11 Famous Scottish Gaelic speakers (or students) including Donald Trump’s mother
Despite being endangered, Scottish Gaelic has been spoken (or studied) by many prominent figures, including the family of the former president of the United States.
Scottish Gaelic is an endangered language that was brought to Scotland around AD 500 by way of Ireland. Our 2011 census revealed that around 57,000 people spoke the language while 87,000 had some of the ‘language skills’ - a fairly low figure for a population of over 5.5 million.
However, after Gaelic’s launch on the language-learning app Duolingo saw it successfully pull in 1.5 million learners, there’s been renewed hope for its survival. Famous musicians, social media influencers and TV shows have showcased the language too, making it an exciting time for Gaelic students.
As Donald J Trump visits Scotland this week, many are reminded of his ties to Scotland which includes his mother – Mary Anne MacLeod – who was a native Gaelic speaker from Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides.
In recognition of Gaelic and its legacy in the world, here are 11 famous speakers – or students – of the Scottish tongue.
As Donald J Trump visits Scotland this week, many are reminded of his ties to Scotland which includes his mother – Mary Anne MacLeod – who was a native Gaelic speaker from Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides.
5. Outlander Cast including Sam Heughan
Àdhamh Ó Broin is the Gaelic language coach for the hit TV show Outlander which prominently features Scottish Gaelic. Àdhamh held great praise for Sam Heughan, who plays the main character Jamie Fraser, saying that he was the "person who could hold it up consistently and dish out the acting while doing it," and that when "he got into his flow he was absolutely unstoppable. He was just glorious." Gwyllyn the bard (left) played by Gillebrìde MacMillan is a native Gaelic speaker who also appeared in the show. Photo: Submitted via Outlander Wiki / Ian West via PA
Joy Dunlop is a well-known TV and radio presenter who forecasts the weather on BBC Scotland and BBC Alba, she also frequently appears on Radio Scotland and Radio nan Gàidheal. She is also credited for conducting the Alba Choir, this was Scotland's first ever Eurovision entry which participated in the 2019 Eurovision Choir of the Year finals held in Sweden. The Herald referred to Joy as "Something of a one-woman Gaelic industry". Photo: Aoibhneas via Wikimedia Commons / SpiffyJ via Canva Pro
Donnie Munro is a Scottish musician and native Gaelic speaker. Munro was the former lead singer of the band Runrig which famously sang "Loch Lomond" which features Scottish Gaelic in the lyrics. The band produced a wealth of Gaelic tracks before Munro left the band to take his career elsewhere. Photo: Crofty82 via Wikimedia Commons / Andrew Milligan via PA
Coinneach MacLeod or "The Hebridean Baker" rose to prominence on TikTok back in 2020, forging a brand that motivates his followers to learn about Scottish heritage and Scottish Gaelic, all while enjoying the simpler things in life like foraging or a "wee dram". He recently launched his new book 'My Scottish Island Kitchen' which is a follow-up to his bestseller from last year 'Recipes and Wee Stories from the Scottish Islands'. Coinneach currently has 3.3 million likes on TikTok and boasts a loyal following of almost 252,000 followers. Photo: Pic: Susie Lowe