The Arts - Na h-Ealain

Literature - Litreachas

Both English and Gaelic literature is created by writers in these islands, indeed it sometime seems that every village has its own bard (poet), but while many more books are now being published in Gaelic, only a few of those are available in English translations. This wealth of local material, both poetry and prose, fiction and non fiction, may at times appear to be overshadowed by the amount of writing in English by visitors to the islands, for it seems to have been the custom for several generations that every visitor to the Hebrides should publish a book!

A number of foremost writers in Scotland today are either living in the Outer Hebrides (such as John Murray, Finlay Macleod, Norman Macdonald and Angus Peter Campbell) or have island connections (Ian Crichton Smith, Derick Thomson and Donald Macaulay). These authors write mostly in their native Gaelic, but some have also written in English or have been published in translation and are well worth exploring for their views on these islands. While the modern forms of storytelling, and creative drama are still flourishing among newer island writers, there are also opportunities being created for radio and television script writing and technical literature, both in Gaelic and English. A new found cultural confidence throughout the Outer Hebrides has led to the creation of a number of exciting multi media projects, combining an arts exhibition, dramatic presentation and the publication of a companion book and these events promise great future potential.