“Yeah, I’m speaking this language, listen to what I’m talking about”: Etta-May on modernising Gaelic and better opportunities for young islanders.
Etta-May Olley (@ettamaigh on TikTok and Instagram) is bringing the Gaelic language into mainstream content with her own social media videos, as well as special brand deals with some of Scotland’s well-known brands.
Etta-May grew up on the Isle of Harris in the Western Isles – where the population is just under 2,000. With miles of untouched landscape and rolling hills, the Isles are known to be a great place of inspiration for artists and creatives.
As with any remote location, opportunities can be limiting. And while some find better opportunities away, Etta-May described it as a “pull” that keeps the connection to the island so strong.
She recently shared a video to her 6.7k followers on TikTok and 9.7k followers on Instagram about how she felt disappointed that she can’t make the islands her home while also progressing in her career.
From Derry to New York: Róise Nic an Bheatha’s Celtic Cinema
Irish-born Róise Nic an Bheatha is dedicated to bringing world-class filmmaking back to Scotland and Ireland, highlighting the power of celtic languages and culture on the big screen. Now, she’s set off to New York City to make connections and bring Scottish and Irish stories back to the screen. Director and filmmaker Róise was recently awarded $66,000 through the prestigious Fulbright BAFTA Scholarship, giving her the encouragement to go to New York City and study filmmaking at the School of Visual Arts. The 29-year-old is originally from Derry in Northern Ireland but moved to Edinburgh with her family when she was younger, where she learnt Scottish Gaelic. Before going into film, Róise completed her studies at Glasgow University and then worked at the national centre for Gaelic language, Sabhal Mor Ostaig on the Isle of Skye. One of her highest acclaimed films, Le Chéile, went on to be showcased at film festivals across Ireland and Scotland and is known as the world’s first narrative film featuring both Irish and Scottish Gaelic – exploring how language and place can bring people together in unlikely circumstances.
“What You See Is What You Get”: Kira McCaffery on Growing Up, Going Viral and Staying Real
There’s a certain type of warmth that some people carry with them, a brightness that doesn’t beg for attention, but draws it anyway. Kira McCaffery, content creator and self-described “centre of attention Leo”, is exactly that kind of person. You hear it in the Glaswegian lilt of her laugh, the way she names her childhood teddy “Sharpay” after High School Musical’s finest diva, or how she tells you, quite frankly, that being on telly just felt right.