114-683: Duror ( Scottish Gaelic : An Dùrar , meaning hard water), occasionally Duror of Appin , is a small, remote coastal village that sits at the base of Glen Duror , in district of Appin , in the Scottish West Highlands , within the council area of Argyll and Bute in Scotland. Duror is known for the first building of the Telford Parliamentary churches by the Scottish civil engineer , architect and stonemason , Thomas Telford , from 1826,
228-442: A 19% fall in bilingual speakers between the 1911 and 1921 Censuses. Michelle MacLeod of Aberdeen University has said that there was no other period with such a high fall in the number of monolingual Gaelic speakers: "Gaelic speakers became increasingly the exception from that point forward with bilingualism replacing monolingualism as the norm for Gaelic speakers." The Linguistic Survey of Scotland (1949–1997) surveyed both
342-515: A central feature of court life there. The semi-independent Lordship of the Isles in the Hebrides and western coastal mainland remained thoroughly Gaelic since the language's recovery there in the 12th century, providing a political foundation for cultural prestige down to the end of the 15th century. By the mid-14th century what eventually came to be called Scots (at that time termed Inglis ) emerged as
456-805: A challenge to revitalization efforts which occur outside the home. Positive engagements between language learners and native speakers of Gaelic through mentorship has proven to be productive in socializing new learners into fluency. In the 2022 census, 3,551 people claimed Gaelic as their 'main language.' Of these, 1,761 (49.6%) were in Na h-Eileanan Siar, 682 (19.2%) were in Highland, 369 were in Glasgow City and 120 were in City of Edinburgh; no other council area had as many as 80 such respondents. Gaelic has long suffered from its lack of use in educational and administrative contexts and
570-565: A dialect known as Canadian Gaelic has been spoken in Canada since the 18th century. In the 2021 census , 2,170 Canadian residents claimed knowledge of Scottish Gaelic, a decline from 3,980 speakers in the 2016 census . There exists a particular concentration of speakers in Nova Scotia , with historic communities in other parts of North America , including North Carolina and Glengarry County, Ontario having largely disappeared. Scottish Gaelic
684-568: A form of Celtic language. Around 1300BC, the climate changed dramatically, with temperatures dropping and rainfall levels doubling within 10 years. Evidence indicated this caused the whole population of the Scottish Highlands, to move to the Central Belt , with the tree line dropping from about 750 metres to 500 metres, equivalent to a temperature drop of 1.5°, which was also seen in England as
798-489: A full range of language skills: speaking, understanding, reading and writing Gaelic. 40.2% of Scotland's Gaelic speakers said that they used Gaelic at home. To put this in context, the most common language spoken at home in Scotland after English and Scots is Polish, with about 1.1% of the population, or 54,000 people. The 2011 UK Census showed a total of 57,375 Gaelic speakers in Scotland (1.1% of population over three years old), of whom only 32,400 could also read and write
912-577: A language ideology at odds with revitalization efforts on behalf of new speakers, state policies (such as the Gaelic Language Act), and family members reclaiming their lost mother tongue. New learners of Gaelic often have a positive affective stance to their language learning, and connect this learning journey towards Gaelic language revitalization. The mismatch of these language ideologies, and differences in affective stance, has led to fewer speaking opportunities for adult language learners and therefore
1026-615: A larger military force and was able to impose his will on the West Coast of Scotland, though uprisings and rebellions were common. Though the Lordship was taken away from the MacDonald family in the 15th century, waves of successive MacDonald leaders have contested this and fought for its revival ever since, notably during Dubh's Rebellion . Since then, the eldest male child of the reigning Scottish (and later, British) monarch has been styled "Lord of
1140-498: A little peat fire in the middle of the hut; and over the fireplace was a small hole for the chimney. The floor was common earth, uneven and nowhere dry. ...The walls were about four feet high, lined with sticks wattled like a hurdle, built on the outside with turf. For dinner it was typically 2 or 3 eggs, with nothing else. During dinner, the landlord not only sat down with you, but in some time, ask leaves to introduce his brother or cousin, who all drink your honours health in whisky, which
1254-786: A national centre for Gaelic Language and Culture, based in Sleat , on the Isle of Skye . This institution is the only source for higher education which is conducted entirely in Scottish Gaelic. They offer courses for Gaelic learners from beginners into fluency. They also offer regular bachelors and graduate programs delivered entirely in Gaelic. Concerns have been raised around the fluency achieved by learners within these language programs because they are disconnected from vernacular speech communities. In regard to language revitalization planning efforts, many feel that
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#17328515400381368-657: A people or peoples of uncertain cultural affiliation until the 5th century. They were invaded by Gaels from Ireland starting perhaps in the 4th century or earlier, whose language eventually predominated. In the 8th and 9th centuries this area, like others, suffered raids and invasions by Vikings from Norway , and the islands became known to the Gaels as Innse-Gall , the Islands of the Foreigners. Around 875, Norwegian jarls, or princes, came to these islands to avoid losing their independence in
1482-521: A period of 800 years. The bridge was put in place across the Water of Duror about a quarter of a mile downstream from Inshaig. The bridge, now only used by walkers, helped make possible, or so it was reported an excellent line of road, from Shian Ferry to Glencoe Along this road, by the 1780s at a previous undreamed of speed. A local clergyman noted in amazement that it took two-and-a-half days to reach Duror from Edinburgh. The poet Anne Grant , possibly one of
