Gaelic stories and folklore for winter days

30 November 2024 2:00 pm

Join us at the National Library of Scotland on Fair Saturday for an afternoon of Gaelic stories and folklore from all over Scotland.

As part of Fair Saturday, the National Library of Scotland in collaboration with the Gaelic Books Council, is hosting an afternoon of Gaelic stories from different corners of Scotland, some true and some perhaps not.

Gaelic culture cannot be separated from its stories. The oral tales passed down the generations are histories and genealogies, as well as a good way to pass the hours on winter nights.

In the 18th and 19th centuries certain figures visited rural parts of Scotland to collect and commit to paper what they heard from the mouths of the locals – histories and rumors tangled with heroism and comedy. In this event storytellers Ronald Black and Alasdair Whyte will share these stories.

This event is suitable for people aged 16+ as the stories contain adult themes. Please note this event will be in Gaelic only, although English copies of the stories will be available.

About the storytellers

Ronald Black is an esteemed Gaelic academic and editor. His latest work ‘John Dewar’s Islay, Jura and Colonsay’ was published in September. The book contains more than fifty Gaelic stories and histories from Islay, Jura and Colonsay collected by John Dewar in 19th century.

Alasdair Whyte is a lecturer at the University of Glasgow, specialising in Celtic Onomatics (the study of names), as well as Gaelic folklore, linguistics, literature and song. He is a celebrated Gaelic poet and singer-songwriter in his own right.