[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] Baile mòr Inbhir Nis; a’ sìor fhàs agus àireamh an t-sluaigh a’ dol an àirde. Seo aon sealladh air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, ach ann an iomadh tè de sgìrean dùthchail na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean ‘s e sgeul eile a th’ann. Chan eil dòigh air crìonadhan t-sluaigh a’ stad.
[Mòrag Rothach] Chan eil e ag obrachadh, is ‘s e dìreach, chan eil fhios agam an e gu bheil an òigridh… gun fheàrr leotha a bhith far a bheil tòrr dhaoine is an teis meadhan a h-uile càil a tha a’ dol far a bheil e nas fhasa a bhith beò.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] A dh’aindeoin gach adhartais eacanomaigich a thàinig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, ‘s e sgìre le dith-ghoireasan is uireasbhaidh bun-structair a tha ann an tòrr dhith fhathast.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] Chan eil mòran a tha dhen bheachd gu bheil an A9 an-diugh math gu leòr airson a’ Ghàidhealtachd a cheangal ris a’ cheann a deas. Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba air gealltainn gun a bhith ga dhèanamh dà-fhillte air fad ach bha sin o chionn bhliadhnachan agus gu leòr a’ faicinn sin na shamhla air mar a tha a’ Ghàidhealtachd ga fàgail air deireadh. Agus chan e sin a-mhàin. Na bu tràithe san t-sreath-sa, chunnaic sinn mar a bha gu h-eachdraidheil soirbheas na Gàidhealtachd ga chleachdadh airson prothaid dhaoine bhon taobh a-muigh. Tha beachd ann nach do dh’atharraich sin gu tùr
[An t-Oll Alasdair MacMhaoirn ] Tha sinn an-còmhnaidh a’ coimhead air a’ Ghàidhealtachd mar àite bochd, far a bheil daoine bochd is bochd bochd bochd bochdainn fad na t-side, ach a’ suidhe agus a’ smaoineachadh air an airgead a tha a’ falbh bhon Ghàidhealtachd no air a dhèanamh bho cultar na Gàidhealtachd agus nam b’urrainn dhuinn pàirt dhen sin a chleachdadh a dh'aona-ghnothach airson leasachaidhean a chur dhan Ghàidhealtachd, dhèanadh e diofar dha-rìribh mòr. Smaoinich air na tuathanasan gaoithe. Cà’ bheil an t-airgead a’ dol? Gu pòcaidean nan oighreachdan agus an uair sin a-mach às an sgìre cha mhòr uile gu lèir.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] Ach chan eil teagamh nach eil sin air tòiseachadh ag atharrachadh bho thàinig Pàrlamaid Dhùn Èideann. Tha Oighreachd Ghabhsainn an seo is iomadach fearainn eile air feadh na Gàidhealtachd is nan eilean nan samhla air rud ‘s dòcha nach biodh Taigh nan Cumantan a-chaoidh air a dhèanamh agus a chaidh fhaighinn le Pàrlamaid ann an Dùn Èideann. ‘S gabhadh an aon rud a ràdh a-nis ma ghrunn sgìrean air feadh na Gàidhealtachd ‘s nan Eilean.
[Agnes Rennie] Tha e duilich dhòmhsa fhaicinn gum biodh seo air gluasad san dòigh anns a bheil e air gluasad mur a biodh, gun robh Dùn Èideann a’ gabhail ris mar rud a bha iad fhèin airson taic a chur ris agus a lost… anns a’ choimhearsnachd againn fhìn an cothrom sin a bhith ann. Chan eil teagamh sam bith agamsa nach eil e air ùrachadh a thoirt dhan choimhearsnachd.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] Tha na h-oighreachdan mòra spòrs ann fhathast ge-tà; comharra eile do luchd-iomairt nach do thuig na h-ùghdarrasan buileach na tha a dhìth. ‘S ged a chaidh ‘RET’ a thoirt a-steach chaidh an uair sin earrann nan làraidhean dheth a stad. A dh’aindeoin crìonadh anns a’ chuid mhòr a sgìrean iomallach tha eisimpleirean den chaochladhann. a leithid Slèite, stèidhichte air leasachadh cànain is cultair. Rud a thòisich fada mus tàinig fèin-riaghladh.