1596-600: A proportion of Gaelic speakers greater than 65% (the highest value is in Barvas , Lewis , with 64.1%). In addition, no civil parish on mainland Scotland has a proportion of Gaelic speakers greater than 20% (the highest is in Ardnamurchan , Highland , with 19.3%). Out of a total of 871 civil parishes in Scotland, the proportion of Gaelic speakers exceeds 50% in seven parishes, 25% in 14 parishes, and 10% in 35 parishes. Decline in traditional areas has recently been balanced by growth in
1710-519: A reduction in elm growth. Gradually the climate became more suitable and settlers returned to the Scottish Highlands, around between 100 and 600AD. From the 6th century AD to the 8th century AD, Duror was part of the kingdom of Dál Riata , specifically part of the Loarn mac Eirc , the Kingdom of Lorne, which was one of the four main northerly clans or kindreds of Dál Riata. The Dál Riatas, people who were called
1824-536: A situation where new learners struggle to find opportunities to speak Gaelic with fluent speakers. Affect is the way people feel about something, or the emotional response to a particular situation or experience. For Gaelic speakers, there is a conditioned and socialized negative affect through a long history of negative Scottish media portrayal and public disrespect, state mandated restrictions on Gaelic usage, and highland clearances . This negative affect towards speaking openly with non-native Gaelic speakers has led to
1938-605: A translation of the New Testament. In 1798, four tracts in Gaelic were published by the Society for Propagating the Gospel at Home, with 5,000 copies of each printed. Other publications followed, with a full Gaelic Bible in 1801. The influential and effective Gaelic Schools Society was founded in 1811. Their purpose was to teach Gaels to read the Bible in their own language. In the first quarter of
2052-646: Is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family ) native to the Gaels of Scotland . As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as both Irish and Manx , developed out of Old Irish . It became a distinct spoken language sometime in the 13th century in the Middle Irish period, although a common literary language was shared by the Gaels of both Ireland and Scotland until well into
2166-490: Is a significant step forward for the recognition of Gaelic both at home and abroad and I look forward to addressing the council in Gaelic very soon. Seeing Gaelic spoken in such a forum raises the profile of the language as we drive forward our commitment to creating a new generation of Gaelic speakers in Scotland." Bilingual road signs, street names, business and advertisement signage (in both Gaelic and English) are gradually being introduced throughout Gaelic-speaking regions in
2280-512: Is certainly possible that Saint Columba visited Duror, on the dedication of the church. During the 9th century and 10th century, Duror, like much of western Scotland, was conquered by the Vikings . Later during the 14th century and 15th century, the district of Duror was incorporated into lands owned by the Lord of the Isles . This was a part Norse , part Scottish Gaelic speaking principality , ruled by
2394-607: Is classed as an indigenous language under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages , which the UK Government has ratified, and the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 established a language-development body, Bòrd na Gàidhlig . The Scottish Parliament is considering a Scottish Languages Bill which proposes to give the Gaelic and Scots languages official status in Scotland. Aside from "Scottish Gaelic",
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#17328515400382508-411: Is no evidence that Gaelic was ever widely spoken. Many historians mark the reign of King Malcolm Canmore ( Malcolm III ) between 1058 and 1093 as the beginning of Gaelic's eclipse in Scotland. His wife Margaret of Wessex spoke no Gaelic, gave her children Anglo-Saxon rather than Gaelic names, and brought many English bishops, priests, and monastics to Scotland. When Malcolm and Margaret died in 1093,
2622-631: Is on display in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh . Traces of wicker suggest the remains of a wooden shrine. Her identity was unknown, but was possibly an early example of a Celtic nature goddess. One Celtic deity, whose cult originated in Gaul, was the warrior-god Camulus , whose worship spread to the British Isles by the 1st century AD, with religious ceremonies conducted by Druids and who spoke
2736-404: Is one of the world's most comprehensively studied plutonic - metamorphic systems. The area of Duror is dominated by Beinn a' Bheithir, is a northward opening, horse-shoe shaped mountain comprising two main peaks, Sgorr Dhearg is a Munro at 1,024 metres (3,360 ft) and Sgorr Dhonuill at 1,001 metres (3,284 ft) is also classed as a Munro, located a mile northwest of Duror. At the base of
2850-625: The Callander and Oban Railway . It opened on 24 August 1903 and closed in 1966. The principal industry is now tourism in Duror. Close to the start of the small road which leads to Cuil bay from Duror Primary School, from the main A828 road, between Duror and the ancient township of Achara ( Scottish Gaelic : Achadh a' charraigh ), opposite the primary school, within a field, is an ancient single standing stone that has been there for least 5000 years, placed by
2964-590: The Clan Stewart of Appin until 1766, when the Appin Estate was sold to Hugh Seton of Touch ( Touch House ). In the 1760s, the primary school at Duror was established, where 29 scholars, from a wide range of backgrounds were declared in 1777 to have reached a satisfactory level in reading of English and writing . In 1788, Hugh Seton employed the firm responsible for the Forth and Clyde Canal in project jointly funded by
3078-544: The Forfeited Estates Commission to improve the Water of Duror, which had been long subject to floods. Retaining walls and embankments were constructed at a cost of around £150. They were so robustly built, that they remained in place until they were badly damaged by a freak flood in 1953. Seton also built an arched and stone built bridge that survived the flood and replaced the Wooden bridges that had been rebuilt over
3192-597: The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland passed an act which provided Quoad sacra parish , i.e. territorial districts which the churches would have spiritual jurisdiction. The church in Duror has a healthy congregation. The efforts were negated though by the Highland Clearances and disruption of 1843 which left churches stranded in remote locations with none or very few in the congregation. The village of Duror
