Scots and Irish culture has suffered in the hands of revisionists — think of garish head-to-toe tartan with hairy sporrans down to the knees, not to mention the great sport of haggis hunting; we won’t even start on Irish stereotypes! The Society aims to show these supposedly traditional images as largely fictional and that true Gaelic culture is distinct and alive.

To this end we host, co-ordinate, or support a variety of traditional and modern Gaelic events, including workshops and classes in Gaelic Language, Highland Dress and Society, History, Weapons, Architecture, Bagpipes, Dance, Politics, also Films, an irregular newsletter, and other events. Unfortunately our propensity for fun has occasionally seen us taking part in exactly the type of romanticised twaddle we wish to re-educate people about, such as Porridge-Wrestling and the odd lurid tartan and whisky affair...

We’re a pretty informal group; we’re run by our members really. If any of us wants to organize an event, or just host a Celtic theme party, we discuss it on our mailing list. There’s one rule: group e-mails must be relevant to the Society. Any other cause you might want to promote, whether it’s political or environmental or whatever, belongs on our Forum, in the ‘General Discussion’ section. (Hey, we’re all over this here Interweb thingy, aren’t we?)

• We’ve been holding Scots Gaelic language lessons every semester for several years now; contact Daniel Copeland.
• We also have an annual encampment at the start of each year. Last year’s was great fun, with plenty of socialising and some interesting workshops.
• The encampment always includes a mock battle with the Lindskiis. Pacifist Warfare is our favourite sport.
• We are hoping to start a steel weapons re-enactment section in the near future. E-mail Baxter if you might be interested.
• The Society was founded around the Celtic & Gaelic Studies Campaign, which seems to be struggling in recent years as its chief proponent now has a real job. But we never lose hope.
• Much the same, alas, goes for the Official Highland & Gaelic Society Song Book, an Eclectic Collection of Scottish & Irish Lyrics Exploring the History & Culture of the Gaelic People.
• This year, we may have Highland or Irish dance, film nights, Gaelic football, or anything else we choose to host. We list most of our events in Critic, gYRo and occasionally on the OUSA noticeboard.