- Sabhal Mòr Lectures
The Sabhal Mòr Lectures are a series of annual televised lectures held at the college
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig onSkye ,Scotland . The lectures are held in English, but focus on topics related to theScottish Gaelic language , often with emphasis on related economic or cultural issues. The invited lecturers are sometimes very prominent personalities, and a number of the lectures have been seen as landmarks in the development of Scottish Gaelic policy. The lectures are sponsored and broadcast by Scottish andGrampian Television . Notable speakers over the years have includedMary Robinson ,Gordon Brown ,Donald Dewar andJack McConnell .List of Sabhal Mòr lecturers
#(1990)
James Hunter (Historian, Director of theScottish Crofters Union )
#(1991) Gus Macdonald (Industrialist)
#(1992) John Goodlad, Secretary of Shetland Fisherman’s Association
#(1993) Dr Una MacLean,
#(1994) DrJohn Purser , Writer, Composer and Musicologist
#(1995) Alistair Moffat (CEO of Scottish Television Enterprises)
#(1996)Donnie Munro (SMO development officer and formerRunrig singer)
#(1997)Mary Robinson (President of Ireland)
#(1998)Calum MacDonald (Minister with responsibility for Gaelic affairs)
#(1999)Gordon Brown (Chancellor of the Exchequer )
#(2000)Donald Dewar (First Minister of Scotland )
#(2001)
#(2002)Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin
#(2003)
#(2004)Jack McConnell (First Minister of Scotland )
#(2005)Duncan Rice (Principal and Vice-Chancellor ofAberdeen University )
#(2006)
#(2007)Alex Salmond (First Minister of Scotland )ignificant lectures
A number of Sabhal Mòr Lectures have marked significant turning points in Scottish Gaelic language issues or caught the spirit of the day in striking ways which met with resonance in the Scottish Gaelic-speaking community.
Mary Robinson's lecture spoke of the possibility of creating "an island space" for the Hebrides and Ireland in which to celebrate what the two countries share. This led directly to the establishment of
Columba Initiative .In his 1999 lecture, Gordon Brown famously declared: "What a bland and uniform place this Britain of ours would be if Britishness meant we all spoke the same way, sang, danced and celebrated the same way."
ource
Roger Hutchinson, "A Waxing Moon: The Modern Gaelic Revival", Mainstream Publishing, Edinburgh, 2005. ISBN: 1 84018 794 8.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.