3306-599: The Kintyre peninsula. At their height they were the greatest landowners and most powerful lords after the kings of England and Scotland. The end of the MacDonald Lords came in 1493 when John MacDonald II had his ancestral homeland, estates, and titles seized by King James IV of Scotland . After that time, the MacDonald Clan contested the right of James IV to the Lordship of the Isles and uprisings and rebellions against
3420-521: The Lord of Lorne , whose title derived from their control of the mid-Argyll district of that name, and whose family name was Stewart , who had their family seat at Dunstaffnage Castle , gradually lost control of the jurisdiction of the Appin area. For the next 300 years, the branches of the Clan Campbell's, operating from their stronghold, Barcaldine Castle controlled the land surrounding Appin, an area that
3534-548: The Outer Hebrides , accommodation ethics exist amongst native or local Gaelic speakers when engaging with new learners or non-locals. Accommodation ethics, or ethics of accommodation, is a social practice where local or native speakers of Gaelic shift to speaking English when in the presence of non-Gaelic speakers out of a sense of courtesy or politeness. This accommodation ethic persists even in situations where new learners attempt to speak Gaelic with native speakers. This creates
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3648-624: The Scoti , who were Irish immigrants, introduced the Gaelic language and Christianity into Scotland, and also gave Scotland its name. At the centre of Dál Riata Christianity was the monastery founded by Saint Columba on Iona , the small island in the Inner Hebrides . Duror has a medieval church, now a ruin located in Kiel, which is dedicated to Saint Columba. It was disused even in the days of James Stewart. It
3762-659: The Scottish Lowlands . Between the 2001 and 2011 censuses, the number of Gaelic speakers rose in nineteen of the country's 32 council areas. The largest absolute gains were in Aberdeenshire (+526), North Lanarkshire (+305), the Aberdeen City council area (+216), and East Ayrshire (+208). The largest relative gains were in Aberdeenshire (+0.19%), East Ayrshire (+0.18%), Moray (+0.16%), and Orkney (+0.13%). In 2018,
3876-759: The significant increase in pupils in Gaelic-medium education since that time is unknown. Gaelic Medium Education is one of the primary ways that the Scottish Government is addressing Gaelic language shift. Along with the Bòrd na Gàidhlig policies, preschool and daycare environments are also being used to create more opportunities for intergenerational language transmission in the Outer Hebrides. However, revitalization efforts are not unified within Scotland or Nova Scotia, Canada. One can attend Sabhal Mòr Ostaig ,
3990-421: The 17th century. Most of modern Scotland was once Gaelic-speaking, as evidenced especially by Gaelic-language place names. In the 2011 census of Scotland , 57,375 people (1.1% of the Scottish population aged over three years old) reported being able to speak Gaelic, 1,275 fewer than in 2001. The highest percentages of Gaelic speakers were in the Outer Hebrides . Nevertheless, there is a language revival , and
4104-587: The 19th century, the SSPCK (despite their anti-Gaelic attitude in prior years) and the British and Foreign Bible Society distributed 60,000 Gaelic Bibles and 80,000 New Testaments. It is estimated that this overall schooling and publishing effort gave about 300,000 people in the Highlands some basic literacy. Very few European languages have made the transition to a modern literary language without an early modern translation of
4218-404: The 2011 Census. The 2011 total population figure comes from table KS101SC. The numbers of Gaelic speakers relate to the numbers aged 3 and over, and the percentages are calculated using those and the number of the total population aged 3 and over. Across the whole of Scotland, the 2011 census showed that 25,000 people (0.49% of the population) used Gaelic at home. Of these, 63.3% said that they had
4332-482: The Achara stone, described below, was placed close to the shore of Loch Linnhe and was likely a religious meeting place for pagan Iron Age settlers, who worshiped a pantheon of Gods and Goddesses, with religious ceremonies conducted by Druids who spoke a form of a Celtic language. Sea levels were some 14 metres (46 ft) higher, during that time in pre-history, indicating the Achara stone may have been sited next to
4446-559: The Bible; the lack of a well known translation may have contributed to the decline of Scottish Gaelic. Counterintuitively, access to schooling in Gaelic increased knowledge of English. In 1829, the Gaelic Schools Society reported that parents were unconcerned about their children learning Gaelic, but were anxious to have them taught English. The SSPCK also found Highlanders to have significant prejudice against Gaelic. T. M. Devine attributes this to an association between English and
4560-595: The Clan Macdonalds . Towards the end of the 15th century, the MacDonald Lords lost their power, when in 1493, John MacDonald forfeited his estates and titles to King James IV of Scotland , which was greatly to their disadvantage. Clan Campbell , from their heartland in Loch Awe and Loch Avich , began to expand their territory across mainland Argyll and into the Hebrides islands The expansion of Clan Campbell meant that
4674-588: The EU's institutions. The Scottish government had to pay for the translation from Gaelic to other European languages . The deal was received positively in Scotland; Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murphy said the move was a strong sign of the UK government's support for Gaelic. He said; "Allowing Gaelic speakers to communicate with European institutions in their mother tongue is a progressive step forward and one which should be welcomed". Culture Minister Mike Russell said; "this
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4788-538: The Forth–Clyde line and along the northeastern coastal plain as far north as Moray. Norman French completely displaced Gaelic at court. The establishment of royal burghs throughout the same area, particularly under David I , attracted large numbers of foreigners speaking Old English. This was the beginning of Gaelic's status as a predominantly rural language in Scotland. Clan chiefs in the northern and western parts of Scotland continued to support Gaelic bards who remained
