The History of Celtic and Gaelic at the University of Glasgow

Gaelic is now only spoken by about 1% of the population but in earlier times this was much higher,  with an estimate from 1521 suggesting that up to half of the Scottish population spoke Gaelic. In 1451, when the University was founded, the Gàidhealtachd (Gaelic speaking districts) could be found within a stone’s throw of Glasgow. As late as 1755 possibly up to a quarter of all Scots spoke Gaelic  yet the status of the language was such that it formed no part of any university’s syllabus. Highland students at Glasgow formed An Comunn Oiseanach in 1831, a debating society, partly to help  alleviate the lack of instruction in their native tongue. Glasgow University students even petitioned the Secretary of State in London in 1839, asking him to appoint a Gaelic professor at their University, an appeal that met with indifference.

Close to 5% of all Scots still spoke Gaelic as late as 1901 and when Professor Magnus Maclean gave the first ever formal lecture in Celtic at the University, on 24 January 1901, he estimated that up to 10% of the student population understood Gaelic. Gaelic speakers have always formed a small minority of the University population and students and staff from Gàidhealtachd areas can be traced in all eras. At least three of the Principals of the University, Rev. Neil Campbell  (1728–61), Rev. Duncan MacFarlan (1825–57), and Professor Sir Donald MacAlister (1907–29) can be confidently identified as Gaels, along with people in a variety of positions at the University.

Gaelic (as part of Celtic) was established as a subject at the University due to a bequest from the Rev. Dr Archibald K. MacCallum (MA 1849, LLD 1867) in 1893. MacCallum’s bequest, insufficient on its own to establish a  full-time lectureship, was used initially to establish a series of Celtic lectures given by Professor Magnus Maclean between 1900 and 1903 and then Professor Kuno Meyer, 1903–1906. The impact of these lectures, open to the public and widely reported in the press, was such that funds were soon raised for the foundation of a Celtic lectureship. The first appointment as full-time Celtic lecturer was Dr George Henderson (in post, 1906–12). Class sizes greatly increased in succeeding years as the subject became established at the University.

Henderson died suddenly in 1912. His successor, the Rev. Dr George Calder (1912–35) is best  remembered today for his publications which included editions of Scottish Gaelic poets Donnchadh Bàn Macintyre and Uilleam Ros, A Gaelic Grammar (1923), Imtheachta Aeniasa: the Irish Aenid (1907) and Auraicept na n-Eces (1917). Calder was followed by James Carmichael Watson (1935–38) and then by Angus Matheson (1938–62). Professor Matheson became the first ever holder of the Chair of Celtic at Glasgow (1956). Following Matheson’s untimely death in 1962, Glasgow turned to Derick S. Thomson (Ruaraidh MacThòmais), lecturer in Celtic at the University of Aberdeen. Professor Thomson not only proved a distinguished holder of the Celtic Chair (1962–91) but was a prominent Gaelic poet, publisher and activist for Gaelic rights. Under Thomson’s watch the Department of Celtic grew, employing several members of staff and hosting several high profile research projects such as the Historical Dictionary of Scottish Gaelic. This success was built on by Thomson’s successors, Donald MacAulay (1991–96), Cathair Ó Dochartaigh (1996–2004) and the current incumbent, Professor Thomas Clancy (2004–). Celtic and Gaelic at the University of Glasgow is currently a flourishing subject area within the School of Humanities. The appointment of Professor Roibeard Ó Maolalaigh to a personal chair in 2005, amended to an established chair of Gaelic at Glasgow in 2010, the first position of this kind in Scotland, further strengthens Gaelic and Celtic at the University. 

For further information see the University of Glasgow's Sgeul na Gàidhlig project: The story of Gaels and Gaelic at the University of Glasgow from 1451.

Eachdraidh na Ceiltis is na Gàidhlig aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu

Chan eil ach mu 1% de shluagh na h-Alba a’ bruidhinn na Gàidhlig an-diugh, ach nuair a chaidh Oilthigh Ghlaschu a stèidheachadh ann an 1451, bhruidhneadh i le mu leth de mhuinntir na dùthcha. Ged a b’ i Gàidhlig a’ chànain làitheil aig timcheall air cairteal de mhuinntir na h-Alba suas cho fada ri 1755, cha robh guth oirre ann an colaistean no oilthighean. Chuir oileanaich Ghàidhealach ann an Oilthigh Ghlaschu comann ‘deasbaireachd’ air bhonn, An Comunn Oiseanach, ann an 1831 is iad, gu ìre, a’ feuchainn rin oideachadh fhèin air tàillibh an gainnead chothroman a bh’ ann a thaobh na Gàidhlig. Agus, chan e sin a-mhàin, chuir iad athchuinge a dh’ionnsaigh Rùnaire na Stàite ann an Lunnainn ann an 1839, ann an oidhirp Ollamh Gàidhlig fhastadh ann an Glaschu – rud nach tàinig gu buil airson iomadh bliadhna.

