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Plenary, 02 Mar 2000

02 Mar 2000 · S1 · Plenary

Item of business

Gaelic

Macdonald, Lewis Lab Aberdeen Central Watch on SPTV

I belong to the generation in between. When my father learned to speak English at a primary school in North Uist, Gaelic speakers could still be found as far east and south as Aberdeenshire, Blair Atholl and the isle of Arran. However, the Gaelic language was frowned upon and officially discouraged. One hundred years ago, when my grandfather went to school the punishment for speaking his first language, even in the isle of Berneray, was to have his mouth washed out with soap.

By my father's day, the hostility had lessened and, by the time I went to school in Stornoway in the 1960s, the idea that Gaelic was a barbarous and subversive language had finally died. However, my generation still grew up with the clear view that Gaelic was something that held one back in an English-speaking world. There was a policy not of suppressing Gaelic, but of allowing it to die.

For my children's generation, I am pleased to say, the situation is very different. All parties now recognise—I apologise to Mr Russell for underestimating his knowledge of Gaelic history—that the Gaelic language and culture are a living and vital part of Scotland's heritage.

It is now possible for us, if we choose, to send our two-year-old daughter, living in Aberdeen, to a Gaelic-medium parent-and-child group until she is ready for Gaelic-medium education, which is provided at the Gaelic-medium nursery unit opened last year at Gilcomstoun Primary School in my constituency and at the Gaelic-medium primary unit, also at Gilcomstoun, which has grown and flourished since 1991. Gaelic secondary education is provided at Hazlehead Academy, which was designated for that purpose by Aberdeen City Council education committee only a few weeks ago.

I welcome the approach to Gaelic-medium education that has been pursued in recent years by my city and by the Scottish Executive, funded by local and central Government. It reinforces the principle of support for Gaelic within the state system and involves the wider local community. It provides the benefits of bilingual education and ensures access for a growing number of people to the richness of Gaelic culture.

The wider bilingual and cultural agenda is an important one. Promoting Gaelic is not a matter for the schools alone. Like other members, I want to highlight the excellent work done by the fèis movement and by Fèisean nan Gàidheal. Their festivals for young people offer tuition in arts and music in a firm Gaelic-language context right across Scotland. The fèis in Aberdeen a few weeks ago was a celebration of Gaelic culture and an example of the enterprise and enthusiasm of those involved, who raised most of the funds themselves. In general, the fèis is a model initiative for community arts, and an example followed by similar festivals in other tongues, such as the Gordon Gaitherin—now the Gaitherin—in Aberdeenshire, and by festivals in other parts of Scotland and the world.

I am glad that Brian Monteith has now recognised that our links with Ireland should go beyond the football field and extend to wider cultural matters. The fèis movement has contributed greatly to those cultural links. Fèis Ròs and its counterpart in Roscommon have been linked for the past four years, bringing together young people from the Highlands and Ireland to perform, learn and simply to enjoy together their common Celtic culture.

As the minister will know, young people from North Uist and South Uist are building similar links as we speak. The Barra fèis has contributed to the development of cultural exchange between the isle of Barra and the Pacific kingdom of Tonga, which sets a good example to us all.

I hope that the minister will recognise the value of the fèis movement in the further development of support for Gaelic and in the building of links with our sister island of Ireland. Education, the arts, media and, indeed, this Parliament all have a role to play. I am glad today to support the Executive motion.

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Plenary, 02 Mar 2000

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