No. 136 Winter 2006/07 €4.00 Stg£3.00 Major Voices for Scottish Independence Agence Bretagne Presse New Welsh Language Act Rally Y Gymraeg yn Lloegr The North –A New Agreement and a New Deadline South Croft – A Lost Cause or a Cause Celebre? Death Knell for Manx Agriculture History of Brittany Gaelic Education Alba Compromise for Skye Gaelic-medium education is to remain optional rather than becoming standard in the most viable Gaelic community in the Scottish Gàidhealtachd as the result of a decision by Highland Council committee. AN CÈITEAN 1707 – AN CÈITEAN 2007 Following a consultation process on the option of designating Sleat primary in the Isle of Skye as a Gaelic-medium school where monolingual English-medium education would be gradually discontinued, the council have instead chosen a compromise position. The school is to be designated a “Gaelic school” but will have an English-medium unit which will continue to offer monolingual education in a separate building within the school grounds for those not wishing their children to learn Gaelic. A group of parents with children in Gaelic- medium education (GME) had requested that Sleat primary school be designated a Gaelic school. The area is an energy centre for Abair gu bheil fiughaireachd ann, abair gu Nuair a dh’fhaighnich fear naidheachd de Gaelic activity, being home to Scotland’s bheil sinn air bhioran air feadh Alba. Blair, an robh e Albannach, cha robh Tony national Gaelic college Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Carson? Uill, thug Sasainn buaidh oirnn air Blair cinnteach; ag ràdh, “Rugadh mi ann an and the majority of children within the a’ chiad latha den Chèitean no Màigh 1707 Alba . tha mi a’ ciallachadh . tha fios school are currently being educated through leis an Aonadh, trì cheud bliadhna air ais. A agad . ’s urrainn dhut na nithean sin a the medium of Gaelic. Campaigners believed bharrachd air sin, bidh taghadh don chantainn. Chan eil mi a’ smaointinn mar sin, that an all-Gaelic school would both support Phàrlamaid Albannaich againn sa Chèitean bhon a bha mi a’ fuireach ann an Sasainn fad pupils’ ability and confidence in Gaelic and an ath bhliadhna, 2007. mo bheatha.” strengthen the language in the community. Air a’ chiad latha den t-Samhain am bli- Arsa Alec Salmond, ceannard an SNP, gum Some others in the community fiercely adhna, rinn am pàipear naidheachd “An t- biodh na Làbaraich a’ toirt ionnsaigh air fought the proposal, however, believing that Albannach” suirbhidh tro ICM agus fhuair saorsa do Alba, le smiuran/ smears agus le learning Gaelic should continue to be iad a-mach gu bheil 51% airson neo- eagal . “Mar as motha a tha am optional and that an all-Gaelic school would eisimeileachd no saorsa do dh’Alba agus gu Prìomhaire a’ toirt ionnsaigh air saorsa is air create division locally. bheil an SNP air thoiseach air na Làbaraich! an SNP, mar as motha a tha iad a’ fàs tait- The compromise solution is unlikely to Abair gu bheil an SNP toilichte, is iad ag neach don t-sluagh!” please either side of the argument. Those ràdh, “It’s time for the SNP/ An t-àm airson Gun teagamh cuiridh Taghadh Holyrood air supporting a Gaelic school are unhappy that an SNP.” 3 Cèitean 2007 air bhioran sinn. GME will not become standard and are Tha an SNP airson saorsa do dh’Alba agus Am bi sinn nas fhaisg air Saorsa na h-Alba an worried that the existence of the English- leis a’ chumhachd bhiodh ar sràidean fada na dèidh trì ceud bliadhna fo smachd Shasainn. language unit will limit the Gaelic ethos of bu shàbhailte a thaobh eucoir, le tuilleadh Tha a’ mhòr chuid cinnteach gum bi! the school and restrict the use of Gaelic in phoileas agus tilleadh do dh’fhoghlam an all-school events. Those against a Gaelic asgaidh agus bhiodh cìsean ionadail reusanta Summary school are concerned that the proposal will a rèir mar a biodh duine comasach ri phàig- There is great excitement over the forthcom- divide local children. headh agus chumadh iad ospadalan ionadail ing General Election for the Scottish Language activists believe that the fosgailte. Ach, gu h-àraidh, chuireadh e Parilament in May 2007, as there was in council’s decision has set a worrying crìoch air smachd à Lunnainn. May 1707. Three hundred years ago we kost precedent for the future development of Ach dè mu dheidhinn Tony Blair? Dè mu our independence and our sovereign GME. To date, entrance to GME even in dheidhinn an taghaidh don Phàrlamaid Parliament and was so conquered by our strongly Gaelic-speaking areas has been againn anns a’ Chèitean? – dìreach coma co- neighbour, England. This excitement was entirely voluntary with parents having to dhiù. Bheir e ionnsaigh air saorsa na h-Alba. further heightened with a report in The positively opt-in and often having to Tha e leisg cuideachd a ràdh gu bheil e Scotsman newspaper in November last when transport their children some distance to Albannach e fhèin, ged a rugadh e ann an an ICM survey found