Ghetto na Gàidhlig

Community of Contested Discourse in the Gaelic Development Debate

The editor of Bella Caledonia contacted me at the end of last week about a vigorous debate around “Gaelic” in relation to the Gàidhealtachd, and with the Gàidhealtachd referring to the grounding in which the Gaelic language – and a great deal more – might be said to live, and move, and have its being. […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

The Celtics

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

If you’ve been spending any time in the Gaelic or Gaelic-adjacent parts of Twitter over the last few days, you’ve probably been made unpleasantly aware of a filmmaker in the United States who has been trying to raise money to make a Celtic-themed television series. If you haven’t been spending time in the Gaelic or […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

Say A Gaelic Phrase Day

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

Hands Up for Trad have initiated a day to celebrate Gaelic. It’s aimed at people trying out their tentative learning. They say: “Friday 5th February 2021 is the first ever Say A Gaelic Phrase Day. This is an new initiative, to encourage people to have a go at speaking Gaelic! Hands Up for Trad are […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

Gaelic Promotion as Social Justice, Part 5: What You Can Do for Gaelic and the Gaels

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

In the last four articles in this series, I explained that Scottish Gaelic is the endangered language of the highly minoritized Scottish Gaelic community, especially the ethnic group known as the Scottish Gaels; that the Gaels, over the course of the last millennium, have endured terrible and continuous injustice at the hands of the state […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

Gaelic Promotion as Social Justice, Part 2: The Gaels as Victims of Cultural genocide

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

In the last article in this series (‘Gaelic Promotion as Social Justice, Part One: Gaelic as the Language of a Minoritised Community’), I argued that the Scottish Gaels constitute a minority ethnic group that has been continuously subjected since the Middle Ages to an ongoing process of cultural genocide. In this article, I will recount […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

Gaelic Promotion as Social Justice, Part One: Gaelic as the Language of a Minoritised Community

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

In the first of a series of articles Adam Dahmer explores the importance of promoting the Gaelic language, in response to some of the anti-Gaelic bigotry and misinformation that still exists. When I first came to Scotland and began to study Gaelic, my teachers warned me about ‘mì-rùn mòr nan Gall’ – the indifference or […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

The Basse Yutz Flagons and BBC Myth-Making

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

In Neil McGregor’s much-admired radio series A History of the World in 100 Objects he today focused on the early world of the Celts through two bronze drinking flagons, the Basse Yutz Flagons – considered to be the most important and earliest examples of Celtic art. As his programme reaches a crescendo of analysis he […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

The Seven Marvels of Scotland – Seachd Mìorbhuilean na h-Alba

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

You’ve heard of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world, but have you heard about the Seven Wonders of Scotland? These come from the Gaelic tradition and were known as “seachd mìorbhuilean na h-Alba—the Seven Marvels of Scotland. #1 Tobraichean Ghlinn Iuch The Wells of Linlithgow (Ghlinn Iuch) have long made the town famous. An […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

An Suidheachadh. The Situation.

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

In this piece, Fiona NicÌosaig (MacIsaac) reflects on the difficulties faced by Gaelic speaking communities. Strong communities are vital to the longevity of the language, but how do we ensure that communities are supported? What is the situation actually like on the ground, amongst younger generations? How beneficial is it that Gaelic is the language […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia

The Vernacular Gaelic Community in Crisis; A Liminal Perspective

Le Bella Caledonia Editor

I’m on the Isle of Lewis as we come out of lockdown and I have spoken only Gaelic today. I had a yarn with the dog but didn’t get much back and wrote a message in Gaelic to my daughter in Shetland. I spoke with a family friend for a while and then at length […]

Tadhail air Ghetto na Gàidhlig – Bella Caledonia