Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week)
The biggest ever edition of Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week) blasts off today, celebrating Scottish Gaelic across the globe. The record-breaking fifth edition of the annual language celebration aims to promote the theme, Use it or Lose it (Cleachd i no Caill i), championing the vitality of Gaelic as a living language.
Joy Dunlop, Director of Seachdain na Gàidhlig, said:
“If you’ve ever been tempted to discover the language, this week is the perfect opportunity to get involved – there is so much going on and it is such an exciting time to be a Gaelic speaker or learner. We’re very grateful to all those getting behind the initiative and can’t wait to see the different ways people celebrate one of Scotland’s indigenous languages this week. Tha ar cànan beò – our language is alive!”
“Ma bha annas agad dhen chànan roimhe, ’s e an t-seachdain seo cothrom air leth airson a dhol an sàs innte – tha uiread a’ dol agus ’s e àm cho togarrach a th’ ann a bhith nad neach-labhairt no neach-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig. Tha sinn cho taingeil dhan fheadhainn a tha a’ cur taic dhan iomairt agus bidh e cho math na diofar dòighean fhaicinn air an comharraich daoine aon dhe na cànain dhùthchasach ann an Alba an t-seachdain seo. Tha an cànan beò!”
More than 200 events are set to be staged by Gaelic speakers, learners and supporters across Scotland and around the world for the 2026 edition – up 15% on last year.
There’s also a ton of learning activities and events listed here: What’s On – Seachdain na Gaidhlig from the high-brow to the low-brow, from beginners to advanced, right across the country.
Here’s our TOP 10 favourite events and happenings in the Seachdain na Gaidhlig and beyond …
1. (Cleachd i no Caill i), Use it or Lose it.
Seachdain na Gàidhlig explains: “Our theme for 2026 is Use It or Lose It (Cleachd i no caill i). It is a call to action, for people across Scotland and beyond to actively engage with Gaelic to ensure its preservation and growth. Cleachd i, no caill i is pronounced Klechk ee, no Kyle ee. (ch like loch) Phonetically this is klɛxg i nɔ kaiLʲ i. ”
Hear it spoken here:
“The 2026 theme Use It or Lose It (Cleachd i, no caill i) carries particular poignancy, highlighting the critical importance of actively engaging with Gaelic to ensure its preservation and growth.”
One way you can do that is by taking part in ‘Say a Gaelic Phrase Day‘ which takes place this Thursday 26th February, where thousands of people share or try a favourite Gaelic word or phrase and highlight their love of the language on social media.
There are lots of great learning opportunities, many of them online, here’s just a few a few of them:
Gaelic in Perthshire: The Language of Crofting – Seachdain na Gaidhlig 23 February
Arts Workshop, Partick, Glasgow: Arts workshop – Seachdain na Gaidhlig 24 February
Our Week of Gaelic, Plockton High School: Our Week of Gaelic – Seachdain na Gaidhlig
Eachdraidh Dhìomhair Dannsa nan Gàidheal: Òraid le Mìcheal Newton – Seachdain na Gaidhlig 26 February
Drop in and learn an everyday Gaelic phrase – Seachdain na Gaidhlig 26 February
Beginners Session – Seachdain na Gaidhlig, Partick Glasgow 28 February
2. An t-Eilean Returns
Great news that a new second series of An t-Eilean (the Island) the detective thriller has been commissioned, starring Sorcha Groundsell and will begin filming this spring.
Created by Nicholas Osborne and co-written with Mairead Hamilton, the new series will feature a gripping new mystery and will see Sorcha Groundsell (The Innocents, His Dark Materials) return in the lead role of Detective Sergeant, Kat Crichton.
The drama is produced by Black Camel Pictures for BBC ALBA, BBC FOUR and BBC iPlayer, will film largely on location in the Western Isles with production due to start in Spring 2026.
David Smith, Director of Screen Scotland said: “An t-Eilean delivered Gaelic drama to the world for the first time and has reached further than we could ever have anticipated. Series two will be another step forward, and while Screen Scotland rarely funds second or subsequent series An t-Eilean has such cultural significance that we have been able to support it.”
3. Song Portal
Launching today, at the start of World Gaelic Week the Tobar an Dualchais/Kist of Riches (TAD) project has announced a dedicated Gaelic Song portal, offering users access to 600 Gaelic songs. This new portal within TAD includes audio recordings, song lyrics, and biographical information about the singers and composers, providing a rich and accessible resource for anyone interested in Gaelic song.
The launch of the new Gaelic Song portal is being marked in several Radio nan Gàidheal programmes throughout Seachdain na Gàidhlig (World Gaelic Week), starting with a ‘take-over’ of ‘Mire ri Linda’ on Monday 23 February from 10.00-12.00 hosted by Linda MacLeod. The programme which will be broadcast from the BBC’s studio in Inverness will feature live performances from Calum Alex MacMillan, Kristine Kennedy, Duncan MacLeod, and Emma MacLeod, as well as a selection of recordings from the Bliadhna nan Òran archives.
Stories relating to the songs, singers and composers will also feature on ‘Naoi gu Deich’ on Monday and Thursday (9-10am).
