[Iain MacIlleathain - Preseantair] Nise thuige seo, 's ann anns na bailtean mòra an Alba a-mhàin a tha sgoiltean Gàidhlig fa leth air a bhith. Chan fhada ge-tà gun atharraich sin agus a' chiad cheap ga ghearradh an-diugh airson sgoil Ghàidhlig ùr sa Ghearastan. Tha pàrantan air a bhith a' strì air a son bho chionn fhada. Uill tha am fear-naidheachd againn Andreas Wolff anns an sgìre an-dràsta sa Chaol far a bheil an sgoil ùr gu bhith air a togail, Andreas.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Iain, mar a thuirt thu tha pàrantan ann an seo ann an sgìre Loch Abair air a bhith a’ strì airson seo fad iomadach bliadhna. Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Ghearastain – a-nis mu dheireadh thall tha sin a’ tighinn gu buil. Bha cuid ga h-iarraidh air làrach eile ge-tà, bha cuid ga h-iarraidh air a’ Bhlàr Mhòr, mu choinneamh na h-àrd-sgoile. Bhiodh sin air a bhith na bu ghoireasaiche do chuid de phàrantan agus clann aig cuid anns an àrd-sgoil cuideachd ach bha sin air a bhith ro chosgail leis gum biodh aig a’ chomhairle ri mòine a thoirt air falbh às an làraich a tha sin. Leis an sin chaidh co-dhùnadh gus an sgoile a thogail air làrach anns a’ Chaol air rathad Àird Gobhair
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Bha coltas toilichte air clann agus pàrantan an-diugh agus a’ chiad cheap ga ghearradh airson Sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Ghearastain. Bidh ceithir seòmraichean clas innte an uair a bhios i deiseil ach tha cothrom ann sin a leudachadh nam biodh feum air.
[Ingrid NicEanraig] Tha sinn a’ faireachdainn cho toilichte gu bheil seo a’ tachairt an-diugh, gu bheil an sgoil a’ tòiseachadh, tha tòrr dhaoine anns a’ Ghearastan air a bhith a’ strì airson bliadhnaichean is bliadhnaichean agus tha sinne cho fortanach gu bheil a’ chlann a tha anns an sgoil, a’ chlann againne a th’ anns an sgoil an-dràsta, tha iad a’ faighinn sgoil ùr ann an dìreach bliadhna gu leth tha mi smaointinn agus tha sin dìreach air leth gu bheil seo a’ tachairt an-diugh.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Chaidh ionad Gàidhlig fhosgladh sa Ghearastan o chionn fichead bliadhna ach chan eil fada a-nis mus bi Sgoil Ghàidhlig fa leth ann. Fosglaidh i san Lùnastal an ath bhliadhna.
[Iain Aonghas MacAoidh] ‘S e là eachdraidheil tha seo dha saoghal na Gàidhlig. An uair a smaoinaicheas mise air ais deich bliadhna fichead nuair a thòisich foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd ‘s ann an Glaschu cha bhiodh duine air creidsinn gum bithear a’ fosgladh sgoil Ghàidhlig anns a’ Ghearastan an ath bhliadhn’. Tha sin ag innse dhuinn gum bu chòir misneachd a bhith againn agus bheir seo misneachd dhuinn, chan ann a-mhàin air a’ Ghàidhealtachd ach ann an àitichean eile ann an Alba cuideachd.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Agus chaidh a’ chiad ceap airson sgoil Bheurla ùr a’ ghearradh an-diugh cuideachd
[An Comh Bren Gormley] Trying to make each school with enough space so that if more parents decided that’s where they want their kids to go we can cope with that without needlessly wasting money on extra space that’s never going to be needed. So it’s been an interesting exercise doing the whole of Greater Fort William in one go, making sure we had enough capacity for all the children, of mainstream and Catholic, English medium and Gaelic medium, both.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Chan eil sin gu leòr ge-tà agus obair a’ tòiseachadh a dh’aithghearr air sgoil Bheurla ùr sa Chaol cuideachd.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Uile gu lèir bidh Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd a’ cosg còrr is leth-cheud millean not air sgoiltean ann an sgìre a’ Ghearastain thar nam beagan bhliadhnaichean a tha ri thighinn agus tha iad a-nis a’ sireadh bheachdan dhaoine air ainmean airson an dà sgoil ùir seo.
[Iain MacIlleathain - Preseantair] Andreas, tapadh leatsa an-dràsta. Sin Andreas Wolff ag aithris às a’ Chaol ma-thà far a bheil iad a’ togail sgoil Ghàidhlig ùr anns a’ Ghearastan.