[An t-Oll Tormod MacGiolliosa] Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gur e aon dhe na rudan a th’air tachairt o chionn, bheil fhios agad, grunnan bhliadhnaichean a-nise gu bheil Ministear an Riaghaltais nas deònaiche rudan cruaidhe a ràdh mu dheidhinn chànan is cultar. Rudan ‘s dòcha nach canadh iad o chionn ochd, deich bliadhna air ais. Tha iad deònach a ràdh a-nis. Chan eil fhios agam an e ‘devolution’ a dh’adhbhraich sin no dìreach gu bheil iad a’ toirt aire dhan bheachd gu bheil cànan is cultar nan Gàidheal cudromach taobh a-staigh cultar na h-Alba.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] Tha Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean na chomharra air cruth atharrachaidh, ach ge bith dè an taobh dhen ‘referendum’ air a bheil iad, saoilidh mi gu bheil daoine ag iarraidh sealladh ùr air a’ Ghàidhealtachd is air na h-eileanan bhon stàit.
[Art MacCarmaig] Tha mi fhathast a’ faicinn gu bheil daoine bho na bailtean mòra ann am meadhan Alba ‘s dòcha a’ coimhead air a’ Ghàidhealtachd mar àite iomallach fhathast. Carson a tha sinn a’ toirt taic do rudan air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, ach tha rudan math air a bhith a’ tachairt, ach a dh’aindeoin sin tha mi a’ smaoineachadh fhathast gu bheil tòrr de na rudan mòra a tha ri tachairt air a’ Ghàidhealtachd is an adhartas mòr a dhèanamh nach eil iad a’ faighinn prìomhachas. Chan eil mi idir a’ faicinn carson a tha e dol a thoirt bliadhnaichean mòra airson an A9 a dhèanamh suas, mar eisimpleir, no cabhsair no drochaid a chur thairis air an t-Sròim eadar Loch Carrainn.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] An ath-oidhch’ faighnichidh sinn dè dh’atharraicheadh sealladh na dùthcha air feumalachdan a’ Cheann a Tuath. Dòmhnall Moireasdan, BBC An Là.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] The City of Inverness, it has grown exponentially and the population has grown. This is one view of the Highlands, but in many different areas of the Highlands and Islands, it’s a different story. There is no way to stop the population decline.
[Morag Munro] It’s not working, it’s just, I don’t know whether the youth prefer a place with lots of people and to be in the middle of everything where it is better to be alive.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] In spite of each economic advancement that has come to the Highlands, it is an area with few resources and lacking infrastructure and there is still lacking in many areas.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] Few believe the A9 is good enough to connect the Highlands to the South. The Scottish Government promised that it will be duelled throughout, but that was years ago and many see this as a sign of how the Highlands are left as a last priority. And that is not all. Earlier in the series we saw how historically the success of the Highlands was used to profit those outside. There is a view that this has not changed completely.
[Dr Alasdair Mearns] We always look at the Highlands as a poor area, where people are poor and there is always poverty, but sitting and thinking about the money that leaves the Highlands or is made from the culture of the Highlands and if we can use a part of that to develop the Highlands it would certainly make a big difference. Think of the windfarms. Where is that money going? To the pockets of the landowners and then almost all of it is leaving the area.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] But there is no doubt that that this has begun to change since the Edinburgh Parliament came into effect. The Galson Estate here and many other areas all over the Highlands and Islands are a representation of something, maybe, that the Houses of Parliament haven’t always produced and was created by the Parliament in Edinburgh. And the same thing could be said now about many areas all over the Highlands and Islands.
[Agnes Rennie] It’s difficult for me to see that this would move ahead in a way if it wasn’t for Edinburgh taking it as something they wanted to add support to and in order for that opportunity to be in our community. I have no doubt that it has brought revitalisation to the area.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] The big sports estates are still here though, another sign to campaigners that the landowners do not understand what is missing. And although RET was brought in, then some of the lorries were stopped. In spite of the decline in many of the remote areas, there are examples of changes, like Sleat, which is based on developing language and culture. Something that started before devolution.
[Prof. Norman Gillies] I think that one of the things that has happened for, you know, many years now that a government minister is more willing to say harsh things about language and culture. Things maybe, that they would not say eight, ten years ago. They are more willing to say them now. I don’t know if devolution has caused this or if they are just taking note that the language and culture of the Gael is important to the culture of Scotland.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] The University of the Highlands and Islands is a mark of that change and in spite of what side of the referendum debate they are, I would guess that people want a new view of the Highlands and Islands from the state.
[Arthur Cormack] I still see that people from the big cities in the middle of Scotland maybe look at the Highlands as a remote area. Why do we support things in the Highlands? But good things have happened and in spite of that I still think that many of the big things that have to happen in the Highlands and the big changes that need to be made have not had priority. I don’t see why it has taken years to do up the A9, for example, or add a footpath or a bridge across Strome between Loch Carron.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] Tomorrow nigh, we will ask what will change the view of the country on the needs of the north. Donald Morrison, BBC An Là.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] Baile mòr Inbhir Nis; a’ sìor fhàs agus àireamh an t-sluaigh a’ dol an àirde. Seo aon sealladh air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, ach ann an iomadh tè de sgìrean dùthchail na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean ‘s e sgeul eile a th’ann. Chan eil dòigh air crìonadhan t-sluaigh a’ stad.
