Tha feum air “An Taigh Cèilidh” ùr ann an Steòrnabhagh

Teàrlach Wilson, aon dhen fheadhainn air cùlaibh na h-iomairt

[English-language version below]

Bidh Gàidhlig aig cridhe gach nì a thachras anns "An Taigh Cèilidh" – bho chèilidhean is consairtean, gu clasaichean Gàidhlig agus fiù ‘s airson pàigheadh airson rudan, le lùghdachadh de 10% ga thabhann ma thèid an òrdachadh sa Ghàidhlig. ‘S dòcha gum bi Google Translate caran trang ann an Steòrnabhagh sna seachdainean ri thighinn.

Gu cudromach, bidh soirbheachas a’ phroiseict gu tur a’ crochadh air dè cho trang ‘s a bhios iad. Chan eil sgillinn de dh’airgead poblach air a chur ann, slighe a tha iomadach iomairt eile a’ gabhail agus a tha a’ cur barrachd cuideam air a bhith soirbheachail.

Le sin, aig a’ char as miosa, chan eil seo a’ dol a dhèanamh cron sam bith. Ach, chan eil sin air stad a chur air cuid bho bhith ga chàineadh ‘s iad ag ràdh gun cuir e a’ Ghàidhlig ann an oisean leatha fhèin agus g’eil sin a’ dol a dh’adhbhrachadh sgaradh.

Ach, tha seo a’ dìochuimhneachadh rud no dhà gu math cudromach.

Tha a’ chànan anns na coimhearsnachdan traidiseanta sna h-eileanan air a dhol cha mhòr a-mach à sealladh ann an suidheachaidhean poblach neo-fhoirmeil, eadhon ‘s dòcha bùth bheag baile an siud is an seo.

Mar sin, chan eil àite ann far an cluinn thu no far am faigh thu cothrom air còmhradh Gàidhlig nàdarrach, a thuilleadh air anns na h-oifisean Gàidhlig oifigeil, agus tha sin cus nas miosa airson a bhith ann an oisean fa leth.

Agus ged nach eil a leithid de dh’àite Gàidhlig polach ann an Alba, chan eil an aon rud fìor ann an Èirinn, far a bheil grunn de dh’àitichean poblach far a bheileas a’ toirt prìomhachas dhan chànan.

Tha an aon sheòrsa duilgheadas aca ann an Èirinn le àireamhan luchd-labhairt a’ crìonadh, ach tha iad fada air thoiseach oirnne nuair a thig e gu cho cudromach ‘s a tha a’ chànan, gach cuid a thaobh fèin aithne agus ann an a bhith ga cleachdadh airson adhbharan margaidheachd.

Tha grunn dhen luchd-turais a bhios a’ tighinn chun nan eilean aig a bheil ùidh ann an gnothaichean culturail, ach nam biodh iad ag iarraidh àite far an tig a’ Ghàidhlig a chluinntinn, cha bhiodh e idir furasta. Sin rud as urrainn dhan Taigh Chèilidh a chur ceart, ma gheibh iad tro mhìosan cruaidh a’ gheamhraidh.

Chan e àm furasta a tha seo a bhith a' tòiseachadh air gnìomhachas ùr, ach ‘s dòcha gun toir a bhith a’ cruthachadh seirbheis spèisealta cothrom nas fheàrr air soirbheachas.

Fhad ‘s a bha iadsan air cùlaibh na h-iomairt ag ullachadh airson an tachartais Disathairne, dh’fhoillsich iad gun d’ fhuair iad taic de £5,000 bho chuideigin gu math ainmeil taobh a-muigh saoghal na Gàidhlig – an t-ùghdar Peadar May, a rinn fortan a’ sgrìobhadh leabhraichean mu mhuirt is eucoir ann an Leòdhas.

Air eagal ‘s g’ eil daoine a’ smaoineachadh gur e dealbh rudeigin fìor a tha seo mu Leòdhas, ‘s e briseadh-dùil a tha romhpa mar tha iad an dòchas ri càil cho beòthail bhon Taigh Chèilidh.

Ach, a’ smaoineachadh mu dheidhinn, nan dèanadh e leabhar ùr ficsean stèidhichte air an àite chruinneachaidh ann an Steòrnabhagh, abair gum biodh sin na inneal margaidheachd air leth.

English-language version:

The opening of a new Gaelic centre in Stornoway tomorrow is being billed as a first for Scotland – a place where Gaelic speakers can congregate and hear the language in an informal, natural setting.

“An Taigh Ceilidh” will have Gaelic at the centre of everyday activities – be it concerts, conversation classes and even business transactions, with a ten per cent discount on drinks if you order through the tongue of the Gael. Expect a fresh run on Google Translate in Stornoway in the coming weeks.

Crucially, this venture will stand or fall on its footfall and customer support: there is no financial commitment from any public organisation, the road that many other initiatives – and not just within the cultural field – have opted to take and which places added pressures on success and survival.

So while the whole thing seems entirely harmless, it has not been without its critics, with many concerned that it will simply ghettoise the language and create division.

But this misses a crucial point. The language in its traditional island communities has almost disappeared from use in normal day-to-day public activities, bar maybe one or two village shops. So there are precious places left where real Gaelic conversations can take place, outwith the offices of Gaelic organisations. And in terms of ghettoisation that is an even greater indictment.

In addition, while such places no longer exist in Scotland, the same is not true of Ireland, where there are a number of public spaces dedicated to cultural life and the promotion of the language.

Our Celtic cousins have similar challenges in retaining speakers, but they are far advanced in terms of giving the language greater importance, both in terms of identity and, tellingly, in marketing activity.

The islands already attract a good number of the more culturally oriented tourists, but they would struggle to find somewhere to go where they could be guaranteed to hear the area’s mother tongue in action. That is something An Taigh Ceilidh could certainly rectify, if they make it through the quiet winter months.

This is not a good time to be opening up a new hospitality business, with people’s disposable income stretched to the limit, but creating a specialist niche may well give it a better chance of success.

In the run-up to Saturday’s opening, those behind the project revealed a bit of celebrity backing in the shape of a £5,000 donation from writer Peter May, who became a best-selling author on the back of his crime trilogy based on Lewis, which featured multiple murders, conspiracy, cover-ups and an over-bearing church.

Lest anyone be in any doubt about the fictional merits of that portrayal of the island, anyone seeking such excitement at An Taigh Ceilidh – even at its grand opening on Saturday – might be in for a bit of disappointment.

But, come to think of it, a trilogy sequel by May entitled An Taigh Ceilidh might be all the marketing it ever needs. Just be prepared to suspend your sense of disbelief even further.