Fhad ’s a bhios mi ag obair air an ath nobhail FS agam, bidh agam ri briathrachas a chruthachadh bho àm gu àm gus bun-bheachdan teicnigeach/saidheansail a chur an cèill, agus anns a’ bhlog seo, air uairibh, bu toil leam innse mu chuid dhe na taghaidhean a rinn mi, feuch dè tha sibhse a’ smaoineachadh umhpa.
Cha chreid mi gu bheil deagh fhacal againn anns a’ Ghàidhlig air instinct anns an t-seagh bhitheòlach, mhion-fhàsach. Tha Dwelly a’ moladh nàdar, agus tha sin a’ freagairt air instinctanns an t-seagh choitcheann, ach chan eil e a’ freagairt air a’ chiall theicnigeach, cha chreid mi, mar ghiùlan aig creutair a tha air a phrògramadh na eanchainn le mion-fhàs. Tha nàdar ro choitcheann anns an t-seagh seo. Chan eil anseotal.org.uk a’ moladh sìon, agus chan eil na Raghall MacLeòid agus Ruairidh MacThòmais anns an leabhar aca, Bith-Eòlas.
Mar sin, mholainn gun togar briathar air na freumhan Laidinn. Tha instincta’ tighinn bho instinctus a tha a’ ciallachadh impulse, bho instinguere, na chothlamadh dhen ro-leasachan in- agus dhen ghnìomhair stinguere a tha a’ ciallachadh to prick. Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gu bheil in-spreigeadh a’ riochdachadh na cèille seo gu math, agus ann an co-theagsa, saoilidh mi gu bheil a chiall reusanta soilleir bho eileamaidean.
And Gaelic is particularly popular amoung young adults in Scotland.
With so many trolls out there endlessly bashing on Gaelic, it is worth reminding ourselves from time to time that Gaelic is actually quite popular in Scotland. And while fluent speakers represent only a small percentage of the total Scottish population, in general, Scots are very supportive of the language, want to learn it, want their kids to learn it, want it to thrive in the future, and are happy to spend money to help it grow.
Below I have collected some statistics on public attitudes toward Gaelic and Gaelic development that demonstrate this support. Most of these statistics come from the most recent edition of the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey published in 2022, but I have included some stats from the 2012 survey as well. These are large, reliable and independent surveys carried out each year on behalf of the Scottish Government, and from time to time questions about Gaelic are included.
As you will see below, I decided to highlight the opinions of young adults in Scotland. Young adults are particularly supportive of Gaelic, and for the future of language, this is extremely encouraging to see. Young adults, of course, are the folk that will shape Scottish culture and politics in the years to come, but also, many young adults are either currently raising young children or will be raising young children soon, and if they support Gaelic, they may decide to speak the language to their children in the home if they have it, and/or place their children in Gaelic-medium education when it comes time for school.
If you are aware of any other encouraging statistics about public support for Gaelic in Scotland, please let me know in the comments. Of course it is also important to recognize that Gaelic is struggling just now as a spoken language throughout Scotland, but focusing only on the bad news gives a lopsided picture of the opportunities we have to revitalize the language.
Unorganized public support—in and of itself—will not save Gaelic, but if we, as Gaelic activists, can come together and build a strong revival movement that is open and inclusive and harness this broad support, turning it into actual political power, then Gaelic really could have a bright future in Scotland.
The vast majority of Scots support Gaelic as an important part of Scotland’s cultural life. Overall, 79% of adults in Scotland think Gaelic is ‘very important’ (34%) or ‘fairly important’ (45%) to Scotland’s cultural heritage’, (ScotCen 2022: 43) while 90% of young adults aged 18-29 think the same (41% very important; 49% fairly important; ScotCen 2022: Annex Table 6.3). In our fractious and fragmented modern democracies, you almost never get 90% of folk agreeing on … well … anything at all, so it is pretty amazing that here in Scotland, such an overwhelming majority of young adults agree that Gaelic is important part of our shared culture.
And a surprisingly large minority of Scots consider Gaelic an important part of their own personal cultural heritage. Overall, 31% of adults in Scotland say that Gaelic is either ‘very important’ (9%) or ‘fairly important’ (22%) to their own cultural heritage, (ScotCen 2022: 39) while 43% of young adults aged 18-29 say the same. (16% very important; 27% fairly important; ScotCen 2022: Annex Table 6.1) This is a somewhat surprising statistic because it is much larger than the percentage of fluent young Gaelic speakers in Scotland (about 1% of the population). This means, of course, that most of these young adults who feel that Gaelic is an important part of their own heritage don’t actually speak much or any Gaelic themselves, but imagine if some significant fraction of these young adults were to decide to learn Gaelic and had access to high-quality, inexpensive or free Gaelic tuition to do so: what a difference that would make to the health of the language throughout the country. This single statistic represents a huge Gaelic development opportunity. Other countries have successfully brought large numbers of adults to fluency in threatened minority languages. There is no practical reason we couldn’t do the same here as well.
