Tea break: Angus MacLennan

In our fortnightly feature, we join a local for a tea break and find out how they spend their time - and their time off. This week, we welcome Angus 'Govig' MacLennan. Educator, Gaelic ambassador and (since January), OBE.

Please introduce yourself...

Despite living across the border for nearly 40 years, I am, and always will be, “Aonghas Ghòbhaig” - Mac Chalu-im Blacaidh agus Seonag na Tobaig and 2nd of three sons and a daughter; Fionnlagh & Rodaidh, who you will all know from the buses, and our younger sister Marion (an t-isean deireadh lìnn!) who lives in Stornoway.

I’m currently Gaelic Communities Officer for Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

What’s your story so far?

I was educated initially in Cliasmol School and subsequently at Sir E Scott School before moving to The Nicolson Institute.

Two years of employment at The Nicolson as a Gaelic teacher led to a year’s secondment with the Museum’s service before returning to my post as Assistant Principal Teacher of Gaelic Medium Education.

Having married and set up home in Gress in 1990, I was fortunate to be promoted to the Principal Teacher post at Sgoil a’ Bhac and subsequently became Depute Headteacher.

Our three children, Annabel, Màiri and Calum were born in 1995, 1998 and 2002 and, for a few years, the whole family was in Sgoil a’ Bhac as my wife Lena had converted to Primary teaching. With the closure of all rural secondaries imminent, I boomeranged back to The Nicolson Institute in 2010.

Following six years as Depute Rector there and serving as an Associate Schools Inspector, I was appointed to lead the e-Sgoil initiative and became Headteacher of what has now become a national digital school.

From relatively small, local beginnings e-Sgoil expanded exponentially during the Covid pandemic with thousands of young people being taught a range of subjects across all of Scotland’s 32 local authorities. Subjects such as Maths, Music, Art and Physics were taught alongside languages such as Gaelic, French, Mandarin and in 2022 we even started delivering lessons through the Ukrainian language in response to the needs of refugees. Leading e-Sgoil at that time was exciting and rewarding in equal measure.

Following a bout of serious ill health, I resigned in August 2022. Having

recovered fully, I now work two days a week for the Comhairle as Gaelic Communities Officer. The last few months have been incredibly busy, being involved with communities in drawing up proposals for Areas of Linguistic Significance designation has been fascinating.

Chairing Comann Eachdraidh Sgìre a’ Bhac and being a board member of the Harris Tweed Authority as well as a keen crofter means that I’m never short of things to do out with work.

What’s do you enjoy about your job?

Meeting and working with young people who are proud of and have a passion for their language, heritage and identity as islanders is definitely the best part of the Gaelic Communities Officer job, as they give you real hope for the future.

I’d like to thank the fellow Hearachs who turned up for the Area of Linguistic Significance meeting which we held in Tarbert in December. We’ll be back with more information soon so watch this space.

Name three things you would like to see happening for Gaelic locally?

- A greater willingness on the part of native speakers to use the language as often as possible in community and inter-generational settings could achieve far more for the language than anything that the Comhairle, Bòrd na Gàidhlig or the Government can do – and that costs nothing.

Ma tha i agaibh, cleachdaibh i!

- A wider appreciation of the fact that Gaelic is a real economic asset for the islands is required. Millions of pounds come into our economy annually through Gaelic Specific Grants, salaries and cultural tourism. The

Gaelic pound circulates in the economy and people benefit from it whether they are supportive of the language or not. The danger is that people will only appreciate what they had when they’ve lost it. As we have a USP (unique selling point) let’s make the most of it.

Chan eil meas air an tobar gus an tràigh e!

The setting up of local short-term immersion centres to give people who move into our communities or who wish to improve their level of fluency would make a real difference to language acquisition and create jobs in the process.

Cha tog conadail an cànan mura faigh iad cuideachadh ceart!

What are your favourite Harris places?

Conacro, the sandy, tidal lagoon about a mile east of Govig comes a very close second to Tràigh Mhealain / Gleann Chrabhadail which, in my opinion, is the most scenic an unspoilt area of Harris. My e-Sgoil colleagues present-ed me with a stunning painting of Mhealain & Crabhadal by Hope Blamire when I retired and it takes pride of place in our home.

What do you do when not working?

The croft keeps me busy. Both Lena and I are keen on being out in our boat, so it’s well used over the summer months. Two of our children are living in Glasgow and the third one is in London so we are back and fore from the mainland quite often.

Tea break time. What’s your drink and snack of choice?

Coffee. I hardly ever snack. As Bacachs say, “Copan falamh,” when actually asking for a cup of tea or coffee and nothing to eat with it. That expression took some getting used to!