Derick Thomson and the Gaelic Revival

This is the very first book-length study devoted to Derick Thomson (Ruaraidh MacThòmais, 1921–2012), a poet and scholar who was the driving force behind influential initiatives aimed at promoting Scottish Gaelic in the second half of the twentieth century. It focuses on Thomson’s engagement with Scottish Gaelic as a writer, academic, editor, journalist, translator, and activist. As well as founding and steering the most important modern Gaelic magazine, Gairm, Thomson instigated a number of other ventures, including the Gaelic Books Council, and had a major impact on Gaelic Studies as an academic subject. His publications, especially An Introduction to Gaelic Poetry and The Companion to Gaelic Scotland, are still indispensable to researchers working in the field. His vision of the Gaelic revival is characterised by high aesthetic standards, organisational and economic shrewdness, openness to second-language users, support for Scottish political independence, and a broad European outlook. The monograph explores Thomson’s career within the context of the history of the Gaelic revival in Scotland and other minority-language movements in Europe, especially in Ireland. Drawing on previously untranslated sources, it seeks to present a comprehensive view of Thomson’s achievement and evaluate his impact and legacy.