22nd September 2026
Scotland and Ireland Strengthen Economic Links Between Gaelic Communities
Scotland and Ireland are developing closer links between their Gaelic-speaking communities, with housing, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, tourism and the marine economy among the areas being explored for future cooperation.
The initiative was highlighted during a visit to Skye by Ireland's President Catherine Connolly, who met representatives of Highland organisations including Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Highland Council.
The visit included Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Scotland's national centre for Gaelic education, culture and research, and community projects in Broadford.
HIE chief executive Stuart Black said the Gaelic communities of Scotland and the Gaeltacht areas of Ireland face many of the same challenges, including retaining population, creating good jobs, providing affordable housing and keeping the language and culture relevant to everyday life.
Economic development as well as language
The relationship between HIE and Ireland's Údarás na Gaeltachta is at the centre of the initiative.
Údarás na Gaeltachta is the Irish regional development authority responsible for economic, social and cultural development in Irish-speaking areas. HIE and the organisation signed a Memorandum of Understanding last year, establishing a formal partnership.
The agreement is intended to allow the two organisations to share experience and explore joint opportunities rather than treating Gaelic simply as a cultural issue.
Areas already being discussed include minority-language artificial intelligence technology, rural and island housing, renewable energy, tourism and the marine economy. HIE also says there are opportunities to strengthen links between Gaelic and Gaeltacht entrepreneurs and businesses.
This could become particularly interesting as artificial intelligence develops.
Most AI systems have been developed around major world languages, leaving smaller languages with much less digital data and fewer technological resources. Cooperation between Gaelic-speaking communities could potentially help develop tools and applications designed for minority languages.
Housing is part of the language question
One of the more interesting aspects of the visit was the emphasis on housing.
At Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, President Connolly visited Kilbeg village, a project led by the college as part of its wider work to strengthen Gaelic-speaking communities.
The development includes affordable homes, with plans for additional housing.
That illustrates a wider issue facing many rural and island communities. Maintaining a language requires people to be able to remain in the communities where the language is traditionally spoken.
Affordable housing, employment and opportunities for younger people therefore become part of the language debate.
HIE says the Scottish and Irish organisations recognise that successful rural communities need more than employment. They also need housing, opportunities for young people and viable businesses.
A community business model in Broadford
The visit also provided an example of how community ownership and enterprise can contribute to local development.
In Broadford, President Connolly met representatives of Broadford and Strath Community Company.
The community organisation operates a campsite which received partial funding from HIE and provides facilities for campervans, caravans and tents.
According to HIE, income from the campsite has subsequently helped support other community projects, including vegetable plots, polytunnels, a Men's Shed and a children's play area.
It is a relatively small example, but it demonstrates an approach that is increasingly important across rural Scotland: using one income-generating community asset to help finance other local facilities and activities.
Lessons for the Highlands
There is an obvious Scottish interest in what Ireland is doing, but the exchange is intended to work in both directions.
Scotland has considerable experience in Gaelic education, research and community development, while Ireland has its own long-established network of Gaeltacht communities and a regional development organisation specifically focused on those areas.
The partnership provides an opportunity to compare what works in communities facing similar pressures on both sides of the Irish Sea.
For the Highlands and Islands, the significance extends beyond Gaelic itself.
Population decline, affordable housing, the availability of skilled workers, business development and the need to create sustainable employment are challenges faced by many rural communities, including areas where Gaelic is not widely spoken.
The Irish connection could therefore provide useful lessons for rural economic development more generally.
HIE says discussions between the two organisations have already moved beyond general ambitions towards exploring practical opportunities for collaboration.
The challenge now will be turning those discussions into projects that produce measurable benefits for businesses and communities.
For Scotland's Gaelic-speaking areas, the partnership is based on a simple idea: a language is more likely to survive when the communities in which it is spoken are economically and socially sustainable.
That makes the new Scotland-Ireland relationship about considerably more than language.
It is also about housing, jobs, business, technology and the future of rural communities.