And as further support for this idea, the most recent survey found significant demand for more and better Gaelic learning opportunities in Scotland. Overall, 39% of non-fluent speakers report that they would like to speak Gaelic better than they currently do either ‘very much’ (17%) or ’somewhat’ (22%), while 59% of young adults aged 18-29 year olds report the same views. (ScotCen 2022: 13) Research has consistently shown that adult Gaelic learning provision in Scotland is piecemeal, underfunded and poorly organized. (MacCaluim 2007; McLeod et al. 2010) If we could convince the authorities to properly fund and organize the adult Gaelic learning sector, we could convert this unmet demand into literally thousands of new fluent Gaelic speakers.
There is also strong support for teaching all young Scots at least some Gaelic in school. 55% of adults in Scotland strongly agree (22) or agree (32) that all children in Scotland should be taught Gaelic as a school subject for an hour or two a week. 64% of young adults aged 18-29 think the same. (ScotCen 2022: 50-1)
And at the same time, there is significant interest in Gaelic-medium education (GME) amongst Scottish parents. While only about one percent of Scottish primary school children attend GME (Morgan 2020), in the 2012 Scottish Social Attitudes Survey, 11% of Scottish adults said they would be very likely to send their children to GME if it was available in their area, and a further 17% said they would be fairly likely (reported and analysed in: O’Hanlon and Paterson 2017: 51). So why aren’t 27% of school children currently in GME? It’s not because there is a lack of teachers (there is, but that is a problem that can be solved); rather, it’s because councils across Scotland keep dragging their feet, decade after decade, refusing to set up new GME schools. Until parents have a clear statutory right to GME for their children, councils will continue to hold the Gaelic revival back.
And finally, most Scots are more than happy to spend money on Gaelic development. Overall, 70% of adults in Scotland feel that the amount the Scottish Government are currently spending on Gaelic is about right (48%) or too little (22%), and 79% of young adults aged 18-29 hold these views. Crucially, the respondents to the questionnaire were given an estimate of Scottish Government actual spending on Gaelic to inform their answer: “The Scottish Government currently spends £24 / £29m every year on promoting the use of Gaelic, for example in TV, education and publishing. This comes to around £4.80 / £5.20 for each person in Scotland. Do you think this is…?” (ScotCen 2022: 57-8) This means these answers are significantly better informed than many opinions you might find on twitter or in the comments below newspaper articles online.
Trolls will troll, and the anti-Gaelic voices are persistent and loud, but the silent majority in Scotland is actually very supportive of Gaelic. If we as activists can turn this inchoate support into a) organized political support for the language and b) active new speakers, Gaelic definitely can be developed into a much more widely-spoken language in Scotland.
O’Hanlon, Fiona and Paterson, Lindsay (2017) “Factors influencing the likelihood of choice of Gaelic-medium primary education in Scotland: results from a national public survey.’ Language, Culture and Curriculum 30 (1): 48‒75.
MacCaluim, Alasdair. (2007). Reversing Language Shift: The Social Identity and Role of Adult Learners of Scottish Gaelic. Belfast: Cló Ollscoil na Banríona.
McLeod, Wilson, Irene Pollock, and Alasdair MacCaluim. (2010) Adult Gaelic learning in Scotland: Opportunities, motivations and challenges. Inverness: Bòrd na Gàidhlig
ScotCen Social Research. 2022. Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2021: Public attitudes to Gaelic in Scotland – Main report. http://www.gaidhlig.scot/en/news/SSAS/
Bidh sinn a’ cur fàilte bhlàth air Marcas Mac an Tuairneir oidhche Dhiardaoin sa tighinn aig Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu, Sràid Berkeley, 7.30f. Tha sinn a’ dèanamh fiughar mhòr ri bhith cluinntinn o Mharcas agus an dòchas gun urrainn dhuibh a bhith còmhla ruinn.
Bidh sinn a’ sireadh £5 aig an doras – air no faodaidh sibh ballrachd bliadhnail a ghabhail (saor an asgaidh do dh’oileanaich is sgoilearan). Tha sinn an dòchas ar faicinn ann an sin!
