There are about 57,000 Gaelic speakers left in Scotland, give or take. Whether that number grows or shrinks depends largely on investment, and Kate Forbes has just put her money where her mouth is with a funding package worth over half a million pounds.
The Deputy First Minister announced the boost at the start of World Gaelic Week. The headline figure is a total of 620,000 pounds, which includes 200,000 pounds for MG Alba, the Gaelic media service, to help deliver what Forbes called “high quality content.” That means a second series of An t-Eilean, the Gaelic crime thriller that has proven surprisingly popular beyond Scotland’s borders.
Forbes said the drama’s success “demonstrates there is a global appetite for high-quality Gaelic content.” Research backs this up: Gaelic media now supports 340 jobs across Scotland, including 160 in island communities where employment options are notoriously scarce.
The funding will also support the first dedicated Gaelic cultural centre in the Highlands, along with structural improvements at Sabhal Mor Ostaig on the Isle of Skye, the world’s only Gaelic medium college.
Actor Sorcha Groundsell, who plays Detective Sergeant Kat Crichton in An t-Eilean, said she was “so pleased” at the recommission. “It’s so important that we continue to platform Gaidhlig and to provide further opportunities for Gael creatives,” she added.
My view is simple. Gaelic is not just a language, it is the sound of Scotland’s oldest identity. Losing it would be like demolishing Edinburgh Castle because it is old. This funding is welcome, but it needs to be the beginning of a sustained commitment, not a one off gesture during World Gaelic Week.