麻豆精选

Local construction firm MacInnes Bros Ltd has been appointed after Highlands and Islands Enterprise (麻豆精选) confirmed the final 拢2.1m grant award as part of the funding package for phase two of Cnoc Soilleir. 

This follows grants of 拢5 million by Scottish Government, as well as an earlier award from Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Grant Fund. Work is due to be completed by Spring 2026.

Cnoc Soilleir is a joint venture between Ce貌las Uibhist and UHI North, West and Hebrides. The centre promotes and celebrates Gaelic language and culture and supports learning and research activity in South Uist.

Mairi Buchanan, senior development manager at 麻豆精选, said: 鈥淐noc Soilleir is an iconic hub for Gaelic art, culture, heritage and community in South Uist. Phase two aims to create a premier venue for Gaelic education, culture and the arts while supporting organisations such as Ce貌las Uibhist Ltd and UHI, North, West and Hebrides. This modern facility will be a centre for community-led Gaelic learning, music and dance in the heart of the South Uist community.

鈥淭his is a great example of the Gaelic language鈥檚 unlimited potential in generating both economic and social benefits to Scotland. We鈥檙e very pleased to award this funding to expand such an important project, which has already proved hugely popular among residents and visitors.鈥�

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, Kate Forbes, said: 鈥淜eeping Gaelic alive in traditional communities like South Uist is crucial to safeguarding the language.

鈥淧hase one of Cnoc Soilleir has become a focal point for Gaelic music and learning which attracts visitors from across Scotland. To build on the success of the project, we have invested 拢5 million in its second phase.

鈥淭his will support the continued use of the language through events, courses and other activities. It will also drive growth in the local economy by adding to the tourism and cultural offering in the Outer Hebrides.鈥�

Phase two will be led by Ce貌las Uibhist. Alex O鈥橦enley, Ce貌las Uibhist and Cnoc Soilleir board director, said: 鈥淭his is excellent news for Ce貌las, the island of South Uist as well as the wider Uist community and economy. As Ce貌las has grown there has been an identifiable need for a bespoke performance and auditorium facility to give young Gaelic musicians and dancers a platform to showcase their talent to the world, as well as providing a much-needed resource for the local community. It鈥檚 been a long and sometimes painstaking journey to get to this point, but thanks to the generous support of our partners, we have taken a giant step towards making that long cherished dream come true.鈥�

Cnoc Soilleir opened in September 2022 with phase one including teaching spaces, offices, and recording studio and facilities. As part of working towards a new net zero Scotland the new extension will be built to the meet the same stringent Passivhaus low energy standards as the existing building. It will be kitted out with state of the art performance and production equipment and technologies, suitable for teaching as well as showcasing local and wider talents.

Cnoc Soilleir has benefited from significant support and funding contributions from key partners including the Scottish Government, 麻豆精选, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, and Bord na Gaidhlig 鈥� all of which recognise the transformational impact that a completed Cnoc Soilleir facility will bring to Uist, its economy, communities and visitors, and as a catalyst for the regeneration of South Uist, and the preservation and promotion of the Gaelic language and culture as a key contributor to the National Gaelic Plan.

Michael Foxley, Chair of the Cnoc Soilleir Board, said: 鈥淚 would like to thank the team at Cnoc Soilleir, past and present, and our partners for their hard work and support, along with 麻豆精选 and the Scottish Government. This is an important milestone for Cnoc Soilleir, which has the potential to become a beacon for Gaelic language and culture as well as learning in South Uist, the Highlands and Islands, Scotland, and beyond.鈥�

Lydia Rohmer, Principal and Chief Executive of UHI North, West and Hebrides, said: 鈥淲e are delighted to see funding secured for phase two of Cnoc Soilleir and look forward to working with Ce貌las to develop our joint vision of Cnoc Soilleir, as a centre for excellence in education, Gaelic language and culture. This project supports our commitment across UHI to preserving, enhancing and promoting Gaelic language and culture across our local communities and beyond.鈥�

Tabhartas 麻豆精选 拢2.1m air ainmeachadh airson Cnoc Soilleir

Th猫id talla 200-suidheachan, dealbhaichte a dh鈥檃ona-ghnothaich airson ce貌l agus taisbeanadh, a thogail ann Uibhist a Deas.

