A major report looking at the future of Gaelic music was published on the18th October at the Royal National Mod in Dunoon. The report, commissioned by Pròiseact nan Ealan (PNE) – the Gaelic Arts Agency, was written by Dr Anne Lorne Gillies and is based on the findings of the ‘Iùl Ciùil: Gaelic Music’ Conference held in the Glasgow City Halls earlier this year.
The conference was described as “a key stage in the development of Gaelic music in Scotland” which brought together a wide range of people involved in Gaelic music in Scotland, as well as a number of other key stakeholders.
Dr Gillies describing the scope of the conference in her report said: “The aims of Iùl Ciùil were ambitious: ‘to share ideas, contacts, and to help develop future strategy for Gaelic Music in Scotland’; its objectives were loosely defined – perhaps deliberately so. For Gaelic music is not homogenous: professional Gaelic music-making takes place across a variety of styles, tastes, contexts and modes of delivery – traditional, rock, semi-classical, country, fusion, choral etc, even, in the shape of Seattle-based band Mill a h-uile rud (Ruin everything) punk.”
Welcoming the report Arthur Cormack, Director of Fèisean nan Gàidheal, said: “Research has shown that the Gaelic arts are a vital means of attracting people to the language and with the Fèisean, for example, we have found out that participation in the arts encourages people to learn Gaelic. We welcome the Iùl Ciùil report, and we look forward to working within the framework of the Gaelic Arts Strategic Development forum (GASD) on creating a strategy for the Gaelic arts, and to implementing a number of the recommendations in this report.”
Dr Gillies’ report details a number of challenges which were identified at the conference and which are seen as key to the future of Gaelic music in Scotland. Among these challenges are: new Gaelic talent should be nurtured, and new Gaelic music should be composed and promoted; Gaelic musicians should be allowed to develop the technical, creative and business skills and acumen needed to sustain professional careers; public service broadcasters and independent companies publicly funded to produce Gaelic programmes, should show real commitment to Gaelic music and support it fully in terms of production values, scheduling, airplay, promotion etc.
PNE Director Malcolm MacLean said: “Gaelic music has made a key contribution to the resurgence of traditional music in Scotland in recent years. This report points to a number of strategies that, if supported, will enable Gaelic music to continue to develop at community, national and international levels.
“It comes at a highly significant time for the Gaelic arts and language with the first National Plan for Gaelic coming into effect in 2007. With this in mind, the Gaelic Arts Strategic Development Forum (GASD) and PNE have been working together on a number of other important fronts and consulting with the public, the Gaelic arts community and key agencies on how Gaelic arts and language development can be more closely integrated. The fruits of this debate will emerge over the coming months. A detailed survey of more than 1,200 homes in the Western Isles and Skye and Lochalsh will be published next month; work is currently ongoing on a National Gaelic Arts Strategy for incorporation into the National Gaelic Language Plan; and next spring will see the first major conference on the Gaelic arts in nearly ten years.”
The Iùl Ciùil report states that organisations such as Visit Scotland and Events Scotland should “recognise the importance of Gaelic tradition and reflect this in the branding and promotion of Scotland.” It also recommends that successful schemes such as the Traditional Musicians in Schools Scheme should be expanded and further supported to ensure that school children nationally can enjoy the benefits of music. Recommendations include the greater use of the Gaelic language in music tuition and an increased supply of music tutors at local level and more skilled music tutors with Gaelic.
