Gàidhlig a’ faighinn prìomhachas le Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn

Tha an t-Urras a’ coimhead às dèidh 56,000 acair de dh’fhearann às leth na coimhearsnachd ann an Iar-thuath Leòdhais. Tha an iomairt, luach £102,513, a’ faighinn taic bho Bhòrd na Gàidhlig agus Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean (HIE).

Thairis air trì bliadhna bidh an t-Urras a’ cur air adhart sreath de thachartasan agus iomairtean Gàidhlig. Thathar airson togail air an dlùth cheangal a th’ aig an sgìre ris a’ Ghàidhlig agus an ùidh a th’ aig daoine sa Ghàidhlig agus cultar na Gàidhlig mu thràth anns a’ choimhearsnachd.

Le bhith a’ cur na h-iomairt seo air dòigh tha Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn airson gum bi barrachd chothroman aig muinntir na coimhearsnachd Gàidhlig ionnsachadh agus gum bi an cànan air a thaisbeanadh gu mòr do luchd-turais agus daoine eile a bhios a’ tadhal no ag obair san sgìre.

Chaidh an t-Urras a chur air bhonn ann an 2007 agus anns an ùine fhada san iomairt Ghàidhlig seo tha iad airson fhaicinn ciamar a gheibh gnìomhachasan cothroman gus fàs a thoirt air an obair aca agus gus obraichean agus cothroman obrach saor-thoileach a bharrachd stèidheachadh san sgìre.

Thuirt Agnes Rennie, Cathraiche Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn: “Le bhith a’ cur a’ phròiseict seo air adhart tha sinn airson a bhith ag obair ann an co-bhann le buidhnean sa choimhearsnachd airson togail air beartas dualchas na Gàidhlig agus a bhith ag aithneachadh cho cudromach ’s a tha e airson eaconamaidh na sgìre. Tha buidhnean mar Chomann Eachdraidh Nis agus gnìomhachasan ionadail gu bhith a’ faighinn taic airson iomairtean ùra a chur air dòigh a bhios a’ toirt leasachadh air na diofar ghnìomhachasan agus aig an aon àm a’ fàs agus a’ neartachadh na Gàidhlig air feadh na coimhearsnachd.

“’S e àrd-amas a tha air a bhith aig an Urras dòighean fhaighinn airson taic a chur ris a’ Ghàidhlig agus an cànan a neartachadh san sgìre agus chaidh plana a dhealbhachadh leis an Urras agus leis a’ Chomunn Eachdraidh ann an 2015. Tha sinn fìor thoilichte a-nis gum faod sinn an t-àrd-amas sin a choileanadh leis an taic-ionmhais ùir seo.”

A’ bruidhinn às leth Bhòrd na Ghàidhlig, thuirt Daibhidh Boag, stiùiriche planadh cànain is leasachaidhean coimhearsnachd: “Tha ceanglaichean làidir leis na diofar choimhearsnachdan ionadail gu math cudromach do Bhòrd na Gàidhlig mar a tha againn le Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn. Tha sinn fìor thoilichte taic a chur ris a’ phròiseact seo a bhios a’ cuideachadh le prìomhachasan ro-innleachdail a’ Bhùird co-cheangailte ri bhith a’ toirt barrachd chothroman do dhaoine Gàidhlig ionnsachadh agus fhaicinn. Tha am pròiseact seo cuideachd a’ cur cultar, cànan agus dualchas na Gàidhlig aig cridhe na coimhearsnachd san àm ri teachd.”

Thuirt Rachel NicChoinnich manaidsear sgìre Innse Gall aig HIE: “Tha sinn toilichte taic a chur ris a’ phròiseact seo airson oifigear Gàidhlig a bhith stèidhichte aig Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn. Tha na bhios HIE a’ cur ris a’ phròiseact seo a’ cumail taic gu mòr ri lèirsinn an Urrais a tha airson a’ Ghàidhlig adhartachadh mar bhuannachd eaconamach taobh a-staigh na coimhearsnachd. Tha an sgìre mar aon de na prìomh choimhearsnachdan far a bheil luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig agus tha cothroman ann leudachadh air na buannachdan bhon Ghàidhlig san sgìre. Tha sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ri bhith ag obair còmhla ris an Urras agus iad airson gabhail ris na cothroman a thig bhon Ghàidhlig.”

Gaelic focus for Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn (Galson Estate Trust)

Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn (Galson Estate Trust) is set to recruit a Gaelic development officer as it undertakes a three-year project to actively support Gaelic language and culture throughout the community.

The Trust manages 56,000 acres on behalf of the community in the north west of Lewis. The £102,513 initiative is backed by Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

The project will see Galson Estate Trust focus on providing a range of activities which build on the ‘sense of belonging’ and the interest in Gaelic heritage and culture that exists in the community.

It will include increasing access to and supporting the learning of the language and addressing the needs of the people who live and work in, and visit the area either for business or leisure purposes.

In the longer term the Trust, which came into being in 2007 with support from HIE and the Scottish Land Fund, will explore how Gaelic could act as an asset to help business growth and create employment and volunteering opportunities in the area.

Agnes Rennie, Chair of Galson Estate Trust said: “This project will enable the Urras to work with partners in the community to build on our rich Gaelic heritage and recognise its place as a key economic driver. Organisations such as Comann Eachdraidh Nis and local businesses will be supported to explore new initiatives to develop their enterprise whilst nurturing and strengthening the language in the community.

"It has been a long held ambition of the Urras to find ways to support and nurture the language of the community and a draft local language was created by the Urras and Comann Eachdraidh Nis in 2015. We are delighted that this new funding package will let us realise that ambition."

Daibhidh Boag, Director of language planning and community developments with Bòrd na Gàidhlig said: “Bòrd na Gàidhlig places great emphasis on the importance of having strong links with local communities like those served by the Galson Estate Trust. We are delighted to be supporting this project which will address some of the Board’s key strategic objectives in relation to increasing access to the Gaelic language and the learning and promotion of the language. This project also sees the Gaelic language, culture and heritage as being at the heart of the community and its long-term future”

Rachel Mackenzie, area manager for HIE in the Outer Hebrides, said: “We are pleased to be supporting this project to employ a Gaelic development officer at Galson Estate Trust. Our investment supports the Trust’s vision to promote the Gaelic language as an economic asset within the community. The area is home to one of the highest concentrations of Gaelic speakers and there is potential to grow the contribution the language makes to the economy of the region. We look forward to working with the Trust as it capitalises on the significant opportunities arising from the potential of the Gaelic language.”

Picture credit: Elizabeth Robson