Category: Gaelic

Thoughts on Island Voices

Le Gordon Wells

As we enter August, our various 21st anniversary summer exhibitions are still running in the Hebrides and in Glasgow – though not in all cases for much longer. So if you want to see them on-site, please pay a visit to Taigh Chearsabhagh (North Uist), Museum nan Eilean (Benbecula), Cnoc Soilleir (South Uist), or the Scottish Poetry Rose Garden in Queen’s Park (Glasgow) sooner rather than later! Of course, they will remain accessible online indefinitely through the bold Island Voices links above.

We are very keen to receive feedback, either written or spoken. The poster above gives both a telephone number and an e-mail address where you can leave your own thoughts and opinions in English or Gaelic. (Or you can just leave a comment on this post if you prefer!) At the risk of repetition, we’re interested in the views of active participants in the project as well as viewers and listeners from near and far. If you want some guidance, here’s the sort of thing we’re interested in:

As always we’re keen to receive reflections, suggestions and further questions about our project – not just to help evaluate what we’ve done so far, but also in the hope of stimulating new ideas for what could come next. And we welcome input from all sources, including previous active participants in the project (What did or didn’t work well? What could we have done differently? What did you learn from the experience? etc) as well as viewers and listeners who’ve sampled the materials online, or attended one or other of the various events and exhibitions over the summer of 2026 (What did or didn’t you like about the contents you tried? What would you like to see more of? Did it prompt any memories you’d like to share? Have you got other suggestions? etc).

We are very keen to receive spoken or written feedback in English or Gaelic by phone or e-mail.

You can leave a voicemail at this number: 01463 279110

You can send a written message to this e-mail address: islandvoices@uhicloud.ac.uk

Tapadh leibh!

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Tadhail air Island Voices – Guthan nan Eilean

Five Writers Plus

Le Gordon Wells

The Scottish Poetry Rose Garden in Glasgow’s Queen’s Park is the venue for the open-air Island Voices exhibition, opening on the 12th July, of the Five Writers featured in its Extensions initiative. Each one has their own stand in the garden, with QR codes to take viewers directly to their body of video work, including multi-lingual versions of their introductory documentary, plus samples of their poetry and conversational style in their own particular language. We’re delighted to partner with Friends of Queen’s Park in facilitating this exhibition in such fitting surroundings, and grateful for the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund in making it possible.

If you can’t visit in person, you can click on the image below to take you to an enlarged version with live links attached to the QR codes for each of the five writers:

As an added bonus, links are also available via the posters below showcasing earlier recordings by our special Rose Garden guest Alan Riach, Professor of Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow. Alan also added some classic historical perspective to our lively 11th July Saturday night preview of the exhibition in Queen’s Park Parish Church. (Click on the images for the live links.)

As always we’re keen to receive reflections, suggestions and further questions about our project – not just to help evaluate what we’ve done so far, but also in the hope of stimulating new ideas for what could come next. And we welcome input from all sources, including previous active participants in the project (What did or didn’t work well? What could we have done differently? What did you learn from the experience? etc) as well as viewers and listeners who’ve sampled the materials online, or attended one or other of the various events and exhibitions over the summer of 2026 (What did or didn’t you like about the contents you tried? What would you like to see more of? Did it prompt any memories you’d like to share? Have you got other suggestions? etc).

We are very keen to receive spoken or written feedback in English or Gaelic by phone or e-mail.

You can leave a voicemail at this number: 01463 279110

You can send a written message to this e-mail address: islandvoices@uhicloud.ac.uk

Tapadh leibh!

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Tadhail air Island Voices – Guthan nan Eilean

Hebridean collection displays

Le Gordon Wells

With summer upon us, venues across Uist and Benbecula are now showcasing the 2005-2026 compilation video that brings together into one 7-minute clip representative highlights of the 20+ years of the Island Voices/Guthan nan Eilean project. Alongside the video itself, additional information panels provide background information with QR codes that enable readers to access the original source materials from which the compilation was selected, so opening up the 500+ online videos for immediate viewing.