Neartachadh cheanglaichean eadar coimhearsnachdan na h-Alba agus na h-Èireann
Disathairne a chaidh, fhuair mi an t-urram a bhith an cuideachd Ceann-suidhe na h-Èireann, Catherine Connolly, fhad ’s a bha i a’ tadhal san Eilean Sgitheanach còmhla ri Ian Philp à sgioba na sgìre ionadail againn. Bha Bill Lobban, neach-gairm Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus stiùiriche na sgìre ionadail, John Finlayson, an làthair cuideachd.
Bha sinn air leth toilichte a bhith nar pàirt de phrògram a bha a’ togail air cudromachd nan coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig agus an t-àite a tha iad a’ coileanadh ann an cumadh choimhearsnachdan eileanach a tha beòthail agus seasmhach.
Tha turas a’ Chinn-suidhe Connolly a’ tighinn aig àm a tha cudromach don dà chuid Alba agus Èirinn. Ged a tha sinn sgaraichte le fairge, tha na cothroman agus na dùbhlain cheudna aig ar coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig agus Gaeltachta. Tha taic a thaobh glèidheadh àireamh-sluaigh, cruthachadh obraichean matha, neartachadh choimhearsnachdan agus dèanamh cinnteach gun soirbhich an cànan ’s an cultar mar phàirtean beò is buntainneach den bheatha làitheil, nam prìomhachasan a tha follaiseach gu làidir air gach taobh de Shruth na Maoile.
Bha sinn toilichte cuideachd gun robh Màiri NicAilein, Rùnaire Caibineit airson Foghlam, Cultar agus Gàidhlig, an làthair ’s i a’ comharrachadh cudromachd cànan is cultar na Gàidhlig do ar coimhearsnachdan eileanach is dùthchail san àm ri teachd.
Bha a’ chiad phàirt den turas againn aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (SMO), ionad nàiseanta na h-Alba airson foghlam, cultar is rannsachadh na Gàidhlig. Lìbhrig an Ceann-suidhe òraid bhliadhnail SMO mus deach i air cuairt air an àrainn agus air Baile na Cille Bige faisg air làimh. Is e pròiseact a th’ ann am Baile na Cille Bige a tha SMO air a stiùireadh mar phàirt de lèirsinn nas fharsainge airson coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig a neartachadh. Anns a’ bhaile seo, tha dachaighean aig prìs reusanta air a bheil cruadh-fheum, agus tha planaichean san amharc airson tuilleadh a thogail.
Tha SMO na h-eisimpleir shàr-mhath de mar a ghabhas an cànan, foghlam, leasachadh eaconamach is coimhearsnachd, a bhith ag obair làmh air làimh. Thar mòran bhliadhnaichean, tha SMO air cur gu cudromach ri beatha shòisealta, chultarach agus eaconamach an Eilein Sgitheanaich agus na sgìre san fharsaingeachd.
Is e SMO an t-aon institiud foghlaim adhartach agus àrd-ìre air an t-saoghal a tha a’ lìbhrigeadh a prògraman ceum agus iar-cheum uile tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig, taobh ri taobh ri ar n-obair nas fharsainge ann an rannsachadh, leasachadh cànain, cultar agus na h-ealain.
B’ e aon de na nithean a bu bhrosnachaile a bhith a’ cluinntinn na Gàidhlig ga labhairt agus ga cleachdadh ann an dòigh cho nàdarrach, eadar gur ann am foghlam, iomairtean coimhearsnachd no sa bheatha làitheil. Thaisbean sin gu bheil an cànan a’ soirbheachadh mar phàirt bheòthail de na coimhearsnachdan tarsainn na roinne.
Thaisbean an turas cuideachd an dàimh a tha a’ fàs eadar HIE agus Údarás na Gaeltachta (UnG), an t-ùghdarras roinneil Èireannach le dleastanas airson leasachadh eaconamach, sòisealta agus cultarach ann an sgìrean na Gaeltachta. An-uiridh, chuir HIE agus UnG an ainmean ri Meòrachan Tuigse gus com-pàirteachas foirmeil a chruthachadh a tha stèidhichte air luachan agus cinn-uidhe cho-roinnte.
