Aims

The Book Trust was formed in 2002 with two main aims:

1. To further understanding of the history of Scottish islands in their wider Celtic and Nordic context.
2. To generate economic, social, and cultural benefits for local communities in the islands.

Activities

We have promoted these aims by:

• Organising talks and conferences. For example, we have held major conferences on Martin Martin, Sea-bird fowling traditions, St Kilda, Alexander Carmichael, the Military History of the Hebrides, Whaling, and Emigration from the Islands.
• Arranging visits to islands and other remote areas, such as the Shiants, Scarp, Pabbay, Mingulay, South Rona, Kinlochresort, Fladda Chuain, the Flannans and South Pairc in Lewis. We also organised a week-long stdy visit to the Faroes in 2009.
• Publishing books and other material about Scottish islands, for example, a new illustrated and annotated edition of Martin Martin’s description of the Western Isles, several ground-breaking books on St Kilda, a lavishly illustrated history of croft housing, the proceedings of our conferences, ‘The French MacDonald’, award winning Gaelic/English bilingual publications ‘Coco is Crubagan’ and ‘Suas gu Deas’, the photographs of Dr Kenneth Roberton, and a series of booklets and Island Notes.
• Radio broadcasts in Gaelic and English, for example a series on depopulated islands broadcast on Isles FM in 2009 and 2010.
• Encouraging education and research about Scottish islands, based particularly on archives which we own or with which we have close links.

Our Philosophy

We believe that knowledge can be advanced by bringing together people from different backgrounds. All our events aim to do this, combining the views of local people with those of academics and outside experts.

We also believe there are considerable benefits from comparative research on different islands, both those within Scotland and in relation to islands in Ireland, the Faroes, and other parts of Northern Europe.

While most of our events are in English, the Trust are committed to encouraging Gaelic, and there is a substantial amount of Gaelic material in the various archives with which we have close links.

The Trust’s aims are complementary to those of the Comuinn Eachdraidh, and we aim to work in partnership with other historical societies.
Although our base and roots are in Ness, the most northern part of Lewis, our activities now extend to all parts of the Western Isles, to Skye and Raasay, and we have plans to hold events in other islands.

Eachdraidh

Amasan

Chaidh Urras nan Leabhraichean a stèidheachadh ann an 2002 le dà phrìomh amas:

·         Ar n-eòlas air eachdraidh eileanan na h-Alba taobh a-staigh saoghal nan Ceilteach agus saoghal nan Lochlannach a leudachadh.

·         Buannachd eaconomach, shòisealta agus chultarach a chruthachadh dha coimhearsnachdan ionadail anns na h-eileanan.

Gnìomhachdan

Tha sinn air na h-amasan seo a chur air adhart le a bhith:

·         A’ cur òraidean agus cho-labhairtean air dòigh. Mar eisimpleir, tha sinn air co-labhairtean cudromach a chumail air Màrtainn MacGilleMhàrtainn, dualchas eunaich,Hiort, Alasdair MacGilleMhìcheil, eachdraidh armailteach nan Innse Gall, sealg na muice-mara, agus eilthireachd bho na h-eileanan.

·         A’ cur chuairtean air dòigh dha eileanan agus àitichean iomallach eile mar na h-Eileanan Mòra, An Scarp, Phabaigh, Mhiughalaigh, Rònaigh, Cheann Loch Rèasort, Fladda Chuain, na h-Eileanan Flannach agus taobh a deas Sgìre na Pàirce ann an Leòdhas. Ann an 2009 chuir sinn cuairt sgrùdaidh air dòigh dha na h-Eileanan Fàro airson seachdain.

·         A’ foillseachadh leabhraichean agus stuth eile air eileanan na h-Alba, mar eisimpleir, deasachadh ùr, le dealbhan agus nòtaichean, de thuairisgeul Mhàrtainn MhicGilleMhàrtainn air na h-Eileanan an Iar; grunn leabhraichean ùr-ghnàthach air Hiort; eachdraidh thaighean-croit le tòrr dhealbhan; imeachdan ar co-labhairtean; leabhar air ‘a’ Dhòmhnallach Fhrangach’; na foillseachain dhà-chànanach Gàidhlig/Beurla, ‘Còco is Crùbagan’ agus ‘Suas gu Deas’, a choisinn duaisean; na dealbhan camara aig an Dr Coinneach Robasdan; agus sreath leabhran agus ‘Nòtaichean Eileanach’.

·         A’ dèanamh phrògraman rèidio sa Ghàidhlig agus sa Bheurla, mar eisimpleir sreath air eileanan fàsaichte a chaidh a chraoladh le Isles FM ann an 2009 agus 2010.

• A’ brosnachadh foghlam agus rannsachadh air eileanan na h-Alba, gu h-àraidh far a bheil iad stèidhichte air tasglannan air a bheil sinn an sealbh no ris a bheil dlùth-cheanglaichean againn.

Ar Feallsanachd

Tha sinn a’ creidsinn gum faodar eòlas a leudachadh le a bhith a’ toirt còmhla dhaoine le seallaidhean eadar-dhealaichte. Tha ar tachartasan uile ag amas air seo a dhèanamh gus an tèid seallaidhean muinntir an àite a choimeasgadh le seallaidhean sgoilearan agus eòlaichean eile.

Tha sinn a’ creidsinn cuideachd gun tig buannachd nach beag bho rannsachadh coimeasach air diofar eileanan, an dà chuid taobh a-staigh na h-Alba agus an coimeas ri eileanan ann an Èirinn, na h-Eileanan Fàro agus ceàrnaidhean eile de Cheann a Tuath na Roinn-Eòrpa.

Ged a chleachdar Beurla anns a’ mhòr-chuid de na tachartasan againn, tha sinn mar urras an geall air Gàidhlig a bhrosnachadh, agus tha uimhir nach beag de stuth Gàidhlig anns na diofar thasglannan ris a bheil dlùth-cheanglaichean againn.

Tha amasan an Urrais agus amasan nan Comunn Eachdraidh a’ dol làmh air làimh, agus tha sinn an dùil co-obrachadh le comainn eile a tha an sàs ann an eachdraidh.

Ged is ann an Nis, an sgìre as fhaide a tuath ann an Leòdhas, a tha ar bunait agus ar freumhan, tha na gnìomhachdan againn a-nis a’ gabhail àite air feadh nan Eilean Siar agus anns an Eilean Sgitheanach agus Ratharsair. ‘S e ar rùn tachartasan a chur air dòigh ann an eileanan eile cuideachd.