Gaelic

Cha do rugadh a h-uile gaisgeach Gàidhlig linntean air ais ann an eachdraidh—gu dearbh tha cuid air buaidh mhòr a thoirt air a' Ghàidhlig agus air na coimhearsnachdan againn anns na beagan bhliadhnaichean a chaidh seachad.

Gun teagamh sam bith tha Sir Iain Nòbail air aonan dhiubh.

Mar a bhios fios aig duine sam bith a tha air cùrsa a dhèanamh aig an t-Sabhal Mhòr—b' e Iain Nòbail a stèidhich a' cholaiste san Eilean Sgitheanach ann an 1973.

Rugadh Iain ann am Berlin, bha athair ag obair ann, agus 's ann à Nirribhidh a bha a mhàthair.

'S e bancair-malairt agus neach-gnìomhachais soirbheachail a bh' ann ann an Dùn Èideann agus cheannaich e fearann anns an Eilean Sgitheanach nuair a reic e a' chompanaidh aige.

Dh'ionnsaich e fhèin a' Ghàidhlig, agus bhiodh e tric a' bruidhinn air na h-Eileanan Fàrach agus mar a thug iadsan leasachadh a' chànain aca air adhart tro leasachaidhean eaconamach.

Dh'fheuch e ris an aon rud a dhèanamh ann an Slèite, taobh a deas an Eilein Sgitheanaich, tron chompanaidh ùir aige Fearann Eilean Iarmain agus tron cholaiste Ghàidhlig, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.

English

Not all Gaelic heroes were born centuries ago in history—in fact some have made a big impact on Gaelic and our communities in the last few years.

Without a doubt Sir Iain Noble is one of them.

As anyone who has taken a course at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig will know—it was Iain Noble who founded the college on the Isle of Skye in 1973.

John was born in Berlin, his father worked there, and his mother was from Norway.

He was a successful merchant banker and businessman in Edinburgh and bought land in the Isle of Skye when he sold his company.

He himself learned Gaelic, and he often talked about the Faroe Islands and how they brought the development of their language forward through economic developments.

He tried to do the same in Sleat, in the south of the Isle of Skye, through his new company Fearann Eilean Iarmain and through the Gaelic college, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.