Latest news with #Ant-Eilean
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Scottish stars read Gaelic children's bedtime stories in new BBC ALBA series
BBC ALBA is helping little ones wind down with a new season of Stòiridh, its much-loved Gaelic bedtime story series with the help of some familiar Scottish personalities. Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Stars of the acclaimed drama An t-Eilean, Sorcha Groundsell and Sam James Smith, along with Scotland's Makar, Peter Mackay, chaplain and broadcaster Suzie Roberts and poet Babs Macgregor are the Gaelic personalities lending their voices and storytelling talents to the new series, guiding young viewers into dreamland with charming Gaelic tales. With two episodes airing each week at 5.55pm on BBC ALBA, Stòiridh invites children to cosy up in their favourite aodach-leapa (pyjamas) to hear this season's guest contributors read from some well-known storybooks, with cuddly toys and fun props to help bring the tales to life. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Aimed at 3-6 year olds, the series supports early Gaelic language learning while providing an entertaing evening routine. The season opens with Sorcha Groundsell reading Sin an Dìthean Agamsa! | That's My Flower!, a beautifully illustrated story about a protective bird that tries its best to take care of a precious flower. BBC ALBA - Stòiridh Sam James Smith Talking about her involvement in the new series, Sorcha Groundsell says: 'I'm thrilled to be part of this iconic series reading some of our well-loved Gaelic stories to little ones before bedtime. It's a great way to educate BBC ALBA's younger audiences with Gaelic words they may not be familiar with. 'We hope the new series will help kids – and their parents – get a good night's sleep!' Peter Mackay, Scotland's Makar, adds: 'It's great to be part of this series of Stòiridh; I wish that when I was young we'd had so many different stories - and readers - on TV in Gaelic. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'There are so many great books out there, and I hope each story in the series helps encourage children to love reading, and playing, and messing around with words themselves.'
Scotsman
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Grand Prix win for Gaelic language drama An t-Eilean at Prix CIRCOM 2025
MG ALBA has achieved a major international milestone, taking home the coveted Grand Prix at last night's Prix CIRCOM 2025 awards – the highest honour in the prestigious European television awards. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Grand Prix win was awarded to Black Camel Pictures' acclaimed Gaelic-language crime thriller An t-Eilean (The Island), which had already been named winner of the Drama and Entertainment category earlier in the evening at the gala award ceremony in Barcelona. In a surprise announcement, the series was also revealed as the overall winner across all genres. Set against the elemental landscape of the Outer Hebrides, An t-Eilean (The Island)is a compelling crime story that follows a family caught up in a murder investigation very close to home. When their mother is found murdered in the family castle, four adult children return to the Scottish island of their birth as their father is questioned over her death. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Commissioned by BBC ALBA and produced by Black Camel Pictures, with funding from MG ALBA, Screen Scotland, Black Camel Pictures and All3Media International, the drama premiered in the UK on BBC ALBA in January 2025, becoming the best performing Gaelic programme since the channel's inception. A further broadcast window was also secured on BBC Four earlier this year. Drama and Entertainment category award accepted by (L-R) actor Sorcha Groundsell (who plays lead Kat Crighton in An t-Eilean), Black Camel Pictures' Arabella Page Croft, and MG ALBA director of content, Margaret Cameron The Grand Prix 2025 accolade crowns a year of renewed momentum for the Prix CIRCOM awards, which saw a 22 per cent rise in entries and an influx of new broadcasters joining the competition for the first time. Judging took place in April with winners selected by a panel of industry professionals from across 15 European regional public service outlets. John Morrison, Chair of MG ALBA, said: 'Winning the Grand Prix is an incredible achievement for a Gaelic show, placed at the pinnacle of Europe's regional television industry by our peers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'MG ALBA has been working with a tight and diminishing budget for years and it was a calculated gamble by the Board of MG ALBA to invest all of our drama budget for a whole year in one short box set. But we were confident in the story, the cast and the production team. So were our funding partners and the BBC. An t-Eilean has