Calls for earlier access to Gaelic for children amid fears language could be ‘dying out’ in the Highlands
A Highland woman is on a mission to revive Gaelic in the county amid fears the language is dying out.
Gaelic speaker Fiona Macleod from Bonar Bridge has reached out to other like-minded people and has held a meeting to discuss the situation and what can be done about it.
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She says her vision is to ensure that children in the county have access to the Gaelic language at an early age, which is not the case at present.
Ms Macleod’s concern for the future of the language became acute after she attended the 2024 Royal National Mod in Oban and noticed that there were very few entries from Sutherland - once a stronghold of the Gaelic language.
“I decided there and then that despite not being part of a Gaelic organisation, I had at least to try to turn around this decline,” she said. “If we all wait for someone else to do it, nothing will happen, and our language and culture will be lost here forever - and in the not-too-distant future.”
Ms Macleod, a former district nurse in Bettyhill who has also worked as a librarian at Dornoch Academy, posted online to gauge the interest in Gaelic in Sutherland and was “overwhelmed” by the response.
A meeting was held at The Pier in Lairg on November 27 attended by Eilidh Mackenzie of Fèisean nan Gaidheal. Ms Mackenzie is responsible for the formal education arm of the organisation throughout Scotland.
A Gaelic in Sutherland Facebook page has also been set up.
It is believed that a major factor in the decline of Gaelic in Sutherland is that virtually no Gaelic is taught in primary schools in Sutherland, and Dornoch Academy is the only one of Sutherland’s four secondary schools to offer Gaelic for learners up to S4.
Ms Macleod said: “Despite some fantastic pockets of Gaelic going on throughout Sutherland with Feis and some individuals and groups that have been running events for years, there is no opportunity for young people to become fluent.
“There is now a bit of a vicious circle. Without more Gaelic in the community, there will be no enthusiasm for Gaelic in schools, but without Gaelic in schools, there will soon be no one speaking Gaelic in the community and it will just die out.”
“My vision is to see Gaelic on the curriculum in every primary and secondary school in Sutherland - and I do believe this is possible with a bit of creative thinking. Ideally, I would like to see Gaelic Medium Education back in primaries too. All of these options would have to be funded by Highland Council.”
She added: “But, Gaelic in schools alone won’t revive a language, so I would also love to see a variety of activities in Gaelic across all of Sutherland, available to all ages.”
Those attending the Lairg meeting made a number of suggestions, including residential Gaelic weekends for adults, online classes, Gaelic walks, and other activities, as well as celebrating Gaelic Week 2025 by inviting Gaelic speakers, singers, and enthusiasts to travel round the NC500 celebrating the language and culture.
Mrs Macleod said that in the New Year it was hoped to start monthly Gaelic BookBug sessions in Sutherland villages through Comann nam Pàrant - the national parents’ advice and support organisation on Gaelic Medium Education, set up a Gaelic Film Club and hold more conversational Gaelic classes, amongst other initiatives.
She said: “The next steps will be to continue to build on and develop the Gaelic that is already happening in communities; to make links with all areas of Sutherland and work together for the future of our Gaelic language and culture; to liaise with Highland Council about the return of Gaelic to primary and secondary schools; and to find out if there is an interest for Gaelic Medium Education in primary schools.”
For more information or to get involved in any of the initiatives, message the Gaelic in Sutherland Facebook page or email george.g.macleod@btinternet.com
