About the Research Project

Iorram forms the heart of a research project which developed as a collaboration between the filmmaker-academic Alastair Cole, who is a lecturer in Film Practice at Newcastle University, and Magnus Course, a linguistic anthropologist at the University of Edinburgh. 

The wider research project aimed to highlight the interrelationship between the Gaelic language and fishing communities in the Outer Hebrides, as well as exploring the creative practice possibilities of sound archive-led creative documentary filmmaking. 

During the film's development Alastair and Magnus co-directed a short impact documentary Our Fathers’ Sea, supported by an ESRC Impact Accelerator Grant, about the socio-political interrelation between fishing and Gaelic, which won a BBC Alba Film G Award in 2019. Magnus continues as co-producer of Iorram.

The research project has been developed between Newcastle University, and The University of Edinburgh, with the close collaboration and support from the fishing community in the Outer Hebrides, including the Western Isles Fishing Association, and numerous individuals and organisations working and living in the islands.  The project has also been supported throughout the production by the School of Scottish Studies Archives, as well as a team of translators, led by Joan MacKenzie and Gaelic song and translation consultant, Gillebride MacMillan.

The film has also only been possible with the collaboration and support of the people living today in the Outer Hebrides, including the fishing communities, as well as the descendants of the voices on the soundtrack. 

 

Mun Phròiseact Rannsachaidh

Tha Iorram aig cridhe pròiseact rannsachaidh a dh’èirich mar cho-obrachadh eadar am filmeadair-acadaimig Alastair Cole a tha na òraidiche ann an Dòigh-Obrach Film aig Oilthigh a’ Chaisteil Nuaidh agus Magnus Course, daon-eòlaiche cànain aig Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann. Bha am pròiseact rannsachaidh nas fharsainge ag amas air soilleireachadh an dàimh eadar Gàidhlig agus na coimhearsnachdan iasgaich ann an Innse Gall, a bharrachd air a bhith a’ coimhead air dè ghabhadh dèanamh a thaobh cruthachadh filmichean aithriseach a’ cleachdadh tasglannan-fuaim.

Fhad ‘s a bha am film ga leasachadh, cho-stiùirich Alastair agus Magnus film-aithriseach goirid, Our Fathers’ Sea, le taic bho Thabhartas ESRC, mun cheangal sòiseo-poileataigeach eadar iasgach agus Gàidhlig, a choisinn duais Film G BBC Alba ann an 2019. Tha Magnus a’ leantainn mar cho-riochdaire air Iorram.

Chaidh am pròiseact rannsachaidh a’ leasachadh eadar Oilthigh a’ Chaisteil Nuaidh, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann, le co-obrachadh dlùth agus taic bhon choimhearsnachd iasgaich ann an Innse Gall, a’ gabhail a-steach Comann Iasgairean nan Eilean Siar agus mòran dhaoine agus bhuidhnean a tha ag obair ‘s a’ fuireach sna h-eileanan.

Cha b’ urrainn am film a dhèanamh às aonais co-obrachadh agus taic bho na daoine tha fuireach ann an Innse Gall an-diugh, na coimhearsnachdan iasgaich nam measg, cuide ri sliochd nan guthan air a’ chlàr-fuaim.