Creative writing: Uncovering queer Gaelic voices

From medieval manuscripts to modern poetry, prose, and TV shows, Gaelic literature has featured many queer voices throughout history.

This event is part of Seachdain na Gàidhlig | World Gaelic Week, which celebrates Scottish Gaelic language and culture. This workshop will look at instances of queerness in Gaelic writing through the centuries, in English translation. Modern queer Gaelic writers face the challenges of being queer in a heteronormative society, and Gaelic in an Anglonormative one.

We'll also discuss common themes and ways of discussing queerness, as well as contemporary queer Gaelic writing people can access. There will be an opportunity to reflect on these themes and tropes and work on your own writing through the workshop. There will writing prompts inspired by the theme, and time to write and share.

About the workshop leader

Robbie MacLeòid is a writer, songwriter and academic, writing in Gaelic and English. He was poet-in-residence at the StAnza poetry festival in 2020, was Highly Commended in the Edwin Morgan Poetry Award in 2022, and is a recipient of a New Writers’ Award from the Scottish Book Trust.

Tha guthan cuèir air nochdadh ann an litreachas na Gàidhlig o shean, ged nach eil a h-uile duine eòlach air sin. Anns a' bhùth-obrach seo chithear diofar sgeulachdan, dàin, is litreachais san fharsaingeachd anns a bheil guthan cuèir a' nochdadh (le eadar-theangachadh dhan Bheurla). Tha dùbhlan a bharrachd ro sgrìobhadairean cuèir na Gàidhlig: tha aca ri bhith Gàidhlig ann an saoghal na Beurla, agus cuèir ann an saoghal nan eile-sheòrsach.

Bruidhnidh sinn air teamaichean agus dòighean sgrìobhaidh cumanta ceangailte ri bhith cuèir, agus mu sgrìobhadairean cuèir na Gàidhlig an latha an-diugh as urrainnear leughadh. Bidh cothroman ann cuideachd meòrachadh a dhèanamh air na teamaichean seo, agus sgrìobhadh againn fhèin a dhèanamh.