[Mòrag Rothach] Chan eil e ag obrachadh, is ‘s e dìreach, chan eil fhios agam an e gu bheil an òigridh… gun fheàrr leotha a bhith far a bheil tòrr dhaoine is an teis meadhan a h-uile càil a tha a’ dol far a bheil e nas fhasa a bhith beò.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] A dh’aindeoin gach adhartais eacanomaigich a thàinig air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, ‘s e sgìre le dith-ghoireasan is uireasbhaidh bun-structair a tha ann an tòrr dhith fhathast.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] Chan eil mòran a tha dhen bheachd gu bheil an A9 an-diugh math gu leòr airson a’ Ghàidhealtachd a cheangal ris a’ cheann a deas. Tha Riaghaltas na h-Alba air gealltainn gun a bhith ga dhèanamh dà-fhillte air fad ach bha sin o chionn bhliadhnachan agus gu leòr a’ faicinn sin na shamhla air mar a tha a’ Ghàidhealtachd ga fàgail air deireadh. Agus chan e sin a-mhàin. Na bu tràithe san t-sreath-sa, chunnaic sinn mar a bha gu h-eachdraidheil soirbheas na Gàidhealtachd ga chleachdadh airson prothaid dhaoine bhon taobh a-muigh. Tha beachd ann nach do dh’atharraich sin gu tùr
[An t-Oll Alasdair MacMhaoirn ] Tha sinn an-còmhnaidh a’ coimhead air a’ Ghàidhealtachd mar àite bochd, far a bheil daoine bochd is bochd bochd bochd bochdainn fad na t-side, ach a’ suidhe agus a’ smaoineachadh air an airgead a tha a’ falbh bhon Ghàidhealtachd no air a dhèanamh bho cultar na Gàidhealtachd agus nam b’urrainn dhuinn pàirt dhen sin a chleachdadh a dh'aona-ghnothach airson leasachaidhean a chur dhan Ghàidhealtachd, dhèanadh e diofar dha-rìribh mòr. Smaoinich air na tuathanasan gaoithe. Cà’ bheil an t-airgead a’ dol? Gu pòcaidean nan oighreachdan agus an uair sin a-mach às an sgìre cha mhòr uile gu lèir.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] Ach chan eil teagamh nach eil sin air tòiseachadh ag atharrachadh bho thàinig Pàrlamaid Dhùn Èideann. Tha Oighreachd Ghabhsainn an seo is iomadach fearainn eile air feadh na Gàidhealtachd is nan eilean nan samhla air rud ‘s dòcha nach biodh Taigh nan Cumantan a-chaoidh air a dhèanamh agus a chaidh fhaighinn le Pàrlamaid ann an Dùn Èideann. ‘S gabhadh an aon rud a ràdh a-nis ma ghrunn sgìrean air feadh na Gàidhealtachd ‘s nan Eilean.
[Agnes Rennie] Tha e duilich dhòmhsa fhaicinn gum biodh seo air gluasad san dòigh anns a bheil e air gluasad mur a biodh, gun robh Dùn Èideann a’ gabhail ris mar rud a bha iad fhèin airson taic a chur ris agus a lost… anns a’ choimhearsnachd againn fhìn an cothrom sin a bhith ann. Chan eil teagamh sam bith agamsa nach eil e air ùrachadh a thoirt dhan choimhearsnachd.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] Tha na h-oighreachdan mòra spòrs ann fhathast ge-tà; comharra eile do luchd-iomairt nach do thuig na h-ùghdarrasan buileach na tha a dhìth. ‘S ged a chaidh ‘RET’ a thoirt a-steach chaidh an uair sin earrann nan làraidhean dheth a stad. A dh’aindeoin crìonadh anns a’ chuid mhòr a sgìrean iomallach tha eisimpleirean den chaochladhann. a leithid Slèite, stèidhichte air leasachadh cànain is cultair. Rud a thòisich fada mus tàinig fèin-riaghladh.
