Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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About this entry:
First published 1956 (SND Vol. IV). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
GAEL, n. A Highlander. Orig. one of the Celtic-speaking inhabitants of Scotland. Now mainly liter. or hist. [ge:l]Sc. 1753 W. Maitland Hist. Edb. 3:
As is apparent by the Name of the said Wall, and our Highlanders still calling themselves Gael.Sc. 1800 Highl. Soc. Report on Ossian (1805) 95:
The Gaelic character, which was anciently used by the Scotch and Irish Gaels.Sc. 1828 Scott F.M. Perth xxvii.:
An appeal to the hospitality of the wildest Gael was never unsuccessful.Sc. 1923 Trans. Gael. Soc. Inv. XXXI. 245:
Those Gaels who have held prominent positions in Edinburgh, as judges, soldiers, statesmen, professors, authors, and divines.Sc. 1928 D. Coghill Elusive Gael 17:
To-day it must be admitted that the term “Gael” has always connoted in the public mind a “Celtic Scotsman,” and no one else.
Deriv. Gaeldom, The (Gaelic-speaking) Highlands and Islands.Hebr 1983 Norman Malcolm Macdonald Calum Tod 91:
..., but this may not be the place to speculate on the reasons for the high incidence of the illness [alcoholism] of Gaeldom, ...Sc. 1988 Times 28 Aug :
Being a Highlander, he [Sir Fitzroy Maclean] understands Highland society, why the clan followed Charles into an expedition in which almost no chief believed, and how the rising turned into disaster for Gaeldom.Sc. 1990 Times 21 Jan :
... a declared champion of Gaeldom and co-founder of Edinburgh university's school of Scottish studies, dismissed Inverness's claim to be 'capital of the Highlands' conferring that honour on Oban.Sc. 1992 Herald 4 Sep 7:
To their basic manifesto of forming a musical bond between Gaeldom and Kinshasa have been added 57 varieties of rock influences, from the Beatles to David Byrne, plus a Gospelish tinge here, a jazzy keyboard lick there.Sc. 1994 Scotsman 11 Oct :
It was a brilliant and subtle idea to create a film that would, obliquely, leave you thinking tartan Gaeldom is for wallies and that the purposeful Protestantism was the way forward.Sc. 1997 Daily Record 10 May 20:
Maybe he was angry about the other big announcement that rocked Gaeldom this week - the news that Runrig are set to chuck it.Sc. 2000 Dunoon Observer & Argyllshire Standard 1 Apr 19/6:
Gaeldom is a small world and it needs as much unity as it can get.
