Bursaries Awarded by the Governors of the Catherine McCaig Trust

At their recent meeting in Oban, the Governors of Catherine McCaig’s Trust awarded the Argyll Bursary and six Open Bursaries to students proceeding to study Gaelic at Scottish Universities. A further Open Bursary was awarded for the first time to a student proceeding to study Gaelic and Music at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow.

The Argyll Bursary was won by Karen MacKenzie of Connel, a student of Oban High School who is going on to study at Glasgow University.

The Open Bursaries were won by Sean Ankers, Inverness, a student of Charleston Academy, Niall Bartlett, Barvas, who attended The Nicolson Institute, Stornoway,  Claire L Innes, Portree, and Grace MacDonald, Staffin, both students of Portree High School, and Suzanne Houston, Rachel Lincoln and Shona Masson, all students of Plockton High School.

Sean Ankers is going on to study at Aberdeen University, Niall Bartlett, Claire L Innes and Grace MacDonald will attend Glasgow University, Rachel Lincoln is going to Edinburgh University and Shona Masson to UHI. Suzanne Houston will study at the RSAMD in Glasgow.
 
The Governors were encouraged by the high number of well-qualified applicants this year and noted that the standard of the best applicants was exceptionally good.  Once more, a number of excellent Gaelic students are committing to a career in teaching through the medium of Gaelic in subjects as diverse as science and music, which is indicative of a desire among this generation to ensure the future of the language, while others have expressed their interest in a career in media and in the law.

Councillor Hamish Fraser, a Governor representing The Highland Council, said: “The Catherine McCaig Trust has over the years supported many young people who have gone on to Universities to study through the medium of Gaelic. I am heartened by the number of applicants who are now interested in a teaching career through that medium. The fact that school leavers are now showing a serious interest in secondary teaching qualifications is a much needed and welcome boost for Gaelic medium education. The Trust can be justifiably proud of the part it plays in funding those scholars, who we hope will inspire the next generation  to take the same valuable path in the quest to strengthen the daily use and sustainable future of our language.”