[Iain MacIlleathain – Preseantair] Feasgar math. Dh’ fhosgail Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abair ann an Caol a’ Ghearastain an-diugh. Tha 70 sgoilear innte an-dràsta ach tha dòchas ann gun èirich an àireamh sin anns na bliadhnaichean ri thighinn. Chosg an sgoil ùr mu £7.5m agus a bharrachd air a bhith na àite teagaisg tha e na goireas coimhearsnachd cuideachd. Seo Alasdair MacIllInnein.
[Alasdair MacIllInnein – Neach-aithris] ‘S e latha brèagha a bh’ ann an-diugh anns a’ Ghearastan agus Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig ùr Loch Abair a’ fosgladh a dorsan do sgoilearan airson a’ chiad uair. Bha ionad Gàidhlig stèidhichte anns a’ Ghearastan fad iomadh bliadhna, ach ‘s e clach-mhìle a th’ann dha foghlam Gàidhlig sa sgìre an-diugh gu bheil sgoil fa leth a-nise fosgailte ann an sgìre a tha gu math brèagha cuideachd.
[Alasdair MacIllInnein – Neach-aithris] Chosg an sgoil mu £7.5m agus i mar phàirt do sgeama luach còrr is £50m airson seirbheisean foghlaim anns an sgìre a leasachadh. ‘S e Iain Iòsaph MacNèill à Barraigh Ceannard na Bun-sgoile agus tha esan den bheachd gur e latha mòr dha-rìribh a tha seo dhan h-uile duine a tha an sàs ann.
[Iain Iòsaph MacNèill] Uill abair latha gu dearbha fhèin airson sgìre Loch Abair agus Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus gu dearbha fhèin latha eireachdail airson an sgoil a’ fosgladh an-diugh. Tha sinn gu dearbha fhèin air ar beò-ghlacadh – na sgoilearan, am pàrantan, sinn fhìn an luchd-obrach, Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus cuideachd na coimhearsnachdan ionadail againn agus na coimhearsnachdan cuideachd fad is farsaing – gu bheil an sgoil a tha seo a’ fosgladh an-diugh airson foghlam a thoirt seachad tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig.
[Alasdair MacIllInnein – Neach-aithris] ‘S e sgoil mhòr a th’ innte agus i loma-làn ghoireasan. Na measg tha ceithir seòmraichean teagaisg, leis a’ chomas a dhà uimhir a chur ris an sgoil ma tha feum air, a bharrachd air goireasan cròileagain. Tha cuideachd seòmraichean ann a dh’fhaodas a’ choimhearsnachd cleachdadh airson rudan mar clasaichean oidhche. Aig an ìre-sa tha 70 sgoilear innte agus a rèir choltais, tha an gnothach a’ còrdadh riutha.
[Laura] Tha e a’ còrdadh rium gu math agus tha na tidsearan gu math còir rinn agus tha an sgoil cho math. Agus bha mi a’ cluich a-mach aig àm cluiche agus bha e sgoinneil.
[Alasdair MacIllinnein – Neach-aithris] ‘S e seo an dàrna sgoil Ghàidhlig a tha Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd air a thogail, leis an sgoil eile stèidhichte ann an Inbhir Nis. Thug iad cuideachd cead seachad airson sgoil Ghàidhlig eile ann am Port Rìgh. A thaobh na sgoile ùir ann an Loch Abar ge-tà, tha a h-uile coltas ann gum bi i na deagh ghoireas airson leasachadh na Gàidhlig san sgìre.
[Iain Iòsaph MacNèill] Tha mise smaointinn gun dèan seo leasachadh gu dearbha fhèin air Gàidhlig anns an sgìre seo. Chan e a-mhàin gu bheil sgoil againn ach cuideachd tha sinn a’ cur fàilte air pàrantan agus pàiste, a’ tòiseachadh bho 0-3 agus tha sinn cuideachd a’ cur fàilte air cròileagan a bharrachd air an sgoil-àraich againn fhìn agus leis an sin tha cothrom aig sgoilearan tòiseachadh aig ìre gu math òg agus a bhith air am bogadh sa chànan agus cuideachd sa chultar a tha againn ann an Gàidhlig.
[Alasdair MacIllInnein – Neach-aithris] Le sgoiltean Gàidhlig eile a’ cur thairis leis an àireamh de sgoilearan, tha a h-uile dòchas ann gur e sin a thachras an seo agus gur e bliadhnaichean soirbheachail a tha ri thighinn airson Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abar. Alasdair MacIllInnein, BBC An Là, Loch Abar.
