BOYD ROBERTSON NAMED AS NEW DIRECTOR FOR SABHAL MÒR OSTAIG

Sabhal Mor Ostaig, the Gaelic College and National Centre for Gaelic Language and Culture based on Skye, have named Boyd Robertson, Head of Language Education and Acting Head of the Department of Curricular Studies at Strathclyde University, as their new Director in succession to Professor Norman Gillies, who retires at the end of this year.

Mr. Robertson (59) was born in North Uist and attended Portree High School before studying at Aberdeen University and Aberdeen College of Education. After 10 years as a Gaelic teacher at Oban High School he became a lecturer at Jordanhill College of Education in 1982 and, when Jordanhill became part of Strathclyde University, he became Senior Lecturer and latterly Reader in Gaelic there.

Announcing the appointment, Sheriff Roderick John MacLeod, Chairman of the Sabhal Mor trustees, said:-

“It is a particular pleasure for me to announce Boyd Robertson as our new Director. I have known him since we were both at Portree High School. He is a man who has been immersed in the Gaelic world from his earliest days; someone who has already done formidable work on behalf of Gaelic, in particular in the field of Gaelic education, and who will go on to add greatly to this as Director of Sabhal Mor. In succeeding Professor Norman Gillies, he has a hard act to follow, but three things in particular make him the right person to lead Sabhal Mor at this time: his deep knowledge and understanding of all that is happening in the Gaelic world at this time, the fact that in his time at Jordanhill he has lived through the transition from college to university status, something Sabhal Mor will be experiencing shortly, and his experience in the training of Gaelic medium teachers, which, in the implementation of the National Plan for Gaelic, is a major growth area for Sabhal Mor. The trustees are, therefore, delighted to be making this appointment.”

Mr Robertson said:-
‘I am delighted to get this opportunity to lead Scotland’s Gaelic College at such a critical juncture in the development of the language. Sabhal Mòr has a vital part to play in the regeneration of the language and I would want the College to be intimately involved in the implementation of initiatives such as the National Plan for Gaelic, the Gaelic television channel, BBC Alba, and the nascent University of the Highlands and Islands. The College is well placed to support developments in the language and culture thanks to the sterling work undertaken by the current Director, Professor Norman Gillies, his colleague, John Norman MacLeod, and their talented team.’