Bha faisg air 5% de dh’Albannaich fhathast a’ bruidhinn na Gàidhlig aig toiseach na 20mh linne. Nuair a lìbhrig an t-Oll. Mànus MacIllEain a’ chiad òraid fhoirmeil Cheiltis riamh a chaidh a ghabhail aig an Oilthigh air 24mh dhan Fhaoilleach 1901, bha e den bheachd gun tuigeadh 10% de dh’oileanaich Ghlaschu a’ Ghàidhlig. Chithear gu robh dream bheag de Ghàidheil rin lorg am broinn coimhearsnachd an Oilthighe riamh on a chaidh an t-Oilthigh a stèidheachadh. Bha co-dhiù trì de Phrionnsabailean an Oilthighe thar nan linntean nan Gàidheil, nam measg sin an t-Urr. Niall Caimbeul (1728–61), An t-Urr. Donnchadh MacPhàrlain (1825–57) agus an t-Oll. Sir Dòmhnall MacAlasdair (1907–29). Agus cha robh iad nan aonar: chithear gu robh Gàidheil an sàs aig an Oilthigh rè nan linntean on a bheag don a’ mhòr.

Chaidh Ceiltis a chur air dòigh mar chuspair aig an Oilthigh mar thoradh air dìleab an Dr Urr. Gilleasbuig K. MacCaluim (MA 1849, LLD 1867) ann an 1893. Cha robh luach gu leòr ann an airgead MhicCaluim gus tuarastal òraidiche làn-ùine a phàigheadh agus chaidh an t-airgead a chleachdadh gus sreathan de dh’òraidean a chur air bhonn aig an Oilthigh. B’ e an t-Oll. Mànus MacIllEain (1901–1903) agus an uair sin an t-Oll. Kuno Meyer (1903–06) a lìbhrig na h-òraidean seo. Bha iad seo fosgailte dhan mhòr-shluagh agus air an aithris fad is farsaing tro aithisgean nam pàipearan-naidheachd. Leis cho soirbheachail is a bha na h-òraidean seo agus air tàillibh an iarrtais a bh’ ann airson òraidiche ann an Glaschu, cha robh e ro fhada gus an deach airgead a thional gus dreuchd sheasmhach òraidiche-Cheiltis a chur air dòigh aig Glaschu airson a’ chiad uair. B’ e An Dr Urr. Dèorsa MacEanraig a’ chiad òraidiche Ceiltis (1906–12) agus b’ iad Calum Laing (Uibhist a Tuath), Gilleasbuig MacIllEain (Tiriodh), Iain MacAoidh (Srathaidh) agus Màiri NicIllEain (Glaschu) cuid de na ciad oileanaich a bh’ aige eadar 1906 agus 1908. Cha b’ fhada gus an tàinig sìor dhol am meud anns na clasaichean agus àireamhan nan oileanach leis gu robh Ceiltis a-nis stèidhichte mar chuspair-foghlaim aig an Oilthigh.

Chaochail MacEanraig ann an 1912 agus b’ e an Dr Urr. Deòrsa Calder a lean e san dreuchd (1912–35). Tha cuimhne an-diugh air Calder mar fhear a dh’fhoillsich eagraidhean de theacsaichean leithid Imtheachta Aeniasa: the Irish Aenid (1907), Auraicept na n-Eces (1917) agus leabhar gràmair Gàidhlig. Thàinig Seumas MacGilleMhìcheil MacBhàtair a Ghlaschu tacan (1935–38) mar òraidiche Gàidhlig agus chaidh esan a leantainn le Aonghas MacMhathain (1938–62). B’ e an t-Oll. MacMhathain a’ chiad Ollamh Ceiltis aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu nuair a chaidh a’ chathair a steidheachadh (1956). An uair a chaochail MacMhathain aig àird a chomais (1962), chaidh Cathair na Ceiltis ann an Glaschu a bhuileachadh air an Oll. Ruaraidh MacThòmais (1962–91). Chan e a-mhàin gu robh MacThòmais na shàr-sgoilear, ach cuideachd na shàr-bhàrd, na fhoillsichear agus fear-brosnachaidh às leth cùis na Gàidhlig. Thàinig sìor-leudachadh air Roinn na Ceiltis fo stiùireadh MhicThòmais, le grunnan luchd-obrach ùir air am fastadh agus le pròiseactan-rannsachaidh leithid Faclair Eachdraidheil na Gàidhlig gan cur air bhonn. Chaidh togail air an obair seo anns na bliadhnaichean an dèidh sin fo stiùireadh nan Ollamhan a lean MacThòmais: Dòmhnall MacAmhlaigh (1991–96), Cathair Ó Dochartaigh (1996–2004) agus Thomas Clancy aig a bheil Cathair na Ceiltis an-diugh. Is e roinn air leth soirbheachail a th’ ann an Ceiltis is Gàidhlig an-diugh aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu. Chaidh seo a neartachadh cuideachd nuair a chaidh dàrna Ollamh, Roibeard Ó Maolalaigh, fhastadh (2005) le cathair phearsanta agus an uair sin (2010–) gu cathair stèidhichte na Gàidhlig – a’ chiad dreuchd de leithid ann an Alba.

Airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh faic am pròiseact Sgeul na Gàidhlig aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu: a' togail sgeul nan Gàidheal aig Oilthigh Ghlaschu thar 550 bliadhna.

Celtic class, in the time of George Henderson (middle of middle row) c. 1907
©Roinn na Ceiltis is na Gàidhlig, Oilthigh Ghlaschu