Here’s the main background panel:

You don’t have to attend in person to find these links. A click on the above graphic will take you to an enlarged image with live links attached to every QR code displayed.

Here are the local Hebridean venues where the collection is currently on display:

North Uist:

Taigh Chearsabhagh, Lochmaddy
(With Uist Arts Association)

Benbecula:

Museum nan Eilean, Liniclate

South Uist:

Cnoc Soilleir, Daliburgh

We’re keen to receive reflections, suggestions and further questions about our project – not just to help evaluate what we’ve done so far, but also in the hope of stimulating new ideas for what could come next. And we welcome input from all sources, including previous active participants in the project (What did or didn’t work well? What could we have done differently? What did you learn from the experience? etc) as well as viewers and listeners who’ve sampled the materials online, or attended one or other of the various events and exhibitions over the summer of 2026 (What did or didn’t you like about the contents you tried? What would you like to see more of? Did it prompt any memories you’d like to share? Have you got other suggestions? etc).

We are very keen to receive spoken or written feedback in English or Gaelic by phone or e-mail.

You can leave a voicemail at this number: 01463 279110

You can send a written message to this e-mail address: islandvoices@uhicloud.ac.uk

Tapadh leibh!

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Tadhail air Island Voices – Guthan nan Eilean

An Luingeas Dorcha: Cainnt an t-Seòladair

Le lasairdhubh

Tha mi air meanbh-fhaclair dhen bhriathrachas-sheòlaidh anns an Luingeas Dorcha air Fàire a chruthachadh, agus gheibhear an seo i, ach shaoil mi gur dòcha nach dèanadh na mìneachaidhean an sin cus ciall do chuid nach eil tuilleadh is eòlach air a’ bhriathrachas-seòlaidh anns a’ Bheurla mar-thà. Mar sin, chruthaich mi an taisbeanadh shìos mar nàdar de fhaclair lèirsinneach, le dealbhan a’ sealltainn ciall nam faclan is nan abairtean, agus iad anns an òrdugh a nochdas iad anns an leabhar. Gun leig sibh fios dhomh anns na beachdan aig a’ bhonn ma tha sìon shìos mì-shoilleir. Tha mi an dòchas gu bheil e feumail!

  • 32 chleachdadh i an seòmar ann am bràigh a’ bhàta mar thèarmann
  • 276 Chluinnte faram tiamhaidh na gaoithe os an cionn agus i a’ glagadaich tarraingean nam bàtaichean ri an cruinn.
  • 276 bha dòrlach sgollagan air an ceangal ri ceann a’ mheòir
  • 276 slùpan is sgùdan sa mhòr-chuid dhiubh
  • 276 Anns an dorchadas, chìte loidhne de ràthan
  • 276–77 srianan meirge a’ ruith sìos a cliathaich bho na clàran-slabhraidh
  • 278 cha b’ fhada gus an robh i aig tarsnan a’ bhàta
  • 278 ghabh i greim air stob-teasairginn
  • 279 le àradh taodach na làimh.
  • 279 chitheadh i a-nis gun robh a loidhne-shnàimh glan.
  • 280 “Thigibh fo chlàr,” ars ise, agus choisich i eatarra, sìos tron toll-bhùird.
  • 280 os cionn na leapa ris a’ bhòrd-bheulaibh
  • 286 thog iad acair gun unndais-acrach
  • 286 Cheangal i an geimheal aig ceann na tarrainge-meadhain ri ceann an t-siùil
  • 287 a’ sniuradh suas an t-seòil
  • 286 ri greimiche aig bonn a’ chruinn
  • 286 bha an sgòd-meadhain air a cheangal ris a’ chrann-sgòid tro ulag aig cùl an t-sluic-stiùiridh
  • 286 theannaich na cupaill
  • 286 air taobh an fhuaraidh
  • 287 cheangail i a cheann rithe, agus an uair sin, lean i an taom le a làimh a lorg na cluaise
  • 287 ga ceangal ris a’ gheimheal air claigeann a’ bhàta
  • 287 tro ulagan air an stoc agus dha na h-unndaisean-làimhe
  • 287 chliop i na h-iarnaichean beaga air an taom ris an stagh-thoisich
  • 303 falmadair fon achlais,
  • 307 Cha bu mharaiche mi. Cha do bhean mi ri taod gus an tàinig mi chun na planaide seo,
  • 310 bha an dà sheòl a-nis a’ cnagadh le fuaradh-cluaise.
  • 311 Bha i fhèin a’ coimhead air balbh-shruth a’ bhàta
  • 312 “Feumaidh sinn riof a chur anns an aodach.”
  • 313 Chan eil asairean-teasairginn againn air bòrd.
  • 313 bha am bàta na laighe thuige
  • 313 tron lùbaich anns an taom
  • 313 leis an lùbaich anns an leud-deiridh
  • 318 bha taoim a’ slupraich mun cuairt
  • 319
  • 352 choimhead i a-mach air an rotal a’ sruthadh às an dèidh.
  • 352 b’ urrainn dhi an
    sgrìobair fhaireachdainn a’ bocadaich thar grunnd na mara.
  • 352 an toll aca làn chreachannan, chrùbagan, ghìoganan, agus ghiomach.
  • 415 bha torman iomanair na luinge cho àrd ’s nach cluinnte dad eile

