelic language plans and supporting partnership working across organisations delivering Gaelic services.

Ian MacMillan, Director of Development at Bòrd na Gàidhlig, said:

“Bòrd na Gàidhlig is delighted that officers funded through this scheme will now be working to make a positive impact on Gaelic in their communities. These officers will make a clear and visible difference through their activity and engagement. We are looking forward to seeing an increase in partnership working as we enable organisations to build connections to deliver across our communities.”

Depute First Minister Kate Forbes said:

“This £600,000 investment in the Gaelic Officer initiative aims to help Gaelic to thrive in traditional areas like the Western Isles and Skye. Gaelic Officers enrich communities and support activities which bring economic benefits to Scotland.

“To support Gaelic’s growth, our Scottish Languages Bill will strengthen the rights of parents to ask for a Gaelic school to be established in their area and introduce targets on the number of people speaking Gaelic.”

You can find more information about Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Gaelic Officers Scheme here.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig runs a number of funding schemes at various times throughout the year. If like to speak to Bòrd na Gàidhlig about funding opportunities for organisations and projects, please email tabhartas@gaidhlig.scot.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Senior Management Team gave evidence to the Education, Children, and Young People Committee this morning as they discussed the Scottish Languages Bill. Ealasaid MacDonald, Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Ceannard (CEO), gave the opening statement and said:

“This is an important time for Gaelic, and decisions we take today will have a real impact on the future of our language. And by our language, I mean Scotland’s language. Bòrd na Gàidhlig welcome this Bill, a step forward in the legislative journey of Gaelic, and would strongly resist any suggestion that it should not proceed.

“For those of us attending the reception of 50 years of Sabhal Mor Ostaig on Thursday evening, the mood of celebration was aided by the news that the new Cabinet will include a Gaelic speaker who will have responsibility for the language. Literally someone who speaks and understands  our language. We wish Ms Forbes well in her role and look forward to working with her.

“This will hopefully change the approach to Gaelic within the Government and see Gaelic considered across portfolios, where it can be a part of the solution, and allow a joined up policy approach. This would go a long way to strengthening the language.

“And, this Bill is part of the work in strengthening the language at a policy level. Key elements of the Bill, including the changes to the functions of Bòrd na Gàidhlig and standards for plans, will move us forward to ensuring the systems we have in place serve the language. And it is crucial that the education elements of the Bill, are enacted. Clarity is required on the central aspect, areas of linguistic significance, and the work of the commitee will be crucial in ascertaining this.

“However, this legislation will not solve the issues that we face at the community development level, which require a new and transparent investment model to deliver on the targets in the  new National Gaelic Language Plan.

“I must reference our submission to the Financial Memorandum of the Bill, where we underline the importance of a financial model being a core element of the success of this legislation. As we state in our submission, “In order to achieve its potential impact it must be supported across Government with fair and equitable funding and commensurate with the statutory responsibilities of Bòrd na Gàidhlig.”

“Gaelic is more than a language. For many, myself included, it is a way of life, at the core of my being linked to my culture, heritage and aspirations for my family and my community. For Scotland, it is a key element of the society in which we live, our historical past and a key driver in our future.  It is a social, economic and cultural asset. One that cannot be replaced . This legislation is a step forward.  it won’t provide all the solutions we need, and a priority must be to address the inadequate funding model, but it will be a key tenet on moving the provisions for Gaelic forward.”

The meeting was recorded and can be viewed on the Scottish Parliament’s website.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig welcomes the news that the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Ms Gilruth, today announced the reappointment of Stewart MacLeod as a Member of Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

Stewart MacLeod is a member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA), and brings finance and accounting knowledge and experience to the role of Chair of the Audit and Assurance Committee. He has been involved in Gaelic-related activities and organisations over many years, and is interested in the promotion and maintenance of the language amongst learners and the traditional communities.

This reappointment will be for four years and will run from 16 March 2024 to 15 March 2028.

More information about Stewarts reappointment is available the the Scottish Government’s website.

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Ms Gilruth, yesterday announced the reappointment of Mairi MacInnes as Chair of Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

Chair

Mairi MacInnes has over time held numerous leadership roles within her local community relating to Gaelic language & culture, education and community development: spanning early years, primary and adult learning.  Mairi, former head teacher of Sgoil an Iochdair, was also a member of the 1+2 Approach to Language Learning Group in the Western Isles.  Mairi is Chair of Cnoc Soiller Ltd, and a founder board member of Ceòlas Uibhist, the highly acclaimed Gaelic arts organisation. She has also sat on the board of a number of national organisations, such as the Scottish Arts Council and Comataidh Craolaidh Gàidhlig. Mairi lives in South Uist.

Mairi MacInnes has been the Chair of Bòrd na Gàidhlig since 16 March 2020.

