Your language. Your Opportunity.

Gaelic and Me

I'm a Geography and Social Anthropology graduate from the Black Isle. I've been working with UHI Inverness for 18 months as a Social Sciences lecturer, and I've just been appointed to deliver ground-breaking PhD research for HIE and the UHI. It will examine the social and linguistic benefits of Gaelic and its role in place-based community development.

I have a long family connection with Gaelic, as both my maternal and paternal grandparents were Gaelic speakers from Harris. I am a Gaelic learner and I am really looking forward to growing my confidence and fluency in speaking Gaelic.
My previous studies have also been linked to Gaelic. I was lucky enough to go to Vancouver just before the pandemic to study for my Masters. My final paper explored society, culture, politics and education – with a focus on Scottish culture, Gaelic and the Highlands and Islands.

This post is the perfect opportunity to build on my love for language and culture. I am looking forward to exploring my interest in how people interact with their environment and how societies evolve over time. This research project will give me a fantastic opportunity to interview community leaders and decision makers as I gather data.

So far, I've had a very positive response to news of the research project. This will provide an opportunity to gather such rich data and doing that in Gaelic as well will be fantastic.