[An t-Oll Tormod MacGiolliosa] Tha mi a’ smaoineachadh gur e aon dhe na rudan a th’air tachairt o chionn, bheil fhios agad, grunnan bhliadhnaichean a-nise gu bheil Ministear an Riaghaltais nas deònaiche rudan cruaidhe a ràdh mu dheidhinn chànan is cultar. Rudan ‘s dòcha nach canadh iad o chionn ochd, deich bliadhna air ais. Tha iad deònach a ràdh a-nis. Chan eil fhios agam an e ‘devolution’ a dh’adhbhraich sin no dìreach gu bheil iad a’ toirt aire dhan bheachd gu bheil cànan is cultar nan Gàidheal cudromach taobh a-staigh cultar na h-Alba.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] Tha Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean na chomharra air cruth atharrachaidh, ach ge bith dè an taobh dhen ‘referendum’ air a bheil iad, saoilidh mi gu bheil daoine ag iarraidh sealladh ùr air a’ Ghàidhealtachd is air na h-eileanan bhon stàit.
[Art MacCarmaig] Tha mi fhathast a’ faicinn gu bheil daoine bho na bailtean mòra ann am meadhan Alba ‘s dòcha a’ coimhead air a’ Ghàidhealtachd mar àite iomallach fhathast. Carson a tha sinn a’ toirt taic do rudan air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, ach tha rudan math air a bhith a’ tachairt, ach a dh’aindeoin sin tha mi a’ smaoineachadh fhathast gu bheil tòrr de na rudan mòra a tha ri tachairt air a’ Ghàidhealtachd is an adhartas mòr a dhèanamh nach eil iad a’ faighinn prìomhachas. Chan eil mi idir a’ faicinn carson a tha e dol a thoirt bliadhnaichean mòra airson an A9 a dhèanamh suas, mar eisimpleir, no cabhsair no drochaid a chur thairis air an t-Sròim eadar Loch Carrainn.
[Dòmhnall Moireasdan – Neach-aithris] An ath-oidhch’ faighnichidh sinn dè dh’atharraicheadh sealladh na dùthcha air feumalachdan a’ Cheann a Tuath. Dòmhnall Moireasdan, BBC An Là.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] The City of Inverness, it has grown exponentially and the population has grown. This is one view of the Highlands, but in many different areas of the Highlands and Islands, it’s a different story. There is no way to stop the population decline.
[Morag Munro] It’s not working, it’s just, I don’t know whether the youth prefer a place with lots of people and to be in the middle of everything where it is better to be alive.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] In spite of each economic advancement that has come to the Highlands, it is an area with few resources and lacking infrastructure and there is still lacking in many areas.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] Few believe the A9 is good enough to connect the Highlands to the South. The Scottish Government promised that it will be duelled throughout, but that was years ago and many see this as a sign of how the Highlands are left as a last priority. And that is not all. Earlier in the series we saw how historically the success of the Highlands was used to profit those outside. There is a view that this has not changed completely.
[Dr Alasdair Mearns] We always look at the Highlands as a poor area, where people are poor and there is always poverty, but sitting and thinking about the money that leaves the Highlands or is made from the culture of the Highlands and if we can use a part of that to develop the Highlands it would certainly make a big difference. Think of the windfarms. Where is that money going? To the pockets of the landowners and then almost all of it is leaving the area.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] But there is no doubt that that this has begun to change since the Edinburgh Parliament came into effect. The Galson Estate here and many other areas all over the Highlands and Islands are a representation of something, maybe, that the Houses of Parliament haven’t always produced and was created by the Parliament in Edinburgh. And the same thing could be said now about many areas all over the Highlands and Islands.
[Agnes Rennie] It’s difficult for me to see that this would move ahead in a way if it wasn’t for Edinburgh taking it as something they wanted to add support to and in order for that opportunity to be in our community. I have no doubt that it has brought revitalisation to the area.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] The big sports estates are still here though, another sign to campaigners that the landowners do not understand what is missing. And although RET was brought in, then some of the lorries were stopped. In spite of the decline in many of the remote areas, there are examples of changes, like Sleat, which is based on developing language and culture. Something that started before devolution.
[Prof. Norman Gillies] I think that one of the things that has happened for, you know, many years now that a government minister is more willing to say harsh things about language and culture. Things maybe, that they would not say eight, ten years ago. They are more willing to say them now. I don’t know if devolution has caused this or if they are just taking note that the language and culture of the Gael is important to the culture of Scotland.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] The University of the Highlands and Islands is a mark of that change and in spite of what side of the referendum debate they are, I would guess that people want a new view of the Highlands and Islands from the state.
[Arthur Cormack] I still see that people from the big cities in the middle of Scotland maybe look at the Highlands as a remote area. Why do we support things in the Highlands? But good things have happened and in spite of that I still think that many of the big things that have to happen in the Highlands and the big changes that need to be made have not had priority. I don’t see why it has taken years to do up the A9, for example, or add a footpath or a bridge across Strome between Loch Carron.
[Donald Morrison – Reporter] Tomorrow nigh, we will ask what will change the view of the country on the needs of the north. Donald Morrison, BBC An Là.