Reappointment

This reappointment will be for two years and will run from 16 March 2024 to 15 March 2026.

This reappointment is regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner

The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Ms Gilruth, today announced the appointment of Robert Dunbar, John MacDonald, Michelle Macleod and Donald MacPhee as Members of the Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

Mairi McInnes, Chair, Bòrd na Gàidhlig said:

“We’re delighted to welcome the new board members at Bòrd na Gàidhlig. The four new members bring such a wealth of knowledge and experience across a wide range of fields and this will be more will be more important and beneficial than ever while Bòrd na Gàidhlig looks forward to a new National Gaelic Language Plan and the introduction of the Scottish Languages Bill.”

Members

Robert Dunbar has been Professor of Celtic at the University of Edinburgh since June 2013. He is one of the foremost experts in the world on law and policy for linguistic minorities. He is an expert of the Council of Europe in relation to minority language issues, and since February 2023, he has been a member of the Committee of Experts of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, a Council of Europe treaty. He has also worked with the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe in relation to language law and language policy. He has frequently advised governments, language policy bodies and NGOs on language legislation for minority language, including the Welsh Academy in relation to the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011. Robert holds a PhD in Celtic from the University of Edinburgh, on the life and secular poetry of John MacLean (1787-1848), the Tiree and Nova Scotia Gaelic poet, as well as an LL.M from the London School of Economics, an LL.B from Osgoode Hall Law School, Toronto, and a BA from the University of Toronto.

John MacDonald is a native Gaelic speaker, originally from South Uist, who lives in Edinburgh. Having obtained a business degree, he worked in the IT industry in his early career and then spent over 30 years of his working life in the Scottish voluntary and community sector before retiring in 2022. His roles ranged from Development Officer to Director and Chief Executive with national charities. This has given him insight into effective community development, sage stewardship of public funds and good governance. He has served on the board of trustees for a number of voluntary organisations over the years and is currently a volunteer adviser for Citizens Advice in Edinburgh as well as running online conversation classes for Gaelic learners.

Michelle Macleod, originally from the Isle of Lewis, is a Professor of Gaelic at the University of Aberdeen. Michelle has taught Gaelic and related subjects in universities in Scotland and Ireland for more than 25 years; she has also taught applied sociolinguistic courses and has supervised PhDs in language planning. She has held various leadership roles for languages in higher education including in 2022 being one of three Future of Languages Research Fellows funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council where her work considered how research could support the policy ambitions for the UK’s indigenous languages; she also currently sits on the British Academy/University Council for Languages Strategic Committee for Languages in Higher Education. Michelle has conducted research into Gaelic literature, theatre, second language acquisition and community language planning. Her community language planning research was inspired by the three years she spent as Project Officer and then the first Director at Ionad Chaluim Chille ìle and she recently collaborated with Comunn na Gàidhlig and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the Bòrd’s project to establish a network for Gaelic language officers. She is currently Chair of Theatre Gu Leòr and the Catherine McCaig Trust.

Donald Kenneth (DK) MacPhee is a fluent Gaelic speaker who was born and brought up in a strong Gaelic speaking community in South Uist where his late father John was a Gaelic teacher for 40 years. DK’s values, knowledge and skills were further developed over nine years in Catholic seminaries, three of those in Valladolid, Spain. In 1983, this time teaching English in Spain as part of his degree at the University of Glasgow, an unexpected diagnosis of cervical dystonia/spasmodic torticollis literally changed the direction of his life. After graduating with MA (Hons) Hispanic Studies in 1985, and then from Napier College (now University), Edinburgh in 1986 with a Postgraduate Diploma in European Marketing and Languages, his working life began at a charity that supported the unemployed into work. Promoting skills and learning for all, especially for the most excluded and disadvantaged, was to become a central theme of his working life. Voluntary work, including the establishment of the first self-help group for people with dystonia in Scotland and then his appointment as the first Dystonia UK officer outside London, also continued throughout those years.

After two decades of development roles across charities and public sector agencies, in 2009 DK became the lead strategic policy and development officer for Gaelic corporate planning and development within Glasgow City Council with responsibility for all aspects of the council’s Gaelic Language Plans. The expansion of Gaelic Medium Education and the implementation of the Gaelic Plan are also commitments in Glasgow City Council’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan. Some family members also work in, or have children in, Gaelic Medium Education. DK has a special interest in sport, in particular football, and has contributed to Gaelic radio and television programmes views on football, dystonia and other general interest stories for decades. A BBC ALBA documentary about his life with dystonia called Dystonia: Beatha air Fhiaradh / Life at an Angle won a Gaelic Award in 2021. He is also one of the many Gaelic voices of Duolingo and has been a Board member of Comunn na Gàidhlig since 2018 and of FC Sonas since 2022.