4902-652: The Gaelic Act falls so far short of the status accorded to Welsh that one would be foolish or naïve to believe that any substantial change will occur in the fortunes of the language as a result of Bòrd na Gàidhlig 's efforts. On 10 December 2008, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the Scottish Human Rights Commission had the UDHR translated into Gaelic for
5016-694: The Gaelic aristocracy rejected their anglicised sons and instead backed Malcolm's brother Domnall Bán ( Donald III ). Donald had spent 17 years in Gaelic Ireland and his power base was in the thoroughly Gaelic west of Scotland. He was the last Scottish monarch to be buried on Iona , the traditional burial place of the Gaelic Kings of Dàl Riada and the Kingdom of Alba. However, during the reigns of Malcolm Canmore's sons, Edgar, Alexander I and David I (their successive reigns lasting 1097–1153), Anglo-Norman names and practices spread throughout Scotland south of
5130-696: The Hebrides) as well as King of Mann . His origins went back to the Norse Kings of Dublin and the great Ard-Ríthe (singular: Ard-Rí), the High Kings of Ireland. They also speak of Colla Uais, a Celtic prince with influence in the Western Isles before the establishment of the kingdom of Dalriada. After Somerled's death in 1164, three of his sons, and his brother-in-law (the King of Man), divided his realm between them: Angus
5244-576: The Heritor costs halfway, the Additional Places of Worship in the Highlands Act 1823 was passed by parliament, which provided £50000 to build not more than 40 churches in the Highlands, with an annual stipend of £120. Eventually 32 were built with 41 Manses built. Thomas Telford , the Scottish civil engineer , architect and stonemason , and a noted road, bridge and canal builder was employed to build
5358-442: The Highland and Island region. In 1616, the Privy Council proclaimed that schools teaching in English should be established. Gaelic was seen, at this time, as one of the causes of the instability of the region. It was also associated with Catholicism. The Society in Scotland for the Propagation of Christian Knowledge (SSPCK) was founded in 1709. They met in 1716, immediately after the failed Jacobite rising of 1715 , to consider
5472-416: The Highlands and Islands, including Argyll. In many cases, this has simply meant re-adopting the traditional spelling of a name (such as Ràtagan or Loch Ailleart rather than the anglicised forms Ratagan or Lochailort respectively). Some monolingual Gaelic road signs, particularly direction signs, are used on the Outer Hebrides , where a majority of the population can have a working knowledge of
5586-426: The Inner Hebridean dialects of Tiree and Islay, and even a few native speakers from Western Highland areas including Wester Ross , northwest Sutherland , Lochaber and Argyll . Dialects on both sides of the Straits of Moyle (the North Channel ) linking Scottish Gaelic with Irish are now extinct, though native speakers were still to be found on the Mull of Kintyre , on Rathlin and in North East Ireland as late as
5700-472: The Isle of Man in 1156) and founded a dynasty that in time became the Lords of the Isles . It is thought he had Celtic/Gaelic blood on his father's side and Norse on his mother's: his contemporaries knew him as Somerled MacGillebride , Somhairle or in Norse Sumarlidi Höld (Sumarliðr is Old Norse for “summer warrior” or “summer traveler” in the sense of a Viking). Somerled took the title Lord of Argyll, Kintyre and Lorne and eventually Rí Innse Gall (King of
5814-429: The Isles or King of the Isles ( Scottish Gaelic : Triath nan Eilean or Rìgh Innse Gall ; Latin : Dominus Insularum ) is a title of nobility in the Baronage of Scotland with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland . It began with Somerled in the 12th century and thereafter the title was held by a series of his descendants, the Norse-Gaelic rulers of the Isle of Man and Argyll and
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#17328515400385928-491: The Isles", essentially merging the crowns of Dal Riada with the Pictish East of Scotland. The office itself has been extinct since the 15th century and the style since then has no other meaning but to recall the Scottish seizure of the ancient Norse-Gaelic lordship and crown. Currently William, Prince of Wales is titular Lord of the Isles, as well as Duke of Rothesay , Earl of Carrick , Baron of Renfrew and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland . His wife Catherine likewise has
6042-453: The Lord of the Isles varied over time, but the blazon given and illustrated in "The Armorial of Sir David Lyndsay of the Mount" (1542) is: Or, an eagle Gules displayed beaked and membered Sable, surmounted by a galley also Sable . The red eagle first appeared on the arms with Donald Macdonald, Lord of the Isles, sometimes called Donald of Harlaw, for the battle he won in 1411. The west coast and islands of present-day Scotland were inhabited by
6156-431: The Lords of the Isles used galleys ( birlinns ) for both warfare and transport. Though they undoubtedly acquired longships from the Norse they defeated, the ships of the Dalriadic Scots and Irish and Islesmen predate the Viking longships and knarrs , clinker-built, though each had a square sail and rows of oars. "...literary evidence suggest[s] that the navies of the Dalriadic Scots and Irish were not insignificant". In
6270-413: The Lordship, identified the following members: Successive Lords of the Isles fiercely asserted their independence from Scotland, acting as kings of their territories well into the 15th century. Then in 1462, John MacDonald II Lord of the Isles signed a treaty with Edward IV of England to conquer Scotland with him and the Earl of Douglas. The treaty between Edward IV and John II has been used to show how
6384-544: The MacDonald Lords were viewed as independent rulers of their kingdom, freely entering into national and military treaties with foreign governments. Unfortunately for the MacDonald sovereigns, the civil war in England, known as the Wars of the Roses , prevented the completion of the alliance between Edward IV and John II. Upon the discovery of his alliance with Edward IV in 1493, John II had his ancestral lands, estates, and titles taken from him by James IV of Scotland . In addition to James IV seeking revenge on John II, he possessed
6498-460: The Scottish monarch were common. More recently, the Lordship of the Isles has been held by the Duke of Rothesay , the eldest son and heir apparent of the King of Scots, a title which, since the creation of the Kingdom of Great Britain , is usually borne by the Prince of Wales . Thus Prince William is the current Lord of the Isles. Finlaggan on Islay was the seat of the Lords of the Isles under Somerled and Clan Donald . The arms adopted by
