GAELIC - Key Persons
After an undergraduate degree in Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic at the University of Cambridge, Abigail Burnyeat went to Glasgow for her postgraduate study, first in Medieval Studies and then in Celtic. She began working at the Department of Celtic at Edinburgh in 2001, first as Research Assistant to Prof. William Gillies, and as lecturer from 2006. She has also taught at the University of Glasgow.
Her primary area of interest is in medieval Irish literary and textual culture, with a particular focus in the following areas: educational practice, bilingualism, orality, manuscript culture, medieval literary and textual theory. Her research focuses on the origins and development of the medieval Gaelic literary critical tradition. This has involved study of the interaction between Latin and vernacular literary culture, the development of vernacular Gaelic reflexes of Latin critical techniques, genre, form, & compilation. She has also written on on the development of vernacular grammatical traditions as a locus for critical activity, analysing in particular the grammatical text Auraicept na n-Éces and its associated commentary. Other research projects have explored ways in which oral literary theory can be brought to bear on glossed medieval Gaelic texts, looking at bilingual oral teaching practice as a method of understanding the development of vernacular critical terms and techniques. This has led to further research into medieval Gaelic schools and schooling.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the BOARD
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
Although he has family ties to Lewis, South Uist and Skye, Angus was brought up in Inverness, in a home filled with Gaelic. He has degrees in Gaelic & politics, and in law, and has practised as a solicitor for more than 20 years, specialising in corporate and intellectual property law. He has a particular interest in traditional Gaelic singing, and has won two Gold Medals at the Royal National Mòd. He joined the Board of Sabhal Mòr in 2014 and has been Chair since 2017.
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD CHAIR
- Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Board Member
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair of the BOARD CHAIR
- Vice Chair, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Board of Directors
Angus was brought up in Paible, North Uist. He attended the local school and the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway. He has been involved in the construction industry for over thirty years, the last ten years at director level. Angus has a keen interest in sport, and in shinty in particular. He is a trustee of Glasgow Mid Argyll Camanachd Association.
Job Titles:
- Lecturer and Course Leader - MEd Gaelic Education
- Teacher Education
Anne Thirkell is the Course Leader of the ">MEd Gaelic Education.
Qualifications
BSc (Hons) Anatomy - Aberdeen University (1995)
PGCE (Primary) - North Highland College (1996)
HNC Gaelic and Communications - Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (1997)
MRes (Education) - Aberdeen University (2014)
Job Titles:
- Director of Studies
- Vice Principal
Job Titles:
- Academic Registrar & Lecturer
Job Titles:
- Further Education Development Manager
- Head of the Library at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
- Head of the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Library
Christine Cain is the head of the Library at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.
Qualifications
MA (Hons), Edinburgh University
MSc, Strathclyde University
PG Dip. Open University
Christine Primrose was born and brought up in Carloway in a Gaelic speaking community on the Isle of Lewis and has been singing for as long as she can remember. Christine has toured in America, Canada, Australia, Ireland and Europe.
Head of Gaelic Song at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the National Centre for Gaelic Langauge and Culture n the Isle of Skye, Christine teaches short courses and full-time classes on the BA (Hons) Gaelic & Traditional Music Programme. She has won many awards for her singing, amongst them ‘Gaelic Singer of the Year' at the Traditional Music Awards in 2009.
Job Titles:
- Head
- Head of Estates & Services
Donald Angie MacLennan is Head of Estates & Services at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.
Qualifications
BA (Hons) University of Strathclyde (School of Business) 1991
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair
- Vice Chair of the BOARD CHAIR
Donalda McComb is from Bornais in South Uist and was brought up in a Gaelic-speaking family and community. Her teaching career began at Loch Boisdale Primary School and then Meadowburn Primary School in Bishopbriggs. She was appointed as Head of the first GME primary school in Scotland in 1999. With rapid progress in GME in Glasgow, she was appointed as Head of the Glasgow Gaelic School 3-18 campus there in 2006 before retiring in 2020. Donalda has been involved throughout her educational career in the development of GME policy and practice as well as raising the profile of Gaelic throughout Scotland and internationally.
Job Titles:
- Director of Development Fundraising and the Arts
Job Titles:
- Lecturer
- Member of the BOARD CHAIR
Job Titles:
- Head of Teacher Education
Job Titles:
- DIRECTOR
- Member of the BOARD CHAIR
- Principal
John Purser is a researcher, bard and writer of music.
Qualifications
MA (Hons) (University of Glasgow)
PhD ( University of Glasgow)
DHC (University of Aberdeen)
Job Titles:
- Course Leader, an Cùrsa Inntrigidh ( Access to Gaelic )
Julia has been working in education for many years now, having a longstanding interest in teaching and related subjects. After training to become a secondary school teacher at the University of Mainz in Germany, she completed a PhD at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and the University of Aberdeen (on Gaelic Medium Education, from a Sociolinguistic Perspective, 2010-2013). She has since worked at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, teaching Gaelic (An Cùrsa Inntrigidh) and other subjects, as well as doing research, but her main focus is on teaching the language to learners. Julia is now the course leader of An Cùrsa Inntrigidh.