Chaidh deasbad aig Riaghaltas na h-Alba a chumail an-dè mun Ghàidhlig agus mun Scots san àm ri teachd. Mur a robh thu ann an-dè, faodaidh tu an deasbad air fad a leughadh ann an Aithisg Oifigeil na Pàrlamaid. Seo an gluasad a chaidh aontachadh aig deireadh an deasbaid. Faodar coimhead air bhidio na Pàrlamaid air … Leugh an corr de An do chaill thu an deasbad air #Gàidhlig is #Scots an-dè?
Thèid deasbad Riaghaltais a chumail sa Phàrlamaid an-diugh (Dimàirt 15 Samhain) mu Ghàidhlig agus Scots san àm ri teachd. ‘S e seo an gluasad: Chithear an gluasad agus na h-atharrachaidhean a chaidh a mholadh air làrach-lìn na Pàrlamaid. Tòisichidh an deasbad san t-Seòmar aig 2:25f. Faodar coimhead beò (agus às dèidh làimh) air Scottish Parliament … Leugh an corr de Deasbad mun Ghàidhlig is mun Scots san àm ri teachd
On a tha dlùth air an dàrna leth dhe na Gàidheil a’ fuireach air a’ Ghalltachd a-nis, a bheil na seann ainmean cinneach seo — Galltachd agus Gàidhealtachd — a’ freagairt air saoghal na Gàidhlig anns an latha an-diugh?
Thàinig a’ cheist seo am bàrr fhad ’s a bha mi ag obair air an ath leabhar agam, Às na Freumhan, leabhar eachdraidh a sgrìobh mi mu iomairt na bun-sgoileadh Gàidhlig ann an Dùn Èideann.
A thaobh cuspair na h-eachdraidh agus nan daoine a bha an sàs innte, mheas mi gum biodh an t-ainm Galltachd gu sònraichte trioblaideach, agus an seann chlaonadh fillte san ainm gu bheil Gàidheil ghaisgeanta Dhùn Èideann uile a’ fuireach taobh a-muigh saoghal ‘ceart’ na Gàidhlig ann an dòigh air choreigin.
Shaoilte, le cho stèidhichte ’s a tha na seann ainmean cinneach seo, gu bheil iad glè àrsaidh, ach ann an da-rìribh, cha do dh’fhàs iad bitheanta ann an Alba ro fhìor dheireadh nam meadhan aoisean.
Mun aon àm, chleachdte ainm eile air an ranntair a thuigear an-diugh mar The Highlands: Na Garbhchriochan. Chaidh ciall an ainm seo a chuingealachadh rè nam bliadhnaichean, agus a-nis, mar as àbhaist, thèid Na Garbhchriochan a chleachdadh an iomradh air an tìr eadar Loch Shuaineart agus Loch Shubhairne, ach o thùs, bha Na Garbhchriochan a’ gabhail a-steach na Gàidhealtachd air fad, agus aig amannan, nan Eileanan Siar cuideachd.[2]
Agus anns an latha an-diugh, mothachail air an trioblaid shònraichte a thig an cois an ainm, Galltachd, molar cuid an seann ainm, Machair na h-Alba, mar ainm Gàidhlig eile air The Lowlands.[3] ’S e sin an t-ainm a chleachdar air uairibh an cois foghlaim chloinne a-nis, mar eisimpleir.[4]
Bha machair a’ ciallachadh The Lowlands of Scotland o chionn fhada; ’s e sin an treasamh mìneachadh aig Edward Dwelly fhèin air an fhacal: “Name given by the Scottish Gael to the southern or low-lying parts of Scotland,”[5] ach anns an latha an-diugh, mar as tric nuair thèid machair a chleachdadh leis fhèin, thathas a’ dèanamh iomradh air a’ mhachair anns na h-Eileanan Siar, agus mar sin, bhiodh an t-ainm na b’ fhaide, Machair na h-Alba, na b’ fheàrr, shaoilinn, nuair a bhite a’ dèanamh iomradh air The Lowlands of Scotland.
Anns an dòigh cheudna, leis gum bi an t-ainm Na Garbhchriochan gu bitheanta a-nis na iomradh air taobh an iar sgìre Loch Abar, seach The Scottish Highlands air fad, airson soilleireachd, dh’fhaoidte Garbhchriochan na h-Alba a chleachdadh nuair a bhite a-mach air na Garbhchriochan anns an t-seagh thùsach.
