Horizons taster shows hunger for Gaelic

CAITHNESS Horizons in Thurso was the venue for the second of two Gaelic taster sessions held in the county recently.

Organised by Inverness-based Clì Gàidhlig, the events were designed to demonstrate to absolute beginners a new method of learning Gaelic, which focuses on the spoken language.

Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Highlands and Islands Enterprise have provided funds to introduce Ùlpan Gaelic as a new way of teaching the language and bringing encouragement to the thousands of learners who would like to become fluent.

Tutor Susanne Macdonald, who lived in Dunnet as a teenager, was delighted with the response to the taster sessions, and is hopeful Clì Gàidhlig will be able to organise follow-up courses if enough people come forward.

A previous course, also run at Caithness Horizons just before last year’s Caithness Mod, provided a week-long training opportunity, but Clì Gàidhlig is aware it is difficult for adults to juggle this kind of training with work and family commitments.

"If this group and the one I saw at the Assembly Room in Wick are anything to go by, there is definitely a demand for this training in Caithness," said Susanne.

"We just need people to get in touch with Clì Gàidhlig so that we can work out whether it would be better to run an intensive course, or deliver it over several weeks. There’s also scope for taking forward the people who have already done the first set of units."

Clì’s Ùlpan courses qualify for ILA Scotland funding, a Scottish Government scheme for anyone 16 and over and living in Scotland.

If you earn £22,000 a year or less you can get up to £200 towards a wide range of courses from learning providers throughout Scotland.

Clì Gàidhlig offers funding through the CLIÙ scheme (new users of Gaelic grant). For more details contact Clì Gàidhlig or download an application form at www.cli.org.uk/funding.asp