In Edinburgh, Ionad Gàidhlig Dhùn Èideann are full steam ahead and part of the city’s Edinburgh 900 celebrations. Professors Rob Dunbar and Wilson MacLeod will present Gaelic in Edinburgh: History And Demography at the National Library Of Scotland (Saturday 10). There they will be joined by harpist Laura Penman. Later at the same venue, a panel discussion will discuss the growth of Gaelic education in the city, chaired by Prof Matthew MacIver, featuring Donna MacIver, Karen Reid and Mona Wilson (Saturday 31). Bothan Dhùn Èideann’s May event coincides with the Local Mòd with singer and folklorist Fiona J MacKenzie discussing her new book about revivalist and Canna House archivist Margaret Fay Shaw at the Scottish Storytelling Centre (Friday 23).

Key Gaelic picks for Edinburgh’s Tradfest include An Introduction To Gaelic Storytelling, a bilingual workshop with Martin MacIntyre at the Storytelling Centre (Saturday 3). At The Cameo, Geur Gheàrr Shorts will screen rarely seen shorts from the BBC Alba series: A’ Bhean Eudach, Roimhe Ghaoth a’ Gheamhraidh and Keino. Gaelic-speaking fiddler Morag Brown will join Lewis Powell-Reid (pictured) for mesmerising arrangements of traditional music from Scotland at the Balkans at the Traverse (Tuesday 6) and Kathleen MacInnes will later wow concert audiences there (Friday 9). Celebrations of the films of Douglas Eadie will also feature MacInnes as Kay Matheson in An Ceasnachadh at the Storytelling Centre (Sunday 11). 

Entries close for the Glasgow Local Mòd on Friday 16 ahead of the June celebration of Gaelic language, music and literature. For those with an interest in the Irish language, Conradh na Gaeilge Glaschú will run Ceardlann Amhránaíocht, a singing workshop at Garnethill Multicultural Centre (Saturday 10). Glasgow’s Lewis and Harris and Uist and Barra Associations join forces for the Island Connections Ceilidh at Glasgow Academicals RFC. Featuring Lewis and Harris will be Donnie Maroot with Mìcheal Steele doing the honours for Uist and Barra, alongside The Passing Place and young people from local GME schools and Fèisean (Friday 16).

Further afield, Rothienorman’s Ellie Beaton features alongside Dublin’s Macdara Yeates at the Fife Traditional Singing Festival. Join the talented line-up at Falkland Community Hall (Saturday 17) for the annual Traditional Concert Of Old Songs And Bothy Ballads. In Knapdale, Argyll, CHARTS foregrounds Dùthchas Beò with Àdhamh Ó Broin. Learn about the symbiosis of Gaelic language and landscape in this natural context, visiting sacred spots on this tour, ahead of Beltane (Tuesday 13). 

The Poets’ Republic returns with a new issue of radical poetry. Pick up a copy online through Drunk Muse Press, featuring new Gaelic editor Elissa Hunter-Dorans selections, including new works by Christopher Whyte and Victoria MacIver. Dorans will also judge the Gaelic category of the Wigtown Poetry Competition, open to entries now. Gaelic writers across Scotland can also enter the Royal National Mòd’s literature competitions, with categories for poetry, short fiction, new songs, choral arrangements and more. Head on over to An Comunn Gàidhealach’s website. You can also see your work in print as part of Book Week Scotland 2025, as Scottish Book Trust are accepting Gaelic writing on the subject of friendship for a forthcoming publication.