Aig a’ cheann thall, cho-dhùin mi gun cleachdainn “ceann a deas na dùthcha” an àite Ghalltachd. An lùib eachdraidh fada, toinnte, tha e na bhuannachd gu bheil an abairt seo soilleir agus neodrach, ach mar ainm, tha i caran lom. Chan eil cus ceòl innte.
Saoil, dè ur beachd fhèin?
[1] MacLeòid, Aonghas. 1978. Òrain Dhonnchaidh Bhàin; The Songs of Duncan Ban Macintyre. Dùn Èideann: Comunn Litreachas Gàidhlig na h-Alba, 2.
[3] Morgan, Ailig Peadar. 2013. Ethnonyms in the place-names of Scotland and the Border counties of England. PhD Oilthigh Chill Rìbhinn, Eàrr-ràdh, 208.
Each week we record our Gaelic Word of the Week podcast and post the text here with added facts, figures and photos for Gaelic learners who want to learn a little about the language and about the Scottish Parliament – Pàrlamaid na h-Alba. This week our word is – Mun cuairt mun cuairt! If you are … Leugh an corr de Gaelic word of the Week blog – Mun Cuairt mun cuairt! #gaidhlig
Eadar Nollaig agus a’ Bhliadhna ùr, bidh mi a’ dol gu Sasainn air safari-rèile fad dà latha airson a dhol air loidhnichean rèile nach fhaca mi riamh roimhe.
Tha mi gu bhith a’ dol air Mail Rail agus gu gach mòr-stèiseanan Lunnainneach ann an latha agus tha mi a’ dol a dhol air turas air Loidhne Ealasaid agus loidhne ùr Barking Riverside cuideachd.
Ach mus dèan mi sin, tha mi a’ dol gu Essex. Tha mi a’ dol gu Southend-on-Sea gus rathad-iarainn sònraichte fhaicinn – Rathad-iarainn Cidhe Southend.
A’ chiad rathad-iarainn air cidhe southend
Tha cidhe Southend gu math ainmeil. Chaidh a thogail an toiseach mar chidhe fiodha ann an 1830 agus bha slighe-trama eich ann. Chaidh cidhe iarrainn ùr nas fhade a chur na àite ann an 1889 ag amas air luchd-turais. Tha e cho fada is gun robh feum air rathad-iarainn dealanach – tha an loidhne 1.33 mìle a dh’fhaid uile gu lèir.
Bha na trèanaichean tùsail coltach ri tramaichean “toastrack” a bha ann an cruth gu math bunaiteach is fosgailte ach chaidh an rathad-iarainn a sgeadachadh le trèanaichean art-deco àlainn ann an 1949.
Chaidh an rathad-iarainn a dhùnadh ann an 1978 agus bha teagamhan ann am maireadh an cidhe idir ach chaidh an cidhe a shàbhaladh agus chaidh an rathad-iarainn ath-fhosgladh le trèanaichean diosail ùra ann an 1986.
Tha na trèanaichean dìosail a-nis aig deireadh am beatha agus thòisich trèanaichean bataraidh-dealanach ùr air an loidhne bhig seo bho chionn ghoirid, trèanaichean a tha nas dreachmhoire agus nas ùaine cuideachd.
Tha mi air a bhith a’ beachdachadh air turas gu Southend fad iomadh bliadhna. Sa chiad dol a-mach, bha mi airson a dhol air rathad-iarainn cidhe. Chan eil rathaidean-iarainn cidhe cumanta san latha an-diugh – b’ àbhaist gu leòr a bhith ann ann an bailtean turasachd a’ chosta, ann am Blackpool, Southend, Ryde (Isle of Wight) agus fiù ’s ann an Eilean Mhanainn ann an Rhumsaa/Ramsey. An-diugh, chan eil air fhàgail anns na h-eileanan seo ach Southend agus Hythe ann an Sasainn.
‘S e an t-adhbhar eile a tha mi airson a dhol dhan bhaile – agus dhan rathad-iarainn gun robh mo deagh charaid agus an stiùriche PhD agam an t-Àrd-ollamh Coinneach MacFhionghuin nach maireann (“athair sòsio-cànanachas na Gàidhlig”) na Mhèar air a’ bhaile ann am meadhan nan 1960an. Gu dearbha, turas no dhà chuir e litrichean thugam ann an seann cheisean-litreach “from the Mayor’s Parlour – Southend on Sea” (bhon dachaigh aige air a’ Ghàidhealtachd anns na 2000an agus chan ann bho “Sarfend”!)
