AN expert on minority languages has been appointed as Gaelic Research Professor at the University of the Highlands and Islands and director of Soillse, the National Research Network for the Maintenance and Revitalisation of Gaelic Language and Culture.
Dr Conchúr Ó Giollagáin has an international reputation in language planning and minority language culture and sociology. He has written extensively on issues concerning the sustainability of minority cultures, especially the Gaeltacht communities in Ireland.
Currently a researcher at the National University of Ireland Galway, Dr Ó Giollagáin will take up his new roles at the start of April. As director of the Soillse project, he will help to co-ordinate and extend research into crucial areas for the growth of Gaelic in its various social and institutional settings, including its intergenerational transmission, practice and policy in Gaelic-medium education and the assessment of Government policies on the revitalisation of the language.
He will lead a national research team of four research fellows, one lecturer and ten PhD students, who are based at partner institutions across Scotland, including Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI and Lews Castle College UHI, and at the Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Dr Ó Giollagáin will be based at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI on Skye, which is part of the University of the Highlands and Islands and is the National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture.
Professor Ian Bryden, vice-principal (research) at the university, said: “We are very pleased to welcome such an eminent international scholar into our team. Conchúr is joining the university, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI and Soillse at an exciting time and his experience and drive will benefit Gaelic research, scholarship and culture.”
Professor Boyd Robertson, principal of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI, added: “We are delighted that Professor Ó Giollagáin is returning to the college after spending three months here last summer on a Royal Society of Edinburgh fellowship scheme. He is well-qualified to lead the Soillse research team and he will enhance the research culture that continues to be developed at Sabhal Mòr.”
Dr Ó Giollagáin previously lectured in the school of political science and sociology in the National University of Ireland Galway on the sociology of language. His teaching and research interests include language planning, sociolinguistics and linguistic anthropology.
He was also head of the university’s language planning unit in its Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, where he devised and led Ireland’s first MA programme in language planning and contributed to the development of the Acadamh’s MA in language sciences.
Dr Ó Giollagáin received his PhD in Modern Irish from University College Dublin and lectured in the department of Irish at St. Patrick’s College, Dublin City University, and in the department of Celtic studies at the Catholic University of Lublin, Poland. He co-authored the government-commissioned Gaeltacht survey Comprehensive Linguistic Study of the Use of Irish in the Gaeltacht (2007).
Dr Ó Giollagáin is also an external fellow of the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, where he has contributed to a variety of research projects examining different aspects of the language dynamics and linguistic anthropology of minority language culture.
ENDS
Thathas air eòlaiche air mion-chànanan a chur an dreuchd mar Àrd-Ollamh Rannsachaidh na Gàidhlig aig Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus Eilean agus Stiùiriche air Soillse, Lìonradh Nàiseanta Rannsachaidh airson Glèidheadh agus Ath-bheothachadh na Gàidhlig. Tha cliù eadar-nàiseanta aig an Oll Conchúr Ó Giollagáin a thaobh planadh cànain agus cultar mhion-chànanan agus sòiseòlas. Tha e air mòran a sgrìobhadh mu chùisean a thaobh seasmhachd mhion-chànanan, gu sònraichte coimhearsnachd Gàidhealtachd na h-Èireann.
Agus e an-dràsta na rannsaiche aig Oilthigh Nàiseanta na h-Èireann ann an Gaillimh, tòisichidh an t-Oll Ó Giollagáin anns na dreuchdan ùra aige aig toiseach a’ Ghiblein. Mar stiùiriche na pròiseict Soillse, cuidichidh e gus rannsachadh a cho-òrdanachadh agus a leudachadh ann an roinnean a tha deatamach airson fàs na Gàidhlig anns na caochladh shuidheachaidhean sòisealta agus bunaiteach aice, a’ gabhail a-steach a’ Ghàidhlig a thoirt don ath ghinealach, cleachdadh agus poileasaidh ann am foghlam tro mheadhan na Gàidhlig agus measadh phoileasaidhean an Riaghaltais air ath-bheothachadh a’ chànain. Bidh e os cionn sgioba rannsachaidh eadar-nàiseanta anns am bi ceathrar co-eòlaichean rannsachaidh, òraidiche agus deichnear oileanach PhD, a tha stèidhte aig ionadan com-pàirteach air feadh Alba, a’ gabhail a-steach Colaisde a’ Chaisteil UHI, agus aig Oilthighean Obar Dheathain, Dhùn Èideann agus Ghlaschu.