More here: Tobar an Dualchais
4. Football Italia on BBC Alba
Okay it’s not actually part of Seachdain na Gàidhlig, but BBC Alba’s restoration of the classic Italian football show to give coverage to Scott McTominay, Barry Gilmour, Che Adams & Co is a PR masterclass and gives young (and old) football fans the chance to watch Italian football in Gaelic.
What’s not to love?
The announcement got picked up by retro football fans everywhere including, Mundial Mag and Copa 90 who said “BBC Alba have brought Football Italia into a new era”:
The return of Football Italia on BBC Alba. God it is good.pic.twitter.com/50HvgwrIEt
— MUNDIAL (@MundialMag) February 16, 2026
Check out Atalanta v Napoli here:
Serie A – 2025/26: 3. Atalanta v Napoli – BBC iPlayer
5. Launch of Cù Giobach
This week sees the launch of Cù Giobach by Belle Media Scotland, bringing one of France’s most popular children’s books into gaelic language.
Belle Media writes: “To celebrate Seachdain na Gàidhlig one very scruffy dog will be heading out into the world… Cù Giobach arrives on 26 February and we can’t wait for readers to meet him! A big-hearted little stray searching for friendship & somewhere to belong.” The Oban Times picked up the story here:
There’s a writing or drawing competition to go along with the launch, details here:
Cù Giobach Children’s Competition – Writing or Drawing – Seachdain na Gaidhlig
6. Gaelic Spoken Word Night
There’s a Gaelic spoken word night at Hilltown Community Centre in Dundee.
Gaelic Spoken Word Night: Poetry and Stories is a celebration of Gaelic culture through poetry and stories. The event will take place on Wednesday 25th February 2026 from 6pm to 8pm at Hilltown Community Centre in the centre of Dundee, as part of the World Gaelic Week celebrations in Dundee.
Facilitated by Donnchadh MacCàba, Gaelic speaker, tutor, writer and poet, those attending will have the opportunity to listen to the Gaelic spoken word, participate in the reading and telling of poetry and stories, or they can choose to tell their own poetry or stories! There will also be time for informal conversations and networking.
The event will be held in Gaelic.
Details and tickets here: Gaelic Spoken Word Night: Poetry and Stories – Seachdain na Gaidhlig
7. Gaelic Hill Workshop
Lots of people are drawn to return to Gaelic to know their own sense of place and discover the meanings of landscape, hills and mountains. It’s a great place to start. Eilidh Cameron Sykes from Lochaber is running a one-hour Gaelic hills workshop (online).
All the details are here: Gaelic hill names workshop – Seachdain na Gaidhlig
8. Technocamps Scotland: Computing in Gaelic
Strathlab at the University of Strathclyde is offering coding classes in Gaelic.
“Explore the power of Gaelic in the digital world – learn to code, create and have fun together!!
It’s free, but you can book here: Technocamps Scotland: Computing in Gaelic – Seachdain na Gaidhlig
9. Uniting Scottish Literature
Aberdeen University, 27 February.
We will examine the importance of translations between Gaelic and Scots in reinforcing the changed perception of “Scottish literature” from a marginal branch of English literature to an autonomous national literature in three languages.
Nì sinn sgrùdadh air cho cudromach ‘s a tha eadar-theangachaidhean eadar Gàidhlig agus Scots ann a bhith a’ neartachadh an atharrachaidh air beachd air “litreachas na h-Alba” bho bhith na mheur iomallach de litreachas Beurla gu bhith na litreachas nàiseanta fèin-riaghlaidh ann an trì cànanan.”
Tickets here: Uniting Scottish Literature – Seachdain na Gaidhlig
10. Film G
’S e farpais bhliadhnail filmichean goirid a th’ ann am FilmG, le farpaisean ann airson aoisean -12, -18 agus 18+.
Bidh britheamhan neo-eisimeileach a’ measadh nam filmichean, le geàrr-liostaichean air an ainmeachadh as t-Earrach agus na buannaichean air an ainmeachadh tràth as t-Samhradh.
Tha sgioba FilmG agus na h-oidean againn ag obair còmhla ri sgoiltean, coimhearsnachdan, buidhnean de gach seòrsa, agus iomadach filmeadair neo-eisimeileach, a’ ruith bùithtean-obrach agus a’ toirt taic gu filmichean aig gach ìre.
Fo 5 mionaidean, sa Ghàidhlig
Ceann-latha inntrigidh: 20 Màrt 2026
Film G is back! Scotland’s annual Gaelic short film competition, returns for its 18th year with a bold new look. The idea is super-simple: Make a very short film, Under 5 minutes, in Gaelic
Entry Deadline: 20 March 2026
MG ALBA’s Head of Publishing, Maggie Taylor, said: “FilmG is crucial in nurturing the next generation of Gaelic creators. Their voices and ideas will shape the future of Gaelic media.”
“We’re able to see new faces emerge every year as the numbers who participate grow, and we’re seeing a greater breadth of films of all sorts be nominated and win prizes; so this year’s FilmG feels full of exciting potential.”
FilmG is an annual Gaelic short-film competition with three tiers: -12, -18 and 18+.
Independent juries evaluate the films, with shortlists announced next Spring and the winners announced in early Summer.
Go here for all the details: HOME – FilmG
For ALL of the events for World Gaelic Week go here: Home – Seachdain na Gaidhlig
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