6612-453: The Stewart Lords of Lorn expected to be theirs indefinitely. The Stewarts fought back, John Stewart's son, Dugald Stewart , retreated from Lorn but stubbornly refused to subordinate themselves to their new masters. In the bloody Battle of Stalc , fought in Portnacroish, 7 miles southwest of Duror, which is now a graveyard, Colin Campbell organized a massive raid against Dugald and his clan, eventually losing many men, Dugald virtually destroyed
6726-428: The UK Government as Welsh . With the advent of devolution , however, Scottish matters have begun to receive greater attention, and it achieved a degree of official recognition when the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act was enacted by the Scottish Parliament on 21 April 2005. The key provisions of the Act are: After its creation, Bòrd na Gàidhlig required a Gaelic Language Plan from the Scottish Government. This plan
6840-581: The Western Isles (−1,745), Argyll & Bute (−694), and Highland (−634). The drop in Stornoway , the largest parish in the Western Isles by population, was especially acute, from 57.5% of the population in 1991 to 43.4% in 2011. The only parish outside the Western Isles over 40% Gaelic-speaking is Kilmuir in Northern Skye at 46%. The islands in the Inner Hebrides with significant percentages of Gaelic speakers are Tiree (38.3%), Raasay (30.4%), Skye (29.4%), Lismore (26.9%), Colonsay (20.2%), and Islay (19.0%). Today, no civil parish in Scotland has
6954-589: The Western Isles. The Scottish Qualifications Authority offer two streams of Gaelic examination across all levels of the syllabus: Gaelic for learners (equivalent to the modern foreign languages syllabus) and Gaelic for native speakers (equivalent to the English syllabus). An Comunn Gàidhealach performs assessment of spoken Gaelic, resulting in the issue of a Bronze Card, Silver Card or Gold Card. Syllabus details are available on An Comunn's website. These are not widely recognised as qualifications, but are required for those taking part in certain competitions at
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#17328515400387068-429: The abandoned slate quarries on the south shore of Loch Leven , 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast Duror, Onich on the north shore of Loch Leven, and the small settlement of Kentallen, due northeast of Duror. Portnacroish is 6.5 miles (10.5 km) to the southwest. The dram shop ( Scottish Gaelic : taigh na h-Insaig ) (English:The house of Insaig), situated in Inshaig, on a strip of slightly elevated land, located, on
7182-408: The annual mods . In October 2009, a new agreement allowed Scottish Gaelic to be formally used between Scottish Government ministers and European Union officials. The deal was signed by Britain's representative to the EU, Sir Kim Darroch , and the Scottish government . This did not give Scottish Gaelic official status in the EU but gave it the right to be a means of formal communications in
7296-649: The area is much flatter, with the shallow hills of Airds Hill and Beinn Donn being the tallest, at below 500 metres (1,600 ft). Glaciation has molded the area over the millennia. The hills and mountains contain arête ridges, cols, hanging valleys and truncated spurs . Glen Duror has a U-shaped valley . Annual rainfall is about 100 inches (2,500 mm) per year, with the driest period being between mid-April to mid-June. Scottish Gaelic language Scottish Gaelic ( / ˈ ɡ æ l ɪ k / , GAL -ik ; endonym : Gàidhlig [ˈkaːlɪkʲ] ), also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic ,
7410-411: The area, with the jarls of Orkney at times seeing themselves as independent rulers. In 973, Maccus mac Arailt , King of the Isles, Kenneth III , King of the Scots, and Máel Coluim I of Strathclyde formed a defensive alliance, but subsequently the Scandinavians defeated Gilla Adomnáin of the Isles and expelled him to Ireland. The Norse nobleman Godred Crovan became ruler of Man and the Isles, but he
7524-413: The bill be strengthened, a revised bill was published; the main alteration was that the guidance of the Bòrd is now statutory (rather than advisory). In the committee stages in the Scottish Parliament, there was much debate over whether Gaelic should be given 'equal validity' with English. Due to executive concerns about resourcing implications if this wording was used, the Education Committee settled on
7638-625: The census of pupils in Scotland showed 520 students in publicly funded schools had Gaelic as the main language at home, an increase of 5% from 497 in 2014. During the same period, Gaelic medium education in Scotland has grown, with 4,343 pupils (6.3 per 1000) being educated in a Gaelic-immersion environment in 2018, up from 3,583 pupils (5.3 per 1000) in 2014. Data collected in 2007–2008 indicated that even among pupils enrolled in Gaelic medium schools, 81% of primary students and 74% of secondary students report using English more often than Gaelic when speaking with their mothers at home. The effect on this of
7752-442: The churches, choosing Duror as the first location. Telford employed the architect, William Thomson who designed the churches, with the stipulation that not more than £1500 was to be spent on each church. Telford managed the task by establish six districts and assigning men to each district. The churches had a classic T-Shape and oblong plan, either one or two storey, adaptable to the local site, and using local materials. In May 1933,
7866-419: The cities and professors of Celtic from universities who sought to preserve the language. The Education (Scotland) Act 1872 provided universal education in Scotland, but completely ignored Gaelic in its plans. The mechanism for supporting Gaelic through the Education Codes issued by the Scottish Education Department were steadily used to overcome this omission, with many concessions in place by 1918. However,
7980-450: The concept of 'equal respect'. It is not clear what the legal force of this wording is. The Act was passed by the Scottish Parliament unanimously, with support from all sectors of the Scottish political spectrum, on 21 April 2005. Under the provisions of the Act, it will ultimately fall to BnG to secure the status of the Gaelic language as an official language of Scotland. Some commentators, such as Éamonn Ó Gribín (2006) argue that