Qualifications
1ad Staatsexamen (English, German, Tuition), Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Germany (2006)
Job Titles:
- DIRECTOR
- Director of Education
- Director of Studies
- Vice Principal
- Social Scientist
Marsaili is the Director of Education and oversees the running of academic affairs at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Marsaili has responsibility for Teaching and Learning, Research and Knowledge Exchange, Library Services and Student Services.
Marsaili received a PhD in Social Geography from the University of Aberdeen in 2009. She was a post-doctoral research fellow at the Scottish Agricultural College (now SRUC) and at Queen's University Belfast before re-joining the University of Aberdeen, where she was first a Research Fellow then a lecturer in Gaelic Studies 2011-18. Marsaili's research and teaching has centred on Gaelic language acquisition in adults, language and identity and minority language policy and planning. She succeeded Iain Tormod MacLeòid as Director of Education at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig in 2018.
Qualifications
MA (Hons) in Geography (1st Class), (Glasgow University)
MSc. Rural & Regional Resources Planning (with distinction) (Aberdeen University)
PhD (Aberdeen University)
Marsaili is a social scientist with research specialism in language revitalisation, the teaching and learning of Gaelic and minority language policy and planning. Her research expertise also extends to social change in rural and peripheral communities.
Job Titles:
- Senior Lecturer & Course Leader
Job Titles:
- Head of Student Support Services
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD CHAIR
- Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Board Member
Fiona Dunn has a wealth of professional experience in policy and minority language development having spent 15 years in Gaelic development roles. She was a Board Member of Bòrd na Gàidhlig between 2017-2019 and in 2009, she was recruited by Glasgow University as their first Gaelic Officer, where she established a formal Gaelic development and policy service. She was at the heart of establishing a Gaelic immersion course for the University and authored two Gaelic plans. Today, Fiona is a Sponsorship Manager for the Scottish Government in the Department of Environment and Forestry, where she works closely with public environmental organisations, particularly on public sector governance.
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Lecturer & Module Leader - Teacher Education
Gwen MacQuarrie is a module leader and lecturer on both BA (Hons) Gaelic and Education and PGDE (Gaelic-medium pathway - primary).
Qualifications
BA (Hons) Gaelic Language and Culture, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
PGCE, Strathclyde University
Job Titles:
- Head of Estates & Services
Janey is the Director of Finance for Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.
After qualifying as an accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers in London, Janey worked for ten years for International Aid organisations overseas, followed by seven years for environmental charities, both in finance and management positions.
Qualifications
BA Ancient & Modern History, University of Oxford
CA ICAEW
Joy Dunlop is an online tutor on An Cùrsa Inntrigidh and An Cùrsa Adhartais, and regularly teaches summer courses at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.
Originally from Connel in Argyll, she is now based in Glasgow. She holds an honors degree in Gaelic Language and Culture from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and has since immersed herself in Gaelic language and culture.
In addition to the work of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, she is the presenter of SpeakGaelic, the new learning series and presents the weather on BBC Scotland and BBC ALBA, among many other programs. A Gaelic singer and dancer, she has a particular interest in songs from the Argyll area. She is heavily involved in Gaelic choirs and is the conductor of Còisir Alba, Scotland's first ever entry to the Eurovision choir competition.
Job Titles:
- Head of Library
- Head of Student Support Services at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig
Kathryn MacKay is the Head of Student Support Services at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.
Qualifications
HND Modern Musicianship
Job Titles:
- Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Board Member
Mary Ellen was brought up in Grimsay, North Uist. After graduating from Glasgow University, she spent many years working in education as a teacher, researcher and as a consultant to the BBC's Education Department. Mary Ellen is now a lawyer, and was appointed to the Faculty of Advocates in 2021. She is also a part-time tutor in contract law at the University of Edinburgh.
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD CHAIR
- Property Economist
- Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Board Member
Bryan MacGregor is a property economist, born and brought up in Inverness. He has held the MacRobert Chair in Land Economy at the University of Aberdeen since 1990. He was a Vice-Principal from 2003-2019, with portfolios covering Arts and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Curriculum Reform, and Research. Previously, he worked as a research manager for Prudential Portfolio Managers in London, as a lecturer at the Universities of Reading and Glasgow, and as a research assistant for the Scottish Office Central Research Unit. After leaving the Prudential, he also jointly established and ran a company offering property investment strategy advice and has acted a consultant in the area.
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD CHAIR
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD CHAIR
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD CHAIR
Job Titles:
- Member of the BOARD CHAIR
Wilson McLeod was born in Boston, USA and grew up in England and New Orleans. He holds degrees from Haverford College, Harvard University and the University of Edinburgh. He has more than twenty years' experience working in the higher education sector and is now Emeritus Professor of Gaelic at the University of Edinburgh. He has authored or edited fifteen books, most of them on Gaelic language and culture, including Gaelic in Modern Scotland: Policies, Movements, Ideologies (2020).