This is an archive of the NMS website

Na Gaidheil

Unearth Scotland's Gaelic culture and explore the vitality of Western Highland art.

Those who crossed from Ireland to the west coast of Scotland established a strong Gaelic culture which has since dominated the Western Highlands and Islands. Gaelic became for a time the language of most of Scotland as well as Ireland and has left its imprint on place names as far south as the Lothians and Galloway.

Art of the West

West Highland art which was encouraged by the Lords of the Isles, who were descended from Somerled, 12th-century King of the Hebrides. The Lordship became particularly powerful in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Although the Lordship of the Isles was suppressed by James IV in 1493, West Highland art continued to flourish. You can see the evidence in later jewellery and weapons.

Excavation of Finlaggan

The Lordship of the Isles had its administrative centre at Finlaggan on the island of Islay. The display on Finlaggan (Case 2) shows what can be discovered from the excavation of an ancient site.

The excavation was carried out between 1990 and 1997 and has revealed that the Lordship operated from an extensive and well-appointed centre. Evidence of buildings and the way the people spent their time has been uncovered. Some of it is displayed here along with diagrams and reconstructions which explain the site.

Things to see

The claymore (Case 3) and images on the sculptured stones are reminders that raiding and warfare were significant features of medieval Highland life. But this was balanced by a vivid culture of poetry, song and decorative art. The rare Books of Clanranald are striking examples of West Highland art. The Red Book of Clanranald is one of the earliest accounts of events in Scotland from a Gaelic viewpoint.