Island historical societies gather for heritage conference

14 March 2024

The umbrella organisation helping to strengthen the work of historical societies volunteer-run island museums across the Western Isles has held its first conference.

Formed in 2018, Comann Dualchas Innse Gall (Outer Hebrides Heritage Forum) is open to local community heritage bodies organisations.

Fifteen community-led heritage groups, museums and organisations from across the Outer Hebrides gathered at the Dark Island Hotel, Benbecula, for the two-day programme of activities.

Representatives from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s heritage service, the St Andrews University, and Museums Galleries Scotland also attended.

Through a comprehensive programme of workshops, speeches, and networking opportunities informed by previous consultation, the comann gave its membership an opportunity to pool knowledge, strengthen their skills, identify collaborative working opportunities, and inform future heritage activity in the Outer Hebrides.

Jasmine Montgomery Wilkie, the organisation’s development officer, said: “It is a rare opportunity for the community-led heritage groups and museums of the Outer Hebrides to physically be in the same room, and this can make it difficult to understand the overall picture of our heritage and museums sector. This can, in turn, be a barrier to collaborative working.

“Through this event, groups were able to discuss their ongoing and future projects, identify their own strengths, and consider how to rise to the collective challenges we face across the sector.

“In addition to this, it was a unique occasion for old friends in the sector to catch up, as well as to meet new custodians of our unique tangible and intangible cultural heritage.”

She added: “Preliminary evaluation from those who have attended has indicated that this event was informative’ and helpful, and provided a great opportunity to learn from one another.

“Attendees are already asking for another event of this type owing to its ‘excellent’ networking and skills-development opportunities.”

Comann Dualchas Innse Gall seeks to support the advancement of community-led heritage organisations and museums across the Outer Hebrides in researching, recording and sharing the history of the islands, as well as promoting its rich Gaelic language and culture.

Through sharing and pooling knowledge and resources, it seeks to build resilience for the community-led heritage and museums sector of the whole of the Outer Hebrides.

Comann Dualchas Innse Gall hosted the heritage conference