8094-416: The course of King Harald Fairhair 's unification of Norway , but Harald pursued them and conquered the Hebrides as well as Man , and the Shetland and Orkney Islands . The following year, the people of the Isles, both Gael and Norse, rebelled. Harald sent his cousin Ketill Flatnose to regain control, and Ketil then became King of the Isles . Scotland and Norway would continue to dispute overlordship of
8208-494: The dialect of the Scottish Gaelic language, and also mixed use of English and Gaelic across the Highlands and Islands. Dialects of Lowland Gaelic have been defunct since the 18th century. Gaelic in the Eastern and Southern Scottish Highlands, although alive until the mid-20th century, is now largely defunct. Although modern Scottish Gaelic is dominated by the dialects of the Outer Hebrides and Isle of Skye, there remain some speakers of
8322-480: The early modern era . Prior to the 15th century, this language was known as Inglis ("English") by its own speakers, with Gaelic being called Scottis ("Scottish"). Beginning in the late 15th century, it became increasingly common for such speakers to refer to Scottish Gaelic as Erse ("Irish") and the Lowland vernacular as Scottis . Today, Scottish Gaelic is recognised as a separate language from Irish, so
8436-496: The early dating of the traditional accounts and arguing for other interpretations of the archaeological evidence. Regardless of how it came to be spoken in the region, Gaelic in Scotland was mostly confined to Dál Riata until the eighth century, when it began expanding into Pictish areas north of the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. During the reign of Caustantín mac Áeda (Constantine II, 900–943), outsiders began to refer to
8550-608: The eighth century. For the first time, the entire region of modern-day Scotland was called Scotia in Latin, and Gaelic was the lingua Scotica . In southern Scotland , Gaelic was strong in Galloway , adjoining areas to the north and west, West Lothian , and parts of western Midlothian . It was spoken to a lesser degree in north Ayrshire , Renfrewshire , the Clyde Valley and eastern Dumfriesshire . In south-eastern Scotland, there
8664-707: The first Telford Parliamentary church was built in Duror. Since the Reformation , a statutory procedure was put in place in the Parliament of the United Kingdom to build new churches which was overseen by the Commission for Plantation of Kirks . The Church of Scotland had been petitioning to build new churches, but the responsibility to pay for new churches lay with the Heritor , but costs proved prohibitive. In an attempt to meet
8778-742: The first highlanders, and certainly the first one to write about the Scottish Highlands in English, sighted Duror when sailing up Loch Linnhe from Oban to Fort William in May 1773, declared: Dorothy Wordsworth , who visited Duror in September 1803 with her brother, the poet William Wordsworth , also complimented Duror. Riding north by way of Dalnarat and Keil, the Wordsworths reached the vicinity of Insaig, where they found themselves, as Dorothy noted: In 1826,
8892-457: The first in a series of 32, built in Scotland. William Thomson was the architect. Duror is the location of the famous Appin Murder . Although no direct evidence for this connection exists, the murder event and the kidnap of James Annesley , supposedly provided the inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson writing the novel Kidnapped . Duror is a very ancient settlement, at least 5000 years old, when
9006-545: The first time. However, given there are no longer any monolingual Gaelic speakers, following an appeal in the court case of Taylor v Haughney (1982), involving the status of Gaelic in judicial proceedings, the High Court ruled against a general right to use Gaelic in court proceedings. While the goal of the Gaelic Language Act was to aid in revitalization efforts through government mandated official language status,
9120-483: The galleys (birlinns) each area had to provide in service to their Lord. The Lord was advised (at least on an occasional basis) by a Council. Dean Monro of the Isles, who wrote a description of the Western Isles in 1549, described the membership as consisting of four ranks: In practice, membership and attendance must have varied with the times and the occasion. A commission granted in July 1545 by Domhnall Dubh , claimant to
9234-479: The initiatives must come from within Gaelic speaking communities, be led by Gaelic speakers, and be designed to serve and increase fluency within the vernacular communities as the first and most viable resistance to total language shift from Gaelic to English. Currently, language policies are focused on creating new language speakers through education, instead of focused on how to strengthen intergenerational transmission within existing Gaelic speaking communities. In
9348-503: The islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages . They wielded sea-power with fleets of galleys ( birlinns ). Although they were, at times, nominal vassals of the kings of Norway , Ireland , or Scotland , the island chiefs remained functionally independent for many centuries. Their territory included much of Argyll , the Isles of Arran, Bute, Islay, the Isle of Man , Hebrides ( Skye and Ross from 1438), Knoydart , Ardnamurchan , and
9462-546: The islands off the west coast navigable with the rudder set. Magnus then allegedly had a skiff hauled across the neck of land at Tarbert , Loch Fyne with himself at the helm, thus including the Kintyre peninsula in the Isles' sphere of influence. (The date given falls after the end of Malcolm's reign in 1093.) Somerled , Gilledomman's grandson, seized the Isles (i.e. everything except the Isle of Man and Skye) beginning in 1135 (he gained
9576-670: The language may also be referred to simply as "Gaelic", pronounced / ˈ ɡ æ l ɪ k / GAL -ik in English . However, "Gaelic" / ˈ ɡ eɪ l ɪ k / GAY -lik also refers to the Irish language ( Gaeilge ) and the Manx language ( Gaelg ). Scottish Gaelic is distinct from Scots , the Middle English -derived language which had come to be spoken in most of the Lowlands of Scotland by
9690-495: The language. Compared with the 2001 Census, there has been a diminution of about 1300 people. This is the smallest drop between censuses since the Gaelic-language question was first asked in 1881. The Scottish government's language minister and Bòrd na Gàidhlig took this as evidence that Gaelic's long decline has slowed. The main stronghold of the language continues to be the Outer Hebrides ( Na h-Eileanan Siar ), where