Tùsan:

Cox, Richard A. V. 2017 Geàrr-Ghràmar na Gàidhlig. Ceann Drochaid: Clann Tuirc

Dwelly, Edward 1994 [1911] The Illustrated Gaelic-English Dictionary. Glasgow: Garm Publications

MacAulay, John 1996 Birlinn: Longships of the Hebrides. Strond: White Horse Press.

MacDonald, Rev. Fr. Allan 1972 Gaelic Words and Expressions from South Uist and Eriskay. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

MacLennan, Malcolm 1979 [1925] A Pronouncing and Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language: Gaelic-English/English-Gaelic. Edinburgh: Acair/Aberdeen University Press

Mark, Colin B. D. 2003 The Gaelic-English Dictionary. London: Routledge, 2003.

McLeod, Wilson and Michael Newton.M 2019 The Highest Apple/An Ubhal as Àirde: An Anthology of Scottish Gaelic Literature. London: Francis Boutle Publishers.

Nicolson, Alexander 1881 A Collection of Gaelic Proverbs and Familiar Phrases, based on Macintosh’s collection. Edinburgh: Maclachlan and Stewart.

Thomson, Derick S. (Ed.) 1996 Alasdair Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair: Selected Poems. Edinburgh: The Scottish Academic Press for the Scottish Gaelic Texts Society.

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Tadhail air Air Cuan Dubh Drilseach

Summer events and exhibitions

Le Gordon Wells

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) is supporting a series of summer exhibitions showcasing the Island Voices project, with visitors invited to share their own memories, reflections and ideas as part of the initiative.

Island Voices’ ‘Five Writers’ will spread word of the project at readings across Scotland and internationally, from the Welsh National Eisteddfod to New Zealand.

The exhibitions will be staged in island and mainland locations ahead of the launch of a fully catalogued digital archive this autumn, supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Originating from communities in the Outer Hebrides, the project has collected more than 500 video recordings celebrating spoken language, local heritage and personal stories. A new exhibition featuring highlights from the collection will be available from late June to mid-August at venues across North Uist, Benbecula and South Uist.

Visitors will be able to watch a short compilation film and learn more about the project through accompanying displays and QR codes linking to the full online collection.

A second exhibition, developed in partnership with Friends of Queen’s Park in Glasgow, will focus on recent collaborations with five writers working in a range of contemporary heritage languages. The exhibition will open in July in the Scottish Poetry Rose Garden and will be preceded by an evening of poetry readings and film screenings featuring participating writers and special guests.

A key feature of both exhibitions is an invitation for visitors to contribute their own responses. Feedback can be shared in writing or by voice message, reflecting the project’s focus on spoken language and community participation.