[Iain Maclean – Presenter] Good afternoon. Lochaber Gaelic School opened in Caol, Fort William today. There are 70 pupils in the school at the moment but it is hoped that this number will rise in years to come. The new school cost around £7.5m and as well as being a place for teaching it is also a community facility. Here’s Alasdair MacLennan.
[Alasdair MacLennan – Reporter] It was a lovely day today in Fort William, with the new Gaelic School in Lochaber opening its doors to pupils for the first time. There’s been a Gaelic unit based in Fort William for many years, but it is a milestone for Gaelic education in this area today that a separate school has now opened in an area that is also very pretty.
[Alasdair MacLennan – Reporter] The school cost around £7.5m, as part of a scheme worth more than £50m to develop education in the area. John Joseph MacNeil from Barra is the Head Teacher of the primary school and he thinks that this is a special day for everyone involved.
[John Joseph MacNeil] Well what a day indeed for the Lochaber area and Highland Council and it’s certainly an historic day with the opening of the school today. We are very excited - pupils, parents, ourselves the staff, Highland Council and also local communities and communities far and wide – that this school is opening today to provide education through the medium of Gaelic.
[Alasdair MacLennan – Reporter] It’s a big school, full of facilities. Among these are four teaching rooms, with capability to double this number if required, as well as nursery facilities. There are also rooms the community can use for things such as night classes. At this stage there are 70 pupils in the school and seemingly, they’re enjoying it.
[Laura] I’m really enjoying it and the teachers are very kind to us and the school is very good. And I was playing outside at play time and it was excellent.
[Alasdair MacLennan – Reporter] This is the second school Highland Council has built, with the other school situated in Inverness. They have also given the go-ahead for another Gaelic school in Portree. With regards to the new school in Lochaber though, there’s every possibility that it’ll be a good facility for developing Gaelic in the area.
[John Joseph MacNeil] I think this will certainly help to develop Gaelic in this area. Not only do we have a primary school but we also welcome parents and toddlers, starting from 0-3, and nursery level, as well as our own pre-school. As a result, there’s an opportunity for pupils to start at a very young age and to be immersed in the Gaelic language and culture.
[Alasdair Maclennan – Reporter] With other Gaelic schools overflowing with pupils, there’s every hope that the same will happen here and that there are many successful years ahead for Lochaber Gaelic School. Alasdair MacLennan, BBC An Là, Lochaber.
[Iain MacIlleathain – Preseantair] Feasgar math. Dh’ fhosgail Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abair ann an Caol a’ Ghearastain an-diugh. Tha 70 sgoilear innte an-dràsta ach tha dòchas ann gun èirich an àireamh sin anns na bliadhnaichean ri thighinn. Chosg an sgoil ùr mu £7.5m agus a bharrachd air a bhith na àite teagaisg tha e na goireas coimhearsnachd cuideachd. Seo Alasdair MacIllInnein.
[Alasdair MacIllInnein – Neach-aithris] ‘S e latha brèagha a bh’ ann an-diugh anns a’ Ghearastan agus Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig ùr Loch Abair a’ fosgladh a dorsan do sgoilearan airson a’ chiad uair. Bha ionad Gàidhlig stèidhichte anns a’ Ghearastan fad iomadh bliadhna, ach ‘s e clach-mhìle a th’ann dha foghlam Gàidhlig sa sgìre an-diugh gu bheil sgoil fa leth a-nise fosgailte ann an sgìre a tha gu math brèagha cuideachd.
[Alasdair MacIllInnein – Neach-aithris] Chosg an sgoil mu £7.5m agus i mar phàirt do sgeama luach còrr is £50m airson seirbheisean foghlaim anns an sgìre a leasachadh. ‘S e Iain Iòsaph MacNèill à Barraigh Ceannard na Bun-sgoile agus tha esan den bheachd gur e latha mòr dha-rìribh a tha seo dhan h-uile duine a tha an sàs ann.
[Iain Iòsaph MacNèill] Uill abair latha gu dearbha fhèin airson sgìre Loch Abair agus Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus gu dearbha fhèin latha eireachdail airson an sgoil a’ fosgladh an-diugh. Tha sinn gu dearbha fhèin air ar beò-ghlacadh – na sgoilearan, am pàrantan, sinn fhìn an luchd-obrach, Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus cuideachd na coimhearsnachdan ionadail againn agus na coimhearsnachdan cuideachd fad is farsaing – gu bheil an sgoil a tha seo a’ fosgladh an-diugh airson foghlam a thoirt seachad tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig.