Bidh an t-Oll Ó Giollagáin air a shuidheachadh aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI san Eilean Sgitheanach a tha na phàirt de dh’Oilthigh na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean agus na Ionad Nàiseanta airson Cànan is Cultar na Gàidhlig.
Thuirt an t-Àrd-Ollamh Ian Bryden, leas-phrionnsapal (rannsachaidh) aig an oilthigh: “Tha sinn glè thoilichte fàilte a chur air sgoilear eadar-nàiseanta cho cliùiteach. Tha Conchúr a’ tighinn don oilthigh, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI agus Soillse aig àm brosnachail agus is e buannachd mòr a bhios anns an eòlas agus spionnadh aige do rannsachadh, sgoilearachd agus cultar na Gàidhlig.”
Thuirt an t-Àrd-ollamh Boyd Robasdan, prionnsapal Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI: “Tha sinn air leth toilichte gum bi an t-Àrd-Ollamh Ó Giollagáin a’ tilleadh don cholaiste an dèidh dha trì mìosan a chur seachad an seo as t-samhradh air sgeama caidreachais Comann Rìoghail Dhùn Èideann. Tha an t-èolas agus na sgilean aige sgioba rannsachaidh Shoillse a stiùireadh agus cuiridh e ris a’ chultar rannsachaidh a tha a’ leasachadh aig an t-Sabhal Mhòr.
Bha an t-Oll Ó Giollagáin roimhe na òraidiche aig sgoil saidheans poilitigeach agus soiseòlas aig Oilthigh Nàiseanta na h-Èireann ann an Gaillimh air soiseòlas cànain. Am measg nan ùidhean rannsachaidh agus teagaisg aige tha planadh cànain, sòiseo-cànanachas agus daonn-eòlas cànanach.
Bha e cuideachd na cheannard air aonad planadh cànain an oilthigh ann an Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, far an do chruthaich agus stiùir e a’ chiad phrògram MA ann an Èirinn air planadh cànain, a’ cur e ri leasachadh an MA ann an saidheansan cànain aig an Acadamh.
Fhuair an t-Oll Ó Giollagáin am PhD aige ann an Gàidhlig na h-Èireann bho Oilthigh Colaiste Bhaile Àtha Cliath agus bha e na òraidiche ann an Roinn Gàidhlig na h-Èireann aig Colaiste Naoimh Phadraig, Oilthigh Bhaile a Cliath, agus ann an roinn na Ceiltis aig Oilthigh Caitligeach Lublin, a’ Phòlainn. Bha e na cho-ùghdair de shuirbhidh de Ghàidhealtachd na h-Èireann a bharrantaich an riaghaltas, Rannsachadh Cànanach Coitcheann air Cleachdadh Gàidhlig na h-Èireann ann an Gàidhealtachd na h-Èireann (2007).
Tha an t-Oll Ó Giollagáin cuideachd na neach-caidreamh a-muigh den Ionad Nàiseanta airson Sgrùdadh Sgìreil agus Spàsail aig Oilthigh Nàiseanta na h-Èireann, Maigh Nuad, far an do chuir e ri farsaingeachd de phroiseactan rannsachaidh air eileamaidean eadar-dhealaichte de dhaineamaig cànain agus daonn-eòlas cànanach cultar nam mhion-chànanan.
CRÌOCH
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