[Iain MacLean - Presenter] Up until now Gaelic schools have only been Scotland’s major cities. It won’t be long until that changes though with the first piece of turf being cut today for the new Gaelic school in Fort William. Parents have been striving for this school for a while. Our reporter Andreas Wolff is in the area now, in Caol where the new school is to be built, Andreas.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] Iain, as you said parents here in the Lochaber area have strived for this for many years. Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Ghearasdain - at long last it’s now happening. Some wanted it in another location though, Blar mòr, in front of the high school. This would have been easier for most parents with children in the high school too but it was going to be too expensive as the council would have had to remove peat from the area. Therefore, a decision was made that the school should be built on ground in Caol on the Ardgour road.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] Children and parents seemed happy today as the first piece of turf was cut for the Fort William Gaelic School. When complete, the school will have four classrooms but with room to expand if necessary.
[Ingrid Henderson] We are so happy this is happening today, that work is starting on the school, lots of people in Fort William have been striving for this for years and years and we are really lucky that children that are in school, our children, are getting a new school in just a year and a half and it’s brilliant that this is happening today.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] A Gaelic Medium Unit opened in Fort William twenty years ago and it won’t be long now until there will be a solely Gaelic school. It will open in August next year.
[Iain Angus MacKay] This is a historical day for the Gaelic world. When I think back thirty years ago when Gaelic Medium Education first began in the Highlands and in Glasgow people could not have imagined that a Gaelic school would have been opening next year in Fort William. This encourages us to be confident and for our confidence to grow, not just on the Highlands but in other areas of Scotland too.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] And the first piece of turf for the new English school was cut today too.
[Councillor Bren Gormley] Trying to make each school with enough space so that if more parents decided that’s where they want their kids to go we can cope with that without needlessly wasting money on extra space that’s never going to be needed. So it’s been an interesting exercise doing the whole of Greater Fort William in one go, making sure we had enough capacity for all the children, of mainstream and Catholic, English medium and Gaelic medium, both.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] This is not enough though and work starts soon on a new English school in Caol too.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] Altogether the Highland Council are going to be spending more than fifty million pounds on schools in the Lochaber area over the forthcoming years and they are now asking for suggestions for names for these two new schools.
[Iain MacLean - Presenter] Andreas, thanks for now. That was Andreas Wolff reporting from Caol where they are going to be building a new Gaelic school in Fort William.
[Iain MacIlleathain - Preseantair] Nise thuige seo, 's ann anns na bailtean mòra an Alba a-mhàin a tha sgoiltean Gàidhlig fa leth air a bhith. Chan fhada ge-tà gun atharraich sin agus a' chiad cheap ga ghearradh an-diugh airson sgoil Ghàidhlig ùr sa Ghearastan. Tha pàrantan air a bhith a' strì air a son bho chionn fhada. Uill tha am fear-naidheachd againn Andreas Wolff anns an sgìre an-dràsta sa Chaol far a bheil an sgoil ùr gu bhith air a togail, Andreas.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Iain, mar a thuirt thu tha pàrantan ann an seo ann an sgìre Loch Abair air a bhith a’ strì airson seo fad iomadach bliadhna. Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Ghearastain – a-nis mu dheireadh thall tha sin a’ tighinn gu buil. Bha cuid ga h-iarraidh air làrach eile ge-tà, bha cuid ga h-iarraidh air a’ Bhlàr Mhòr, mu choinneamh na h-àrd-sgoile. Bhiodh sin air a bhith na bu ghoireasaiche do chuid de phàrantan agus clann aig cuid anns an àrd-sgoil cuideachd ach bha sin air a bhith ro chosgail leis gum biodh aig a’ chomhairle ri mòine a thoirt air falbh às an làraich a tha sin. Leis an sin chaidh co-dhùnadh gus an sgoile a thogail air làrach anns a’ Chaol air rathad Àird Gobhair
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Bha coltas toilichte air clann agus pàrantan an-diugh agus a’ chiad cheap ga ghearradh airson Sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Ghearastain. Bidh ceithir seòmraichean clas innte an uair a bhios i deiseil ach tha cothrom ann sin a leudachadh nam biodh feum air.
[Ingrid NicEanraig] Tha sinn a’ faireachdainn cho toilichte gu bheil seo a’ tachairt an-diugh, gu bheil an sgoil a’ tòiseachadh, tha tòrr dhaoine anns a’ Ghearastan air a bhith a’ strì airson bliadhnaichean is bliadhnaichean agus tha sinne cho fortanach gu bheil a’ chlann a tha anns an sgoil, a’ chlann againne a th’ anns an sgoil an-dràsta, tha iad a’ faighinn sgoil ùr ann an dìreach bliadhna gu leth tha mi smaointinn agus tha sin dìreach air leth gu bheil seo a’ tachairt an-diugh.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Chaidh ionad Gàidhlig fhosgladh sa Ghearastan o chionn fichead bliadhna ach chan eil fada a-nis mus bi Sgoil Ghàidhlig fa leth ann. Fosglaidh i san Lùnastal an ath bhliadhna.
