I've raised £1500 to to create a haven for Scottish culture and language in North Ballachulish.
Organised by Sophie Isaacson
Story
Àros na Fèinn
Dè th' ann an Àros na Fèinn? What is Àros na Fèinn?
’S e ionad dùthchais a th’ ann. It is an Ionad dùthchais.
Ionad - (Centre, site) - Dùthchas - (Place, people, land, heritage, ancestors, connection).
Nestled into a piece of beautiful native mountain coille (woodland), we curretnly graze a small fold of black highland cattle on the land which which will become home to Àros na Fèinn (The Abode of the Fianna), a centre for the protection and development of the language, culture and indigenous land practices of the Gàidheil.
Within living memory the Gaelic language echoed through our villages and some of the most famous pipes tunes, songs and poetry in Scotland were written an area now starved of native culture. Griogair has worked incredibly hard researching and learning from the last of the native Gaelic speakers of this place – nearly all of whom are no longer with us.. Their stories, Gaelic dialect and way of life have all but gone now, but at Àros na Fèinn we want to pass on to new generations, inspiring guardians for this beautiful language and land.
The name of the centre reflects the antiquity of our dùthchas and is a reference to the Fianna, the semi-mythological heroes who embody the essence of our ancient and heroic warrior culture - just one branch of a vast array of beliefs and deeply rooted Gaelic traditions woven through the in the landscape in the names of the mountains, lochs, glens and other cosmological features.
Over the next few years we hope to build on the events and work which we we are already doing in Ballachulish and beyond to create a fantastic cultural centre. We aim to run classes and residential educational opportunities throughout the year focussing on Gaelic language, song, music , stories and history as well as traditional crafts and much more! We particularly want to focus on inspiring and engaging children in the language and culture of the area in which they live as well as creating a space where Gaelic and songs are at the heart of every everything we do.
