Siol nan Gaidheal

Name

The name, properly spelled Sìol nan Gàidheal ([ˈʃiəlˠ̪ nəŋ ˈkɛː.əlˠ̪]), is Scottish Gaelic for Seed of the Gaels. The term sìol has numerous meanings, most commonly translated as "breed, brood, lineage, progeny, seed". In genealogy, the meaning of "lineage, progeny" is the most common, for example the MacDonalds sometimes being called Sìol Dòmhnaill in Gaelic.

General overview

Radical nationalism in Scotland consists of a mixture of Scottish nationalist traditions, which have influenced the creation and development of Siol nan Gaidheal.

The Scottish National Party, a political party that seeks Scottish Independence, prohibits membership of Siol nan Gaidheal. Siol nan Gaidheal has declared itself an ultranationalist group in the sense that the Nationalist Revolution will start only when a sovereign Scottish Parliament is set up.

History

In the 1980s, Siol nan Gaidheal produced a detailed magazine called Firinn Albannach (sic) (Scottish Truth), which is described as having a rhetoric which was "anti-communist, neo-fascist and sometimes violent in tone". In 1982, the 1320 Club merged into SnG.

In 1989, along with Michael Strathern, SnG erected a cairn in memory of Willie MacRae.

Jackie Stokes re-established Siol nan Gaidheal in 1997, concentrating mainly on the website and its forum. It was during this period that chapters were set up in the United States of America and in Canada as a focus for the Scottish diaspora in North America. After Stokes's death on 24 July 2001, the projects carried out by SnG have been scaled down, with the website in Scotland and those in the US and Canada becoming the main focus for SnG members and supporters and other nationalists around the world.

In May 2006, SnG held its first Ard Fhèis (party annual conference) in 14 years, in Dalwhinnie, Scotland.

General views of Siol nan Gaidheal

The Siol nan Gaidheal website sums up its views as follows:

"The Siol nan Gaidheal organisation supports the revival of the Folkic traditions of Scotland and the Gaelic and Scots languages. The land of Scotland from which we as a people and our culture spring, is central to our vision. Sustainable land use is vital for the future of our country. Land must be reclaimed for the benefit of our people. Siol nan Gaidheal seeks to liberate the Scottish people from the worst excesses of English/British Cultural Imperialism and believes that English people resident in Scotland will integrate into and make a full contribution to the community of Scotland. SnG will dedicate itself to fulfilling our commitments to our country and people, we will thus not stand idly by and watch our country being used, abused or betrayed by enemies both internal and external. We are content to leave party political action to the Scottish National Party and the forth-coming Scottish Parliament. SnG exists to promote, safeguard and stimulate a third Scottish Renaissance which will use the best past traditions of Scotland to forge a new Nation which will be an example to the world."