Ardnave Beach
The Argyllshire island of Islay, most famously known for its eight whisky distilleries and outstanding scenery and wildlife, is also one of the few remaining Gaelic strongholds in Scotland, where the Gaelic culture and inheritance of the island has always been of great importance not only to the people of the island, but also in the framework of Scottish history as a whole.
Sir John
Francis Campbell
One of the most important periods in Gaelic history saw the great medieval kingdom of the Lord of the Isles centred in Finlaggan on Islay, once the very core of the Gaelic political world. Islay has also long been famed for its oral tradition of Gaelic lore, particularly poetry and song with the likes of its many bards who often wrote in praise of Islay’s land, language and culture. This oral tradition has for many years been a subject of both academic and local interest, which could not be demonstrated better than by the pioneering 19th century folklore collector, Sir John Francis Campbell, a native of Islay who spent many years collecting tales and other folklore from around the island and other parts of the West Highlands.
Given this history it is perhaps not so surprising that Gaelic language and culture has survived to this day on the island, with approximately 25% of the 3,500 island population still claiming to speak Gaelic. This figure however, as in many of the Gaelic strongholds, is decreasing, which is why our heritage project ‘Seanchas Ìle’ is of such great importance.
The Round Church at Bowmore
With this three year project based here at The Columba Centre Islay, we aim to collect and record the rich spoken and sung heritage of Islay’s tradition bearers. In helping to preserve this unique dialect, we hope to encourage the continuation of Gaelic in all ages of Islay’s population and aim to raise the profile of Gaelic both on Islay and throughout Scotland. The project has one full time co-ordinator, who works alongside a team of local volunteers collecting and recording the native Islay Gaelic dialect from local tradition bearers, with the intention that the precious Islay Gaelic will be preserved for future generations. Material collected, such as stories, songs, personal accounts of how life on Islay has changed over the years, as well as other historical information and testimonies of the lives of the informants, will be transcribed and archived at the Columba Centre. To listen to some examples of recordings visit the Heritage archive.
About The Columba Centre Islay
Ionad Chaluim Chille Ìle
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge funding towards this website from The Nàdair Trust, Comunn na Gàidhlig and Argyll and the
Islands Enterprise.
Website by Ronan Martin Design.
Content by Emily Edwards.
Photography by Becky Williamson (Islay Landscapes) and historical photographs courtesy of Museum of Islay Life.
Transcriptions and translations by Mark Neilly, David Grant, Mairead MacKechnie and Emily Edwards.