Tha an dà bhuidheann ag obair le coimhearsnachdan eileanach agus dùthchail far a bheil leasachadh eaconamach dlùth-cheangailte ri cànan, cultar agus sunnd coimhearsnachd. Tha sinn a’ tuigsinn gu bheil feum aig coimhearsnachdan a shoirbhicheas air barrachd obraichean. Tha feum aca air taigheadas aig prìs reusanta, cothroman do dhaoine òga agus gnothachasan buadhmhor.
Tha an MoU a’ cruthachadh chothroman brosnachail airson obrachadh còmhla ann an sgìrean, a’ gabhail a-steach leasachadh cànain, inntleachd fuadain, taigheadas, cumhachd ath-nuadhachail, turasachd, agus an eaconamaidh mara. Aig a chridhe, tha e mu dheidhinn a bhith a’ roinn bheachd-smuaintean, ionnsachadh bho chàch a chèile agus lorg dhòighean dèanadach air taic a chur ri coimhearsnachdan ann an Alba agus ann an Èirinn.
Is e a tha gu h-àraid misneachail, gu bheil còmhraidhean air gluasad air adhart mar-thà seachad air àrd-amasan farsaing gu rannsachadh chothroman fìor airson co-obrachadh. Tha iad sin a’ gabhail a-steach teicneòlas AI mhion-chànanan, a’ co-roinn eòlas mu thaigheadas dùthchail is eileanach, agus neartachadh cheanglaichean eadar luchd-tionnsgain agus gnothachasan Gàidhlig agus Gaeltacht.
Bha an turas cuideachd na chothrom luachmhor air togail air an obair a tha ga coileanadh tarsainn choimhearsnachdan ar n-eilein agus ar dùthcha. Bha sinn comasach air taisbeanadh mar a tha buidhnean leithid HIE ag obair còmhla ri coimhearsnachdan, gnothachasan agus com-pàirtichean mar thaic do leasachadh seasmhach eaconamach agus sòisealta.
B’ e ar turas don Ath Leathann aon eisimpleir, far an do choinnich an Ceann-suidhe Connolly ri riochdairean bho Chompanaidh Coimhearsnachd an t-Sratha (SCC). Bha e na fhìor thogail a bhith a’ cluinntinn mun diofar a tha buidhnean fo stiùir na coimhearsnachd a’ dèanamh am measg an t-sluaigh. Tha iomairtean sòisealta mar seo a’ cuideachadh le cothroman a chruthachadh, seirbheisean deatamach a lìbhrigeadh agus seasmhachd a thogail ann an sgìrean dùthchail. Tha iad glè thric aig teis-meadhan choimhearsnachdan soirbheachail agus nam pàirt chudromach de dh’obair HIE air feadh na Gàidhealtachd ’s nan Eilean.
Tha làrach-campachaidh SCC, a bha pàirt-mhaoinichte le HIE a’ toirt seachad seirbheis luachmhor do mhòran luchd-tadhail agus goireasan ann do bhanaichean-campachaidh, carabhanan agus teantaichean. Tha an teachd-a-steach bhon sin air leantainn gu pròiseactan eile leithid feannagan-glasraich coimhearsnachd, pola-tunailean, Seada Fir agus raon cluiche chloinne. Nochd an Ceann-suidhe ùidh mhòr anns gach taobh den turas, gu h-àraid ùine air a chur seachad còmhla ris a’ chloinn agus iad a’ sealltainn dhi an raon-cluiche aca sa choille.
Tha na daoine agus na buidhnean ris an do choinnich sinn a’ lorg dhòighean tionnsgaineach air dèiligeadh ri dùbhlain ionadail fhad ’s a tha iad a’ togail chothroman don àm ri teachd. Le bhith a’ leantainn air adhart ag obair còmhla agus ag ionnsachadh bho chàch a chèile, faodaidh HIE cuideachadh le dèanamh cinnteach gun lean coimhearsnachdan Gàidhlig orra a’ soirbheachadh airson ghinealaichean ri teachd.
Tha mi làn dòchais mun àm ri teachd.