鈥橲 e an companaidh-togail MacInnes Bros Ltd a bha air ainmeachadh gus an obair-togail a thoirt air adhart, an d猫idh do dh鈥橧omairt na G脿idhealtachd agus nan Eilean (麻豆精选) a鈥� chuibhreann mu dheireadh dhen phasgan maoineachaidh airson 脤re 2 a dhearbhadh aig Cnoc Soilleir.

Tha seo a鈥� leantail tabhartais luach 拢5m le Riaghaltas na h-Alba, agus duais na bu thr脿ithe bho Mhaoin Tabhartas Calpa Ath-nuadhachaidh Riaghaltas na h-Alba. Tha d霉il gun cr矛ochnaich an obair ron Earrach 2026.

鈥橲 e iomairt cho-roinnte a th鈥� ann an Cnoc Soilleir eadar Ce貌las Uibhist agus UHI a Tuath, an Iar is Innse Gall.

Tha an t-ionad a鈥� brosnachadh agus ag adhartachadh c脿nan agus cultar na G脿idhlig agus a鈥� cumail taic ri ionnsachadh agus rannsachadh ann an Uibhist a Deas.

Thuirt M脿iri Bochanan, 脿rd mhanaidsear leasachaidh aig 麻豆精选:  

鈥淭ha Cnoc Soilleir cudromach a thaobh ealain, cultar, dualchas agus coimhearsnachd na G脿idhlig ann an Uibhist a Deas. Tha an d脿rna 矛re ag amas air pr矛omh 脿ite a chruthachadh airson foghlam G脿idhlig, cultar agus na h-ealain fhad 鈥榮 a thathar a鈥� toirt taic do bhuidhnean leithid Ce貌las Uibhist agus UHI a Tuath, an Iar is Innse Gall. 鈥楽 e ionad 霉r-nodha a bhios anns a鈥� ghoireas seo airson ionnsachadh G脿idhlig, ce貌l agus dannsa fo sti霉ir na coimhearsnachd ann an cridhe coimhearsnachd Uibhist a Deas.

鈥淪 e deagh eisimpleir a tha seo den chomas a th鈥� aig a鈥� Gh脿idhlig ann a bhith a鈥� toirt buannachdan eaconamach is s貌isealta do dh鈥� Alba. Tha sinn gu math toilichte am maoineachadh seo a thoirt dhaibh airson a鈥� phr貌iseact cudromach a leudachadh a tha mar-th脿 air a bhith measail aig sluaigh na sg矛re is luchd-turais.

Thuirt an Leas-Phr矛omh Mhinistear Ceit Fhoirbeis: 鈥淕us a鈥� Gh脿idhlig a dh猫anamh t猫arainte 鈥檚 e rud riatanach a th鈥� ann gum mair i ann an coimhearsnachdan traidiseanta leithid Uibhist a Deas.

鈥淭ha a鈥� chiad 矛re de Chnoc Soilleir air f脿s gus a bhith na bun-st猫idh son ce貌l is ionnsachadh na G脿idhlig a tha a鈥� t脿ladh luchd-tadhail bho air feadh Alba. Gus togail air soirbheachas a鈥� phr貌iseict tha sinn a鈥� cur tasgadh airgid luach 拢5 millean san dara 矛re aige.

鈥淐uiridh seo taic ri cleachdadh leantainneach a鈥� ch脿nain tro thachartasan, c霉rsaichean is cur-seachadan eile. Bheir e cuideachd spionnadh air f脿s na h-eaconamaidh ionadail tro bhith a鈥� cur ris na tha Na h-Eileanan an Iar a鈥� tabhann a thaobh c猫ol agus cultar.鈥�

Bidh 脤re 2 fo sti霉ir Ce貌las Uibhist. Thuirt Ailig O鈥� Henley, sti霉iriche Ce貌las Uibhist agus Cnoc Soilleir:

