Volunteers at this year’s Hebridean Celtic Festival will be minding their language as they mingle with locals and visitors to promote the native tongue.
The award-winning festival is a strong supporter of the Gaelic culture and is stepping up efforts to ensure it will be seen and heard regularly during the four-day event , which opens tomorrow in Stornoway.
This year volunteer staff – both fluent speakers and learners – will be dressed in red t-shirts emblazoned with the logo Tha Gaidhlig Agam, which translates as ‘I have Gaelic’.
They will also be using a number of Gaelic phrases around the festival and will be encouraging music fans to try them out.
They will use useful Gaelic phrases and encourage music fans to try them out.
Therefore it may be common around the site to hear conversations like Caite bheil…? – Where is…, followed by Thall an siud! – Over there!
HebCelt director Caroline Maclennan said: “We are passionate about promoting Gaelic in all aspects of the festival.
“It is very much a living language here and it is vital it is seen and heard in everyday situations.
“Having the volunteers sharing some simple phrases is an easy but effective way of encouraging its use and ensuring it is an integral part of HebCelt.”
The festival is also staging a Gaelic Showcase at An Lanntair arts centre in Stornoway as a fringe to the main event.
The 19th HebCelt will be held between tomorrow and Saturday, with headline acts Levellers, Big Country and Donnie Munro topping the bill.
Rachel Sermanni, Cara Dillon, Duncan Chisholm, Cajun band Magnolia Sisters, and Canadian outfit Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys will also be among nearly 40 acts featuring on stage.