Gaelic Community of the Year 29/9/11
South Uist and Eriskay has been named as the ‘Gaelic Community of the Year 2011’ by Comunn na Gàidhlig.
The award comes with a £3,000 prize for the community to use as they see fit.
The competition entries were assessed by a panel of judges including representatives from Comunn na Gàidhlig, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Bòrd na Gàidhlig.
The judges were unanimous that South Uist and Eriskay be awarded first place on the basis of the evidence provided that Gaelic was an integral and important part of daily life within the community.
CnaG chief executive Donald MacNeill said: “We know that many people, within the Highlands and Islands, and Scotland as a whole, are working hard for Gaelic, and we are delighted to be able to reward some of these efforts through this competition. South Uist and Eriskay demonstrated to the judges how Gaelic is used amongst young and old, and at every level of daily life, from the workplace to the school and clubs for younger people.”
South Uist and Eriskay is one of the areas benefitting from the operation of an ‘Iomairt Ghàidhlig’ (Gaelic Initiative) and according to Lena MacLellan, who’s been involved in the steering group from the outset, they’re very proud to have won first place.
She said: “Many will know that Gaelic is strong is this area, but that wasn’t the basis of this application. We focussed on all the things being done at the moment to strengthen Gaelic and particularly to create new opportunities for Gaelic speakers to come together and use the language.”
Galson Estate Trust and Breasclete communities, both on the west coast of Lewis, were awarded second and third place, with prizes of £1,500 and £500 respectively.”