The Iùl Ciùil report was launched in the Masonic Hall, Dunoon last Wednesday at the Royal National Mod where a panel chaired by PNE Director Calum MacLean fielded questions from the press on the strategy and other issues relating to the Gaelic arts. The panel consisted of: Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Development Manager Donald Morrison, Glasgow Caledonian University’s Dr Douglas Chalmers, author and singer Dr Anne Lorne Gillies, and PNE and Bòrd na Gàidhlig Board member John Angus MacKay.
gaelic translation:
AITHISG CHIÙIL FHARSAING GA FOILLSEACHADH AIG A’ MHÒD
Chaidh aithisg chudromach a tha a’ coimhead air na tha an dàn do cheòl na Gàidhlig fhoillseachadh an-diugh (18mh An Dàmhair) aig a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail ann an Dùn Omhain. Chaidh an aithisg, a mhaoinich Pròiseact nan Ealan (PNE), a sgrìobhadh le Anna Latharna NicIllIosa agus tha e stèidhichte air toraidhean na co-labhairt ‘Iùl Ciùil’ a chaidh a chumail ann an Tallachan Baile Glaschu na bu thràithe am-bliadhna.
Chaidh a ràdh mun cho-labhairt gur e “ceum air leth cudromach a bh’ ann do leasachadh ceòl Gàidhlig ann an Alba” a thug còmhla caochladh dhaoine a tha an sàs ann an ceòl Gàidhlig ann an Alba, a thuilleadh air grunn math eile dhaoine a tha a’ maoineachadh agus a’ toirt taic do cheòl Gàidhlig.
A’ mìneachadh amasan na co-labhairt san aithisg aice thuirt an Dr NicIllIosa: “B’ ann gu h-àrd-mhiannach a bha amasan Iùl Ciùil: ‘beachdan-smuain is eòlas air daoine a cho-roinn, agus a’ cuideachadh le bhith cruthachadh ro-innleachd do cheòl Gàidhlig ann an Alba airson an ama ri teachd.’; bha na cinn-uidhe gu math farsaing – ’s dòcha a dh’aona ghnothaich. Oir chan e rud aon-sheòrsach a th’ ann an ceòl Gàidhlig: tha ceòl Gàidhlig proifeiseanta ga dhèanamh is ga chluich a rèir caochladh stoidhlichean, bheachdan, cho-theacsan agus mhodhan cluich – traidiseanta, rock, leth-chlasaigeach, tuath-cheòl, fusion, chòisirean m.s.s.a, fiù ’s leis a’ chòmhlan punc à Seattle Mill a h-uile rud.”
A’ cur fàilte air an aithisg thuirt Stiùiriche Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Art MacCarmaig: “Tha rannsachadh air sealltainn gu bheil na h-ealain Ghàidhlig nam meadhan glè chudromach ann a bhith a’ tàladh dhaoine dhan chànan agus sna Fèisean, mar eisimpleir, tha sinne air faighinn a-mach gu bheil com-pàirteachadh anns na h-ealain a’ toirt spionnadh do dhaoine a’ Ghàidhlig ionnsachadh. Mar sin, tha sinne a’ cur fàilte air an aithisg bho Iùl Cìuil a chaidh a sgrìobhadh le Anna Latharna NicIllIosa, agus tha sinn a’ coimhead air adhart ri bhith ag obair an lùib GASD airson ro-innleachd nan Ealain Gàidhlig a chur ri chèile, agus cuid de na molaidhean a th’ anns an aithisg a chur an gnìomh.”
Tha an aithisg aig an Dr NicIllIosa a’ cur an cèill grunn dhùbhlain a chaidh aontachadh aig a’ cho-labhairt agus a thathar dhen bheachd a tha deatamach do shoirbheas ceòl Gàidhlig san àm ri teachd. Am measg nan dùbhlan tha: bu chòir tàlantan ùra Gàidhlig a bhith air am brosnachadh, agus bu chòir ceòl Gàidhlig ùr a sgrìobadh agus a phiobrachadh; bu chòir an cothrom a bhith aig luchd-ciùil Gàidhlig na sgilean teicnigeach, cruthachail agus gnìomhachais aca, a dh’fheumar airson cumail orra ann an dreuchd phroifeiseanta, a leudachadh; bu chòir craoladairean poblach agus companaidhean neo-eisimeileach, a tha a’ faighinn airgead poblach gus prògraman Gàidhlig a dhèanamh, dealas mòr a shealltainn a thaobh ceòl Gàidhlig agus bu chòir dhaibh làn thaic a thoirt dha a thaobh cosgaisean riochdachaidh, amannan craolaidh, sanasachd m.s.s.a.