Ma thèid thu dhan chidhe, ’s dòcha gum faic thu am plac seo bho a’ comharrachadh 75 bliadhna den rathad-iarainn dealanach agus a chaidh fhoillseachadh le His Worship K M MacKinnon!
Agus gu dearbha, nuair a bha Ken na b’ òige bha e ag obair air loidhne London Tilbury and Southend “the misery line” mar a chanas daoine ris – mus do dh’fhàg e a’ bheatha sin airson obair nas glamorous ann an sòiseòlas!
Tha mi a’ dèanamh fiughair ri bhith a’ dol air a’ chidhe, a’ faighinn tiops, a’ dol air na trèanaichean ùra – agus a’ smaoineachadh mu His Worship Ken MacKinnon!
“His Worship Ken MacKinnon” – Gàidheal Eilean nan Con! Dealbh le Bòrd na Gàidhlig
Seachdain no dhà air ais, bha cothrom agam rudeigin ann an Inbhir Nis fhaicinn ris an robh mi air fiughair a dhèanamh fad mhiosan – meanbh-sgeama haidro “Hydro Ness”. Cho luath ‘s a thòisich an sgeama air obrachadh, tràth san t-samhradh am bliadhna, bhuannaich e iomadh duais, m.e. aig Duaisean Cumhachd Ath-nuadhachail na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean, mar phròiseact ath-nuadhachail as fheàrr air tìr, agus Pròiseact Beag den Bhliadhna (British Construction Industry). Bhiodh sin drùidhteach gu leòr gun dad eile, ach leis gu bheil an sgeama dìreach air Abhainn Nis, chan ann sna beanntan mar a b’ àbhaist, mar gum biodh anns a’ bhaile fhèin, agus ann an togalach beag fìor tharraingeach (chunnaic mi dealbhan brèagha dheth), bha mi air bhioran fhaicinn mu dheireadh thall.
Tha an sgeama suidhichte air bruach na h-aibhne aig ceann thall Pàirc a’ Chonaisg ri taobh Drochaid Muilleann an Tuilm, àite nàdarrach brèagha. Ged a tha an sgeama fhèin gu tur ùr, tha dà cheangal aige dhan àm a dh’fhalbh. An toiseach, tha e a’ cleachdadh pàirt den bhun-structar a chaidh steidheachadh airson sgeama beag haidro eile sna 1920an. Chaidh an t-aonamh sgeama-haidro deug ann am Breatainn a thogail faisg air seo le bhith a’ leudachadh seann lad Muileann-flùir a’ Bhucht https://www.ambaile.org.uk/asset/11482/ , a’ tarraing uisge às an abhainn ann an seòrsa cùrsa-uisge àrdaichte. Ruith e fad deicheadan gus an deach Inbhir Nis air a’ Ghriod Nàiseanta. Tha am “Powerhouse” ri fhaicinn an-diugh fhathast – sin far a bheil bùth uachdair-reòite as t-samhradh. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6040546
Agus ‘s e seo an aon lad – air a ghlanadh ‘s a chur an òrdugh a-rithist – a bhios Hydro Ness a’ cleachdadh an-diugh fhèin. Ath-chuairteachadh gu dearbh!
Agus an ceangal eile do dh’eachdraidh? Uill, ‘s e rud fada nas sine a th’ anns an fhear seo: tha an dealan ann an Hydro Ness ga dheànamh le sgriubha Archimedes. Sin inneal à linntean àrsaidh, ann an cruth sgriubha mhòir, a tha ag obrachadh air prionnsabal simplidh gus uisge a ghluasad gu eifeachdach agus gun cus saothair (mar as àbhaist do dh’ìre nas àirde). Tha Hydro Ness a’ cleachadh cumhachd uisge na h-aibhne san lad gus an sgriubha a dhràibheadh, coltach ris an t-seann roth-muilinn, agus mar sin còrr is 500,000 kWh de dhealan ath-nuadhachail a chruthachadh gach bliadhna. https://akvopedia.org/wiki/Archimedes_screw
Tha an dealan ga chleachdadh gus cumhachd a sholarachadh do dh’Ionad-Spòrs Inbhir Nis faisg air làimh – 50% den fheumalachd aca. Nuair a smaoinicheas sinn air an dà amar-snàmh mòra aca, agus na goireasan uile eile, aithnichidh sinn gur e caomhnadh gu math mòr a th’ ann, gu h-àraidh le cosgaisean cumhachd a’ sìor dhol an àird a-nis.
