Gaelic on the rise

VisitScotland has revealed how visitor interest in Scottish Gaelic has risen over the last four years.Today marks the start of the first ever World Gaelic Week/Seachdain na Gàidhlig (21-27 March) which aims to celebrate and promote the importance of Gaelic, and the national tourism organisation is highlighting the significant role the language plays within tourism and events.From 2018 to 2021 there was a 72 per cent increase in the number of VisitScotland.com users visiting Gaelic related content with a peak in pageviews during the 2020 lockdown.With 2022 marking Scotland’s Year of Stories, a key aim is to share how Gaelic is woven into the fabric of the country and has influenced the way we speak and tell stories now.A nationwide programme of more than 100 events presented by a range of partners from national organisations to community groups are taking place this year, in recognition of the wealth of stories inspired by, written, or created in Scotland. And over 20 of these events are celebrating Gaelic.They include: 

• [Tìr Ìseal nan Òran (Tiree: low land of song)](https://www.tir-iseal.co.uk/) is an island-wide creative project which aims to celebrate and promote Tiree’s stories, heritage, culture, and Gaelic language. At the heart of the project are seven stories from the island’s history, tradition and mythology which will be explored within their physical and historical contexts to inspire new creative work. Local artists, young people, the wider Tiree community and an international audience will all be invited to take part in exploring and re-telling these stories through a mixture of traditional music and song, film and photography, theatre and writing, and Gaelic and English.
• [Bail’ Ach’ an Droighinn/Auchindrain Historic Township](https://www.auchindrain.org.uk/) – the last surviving Scottish Highland Township, based near Inveraray in Argyll – plans to celebrate Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 by presenting a new series of Argyll folk tales on their YouTube channel. The stories will be told in the local Gaelic dialect (with subtitles) and offer fascinating insights into the myths and legends told around the fireside by the people of the past and provide fresh enjoyment and new insights for the world of today.
• In Skye, SEALL (Skye Events for All Ltd) and Gaelic singer Anne Martin lead[ An Tinne (The Link)](https://www.seall.co.uk/an-tinne/), which is a special programme of events linking a collection of songs, stories, and objects from across the centuries exploring the deep and fascinating connection between Scotland and Australia – taking place in August 
• Stornoway’s An Lanntair presents [Seanchas](https://lanntair.com/38764/), a series of events, films and special commissions celebrating tales from the Hebrides both real and imagined, modern and ancient.
• A new film, [Cliabh An T-Shenachais – The Story Creel](https://swmid.co.uk/news-events/cliabh-an-t-shenachais-creel-of-stories/), will celebrate fishing and its importance to the remote communities of Southwest Mull and Iona. Knowledge of the sea and weather signs, tall tales of misadventure, and the experiences of family members on shore will be explored through interviews with local fishing families. These stories will be interwoven with Gaelic language sea songs and poems performed by local school children. The film’s red-carpet premiere will take place on Fionnphort beach, Mull, on 23 July and it will be available online from 4 October.
• [Sgeulaichean Siarach](https://www.grinneabhat.com/post/luach-festival-opening-c%C3%A8ilidh-including-sgeulachdan-siarach-7th-april-2022-at-6pm) is a celebration of stories and myths associated with the west side of Lewis. In two live performances, local primary school children will share their own creative Gaelic language responses to traditional stories, passed on by Island elders during environmental walks to significant local sites. The first performance will take place at Grinneabhat, Lewis, on 7 April.
• [Songs from the Last Page](https://www.chambermusicscotland.com/projects/songs-from-the-last-page) is a live performance and song-writing project led by composer Gareth Williams and Chamber Music Scotland. As part of their nationwide programme of events this year, they will be teaming up with Skye Gaelic singer, Deirdre Graham. With support from Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Williams and Graham will be producing a series of bilingual song-writing workshops and live performances in Skye and Edinburgh this summer, that celebrate both historic and modern Gaelic storytellers. The live performances will feature a programme of original songs that turn some of the nation’s favourite book endings into new beginnings, including a Gaelic-language song commissioned by the project.