Sradagan san Iarmailt / Sparks in the Firmament
SRADAGAN SAN IARMAILT / SPARKS IN THE FIRMAMENT
Ginealach Ùr Bhàrd Gàidhealach / A New Generation Of Gaelic Poets
Francis Boutle Publishers announces the publication of Sradagan san Iarmailt / Sparks in the Firmament, a major new anthology bringing together the foremost Gaelic poets to have emerged since the turn of the millennium.
This wide-ranging anthology showcases the talented cohort of Gaelic poets who have come to prominence since the turn of the millennium.
The anthology builds on the legacy of earlier volumes edited by the late Donald MacAulay, Christopher Whyte, and Ronald Black. A new compendium introducing these sensitive and often radical voices to wider readerships through translation into English, Scots, and other European languages – often by the writers themselves and their peers, working in close creative collaboration.
Gaelic singer and broadcaster Mary Ann Kennedy underscores the historic significance of the moment:
“Once in every generation there comes a time to call in and hear each sing of one voice. The voices here, speaking from the precipice of a new era, have been gathered together by Marcas to kindle the embers of the fire once more – to light a bright bonfire and illuminate the language.”
As Scotland celebrates the inauguration of its first Gaelic-speaking Makar, in the wake of the Scottish Languages Act, this anthology showcases a rich, creative ecosystem which has given rise to some of the language’s most innovative, confident writing.
The publication also arrives during a heightened national focus on multilingualism. As The Guardian (3 December 2024) noted, the Makar’s appointment comes ‘amid a national conversation about the future of Scotland’s native languages, Gaelic and Scots,’ with the Scottish languages bill ‘which would give both official status’ reaching its final reading during the term.
The Makar stated:
“It’s useful to have a Gaelic speaker in the role… to contribute to discussions about all the different languages spoken in the country today, and to try and build as many bridges as possible between Gaelic, Scots… all those other languages. Scotland has always been multilingual, and multilingual in ever-increasing and fun ways.”
Whilst the language question inevitably features in many of the works gathered here, the volume also shines with a palpable sense of hope and innovation — the spirit embodied by the Act itself.
Dec 16 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm GMT