Gordon Wells, Island Voices project co-ordinator, said:

We would really welcome contributions from visitors and participants in Gaelic or English. We’d love to hear what people think of the project, any memories it may have stirred, or ideas for how it could develop in the future.

Voicemails are just as welcome as emails – perhaps even more so, given the project’s focus on spoken language and the voices of communities!

You can give your feedback, make suggestions, and register your own opinions by calling 01463 279110 or by emailing: islandvoices@uhicloud.ac.uk.

Exhibition dates and venues

The Island Voices project will also be on display for delegates attending the Rannsachadh na Gàidhlig international Gaelic research conference at the University of Glasgow on Wednesday 15 July.

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Tadhail air Island Voices – Guthan nan Eilean

Your story. Your language. Your film.

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

’S e Farpais bhliadhnail filmichean goirid a th’ ann am FilmG, a tha a’ leasachadh tàlant ùr airson nam meadhanan Gàidhlig. FilmG is the Gaelic short film competition. This is its 18th year. The format is super-simple, make a five-minute film in gaelic, about anything. FilmG says: “It exists to help people to make films […]

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Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

Tha iad ann an clò!

Le lasairdhubh

Tha mi toilichte a ràdh gu bheil an nobhail ùr agam, An Luingeas Dorcha air Fàire, a-nis anns na bùithtean! Cuideachd, rinn CLÀR ath-chlò-bhualadh dhen chiad nobhail anns an t-sreath, Air Cuan Dubh Drilseach, agus tha sin ri faighinn a-nis a-rithist, às dèidh dhi a bhith bliadhnaichean a-mach à clò.

Gheibhear air loidhne aig na làraichean air loidhne seo:

Comhairle nan Leabhraichean — ri teachd
Scottish Bookstore — ACDD, ALDAF
Waterstones — ACDD, ALDAF

Mas e bùth-leabhair a th’ annaibh, tha CLÀR a’ cleachdadh Lomond Books mar sgaoileadair.

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Tadhail air Air Cuan Dubh Drilseach

Scottish Gaelic working paper

Le Gordon Wells

Gaelic recordings on the Island Voices YouTube channel provide the empirical data to inform the Leacan 2 corpus planning project on how the language is spoken in real life. The project is led by Glasgow University for Bòrd na Gàidhlig, with support from the UHI Language Sciences Institute, among others. With the UHI contribution now complete, an edited version of the paper offering applied and sociolinguistic commentary “with a view to identification of features of traditional Gaelic requiring description and guidance” is now made available in the online open access “Working Papers in Urban Language & Literacies” series.

It’s a very interesting series, described in some detail in Working papers for a more open academy, with a mission to develop “sociolinguistic, applied and educational frameworks adequate for the analysis of urban language, literacies, interaction and learning; [as well as] modes of intervention in language policy and practice that are productively tuned to the realities of contemporary urban life”, noting also that ‘urban’ has been dropped from the latest iterations of this statement. That’s a philosophy that fits well with Island Voices priorities, especially following the adjustment away from an appearance of a primarily metropolitan focus…

We’re delighted that the series editors took readily and quickly to publishing Gordon Wells’s paper as “Corpus planning in Scottish Gaelic: A case study”, the first contribution on Gaelic in this quickly growing and highly diverse collection with an extensive and worldwide online readership. (It’s also available through their Academia.edu page.) In the spirit of open collaboration they also encouraged us to share the paper on our own Research/Reports page, where readers will now find a new link. Taing mhòr, a chàirdean!

Here’s the abstract:

A detailed example is presented of an aspect of Scottish Gaelic corpus planning, focussing on the use of community-based authentic speech recordings to inform the production of guidance on a range of grammatical issues. Attention is drawn to a salient distinction between dialectal and idiolectal variation in relation to this task, and there is discussion of particular syntactic and semantic forms selected from the project’s stated terms of reference. Concluding remarks suggest and discuss issues for further research. Deeper linguistic analysis of the “phrasal verb” in use should throw light on some of the complexities of bilingual competences that may not currently be fully acknowledged in the Scottish Gaelic context. These complexities also have significance for the broader consideration of key practical planning processes entailing community participation and empowerment, as well as the construction of effective linguistic “authority”. These issues highlight the complex nature and significant scale of the challenges involved in effectively conducting this kind of work in a way that will gain real traction at community level in a context of ongoing language shift away from bilingualism towards increasingly monolingual use of English.