鈥溾�橲 e naidheachd mhath dha-r矛reabh a tha seo do Che貌las, do dh鈥橴ibhist a Deas, agus don choimhearsnachd agus an eaconamaidh nas fharsaing ann an Uibhist. Mar a tha Ce貌las air f脿s, bha feum soilleir ann airson ionad taisbeanaidh a bheir 脿rd-霉rlar do che貌ladairean agus dannsairean 貌ga G脿idhealach an cuid th脿lantan a shealltainn dhan t-saoghal mh貌r, cho math ri goireasan a bhios nan tacsa riatanach don choimhearsnachd ionadail. Tha an t-slighe dhan cheann-uidhe seo air a bhith fada agus air uaireannan d霉bhlanach, ach le taing don taic fhialaidh a ch霉m ar comp脿irtichean rinn, tha sinn a鈥� gabhail ceum m貌r a dh鈥檌onnsaigh coileanadh an amais mhiannaichte fhad-mhaireannaich seo.鈥�

Dh鈥檉hosgail Cnoc Soilleir san t-Sultain 2022 le 脤re 1 anns an robh se貌mraichean teagaisg, oifisean, agus sti霉idio is goireasan cl脿raidh. Le bhith ag obair a dh鈥檌onnsaigh Alba charbon-neodraich, bidh an leudachadh air a thogail a r猫ir nan aon tomhasan teann Passivhaus ris an togalach l脿ithreach. Na chois bidh uidheamachd 霉r-nodha agus teicneolas riochdachaidh barraichte, freagarrach airson teagasg agus taisbeanadh th脿lantan ionadail, n脿iseanta, agus eadar-n脿iseanta.

Bha Cnoc Soilleir fortanach buannachd fhaighinn bho thaic agus tabhartasan maoineachaidh bho phr矛omh chomp脿irtichean, a鈥� gabhail a-steach Riaghaltas na h-Alba, Iomairt na G脿idhealtachd 鈥檚 nan Eilean, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, agus B貌rd na G脿idhlig 鈥� agus iad uile ag aithneachadh na buaidh chruth-atharrachail a bheir goireasan 霉ra Cnoc Soilleir air Uibhist, a cuid eaconamaidh, choimhearsnachdan agus luchd-tadhail, agus mar mheadhan air ath-nuadhachadh Uibhist a Deas, agus gleidheadh 鈥嬧�媋gus brosnachadh c脿nan is cultar na G脿idhlig mar phr矛omh ionad a chuireas gu m貌r ris a鈥� Phlana Gh脿idhlig N脿iseanta.

Thuirt M矛cheal Foxley, Cathraiche B貌rd Cnoc Soilleir: 鈥淏u mhath leam taing a thoirt do sgioba Cnoc Soilleir, san 脿m a dh鈥檉halbh agus san latha an-diugh, agus ar comp脿irtichean airson an cuid obrach chruaidh agus an cuid taice, c貌mhla ri Iomairt na G脿idhealtachd 鈥檚 nan Eilean agus Riaghaltas na h-Alba. 鈥橲 e clach-mh矛le chudromach a tha seo do Chnoc Soilleir, a dh鈥檉haodas a bhith na l貌chran airson c脿nan is cultar na G脿idhlig a bharrachd air ionnsachadh ann an Uibhist a Deas, anns a鈥� Gh脿idhealtachd is na h-Eileanan, ann an Alba, agus nas fhaide air falbh.鈥�

Thuirt Lydia Rohmer, Prionnsapal agus Ceannard UHI a Tuath, an Iar agus Innse Gall: 鈥淭ha sinn air leth toilichte maoineachadh fhaighinn airson na d脿rna 矛re de Chnoc Soilleir agus tha sinn a鈥� coimhead air adhart ri bhith ag obair c貌mhla ri Ce貌las gus ar n-amas coitcheann airson Cnoc Soilleir mar ionad airson s脿r-mhathas ann am foghlam, c脿nan is cultar na G脿idhlig a thoirt gu buil.  Tha am pr貌iseact seo a鈥� cur ris an dealas againn air feadh an Oilthighe airson c脿nan is cultar na G脿idhlig a ghleidheadh, a neartachadh, agus adhartachadh anns na coimhearsnachdan ionadail, agus nas fhaide air falbh.鈥