The purpose of this blog is to help dispel some of the myths that still surround the subject of Gaelic and the Lowlands of Scotland. We've all heard them. One that is all too common: "Gaelic was never spoken here." Despite the wealth of evidence of Gaelic in the Lowlands of Scotland, the Lowlands' Gaelic history and heritage seems to have slipped out of the consciousness of many Scots.
Throughout this blog I'm going to be looking back at the evidence we do have and exploring what this can tell us about where, how and by whom Gaelic was spoken in the Lowland areas. We'll also be looking at the Lowlands' place in the wider Gaelic world and what impact and relevance the area's Gaelic heritage has for its people today.
I hope you'll find this blog interesting and informative and I very much hope that this can go some way to altering some of the preconception we have about the language and culture's place in the Lowlands.
I stay in West Fife and there is plenty of evidence in the Placenames here that Gaidhlig was spoken here - in my father,s time he remembered some older People who worked on farms that spoke Gaidhlig -gle inntinneach - Tapadh leibh ! Brian MacGumerait
ReplyDeleteTaing mhór dhuibh a Bhriain. Fìobh is very much on my hit list! I’ll be looking at Gaelic in the Kingdom of Fife once we’re done with the South West. You’re very correct. Plenty of evidence of Gaelic in the topography. Even as late as the 16th century the Edinburgh Guilds felt necessary to stipulate that Fifers must demonstrate fluency in Scots to obtain an apprenticeship!
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ReplyDeleteTapadh leibh airson seo a Chríostóir. Sgrobh m'athair na h-airtigilean seo. Tha esan beò fhathast agus a' fuireach ann an Èirinn.
ReplyDeleteDuilich - Typo! Sgrìobh!
ReplyDeleteA Charaid, tha mi glè thaingeil dhuit gu’n do dh’ eadar-theangaich thu na h-uilt a sgrìobh mi agus a chaidh am foillseachadh ann anns an iris GAIRM fad nam blaidhnachan. Tha mi an dòchas gu’n dearbh iad do mhuinntir na h-Alba dè cho buadhmhor, cudthromach a tha ar sean chànan.
ReplyDeleteGu robh mìle taing agad a-rithist. – Garbhan MacAoidh.