KATE Forbes has hailed an "instrumental" Gaelic charity for its commitment to increasing the use of the language.
The Deputy First Minister credited the Comunn na Gàidhlig (CnaG) with delivering the first increase in the number of Gaelic speakers in 50 years, which was recorded at the 2022 census.
Speaking in advance of the charity's 40th anniversary, she said: “Comunn na Gàidhlig has been instrumental in promoting Gaelic in communities throughout Scotland, including in Gaelic-speaking parts of the Highlands and Islands.
"Since its establishment, there has been significant progress in Gaelic education, broadcasting and the arts, with census data published this year also showing a rise in Gaelic speakers for the first time in over 50 years."
Forbes also reaffirmed the government's commitment to bringing forward the Scottish Languages Bill, which would strengthen Gaelic education, introduce standards for teaching it and make it an official language for the country.
CnaG was founded with the backing of several local governments on September 7, 1984 in response to census results which showed a continual decline in the number of Gaelic speakers in Scotland.
Since then, the CnaG has pushed to expand the use and development of Gaelic, with some successes including the strengthening of Gaelic Medium Education and pushing for protected status for the language.
Many of the charity's responsibilities shifted over to the Bòrd na Gàidhlig, a quango dedicated to developing the language with the full support of the Scottish Government, in 2006.
Nowadays, it works to provide Gaelic social opportunities outside the classrooms, which it hopes will encourage more people to use the language.
CnaG plans to hold a series of events to celebrate their anniversary, including a concert and a ceilidh in Stornoway in September, alongside a range of other events across the country in the autumn and winter.
The celebration will be capped off in February by a conference in Stornoway on the future of Gaelic, set to play a part in the charity's planned "Gaelic Week 2025".
The chairman of the charity's board, Calum Iain MacLeod said: “We believe it is important to mark this major anniversary.
“It is well worth looking back at the progress that has been made in these 40 years, such as in education or broadcasting, where CnaG was closely involved to a greater or lesser degree, because this does show us how far we have come in many ways.
“On the other hand it should be clear to us all that there is so much more still to be done, and that Gaelic is not in a particularly strong or stable position."
MacLeod explained that the charity is looking to organise a series of events in the coming months, looking at both past achievements and future aims of Gaelic development.
He also noted that the achievements made in expanding Gaelic use across Scotland in recent decades came from a range of groups, and not just CnaG alone.
Marina Murray, CnaG's development director and the organiser of the anniversary programme, said: “It is important to mark this history, but at the same time our work today is so focussed on young people that we wanted to be sure they had a part in our celebrations, through the family ceilidh programme we’re developing.
“Finally, looking to the conference we are planning for Stornoway, as part of ‘Gaelic Week 2025’ we want to recognise the successes there have been in Gaelic development, but to look forward as well.
"We are keen to give the overall community and those working for Gaelic an opportunity to have their say about what’s needed in future.”
The full anniversary programme will include:
- A concert at An Lanntair arts centre in Stornoway on September 6, in partnership with the Blas festival and Fèisean nan Gàidheal
- A family ceilidh at MacQuarrie Hall in Borve, Lewis on September 7
- A range of family ceilidhs across Scotland between September and February, at locations and on dates to be confirmed
- A presence at the Royal National Mod in Oban, from October 14-18, featuring family ceilidhs
- An open conference in Stornoway on February 26 or 27 on Gaelic development, set to be part of a "Gaelic Week 2025"
Information about CnaG can be found here.