Aig an aon àm, ‘s e eisimplir a th’ ann an Hydro Ness – chì sinn dè cho feumail ‘s as urrainn do sgeamaichean beaga, ath-nuadhachail mar seo a bhith dha na sgìrean far a bheil iad, le cumhachd ionadail, gun fheum air pròiseactan einnseinnearachd mòra, daora, agus gun ar lorg carboin a mheudachadh.
Ach tha aon taobh eile aig an sgeama seo – tha e cuideachd airson luchd-tadhail (inbhich is clann-sgoile) a tharraing a-steach is am foghlam a thaobh chuspairean mar àrainneachd is eag-eòlas, obair còmhla ri nàdar, lìontan-bìdh is eag-shiostaman, brosnachadh bith-iomadachd, ath-nuadhachadh na Gàidhealtachd tro lùth uaine, amsaa. Air an adhbhar sin tha an togalach fhèin, slige shimplidh gus dìon a thoirt dhan inneal agus dhan luchd-tadhail, sònraichte tlachdmhor grinn. Tha e ann an cruth armadillo le pleitean meatailt airgeadach, leth-fhosgailte do sholas is do ghaoith. Glacaidh e an t-sùil nuair a dhlùthaicheas tu ris, air cois no air rothair, no ma bhios tu a dràibheadh thairis air an drochaid ri a thaobh. Tha sanasan fiosrachail ann – ma bhios tu airson an leughadh idir – le grafaigean tarraingeach is soilleir (le beagan Gàidhlig orra), anns an t-slige fhèin agus timcheall oirre, air an cruthachadh leis a’ companaidh Mather & Co, agus flùraichean is beingean àlainn à clach gheal.
A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to see something in Inverness that I’ve been looking forward to for months – the micro-hydro-electric scheme Hydro Ness. As soon as the scheme was up and running, in early summer this year, it was winning awards, such as the Scottish Highlands & Islands Renewable Energy Award for Best Onshore Renewable Energy Project 2022, and the Best Small Project of the Year 2022 at the British Construction Industry Awards. That would be impressive enough on its own, but with the scheme being directly on the River Ness, not in the mountains as these schemes usually are, but more or less in the town itself, and in a fascinating wee building (I’d seen lovely pictures of it), I couldn’t wait to see it at last.
The scheme is located on the river-bank at the far end of Whin Park, beside the Holm Bridge, a beautiful green spot. Although the scheme is completely new itself, it has two connections to the past. First, it uses part of the infrastructure that was developed for an earlier small-scale hydro project in the 1920s. The 11th hydro-electric station in Britain was built near here using the widened mill-lade of the old Bught Meal Mill https://www.ambaile.org.uk/asset/11482/ , drawing water from the river in a kind of raised watercourse. It ran for several decades until Inverness was connected to the National Grid. Its “Powerhouse” can still be seen today – it houses the ice-cream parlour in the summer. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6040546
And the second link to history? Well, that one goes back a lot further: the electricity produced by Hydro Ness is generated using the Archimedes screw. That’s a device from ancient times in the form of a large screw, which works on a simple principle to move water efficiently and with minimal effort (usually up a level). Hydro Ness uses the power of the river flow in the lade to drive the screw, a bit like the old mill-wheel, which then powers the generator to create more than 500,000 kWh of renewable electricity per year. https://akvopedia.org/wiki/Archimedes_screw
The electricity supplies half the power needed to run the nearby Inverness Leisure Centre, and when you think about the two large swimming pools and all the other facilities there, you realise that represents quite a sizeable saving, especially with fuel costs rising by the minute.
At the same time Hydro Ness acts as an example – we can see just how useful such small-scale renewable schemes can be to the areas where they are, with local power and without the need for large-scale expensive engineering works, and also without increasing our carbon footprint.
But there’s another aspect to this scheme. Hydro Ness also aims to attract and educate visitors (adults and schoolchildren alike) on subjects like environment and ecology, working alongside nature, food-chains and eco-systems, encouraging biodiversity, renewing the Highlands through green energy, and so on. For that reason the building itself – a simple shell to protect the generator and the visitors – is startlingly attractive and elegant. It’s in the shape of an armadillo with silvery metal plates, half-open to light and wind. It catches the eye as you approach it, on foot or by bicycle, or when driving across the bridge beside it. There are informative signs – if indeed you want to read them – with clear, attractive graphics (and a bit of Gaelic), in the shell and around the location, as well as flowers and elegant white stone benches.
It’s a beautiful, peaceful, interesting place – why don’t you go and have a look for yourself?
