No limit to ambitions of modern Gaels, Salmond tells Falkirk Mod

First Minister announces new funding while launching festival

By Rita Campbell

Published:

IN TUNE: Piper Ruairidh Morrison and harpist Mairi Macleod at the official opening of the Royal National Mod at the Park Hotel in Falkirk

Gaelic is a unique vehicle for passing Scottish understanding from one generation to the next, First Minister Alex Salmond said last night when he launched the Royal National Mod at Falkirk.

Scotland's premier Gaelic festival – a week of competitions and entertainment celebrating Gaelic language and culture – will run until next Saturday.

Mr Salmond also announced more than £2.7million for a range of Gaelic education measures yesterday.

The bulk of the funding, £2.6million, will go to help councils with the renovation and construction of dedicated Gaelic schools in the next two financial years.

Support will be given for a Gaelic Parents Advocacy Scheme to promote Gaelic education and assist parents.

Extended funding will be given for the Gaelic Teacher Recruitment Officer based at Bord na Gaidhlig.

A further £70,000 has been allocated to support a youth scheme that will create employment opportunities for young Gaelic speakers.

Mr Salmond said: “The Gaelic language is a vital way of seeing and understanding Scotland. It contains the symbols and metaphors, stories and landscapes, that help define Scotland's unique culture and history.

“As an essential part of our life, lore and language, Gaelic provides a valuable vehicle for passing Scottish understanding from one generation to the next.

“That is why the Scottish Government is committed to promoting Gaelic education, and why I'm delighted to announce more than £2.7million to support the development of this strand of our cultural matrix.

“This money will help young learners by supporting parents, schools, teaching and youth training.”

He said this year's Mod was a vibrant example of the enjoyment that can be found in Gaelic learning, adding: “For talented Gaelic-speakers, this is an exciting time, with a newly-launched Gaelic language channel on BBC Alba, the Fas Centre established at Sabhal Mor Ostaig to attract and support cultural enterprises, and a Gaelic language plan being developed.

“There should be no limit to the ambitions of modern Gaels.

“With Scotland's Year of Homecoming fast approaching, I hope we can harness some of our Gaelic ambition to encourage even more people to travel to join us at Oban for our Homecoming Mod in 2009.

“As an opportunity for Gaels and non-Gaels to renew old friendships as well as forging new ones, the Mod is the perfect way to reconnect with Scotland, in any language.”