[Alasdair MacIllInnein – Neach-aithris] ‘S e sgoil mhòr a th’ innte agus i loma-làn ghoireasan. Na measg tha ceithir seòmraichean teagaisg, leis a’ chomas a dhà uimhir a chur ris an sgoil ma tha feum air, a bharrachd air goireasan cròileagain. Tha cuideachd seòmraichean ann a dh’fhaodas a’ choimhearsnachd cleachdadh airson rudan mar clasaichean oidhche. Aig an ìre-sa tha 70 sgoilear innte agus a rèir choltais, tha an gnothach a’ còrdadh riutha.
[Laura] Tha e a’ còrdadh rium gu math agus tha na tidsearan gu math còir rinn agus tha an sgoil cho math. Agus bha mi a’ cluich a-mach aig àm cluiche agus bha e sgoinneil.
[Alasdair MacIllinnein – Neach-aithris] ‘S e seo an dàrna sgoil Ghàidhlig a tha Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd air a thogail, leis an sgoil eile stèidhichte ann an Inbhir Nis. Thug iad cuideachd cead seachad airson sgoil Ghàidhlig eile ann am Port Rìgh. A thaobh na sgoile ùir ann an Loch Abar ge-tà, tha a h-uile coltas ann gum bi i na deagh ghoireas airson leasachadh na Gàidhlig san sgìre.
[Iain Iòsaph MacNèill] Tha mise smaointinn gun dèan seo leasachadh gu dearbha fhèin air Gàidhlig anns an sgìre seo. Chan e a-mhàin gu bheil sgoil againn ach cuideachd tha sinn a’ cur fàilte air pàrantan agus pàiste, a’ tòiseachadh bho 0-3 agus tha sinn cuideachd a’ cur fàilte air cròileagan a bharrachd air an sgoil-àraich againn fhìn agus leis an sin tha cothrom aig sgoilearan tòiseachadh aig ìre gu math òg agus a bhith air am bogadh sa chànan agus cuideachd sa chultar a tha againn ann an Gàidhlig.
[Alasdair MacIllInnein – Neach-aithris] Le sgoiltean Gàidhlig eile a’ cur thairis leis an àireamh de sgoilearan, tha a h-uile dòchas ann gur e sin a thachras an seo agus gur e bliadhnaichean soirbheachail a tha ri thighinn airson Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abar. Alasdair MacIllInnein, BBC An Là, Loch Abar.
[Iain Maclean – Presenter] Good afternoon. Lochaber Gaelic School opened in Caol, Fort William today. There are 70 pupils in the school at the moment but it is hoped that this number will rise in years to come. The new school cost around £7.5m and as well as being a place for teaching it is also a community facility. Here’s Alasdair MacLennan.
[Alasdair MacLennan – Reporter] It was a lovely day today in Fort William, with the new Gaelic School in Lochaber opening its doors to pupils for the first time. There’s been a Gaelic unit based in Fort William for many years, but it is a milestone for Gaelic education in this area today that a separate school has now opened in an area that is also very pretty.
[Alasdair MacLennan – Reporter] The school cost around £7.5m, as part of a scheme worth more than £50m to develop education in the area. John Joseph MacNeil from Barra is the Head Teacher of the primary school and he thinks that this is a special day for everyone involved.
[John Joseph MacNeil] Well what a day indeed for the Lochaber area and Highland Council and it’s certainly an historic day with the opening of the school today. We are very excited - pupils, parents, ourselves the staff, Highland Council and also local communities and communities far and wide – that this school is opening today to provide education through the medium of Gaelic.
[Alasdair MacLennan – Reporter] It’s a big school, full of facilities. Among these are four teaching rooms, with capability to double this number if required, as well as nursery facilities. There are also rooms the community can use for things such as night classes. At this stage there are 70 pupils in the school and seemingly, they’re enjoying it.
[Laura] I’m really enjoying it and the teachers are very kind to us and the school is very good. And I was playing outside at play time and it was excellent.
[Alasdair MacLennan – Reporter] This is the second school Highland Council has built, with the other school situated in Inverness. They have also given the go-ahead for another Gaelic school in Portree. With regards to the new school in Lochaber though, there’s every possibility that it’ll be a good facility for developing Gaelic in the area.
[John Joseph MacNeil] I think this will certainly help to develop Gaelic in this area. Not only do we have a primary school but we also welcome parents and toddlers, starting from 0-3, and nursery level, as well as our own pre-school. As a result, there’s an opportunity for pupils to start at a very young age and to be immersed in the Gaelic language and culture.
[Alasdair Maclennan – Reporter] With other Gaelic schools overflowing with pupils, there’s every hope that the same will happen here and that there are many successful years ahead for Lochaber Gaelic School. Alasdair MacLennan, BBC An Là, Lochaber.