A HISTORIC manuscript of a Gaelic love song written during the Battle of the Somme is set to be homed in a new cultural centre in the Outer Hebrides.
The Scottish Government is supplying the North Uist Historical Society with £165,000 of funding to convert an old school into a heritage hub to help showcase the island’s community's history.
The planned renovation of the Carinish Old School will allow the society to showcase a number of items from its collection, many of which are currently kept in storage, to the public.
One of those items which will be on display once the centre is completed is an original copy of the Gaelic love song An Eala Bhàn, also known as The White Swan.
The song, which was written by a former pupil of the school during the Battle of the Somme, was performed by local musician Julie Fowlis in 2016 at a commemorative service at the Thiepval Memorial in France to mark the centenary of the battle.
Deputy First Minister and Gaelic Secretary Kate Forbes (below) said the funding for the heritage centre will help people learn about Uist’s Gaelic history from the Middle Ages all the way up to the present.
She said: “Protecting and promoting the Gaelic language can attract tourists into the country, grow the economy and contribute to community wellbeing. “This funding will enable people to learn about Uist’s Gaelic heritage from the Middle Ages up to modern day.
“To support the growth of the Gaelic language, we have allocated an additional £5.7 million for Gaelic in the draft Budget for next year.
“The Scottish Languages Bill will also create a system to enable all parents to apply for Gaelic early learning and childcare services and introduce measures to strengthen the provision of Gaelic education.”
Other items which will be on show include historical artefacts from St Kilda, war memorabilia from local soldiers and press cuttings, posters and photographs from the iconic rock band Runrig.
The centre will also operate as a tourist information point and offer tours to the site of the Battle of Carinish and the ruins of Trinity Temple.
Folk musician Fowlis (below) shared her delight for the historical artefacts to be on display when the centre is completed.
She said: “I am delighted that North Uist Historical Society has been awarded this funding support.
“The organisation and the wider community have collected and made safe hundreds, if not thousands, of precious items pertaining to cultural life in North Uist and the wider Island community.
“It is only right and proper that these artefacts are brought home to this building, which has been at the heart of the community for decades.
“It was a great honour and privilege for me to be asked to sing An Eala Bhàn by local bàrd Dòmhnall Ruadh Chorùna, at the 100 year memorial of the Battle of the Somme in Thiepval.”
A further £200,000 will be made available to support the construction of an auditorium for Gaelic lectures and music events at Cnoc Soiller in South Uist.
