A meeting of the Gaelic Committee will take place in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday 20 September 2007 at 2.00 pm.
You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.
Yours faithfully
Alistair Dodds
Chief Executive
Declarations of Interest – Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.
Business
Prior to the commencement of business, there will be a performance by the Gaelic singing group Fionnar, following their successful visit to the International Eisteddfod.
1. Apologies
2. Gaelic Language Plan
At its meeting on 12 July 2007 the Gaelic Committee approved a draft Gaelic Language Plan as the basis for the statutory consultation process, which started on 16 July and finished on 31 August 2007. In this regard, there is circulated Report No G-03-07 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport informing Members that the Plan was widely distributed by post and e-mail and through Service Points and Libraries and was posted on the Council website. Six public meetings were held. A total of 124 people attended the public meetings and 40 written responses were received from organisations or individuals.
A summary of the main points from the consultation forms Appendix 1 of the Gaelic Language Plan which is circulated separately in Booklet A. The Plan has been revised in light of the consultation and as a result of detailed guidance on its format from Bòrd na Gàidhlig.
The Committee is invited to comment on the main points arising from the consultation process and the revised draft Gaelic Language Plan and agree the final version for submission to Bòrd na Gàidhlig by 1 October 2007.
3. Interpreting Gaelic at Highland Folk Museum
There is circulated Report No G-04-07 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport informing Members on proposals to put the interpretation of Gaelic language and culture at the heart of the visitor experience at the Highland Folk Museum. The museum presents historical periods of the Highlands very authentically, through a series of reconstructed or replica buildings, internationally important domestic and agricultural artefacts and live interpretation. The linguistic context of the museum and its interpretation includes some Gaelic but is predominately English. This proposal is to put Gaelic at the centre of the story the museum tells giving visitors an equal understanding of Gaelic language and culture in the Highlands and which could result in a national centre for the promotion and preservation of Gaelic heritage.
The Committee is invited to approve:-
i. taking forward the development of interpretation of Gaelic language and
culture at the Highland Folk Museum, putting Gaelic at the centre of the
visitor experience and aiming to make museum a national centre for the
promotion and preservation of Gaelic heritage; and
ii. a small group of Members and officials undertaking a study visit to St
Fagan’s, the Welsh National History Museum near Cardiff which is
physically very similar to the Highland Folk Museum but where the
promotion of Welsh language and culture is central to its visitor product.
4. An Comunn Gàidhealach
Mr John MacLeod, President of An Comunn and Mr Murdo Morrison, Mod Promotions Manager will attend the Committee to explain to Members the new structure of An Comunn Gàidhealach and to give a progress report on the arrangements for this year’s Royal National Mod scheduled to take place in Lochaber from 12 to 20 October. There will also be an opportunity to discuss other relevant issues with the An Comunn representatives such as support for the network of local Mods in the Highland Area.
5. Update Report
There is circulated Report No G-05-07 by the Director of Education, Culture and Sport informing Members of the progress of current issues.
The Committee is invited to comment on the work to date.
6. Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellowship
There is circulated Report No G-06-07 by the Director of Education, Culture and sport advising Members that the Council has hosted the Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellowship for the past five years and highlighting the work of the Fellowship since it’s inception. The fellowship is scheduled to run until December this year but as resources are available it is recommended that the Fellowship is continued for a further two years subject to:-
i. the funding required being contained within the Community Learning
and Leisure Service Budget for Gaelic Development; and
ii. the financial assistance being tied into implementing aspects of the Gaelic
Language Plan related to arts, culture and music.