already broken audience records for a Gaelic show, and it is very rewarding for everyone involved to win two awards in this prestigious ceremony. High quality drama needs a serious budget and increased investment by the Scottish Government would allow us to build on this success.' An t-Eilean / The Island David Swetman, SVP scripted content at All3Media International, added: 'We're so pleased that the appeal of Black Camel's wonderful drama has been recognised with the top award from the CIRCOM jury of European broadcasters in Barcelona.' Arabella Page Croft, Executive Producer at Black Camel Pictures, said: 'Thanks so much to the jury! Wonderful to win the Grand Prix at the CIRCOM awards celebrating European television drama production. We share this award with our hugely talented cast, crew and creative commissioners and financiers who adventured with us!' David Smith, Director at Screen Scotland, said: 'This is a fantastic win for the An t-Eilean team. The popularity of this ambitious series and the recognition it has received, including this award, is an incredible vote of confidence in the strength of Gaelic language drama.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Chosen from across all category winners, the Grand Prix recognises the single most outstanding programme of the year. While regional winners receive prior notice, the winner of the Grand Prix is announced live on the night, at the CIRCOM Annual Conference. Grand Prix award accepted by (L-R) Chair of MG ALBA, John Morrison, Black Camel Pictures' Arabella Page Croft, and actor Sorcha Groundsell (who plays lead Kat Crighton in An t-Eilean) Commending the diverse offering within the entries for the Prix CIRCOM 2025, Chair Marina Ramos of RTP, Portugal, said: 'We found many very good stories, great productions, and specially commissioned content that let us see and enjoy beautiful landscapes and regions all over Europe and different kinds of culture. All that is very important for public service media to offer to consumers. 'Our selection for Grand Prix was the drama An t-Eilean (The Island). And the reason is simple: we have all seen murder series from all over the world but this is a very great production, high quality, good story, great actors, beautiful landscape and, above all made in the Gaelic language, showing us a region in Scotland, with magnificent natural features. Livestock, castles and so on.' The Prix CIRCOM 2025 jury report noted: 'There is beautiful scenery, imposing castles and wonderful views of natural beauty. The drama matches well to this specific scenery and setting. The acting is splendid: it's intense and you don't want to stop watching. The production values are high and this is an ambitious production. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It is very fascinating and impressive that the drama is produced in the Gaelic language. This will help spread knowledge of the language when making such quality entertainment for a wider audience. Good dramas are made all over the world – but this is special.'
The National
13-05-2025
- Business
- The National
Over £35 million announced to help promote Gaelic
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said £35.7 million would be invested into initiatives to promote the language in 2025-26, alongside the introduction of the proposed Scottish Languages Bill. Ahead of a visit to Stornoway as she marked one year as Scotland's first Gaelic Secretary, Forbes said: 'The Scottish Government recognises that urgent action is needed to grow the Gaelic language in communities where it is traditionally spoken.' The Scottish Languages Bill — which is still awaiting its third reading in the Scottish Parliament — aims to strengthen support for Gaelic and Scots by requiring national language strategies, enhancing education provisions, setting standards for public authorities and recognising areas of linguistic significance. READ MORE: John Swinney pledges to give Scotland 'option of independence under my leadership' Alongside this multi-million pound investment, additional funding has been allocated to Gaelic projects in the Hebrides. MG Alba (The Gaelic Media Service) will receive a grant of £110,000 to modernise studios used by BBC Alba whilst a Stornoway Gaelic cultural centre, An Taigh Ceilidh (The Ceilidh House), will receive £10,000 to purchase musical instruments and renovate the space. Forbes added: 'This investment will support Gaelic community events in Stornoway and ensure that Gaelic broadcasters can continue to develop high-quality programmes. 'This follows the success of BBC Alba's crime thriller series An t-Eilean (The Island).' The investments have been made available through the 2024-25 Gaelic Capital Fund allocations. Independent research showed MG Alba supports more than 300 jobs in Scotland, including 160 across the Scottish islands.
