Episode 3

Tha crìonadh-sluaigh air a bhith na thrioblaid ‘s na h-Eileanan Siar airson iomadh bliadhna. Tha grunn adhbharan airson seo, ach, am bliadhna, roghnaich aon buidhean de dh’ eileanaich coimhead gu dlùth ri aon de na h-abhbharran sa. Tha dìth thaighean aig prìs reusanta anns na h-Eileanan Siar, gu h-àraid ann an sgìrean dhùthchail, bòidheach, a’ toirt air òigridh na h-eilean a-dhol gu tìr-mòr, a rèir cuid. Ach ‘s e cuspair iomadh-fhillte a th’ann, mar a tha Anndra MacFhionghain a’ faighinn a-mach.

Anns a’ chiad ann an sreath agallamhan sònraichte, tha an t-Àrd-ollamh Wilson MacLeòid ann an còmhradh le Alasdair MacLeòid is e a-mach air an adhbhar gun tàinig crìonadh maireannach air suidheachadh na Gàidhlig thar nan linntean ann an Alba, a bheil math dhuinn fhathast bruidhinn air a’ Ghàidhlig mar chànan nàiseanta na h-Alba, agus dè na h-adhbharan dòchais a tha e a’ faicinn airson an àma ri teachd?

Depopulation has been a well-known issue in the Western Isles for many years. Many factors contribute to this problem, but, this year, one group of islanders decided to address one of these issues head-on. A lack of affordable housing in the Western Isles, especially in rural, scenic areas, is driving young people to the mainland according to some, but it’s a complex issue as Andrew MacKinnon reports.

In the first of a series of special interviews on Eòrpa this year, Professor Wilson Mcleod speaks to Alasdair MacLeod on the particular reasons behind the long-term decline of Gaelic in Scotland over recent centuries, if there is any use in still referring to Gaelic as the national language of Scotland, and if there are reasons to be hopeful for the future of Gaelic?