A Dictionary of British and Irish History

G

GAELDOM, SCOTLAND

The area in which Gaelic language and culture have persisted (Gaelic, Gaidhealtachd). Between c.1600 and 1891 it covered most of the HIGHLANDS and WESTERN ISLES. In 1801 there were 300,000 Gaelic‐speakers (19% of Scotland's total population). During the 19th century bilingualism spread: in 1891, 44,000 people were monolingual, 211,000 bilingual. By 1931 the Gaeldom effectively contracted to the Western Highlands and Isles (136,000 speakers, most bilingual), by 1971 to the Isles (88,000 speakers), when only a few mainland areas had a majority of Gaelic‐speakers. An association to promote Gaelic language and culture, An Comunn Gàidhealach, was founded in 1891, and regular Gaelic radio broadcasts were provided from 1935 and television from the early 1960s.

Attempts were made to arrest decline. Gaelic‐medium education began in 1958 (expanded from c.1980) and schools broadcasting was started in 1970. Comunn Na Gàidhlig, a Gaelic language promotion agency, was formed in 1984, and from 1985 BBC Radio nan Gàidheal broadcast material in Gaelic. During the 1980s–90s the British government made funding available to increase Gaelic television programmes. A limited Gaelic channel TeleG operated from 1999 to 2011, and BBC Alba from 2008.

The establishment of a Scottish Parliament and Executive in 1999 also provided impetus. The Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act of 2005 gave formal recognition to Gaelic as a national language and established the Bòrd na Gàidhlig as a public ...