9804-517: The language. These omit the English translation entirely. Bilingual railway station signs are now more frequent than they used to be. Practically all the stations in the Highland area use both English and Gaelic, and the use of bilingual station signs has become more frequent in the Lowlands of Scotland, including areas where Gaelic has not been spoken for a long time. Lord of the Isles Lord of
9918-453: The members of Highland school boards tended to have anti-Gaelic attitudes and served as an obstacle to Gaelic education in the late 19th and early 20th century. Loss of life due to World War I and the 1919 sinking of the HMY Iolaire , combined with emigration, resulted in the 1910s seeing unprecedented damage to the use of Scottish Gaelic, with a 46% fall in monolingual speakers and
10032-517: The mid 12th century, Somerled, the first Lord of the Isles, developed the stern rudder that gave the galleys and longships sailed by the Islesmen greater maneuverability over the steering oar used by the Vikings. These ships took part in sea battles and attacked castles or hill forts almost always located close to the sea. The Lordship specified the feudal dues of its subjects in terms of numbers and sizes of
10146-723: The mid-20th century. Records of their speech show that Irish and Scottish Gaelic existed in a dialect chain with no clear language boundary. Some features of moribund dialects have been preserved in Nova Scotia, including the pronunciation of the broad or velarised l ( l̪ˠ ) as [w] , as in the Lochaber dialect. The Endangered Languages Project lists Gaelic's status as "threatened", with "20,000 to 30,000 active users". UNESCO classifies Gaelic as " definitely endangered ". The 1755–2001 figures are census data quoted by MacAulay. The 2011 Gaelic speakers figures come from table KS206SC of
10260-467: The military strength of the MacFarlanes and personally killed Alan MacCoul, his father's murderer. The battle solidified Dugald's claim to Appin and the surrounding area, which was formally granted to him by King James III on 14 April 1470. At the battle of Battle of Inverlochy in 1645, the third battle at Inverlochy, Daniel Colquhoun was granted land at Duror but most of Appin land was retained by
10374-532: The modern era. Some of this was driven by policy decisions by government or other organisations, while some originated from social changes. In the last quarter of the 20th century, efforts began to encourage use of the language. The Statutes of Iona , enacted by James VI in 1609, was one piece of legislation that addressed, among other things, the Gaelic language. It required the heirs of clan chiefs to be educated in lowland, Protestant, English-speaking schools. James VI took several such measures to impose his rule on
10488-410: The north bank of River Duror, between the old Mill and the small road that leads to Cuil Bay , was an 18th-century pub and inn in Duror, that was run by Donald Carmicheal. Taigh na h-Insaig was considered a congested place, it was also the home of Donald Carmicheal, as well as his business premises. The pub along with several other dwellings constituted Insaig Township, and who made their living farming
10602-410: The northward opening is the tiny village of Lettermore and Ballachulish is located on the north side of Beinn a' Bheithir. To the southeast, across the head of Gleann an Fhiodh, is the peak of Sgorr a' Choise at 658 metres (2,159 ft). To the south, across Glen Duror, is the peak of Fraochaidh at 879 metres (2,884 ft), which is directly north of Duror. To the east of Duror, on the Appin peninsula,
10716-434: The number of speakers of the language under age 20 did not decrease between the 2001 and 2011 censuses. In the 2022 census of Scotland , it was found that 2.5% of the Scottish population had some skills in Gaelic, or 130,161 persons. Of these, 69,701 people reported speaking the language, with a further 46,404 people reporting that they understood the language, but did not speak, read, or write in it. Outside of Scotland,
10830-687: The official language of government and law. Scotland's emergent nationalism in the era following the conclusion of the Wars of Scottish Independence was organized using Scots as well. For example, the nation's great patriotic literature including John Barbour's The Brus (1375) and Blind Harry's The Wallace (before 1488) was written in Scots, not Gaelic. By the end of the 15th century, English/Scots speakers referred to Gaelic instead as 'Yrisch' or 'Erse', i.e. Irish and their own language as 'Scottis'. A steady shift away from Scottish Gaelic continued into and through
10944-459: The outcome of the act is distanced from the actual minority language communities. It helps to create visibility of the minority language in civil structures, but does not impact or address the lived experiences of the Gaelic speaker communities wherein the revitalization efforts may have a higher return of new Gaelic speakers. Efforts are being made to concentrate resources, language planning, and revitalization efforts towards vernacular communities in
11058-551: The overall proportion of speakers is 52.2%. Important pockets of the language also exist in the Highlands (5.4%) and in Argyll and Bute (4.0%) and Inverness (4.9%). The locality with the largest absolute number is Glasgow with 5,878 such persons, who make up over 10% of all of Scotland's Gaelic speakers. Gaelic continues to decline in its traditional heartland. Between 2001 and 2011, the absolute number of Gaelic speakers fell sharply in
11172-545: The previous inhabitants of Duror. The stone is 12 feet (3.7 m) high, and gave its name to the former township of Achara. The stone is impressively large when standing next to it. Durors physical geography is dictated by the Ballachulish Igneous Complex , which is located in Argyllshire , 20 km south of Fort William and immediately southeast of the junction of Loch Linnhe and Loch Leven . The Complex
11286-459: The prosperity of employment: the Highland economy relied greatly on seasonal migrant workers travelling outside the Gàidhealtachd . In 1863, an observer sympathetic to Gaelic stated that "knowledge of English is indispensable to any poor islander who wishes to learn a trade or to earn his bread beyond the limits of his native Isle". Generally, rather than Gaelic speakers, it was Celtic societies in