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Tadhail air Island Voices – Guthan nan Eilean

Uist Arts Association

Le Gordon Wells

Island Voices’ association with Uist Arts Association dates back to Art on the Map in 2007, when we ran our first ever series on a loop at Nunton Steadings.

Fast forward to 2026 and we’re delighted to be listed anew alongside an impressive collection of creative projects and talented artists on the UAA website!

Peter Ferguson runs a vibrant website, with links to a fascinating array of work by UAA members, each with their own page to demonstrate their wares. We’re very grateful to Peter for adding Island Voices to the mix – including a link back to our 2007 Art on the Map statement! We’re looking forward to the summer exhibition in Taigh Chearsabhagh, as our 21st birthday approaches…

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Tadhail air Island Voices – Guthan nan Eilean

UHI Archive Announcement

Le Gordon Wells

The University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) has been awarded £42,527 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to safeguard and share a unique multilingual record of island life and connections.

Hebridean communities are well accustomed to a bilingual outlook on everyday life.

Photo: Gordon Wells

The funding will support the creation of a permanent digital archive for the ‘Island Voices / Guthan nan Eilean’ project, a 21-year community initiative capturing “slices of life in and beyond the 21st century Hebrides.”

The collection includes more than 500 films recorded in almost 40 languages, alongside extensive web content documenting the project’s development. It will be developed into an important, publicly available UHI Archive resource, which will support and develop research across and beyond the UHI partnership. UHI will contribute £29,955 to the project, bringing the total investment to £72,482.

Co-created with communities in the Hebrides, across Scotland and internationally, the project captures the voices of people sharing their own stories, memories and experiences in their own words. While rooted in Gaelic-speaking communities, the collection reflects a wider, globally relevant story of linguistic diversity and language change.

Launched in April 2026, the project will secure more than 1,000 digital items, including video recordings and associated online materials. Without this work, there is a risk that this unique digital and linguistic heritage, currently held across external platforms, could be lost or become inaccessible over time. The new archive will safeguard the collection to recognised preservation standards and make it freely available to the public.

Alongside the archive work, a programme of public engagement activity is planned throughout 2026, including exhibitions and events in island and mainland locations such as Uist and Glasgow. This will culminate in a public launch in September, marking the project’s 21st anniversary.

A newly released compilation video brings together highlights from across the collection and is already being used to introduce the project to new audiences and support discussions with community partners on upcoming exhibitions and events.

Gordon Wells, Island Voices Archive Manager and researcher, said:

It’s been a unique pleasure and privilege to be a part of building up this body of work over the past two decades and more. Not only does it platform the rich oral heritage of the contemporary Hebrides, but it also makes mutually beneficial and creatively stimulating links with other communities too. The film is a taster, and testament to the willing “no bother!” co-operation of hundreds of participants over the years in this community project, from North Uist to North-east India and beyond. We hope it will stir memories and interest!

Professor Conchúr Ó Giollagáin, Director of the UHI Language Sciences Institute, said:

The staff of the UHI Language Sciences Institute welcome this opportunity to participate in this important project. Archiving the recordings of vernacular speakers will help put their voice at the heart of how we understand Gaelic and other minority cultures.

Philippa Currie, UHI Archivist and Information Governance Manager, said:

UHI Archive welcomes this exciting opportunity to work with depositors to create a remarkable resource for the Gaelic Language that will support the work of research and communities the world over.

By combining academic expertise with grassroots participation, the project also offers a model that could be adapted by other minority language communities in Scotland and internationally.

Further details on public events and the archive launch will be announced in due course.

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Tadhail air Island Voices – Guthan nan Eilean