[Iain Aonghas MacAoidh] ‘S e là eachdraidheil tha seo dha saoghal na Gàidhlig. An uair a smaoinaicheas mise air ais deich bliadhna fichead nuair a thòisich foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd ‘s ann an Glaschu cha bhiodh duine air creidsinn gum bithear a’ fosgladh sgoil Ghàidhlig anns a’ Ghearastan an ath bhliadhn’. Tha sin ag innse dhuinn gum bu chòir misneachd a bhith againn agus bheir seo misneachd dhuinn, chan ann a-mhàin air a’ Ghàidhealtachd ach ann an àitichean eile ann an Alba cuideachd.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Agus chaidh a’ chiad ceap airson sgoil Bheurla ùr a’ ghearradh an-diugh cuideachd
[An Comh Bren Gormley] Trying to make each school with enough space so that if more parents decided that’s where they want their kids to go we can cope with that without needlessly wasting money on extra space that’s never going to be needed. So it’s been an interesting exercise doing the whole of Greater Fort William in one go, making sure we had enough capacity for all the children, of mainstream and Catholic, English medium and Gaelic medium, both.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Chan eil sin gu leòr ge-tà agus obair a’ tòiseachadh a dh’aithghearr air sgoil Bheurla ùr sa Chaol cuideachd.
[Andreas Wolff – Neach-aithris] Uile gu lèir bidh Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd a’ cosg còrr is leth-cheud millean not air sgoiltean ann an sgìre a’ Ghearastain thar nam beagan bhliadhnaichean a tha ri thighinn agus tha iad a-nis a’ sireadh bheachdan dhaoine air ainmean airson an dà sgoil ùir seo.
[Iain MacIlleathain - Preseantair] Andreas, tapadh leatsa an-dràsta. Sin Andreas Wolff ag aithris às a’ Chaol ma-thà far a bheil iad a’ togail sgoil Ghàidhlig ùr anns a’ Ghearastan.
[Iain MacLean - Presenter] Up until now Gaelic schools have only been Scotland’s major cities. It won’t be long until that changes though with the first piece of turf being cut today for the new Gaelic school in Fort William. Parents have been striving for this school for a while. Our reporter Andreas Wolff is in the area now, in Caol where the new school is to be built, Andreas.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] Iain, as you said parents here in the Lochaber area have strived for this for many years. Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig a’ Ghearasdain - at long last it’s now happening. Some wanted it in another location though, Blar mòr, in front of the high school. This would have been easier for most parents with children in the high school too but it was going to be too expensive as the council would have had to remove peat from the area. Therefore, a decision was made that the school should be built on ground in Caol on the Ardgour road.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] Children and parents seemed happy today as the first piece of turf was cut for the Fort William Gaelic School. When complete, the school will have four classrooms but with room to expand if necessary.
[Ingrid Henderson] We are so happy this is happening today, that work is starting on the school, lots of people in Fort William have been striving for this for years and years and we are really lucky that children that are in school, our children, are getting a new school in just a year and a half and it’s brilliant that this is happening today.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] A Gaelic Medium Unit opened in Fort William twenty years ago and it won’t be long now until there will be a solely Gaelic school. It will open in August next year.
[Iain Angus MacKay] This is a historical day for the Gaelic world. When I think back thirty years ago when Gaelic Medium Education first began in the Highlands and in Glasgow people could not have imagined that a Gaelic school would have been opening next year in Fort William. This encourages us to be confident and for our confidence to grow, not just on the Highlands but in other areas of Scotland too.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] And the first piece of turf for the new English school was cut today too.
[Councillor Bren Gormley] Trying to make each school with enough space so that if more parents decided that’s where they want their kids to go we can cope with that without needlessly wasting money on extra space that’s never going to be needed. So it’s been an interesting exercise doing the whole of Greater Fort William in one go, making sure we had enough capacity for all the children, of mainstream and Catholic, English medium and Gaelic medium, both.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] This is not enough though and work starts soon on a new English school in Caol too.
[Andreas Wolff – Reporter] Altogether the Highland Council are going to be spending more than fifty million pounds on schools in the Lochaber area over the forthcoming years and they are now asking for suggestions for names for these two new schools.
[Iain MacLean - Presenter] Andreas, thanks for now. That was Andreas Wolff reporting from Caol where they are going to be building a new Gaelic school in Fort William.