11400-519: The putative migration or takeover is not reflected in archaeological or placename data (as pointed out earlier by Leslie Alcock ). Campbell has also questioned the age and reliability of the medieval historical sources speaking of a conquest. Instead, he has inferred that Argyll formed part of a common Q-Celtic -speaking area with Ireland, connected rather than divided by the sea, since the Iron Age. These arguments have been opposed by some scholars defending
11514-454: The reform and civilisation of the Highlands, which they sought to achieve by teaching English and the Protestant religion. Initially, their teaching was entirely in English, but soon the impracticality of educating Gaelic-speaking children in this way gave rise to a modest concession: in 1723, teachers were allowed to translate English words in the Bible into Gaelic to aid comprehension, but there
11628-526: The region as the kingdom of Alba rather than as the kingdom of the Picts. However, though the Pictish language did not disappear suddenly, a process of Gaelicisation (which may have begun generations earlier) was clearly under way during the reigns of Caustantín and his successors. By a certain point, probably during the 11th century, all the inhabitants of Alba had become fully Gaelicised Scots, and Pictish identity
11742-633: The seashore. This can be explicitly seen in the Clach Thoull - The Holed Stone , which was considered the mythical entrance to the nether regions under the sea , and where the hole in the stone has been created by sea erosion. During that time, there were many more islands in Cuil Bay . The Ballachulish figure was discovered in November 1880, buried in peat, at Alltshellach in North Ballachulish . The figure
11856-534: The shores of Loch Linnhe . Acharn, Inshaig, Achara, Achindarroch and Lagnaha are situated in the 3 miles (4.8 km) long valley on a North to South bearing, known as the Strath of Duror , which runs from Kentallen in the North about 3 miles (4.8 km) from Duror, making a right turn at the meeting of Glen Duror in south, before meeting the eastern end of Cuil Bay . The main villages surrounding Duror are Ballachulish , by
11970-429: The small strip of land. A typical highland pub was described by Scottish engineer Edmund Burt who traveled extensively in the highlands, during the early 18th century. Burt described the pub as follows: Burt recalled having to stable his horses in an outbuilding so weak and small he feared the horses would knock it down. ..."On entering the dwelling house, there the landlady sat, with a parcel of children, some naked, by
12084-481: The word Erse in reference to Scottish Gaelic is no longer used. Based on medieval traditional accounts and the apparent evidence from linguistic geography, Gaelic has been commonly believed to have been brought to Scotland, in the 4th–5th centuries CE, by settlers from Ireland who founded the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata on Scotland's west coast in present-day Argyll . An alternative view has been voiced by archaeologist Ewan Campbell , who has argued that
12198-399: Was accepted in 2008, and some of its main commitments were: identity (signs, corporate identity); communications (reception, telephone, mailings, public meetings, complaint procedures); publications (PR and media, websites); staffing (language learning, training, recruitment). Following a consultation period, in which the government received many submissions, the majority of which asked that
12312-456: Was deposed in 1095 by the new King of Norway, Magnus Bareleg . In 1098, Magnus entered into a treaty with King Edgar of Scotland , intended as a demarcation of their respective areas of authority. Magnus was confirmed in control of the Isles and Edgar of the mainland. Lavery cites a tale from the Orkneyinga saga , according to which King Malcolm III of Scotland offered Earl Magnus of Orkney all
12426-713: Was forgotten. Bilingualism in Pictish and Gaelic, prior to the former's extinction, led to the presence of Pictish loanwords in Gaelic and syntactic influence which could be considered to constitute a Pictish substrate. In 1018, after the conquest of Lothian (theretofore part of England and inhabited predominantly by speakers of Northumbrian Old English ) by the Kingdom of Scotland , Gaelic reached its social, cultural, political, and geographic zenith. Colloquial speech in Scotland had been developing independently of that in Ireland since
12540-457: Was imbibed from a scallop shell." Behind Duror, lies Glen Duror , a short and steep valley that terminates at a bowl of a mountain, that has been eroded by glaciation , at Fraochaidh at 879 m / 2883 ft. At the head of the glen can be found the ruins of the home which belonged to James Stewart, or James Stewart of the Glen as history denotes him. Duror had a railway station that was part of
12654-445: Was killed with his three sons in 1210, possibly by Ranald's sons, Ruaidhrí and Domhnall, as a result of Angus having defeated Ranald in 1192. Although Ruaidhrí originally seems to have held power in Kintyre, his later descendants held the lordship in the Hebrides and the lands that came to be known as Garmoran. It is possible that these territories were gained after Angus’ death, and the annihilation of his line. In their maritime domain
12768-542: Was long suppressed. The UK government has ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in respect of Gaelic. Gaelic, along with Irish and Welsh, is designated under Part III of the Charter, which requires the UK Government to take a range of concrete measures in the fields of education, justice, public administration, broadcasting and culture. It has not received the same degree of official recognition from
12882-506: Was no further permitted use. Other less prominent schools worked in the Highlands at the same time, also teaching in English. This process of anglicisation paused when evangelical preachers arrived in the Highlands, convinced that people should be able to read religious texts in their own language. The first well known translation of the Bible into Scottish Gaelic was made in 1767, when James Stuart of Killin and Dugald Buchanan of Rannoch produced
12996-514: Was originally a series of farming townships called Lagnaha, Achindarroch , Acharn, Achara, Cuil, Keil, and Dalnatrat in the mid 18th century. In the William Roy map of 1746, there is a collection of 6-8 houses clearly seen, located close to Inshaig, along with strips of arable land surrounding it. On the Herman Moll map of 1714, Duror is absent from the map. Dalnatrat, Cuil, Keil are located on
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