Gaelic place-names booklet launched in Colonsay

Gaelic in the Landscape: Place-names of Colonsay and Oronsay, is bilingual and was co-ordinated by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba (AÀA), the national advisory partnership for Gaelic place-names in Scotland.

The project has received funding from the national Gaelic language and culture research network Soillse.

The booklet celebrates the specific cultural and natural heritage of some of Colonsay and Oronsay’s lesser-known names.

Place-name researchers Mary Carmichael, Christine Johnston and Scott Weatherstone, with training and support from Dr Jacob King and Eilidh Scammell of AÀA, collected information and associated stories on more than 130 place-names from members of the community. Many have never appeared in print before.

Eleanor MacDonald of SNH said: “In understanding the meaning behind place-names we have an opportunity to interpret the landscape differently.

“These place-names generally offer a uniquely Scottish, and Highland, perspective of the link between the land and the communities who lived there for generations. We are thrilled to launch this new bilingual publication, the sixth title in our ‘Gaelic in the Landscape’ series, which captures the local place-name knowledge passed down through generations.”

Eilidh Scammell of AÀA said: “The preservation of Scotland’s Gaelic place-names is very much at the heart of AÀA and we are delighted to have been a part of this project, which we hope will secure their future in Colonsay and Oronsay’s landscape, and help future generations understand the connections between the language and the land.”

Ends

Notes to editors

Scottish Natural Heritage is the government's adviser on all aspects of nature and landscape across Scotland. Our role is to help people understand, value and enjoy Scotland's nature now and in the future. For more information, visit our website at www.snh.gov.uk or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SNH_Tweets

Ainmean-Àite na h-Alba (AÀA) – Gaelic Place-Names of Scotland – is the national advisory partnership for Gaelic place-names in Scotland. Our purpose is to agree correct forms of Gaelic place-names for maps, signs and general use. Visit www.ainmean-aite.org for more information or to consult the online database, the National Gazeteer of Gaelic Place-names. Contact: Eilidh Scammell, Project Manager 01471 888 120 eilidh@ainmean-aite.scot

Soillse is a Gaelic research project based on an academic partnership comprising the University of the Highlands and Islands; Aberdeen University; Edinburgh University, and Glasgow University. For further information visit www.soillse.ac.uk.

The booklet (and the entire Gaelic in the Landscape series) can be found online at www.snh.gov.uk/publications-data-and-research. A limited number of free copies are also available from pubs@snh.gov.uk or 01738 458530.