Tell us a Stòiridh: Children’s show is new chapter in promoting Gaelic

Actor Sorcha Groundsell in the new BBC Alba show Stòiridh.

For generations, children have been lulled to sleep by the voices of their nearest and dearest reading them a bedtime story. Nowadays, Tom Hardy and Dolly Parton are also available.

In the CBeebies’ Bedtime Stories series, well-known faces read their favourite bedtime stories aloud for little ones – and big ones – to drift off to.

BBC Alba’s Gaelic version, Stòiridh, follows the same principle.

Actress Sorcha Groundsell – most recently known for her role in crime crossover series The Island (An t-Eilean) – will read the first story tomorrow evening.

Raised on Lewis, she is fluent in Gaelic after learning the language at school, despite her parents not being Gaels.

“There is a feeling for all of us that work in Gaelic about doing whatever we can to help promote the language, and Stòiridh is a really good example of that,” Sorcha said.“It’s not just entertainment for kids, it’s a way for parents and children to be exposed to Gaelic in the home.

“It was an enjoyable thing to do, but there’s the political side of it beyond that with how important it is for us to keep creating content that promotes Gaelic.”

Sorcha will read four stories in the upcoming series.

She said: “All of my stories are translations of English-language kids’ books. I don’t have kids so it was quite interesting to tap into that world – the stories are so sweet and entertaining but, of course, also have a moral message. It is so important for your sense of creativity and imagination to be read a story before bed.”

The 27-year-old explained that, when she started her acting career, having Gaelic wasn’t seen as an advantage, but that appears to be changing.

She said: “In wider society there is more of an interest and open-mindedness when it comes to minority languages that wasn’t there five or 10 years ago.

“When I started out as an actor, people down in London, for example, didn’t even really know what Gaelic was. It wouldn’t be an advantage to have it as a language, but now even those who don’t speak it have a level of curiosity that will hopefully translate down the line into investment and support.”

Music and storytelling are two essential elements of the Gaelic-speaking world, according to Sorcha, so programmes like Stòiridh which embrace that are a way of welcoming others in.

“It makes perfect sense to use those things as a platform to share what we have,” she added.

“Even for adult learners, there is a lot of value in tackling a language from a kid’s perspective. There is a level of discomfort trying to tap into a new language, but if we want to preserve it, we have to push that and keep trying, even when it feels difficult.”

Scotland’s Makar, Peter Mackay, is another well-kent Gaelic face – although you may not recognise him in one episode. He said: “It is a really intensive four-hour shoot with four different stories, stage sets, costume changes and, in my last one, I had to sing a song as a Viking.

“I had to create my own tune, and I am a terrible singer, so part of the challenge was trying to remember the tune I had come up with and sticking to it.” In his role as Makar, Peter works to get children engaged in poetry and literature, with Gaelic woven throughout.

Peter said shows like Stòiridh are crucial in encouraging learning through play. He added: “It is so important to have resources available to children at as young an age as possible.

“A few of the stories I read are aimed at really young children, because the age-old saying is true, they are like sponges – everything goes in and sticks. One of the easiest ways to learn is through songs and stories – you often remember them before you even know what they mean.”

He added that a growing number of parents are keen for their children to be exposed to Gaelic.

He said: “There has been a big change over the last few decades, not necessarily in the number of people speaking Gaelic, but in the positivity that most people in the country feel about it. It is something that is unique to Scotland, so why would we not celebrate it?

“Lots of parents are choosing to introduce their children to Gaelic, and there are enough resources out there now that, if they wanted to, all screen time when it is allowed could be in Gaelic. Stòiridh introduces both children and parents to the language at the same time in a really accessible way.”

And not only did his time on Stòiridh align with Peter’s passion in making Gaelic more accessible, he also achieved another dream in taking part.

Peter said: “I have always wanted to do something Tom Hardy has done, so this is probably my only chance to do that.”