Bòrd na Gàidhlig, the Non–Departmental Public Body responsible for developing and supporting Gaelic culture and education in Scotland, is seeking three new Bòrd members. They are particularly keen to recruit “people who have expertise in one or more of the following three areas: a finance and audit background; a Gaelic education background and / or experience of minority language development”.

Key responsibilities for Bòrd members are as follows:

• Contributing to the implementation of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 and the National Plan for Gaelic
• Assisting in defining and developing the Bòrd’s strategic direction and in setting challenging objectives
• Ensuring that the Bòrd, in reaching decisions, adheres to agreed corporate governance procedures and takes proper account of guidance provided by the Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Executive Education Department
• Working with key Gaelic groups and public sector bodies to promote the use of the Gaelic language, and identifying new opportunities for working in partnership with organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors as appropriate
• Increasing awareness of and promoting the use of the Gaelic language
• Promoting wider engagement by the public in cultural activity through innovation and partnership

Interested applicants can apply for the position online, or request an application pack, here.

The closing date for applications is Friday, 13th August, 2010.

Fiona J. Mackenzine — “A Good Suit of Clothes”

As part of this year’s Highland Homecoming, Fiona Mackenzie will be holding a recital of emigrant songs that chronicle the tales — both happy and sad — of the thousands of Gaels who left for the New World over the last few centuries. The songs are taken from Fiona’s recent album A Good Suit of Clothes, and she will also be telling the stories that inspired the album. Accompanying her on grand piano is Scottish Musical Director Kennedy Aitchison, and contemporary dancer Gemma Giubarelli will be providing a unique interpretation of the music. Also on display will be photographs and artwork by local school pupils that illustrate the songs.

The concert is being held in the drawing room of Brodie Castle just outside Nairn on Sunday 25th October at 8pm. Tickets are £20 (£10 for under-16s), and bubbly and canapés will be served afterwards. Tickets are extremely limited , so you are advised to book early to ensure you don’t miss this very special event.

For further information, and to purchase you tickets, you can contact Fiona by email at fiona@fionamackenzie.org, phone on 07818 630 616, or alternatively buy direct from Brodie Castle by calling 0844 4932156.

A Little Bit More on Fiona J. Mackenzie

Fiona, a native of Morayshire, has lived in Dingwall for the last 20 years and after working in Gaelic Medium Education for 5 years, worked as the Màiri Mhòr Gaelic Song Fellow for Highland Council between 2002-09.

Although she was brought up in the Scots Folk Tradition (her artist father Duncan Macpherson, was a well known Scots folkie in Morayshire) and still sings in the Scots tongue also, particularly with the Songs of Robert Burns. She won the premier prize for Gaelic Learners at the National Mod in 1996, the Silver Pendant and subsequently won many other major prizes at National Mods and other singing competitions. She won the Premier award for Gaelic Singing in Scotland, the Ladies Gold Medal, for Fluent speakers, at the Royal National Mod in Stornoway in 2005.

In 2004 she won the coveted BBC Scotland Traditional Music Personality of the Year Award at the Scots Trad Music Awards. She has also been nominated as Gaelic Singer of the year in both 2005 and 2006.

Her work in the Fellowship took her abroad to teach, lecture and perform, to Cape Breton, Germany, Estonia, Brittany, Holland, Seattle, New York, Washington DC, North Carolina, Virginia, Ireland and Wales.

She continues to manage a vocal harmony group for young people called Fionnar who have performed in Wales at the International Eisteddfod where they took the Pavilion by storm with their traditional ‘waulking’ and also in Ireland where they won the premier group prize at The Pan Celtic Festival in April 2006. They also released an EP (June 2009) on Fiona’s own label, MacDug Music, entitled “Sgoil Roc”. (Reproduced from the biography page on Fiona’s website.)

Fiona also has a MySpace page where you can listen to some of her music, and tweets frequently as Gaelicsinger.

Concert — “Margaret Stewart & Co.”: Featuring Margaret Stewart, Ingrid Henderson, Iain MacFarlane, Iain MacDonald (Glenuig) and Griogair Labhruidh.

Vocals and music will be accompanied by back screen images and interpretations to enhance the experience for Gaelic learners / non Gaelic speakers.

Part of the Nairn Book & Arts Festival.

Tickets are £10, available at the door or by phone from the Community Centre on 01667 453476.

All are welcome, please meet at the Cairn for 11am.

A selection of Scotland’s most talented Gaelic singers and musicians will be performing at what will be an enjoyable and uplifting concert. Performing will be: Piper Euan MacCrimmon, Rachel Walker, Kerrie Findlay, Pòl MacCallum, Ailean Dòmhnallach, youth singing group Canntaireachd and Fergie MacDonald with his ceilidh band. Fear an Taighe for the concert is Allan Campbell.

We will also be joined by Cailean MacLean, Society Chief for 2009, who will give a speech.

Chì sinn sibh Dihaoine!

Tiocaidean (£12 / £10) bho Eden Court: (01463) 234234

Tickets (£12 / £10) from Eden Court: (01463) 234234

The site — which requires Adobe Flash, and a free sign-up — also includes many other texts on Gaelic and Celtic, as well as a wealth of other material on a wide variety of topics, and is very much worth a look.

[Via Comann Eachdraidh Uig.]

Sorley MacLean, Photographed in 1996
by Cailean MacLean

The poetry of well-loved former bard of the Society, the late Sorley MacLean, is being put to music as part of the Celtic Connections festival, the Press & Journal reports.

Taking place on the 18th of January in Glasgow City Hall, the event — entitled ‘Hallaig: A Celebration of Sorley MacLean’ — will be directed by Ken Thomson, and compèred by Mary Ann Kennedy, who will also be performing.

More information on the event can be found at the Celtic Connections website.  Tickets are priced £16, and can be bought online from Celtic Connections directly, or via telephone from Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, on 0141 353 8000.

Those wishing to brush up on their Sorley prior to the event could do worse than visit the excellent Sorley MacLean Online, where ‘Hallaig’ is this month’s featured poem.

On Friday 6th December, Angus Peter and Lyndsay Campbell will give a talk and slide show about poetry and languages from around the world. The talk will be held at 7.30pm in the Netley Centre, Inverness. This meeting will be in Gaelic.

Bha Murchadh Peutan as a’ Bhaile Mheadhanach san Eilean Sgitheanach gu mòr an sàs ann an deasachadh an turais agus, air Dihaoine 21mh Samhain, rinn e òraid mun turas aig Comunn Gàidhlig Inbhir Nis. Sheall Bill McGonagle tòrr dhealbhan mun turais agus chaidh fiolm ghoirid a shealltainn mu eachdraidh a 51mh.

In 2007 the Skye based charity “Urras an Eilein” organised a second visit to the First World War cemeteries in Flanders. This journey responded to demand which followed a successful tour in 2004, and on this occasion a special memorial service was held there in Gaelic. The tour included a visit to St Valery-en-Caux in northern France where the 51st Highland Division was forced to surrender in May 1940, resulting in so many young Highlanders spending five harrowing years as prisoners of war in Germany and Poland.

Murdo Beaton from Balmeanach in Skye was one of the organisers of the tour and Friday 21st November he presented a talk to the Gaelic Society of Inverness on the tour. Bill McGonagle illustrated the talk with pictures that were taken on he tour and a short film on the 51st Highland division was shown.

Gaining this many viewers is a large step in the right direction for the newly-formed channel. Head of BBC Alba Margaret Mary Murray went on record saying that this was “an excellent start”.