Tourism Minister welcomes CalMac’s Gaelic initiative

Caledonian MacBrayne’s has just announced an innovative scheme to encourage staff members to learn and use Gaelic.

An imaginative method of online learning utilising a ‘toolkit’, incorporating introductory lessons, glossaries of useful vocabulary and accessible audio phrases to assist in assimilation, has been specially prepared for CalMac by the Skye based online learning company, Canan.

Tourism Minister, Jim Mather, has been qjuick to welcome the initiative saying: ‘CalMac has always been very conscious of its role as the ferry provider to most of Scotland’s Highlands and islands and a significant number of its staff are native Gaelic speakers.

‘The company is already a sponsor of the Royal National Mod and Gaelic is used in shipboard announcements and in the names of their vessels.

‘It would seem a logical step that the company should actively support the use and seek to encourage the visibility of Gaelic.

‘CalMac’s Managing Director Phil Preston is to be congratulated on ensuring that the company continues in its support for the language.

‘My colleague Michael Russell, MSP the Education Secretary  (the SNP candidate for Argyll and Bute in the 2011 Scottish election, wiht Mr Mather standing down) launched this scheme while visiting the Gaelic College, Sabhal Mor Ostaig  on Skye.

‘I share his enthusiasm for making Gaelic more accessible and increasing the profile of the language.

‘Visitors to Scotland enjoy the differences that our culture has to offer and the Gaelic is a very significant part of that in the West.

‘The ‘toolkit’ approach is a novel way of encouraging learning and it is to be hoped that it will assist in the awareness and promotion of the language. Perhaps other companies operating in the area will follow up on the lead given by CalMac’.