Thuirt Stiùiriche PhNE Calum MacGillEain: “Tha ceòl Gàidhlig air cur gu mòr ri ath-bheòthachadh ceòl traidiseanta na h-Alba thar nam beagan bhliadhnaichean a dh’fhalbh. Tha an aithisg seo a’ comharrachadh grunn ro-innleachdan a leigeas le ceòl Gàidhlig leantainn air a bhith leudachadh aig ìre coimhearsnachd, ìre nàiseanta agus ìre eadar-nàiseanta, ma gheibh iad taic.”
“Tha e a’ tighinn aig àm gu math cudromach dha na h-ealain Ghàidhlig agus dhan chànan fhèin leis a’ chiad Plana Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig ga chur an gnìomh ann an 2007. Air sgàth sin, tha GASD agus PNE air a bhith ag obair còmhla ann an grunn raointean cudromach eile agus air a bhith ann an conaltradh leis a’ mhòr-shluagh, le coimhearsnachd nan ealain Gàidhlig agus le buidhnean cudromach eile mu mar a ghabhas leasachadh ealain Ghàidhlig agus leasachadh cànain Gàidhlig am fighe nas dlùithe ri chèile. Thig toraidhean na deasbaid seo am follais thar nam mìosan a tha romhainn. Thèid suirbhidh de chòrr is 1,200 taigh sna h-Eileanan Siar is san Eilean Sgitheanach is Loch Aillse fhoillseachadh an ath mhìos; thathar ag obair an-dràsta air Ro-innleachd Nàiseanta airson nan Ealain Gàidhlig a thèid an lùib Plana Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig; agus as t-Earrach sa tighinn thèid a’ chiad cho-labhairt mhòr air na h-ealain Ghàidhlig taobh a-staigh 10 bliadhna a chumail.”
Tha an aithisg Iùl Ciùil ag ràdh gum bu chòir buidhnean mar VisitScotland agus Events Scotland “a bhith ag aithneachadh cho cudromach ’s a tha dualchas na Gàidhlig agus seo a shealltainn nan cuid sanasachd agus follaiseachd air Alba.” Tha an aithisg cuideachd a’ moladh gum bu chòir sgeamaichean soirbheachail mar Luchd-ciùil Traidiseanta ann an Sgoiltean a leudachadh agus gum bu chòir barrachd taic a thoirt dhaibh air chor ’s gun dèanar cinnteach gum faigh gach pàiste gu nàiseanta na buannachdan a tha an lùib ciùil. Am measg mholaidhean eile bha: barrachd Gàidhlig ga cleachdadh ann an teagasg ciùil agus barrachd luchd-teagaisg ciùil aig ìre ionadail agus barrachd luchd-teagaisg comasach air Gàidhlig a bhruidhinn.
Chaidh an aithisg Iùl Ciùil a chur air bhog ann an Talla nan Saor Chlachairean ann an Dùn Omhain aig 11m aig a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail far an robh pannal an làthair gus ceistean a fhreagairt bho luchd-naidheachd mun ro-innleachd agus cùisean eile co-cheangailte ris na h-ealain Ghàidhlig: bha Stiùiriche PhNE Calum MacGillEain sa chathair. Sa phannal bha: Stiùiriche Leasachaidh Bhòrd na Gàidhlig Dòmhnall MacGille Mhoire, Ceannard a’ Chiùil aig Comhairle Ealain na h-Alba Ian Smith, an Dr Dùghlas Chalmers bho Oilthigh Glasgow Caledonian, an t-ùghdar is sinneadair an Dr Anna Latharna NicIllIosa, agus ball a’ Bhùird aig Bòrd na Gàidhlig agus PNE Iain Aonghas MacAoidh.