that 51% of the Scottish school. Queen Mary Maternity Home, Lauriston electorate wanted independencs. This The designation of Sleat primary school as Place, Dùn Èideann agus ged a bha e a’ inspired the SNP with the slogan, It’s time... a dedicated Gaelic school would have fuireach aig 5 Paisley Terrace, Dùn Èideann for the SNP. established the principle that it is acceptable gus an deach e gu ruige Adelaide (baile glè Gilleasbuig Mac a’ phearsain no for GME to become the normal form of Albannach ann an Astràilia) fad tri bli- Archy Macpherson education in Gaelic-speaking areas and that adhnachan gu leth. Thill e gu Alba agus parents wishing their children to be educated chaidh an teaghlach aige gu Stepps, faisg air monolingually in English should have to Glaschu agus chaidh e don sgoil ann an actively opt-out and be willing to transport Colaiste Fettes, Dùn Èideann. Ach tha e their children to schools outside their coma nuair a theireadh duine gu bheil e community. This would have brought Albannach! Faicibh an dealbh èibhinn! 2 Carn Gaelic Language An Leabhar Mòr Plan notices issued A new CD of classic Irish and Scottish interest in the Gaelic arts from all over the The statutory Gaelic development agency, Gaelic songs was released at the end of 2006. world. The exhibition has now been touring Bòrd na Gàidhlig, has issued formal notice The songs all come from the hugely for four years and has several more years of for the first time under the Gaelic Language successful Leabhar Mòr, or Great Book of touring confirmed. It has been seen by more (Scotland) Act 2005 requiring public Gaelic, and are sung by some of the greatest than a million people in Scotland, Ireland, authorities to prepare and implement Gaelic tradition bearers and singers in Gaelic France, the USA and Australia and exhibited Language Plans. Scotland and Ireland. Each of the songs is in thirty locations in Ireland alone. It has Six public bodies have been formally sung by a different Gaelic singer and the generated more than 100 associated events notified that they must develop plans in Scottish singers include Flora MacNeil, and more than 100 schools visits with 2006/7 and the Bòrd has also announced a Ishbel MacAskill, Christine Primrose, Anne numerous schools going on to produce their further 25 groups to which it plans to issue Lorne Gillies, Margaret Stewart, Rachel own Leabhar Beag, or Wee Book of Gaelic, notifications in 2007/8 and 2008/9. Walker, Mary Smith, Finlay MacNeill and with student artwork and poetry. This new Donnie Murdo Macleod. Ireland is song CD can only add to this success.” represented by Nicolas Toibin, Peadar Ó The Leabhar Mòr was launched by First Ceannabháin, Albert Fry, Gearoidin Minister, Jack McConnell, in 2002 and Breathnach, Roisin Elsafty, Eilis Kennedy, brought together the work of more than 200 Aine Meirbhic and Padraighín Ní Ullacháin. poets and visual artists from Ireland and Ailean Scotland. The 100 Gaelic poems date from Caimbeul the 6th to the 21st centuries and were all nominated by poets as their personal The Act covers public authorities devolved favourites. Thirty of the poems are also songs to the Scottish Parliament but does not apply and it is these that feature on the CD. Fifty to the private sector or to public authorities visual artists in both countries were which are reserved to the UK Parliament. commissioned to create new artworks In announcing the news, Bòrd na Gàidhlig inspired by their chosen poem and a small Chief Executive, Ailean Caimbeul said: team of calligraphers and typographers “These plans will mean that Gaelic users worked with the artists and poets to integrate can access some public services in their own the selected lines of poetry and the artists’ language more often. It is also expected that images. It is anticipated that a new edition of authorities producing Gaelic plans will the Leabhar Mor book publication will be encourage people to use Gaelic when dealing reprinted by Canongate within the next few with them, and that the authorities will months. For more information on the CD see expand their Gaelic services and resources. Website: www.gaelic-arts.com or Website: “In time this should mean that there are The CD is published by Colmcille and www.leabharmor.net more opportunities to communicate in Pròiseact nan Ealan (PNE): the Gaelic arts Gaelic, more services through the medium of agencies behind the Leabhar Mòr project. Gaelic, and a more visible promotion of the PNE Director Calum MacLean said: “Some language such as through signage.” of the best and most respected exponents of The Public authorities to be notified by Gaelic song in Ireland and Scotland have Interested in Gaelic? Bòrd na Gàidhlig under Section 3 of the contributed to the CD and the songs they Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 are: sing are all classics from the traditions of Make it part of your 2006/7: Scottish Executive, Scottish both countries.