An Taigh Cèilidh

An Taigh Cèilidh (/ənˌtai 'keɪli/ unt-EYE KAY-lee, Scottish Gaelic: [ən̪ˠt̪ʰɤj'kʲʰeːlʲi]) is a Scottish Gaelic cultural centre and community café in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. The centre hosts regular events that promote the Gaelic language, its community of speakers, and the intangible cultural heritage that goes with it.
An Taigh Cèilidh is a community interest company ('CIC') registered in the United Kingdom, which uses its income surplus for community events (such as folk music sessions) and publishing materials (such as local poetry pamphlets).
An Taigh Cèilidh is often nicknamed 'the Gaelic café' by locals.
==History==
===Name===
An Taigh Cèilidh is Scottish Gaelic for "the cèilidh house", the tradition of which it is named for. The cèilidh house was defined by Donald Archie MacDonald asIn every township [in the Hebrides and Scottish Highlands] there was at least one house noted as a 'céilidh house'. These popular meeting places provided the main focus for the social and intellectual life of the surrounding areas. Storytellers, singers and musicians catered for the needs that later came to be supplied by books, newspapers, films, radio and television ... Such evenings of communal entertainment are well within living memory.An Taigh Cèilidh aims to reintroduce the céilidh house tradition to the Isle of Lewis and Harris.
===Before opening===
An Taigh Cèilidh was founded by Dr Teàrlach Wilson, who is a Scottish Gaelic scholar of Scottish and Welsh descent. The project was based on some of the qualitative data findings in his doctoral thesis, in which some contributors to the research expressed a longing for the cèilidh and the céilidh house. In 2021, Wilson teamed with Magaidh Smith, who is local tradition-bearer and educator from the village of Achmore on the Isle of Lewis. Wilson and Smith collected opinions and feedback through a number of channels. For exampe, they undertook a number of community events around the Isle of Lewis during the COVID-19 pandemic to support isolated residents with technology and communication as part of the Cabraich Community Arts group. They also held community meetings, hired stalls at local festivals, and published online surveys.
In July 2021, Wilson and Smith formally incorporated An Taigh Cèilidh CIC with Companies House, and launched an online crowd funder to raise enough funds to buy a property in Stornoway. They had initially tried to purchase the food and beverage premises at 3 Cromwell Street, opposite the Stornoway Town Hall. Negotiations fell through, and Wilson secured a commercial loan from NatWest RBS Social and Community Capital Fund to submit an official offer to purchase 16 Church Street in December 2021. In May 2022, the transaction was completed and the property was officially registered as an asset of An Taigh Cèilidh CIC.
On 15th February 2022, in honour of Murdo Macfarlane's 121st birthday, An Taigh Cèilidh launched its official logo with an online video of local residents singing Macfarlane's call-to-arms Cànan nan Gàidheal ('the Language of the Gaels').
During the summer of 2022, Wilson and Smith opened a 'pop-up' céilidh house in the Church Street premises to trial events, collect feedback, and present their plans for a céilidh house in Stornoway. 
In September 2022, Wilson secured funding from the Social Entrepreneurs Fund to fund the renovations of the premises on Church Street. Renovations of the interior began towards the end of September 2022 and were completed by mid December 2022.
On completion of the interior renovations, An Taigh Cèilidh opened on 17th December 2022 with a small performance of Scottish Gaelic Christmas carols with audience participation.
===Since opening===
An Taigh Cèilidh initially opened with restricted hours due to the number of staff. Wilson and Smith ran the centre with some support from volunteers. In April 2023, An Taigh Cèilidh could afford the recruitment of staff, so that by June 2023, the centre was open Monday to Saturday.
An Taigh Cèilidh holds events for local residents and for visitors. In June 2023, An Taigh Cèilidh launched its first official publication, Tràghadh 's Lìonadh, which is a collection of poetry written by local bàird bhaile ('village bards').
==Services==
An Taigh Cèilidh is a multipurpose space that can be used for small performances and community events. Service users can attend the centre's activities, or they can use the community café and gift shop. Service users are encouraged to organise and run their own events.
===Cultural workshop===
The 'cultural workshop' is the term used by An Taigh Cèilidh to refer to the centre's performances and events.
===Community café===
The community café serves a range of hot drinks, and a small menu of cold drinks, hot and cold snacks, and cakes.
===Gift shop===
The gift shop sells books in Scottish Gaelic and local arts and crafts.
==Funding==
As a community interest company, An Taigh Cèilidh depends on its commercial revenue to cover its overheads and generate social impact. An Taigh Cèilidh also receives donations, including a GBP5000 (approximately USD6500) donation by the Scottish author Peter May. As well as its commercial revenue and donations, An Taigh Cèilidh secured some grant funding for both its renovations and its community events. Funders include Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Horshader Community Development Trust and the Gaelic Language Promotion Trust.
==Management==
An Taigh Cèilidh CIC has a Board of Directors, which oversee the finances and operations. The Board of Directors has a co-presidency, with Wilson and Smith holding joint leadership and using the Scottish Gaelic titles Fear an Taighe ('Master of the House') and Bean an Taighe ('Mistress of the House') respectively.
Category:Cultural centers
Category:Community building
Category:Buildings and structures completed in 2022