The Carnegie Trust has awarded Tòmas MacAilpein, a research student in History/Celtic and Gaelic, the Robertson Medal for the most outstanding application to the trust for doctoral funding in 2011. The trust receives around 150 applications every year and funds only fifteen. The best proposal is awarded the Robertson Medal. 

Tòmas graduated with a First Class honours degree in Gaelic Language & Culture from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, University of the Highlands and Islands, in 2008 and then came to the Universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde to take a jointly-taught MSc in Social History.  His doctoral project proposal, supported by a Carnegie scholarship, will examine the social and cultural life of Gaelic-speaking Highlanders in their culture-region – a’ Ghàidhealtachd – from the close of the Victorian era to the middle of the 20th-century. The working title is: 'Work, Community and Culture in the Western Highlands, 1890-1950'.

Tòmas began his doctoral research in September. He is jointly supervised by Dr Martin MacGregor (History) and Dr Sheila Kidd (Celtic and Gaelic), and will complete his PhD (including supervision, oral history research, and language of the final dissertation) in Gaelic.

Dr MacGregor said: ‘Tòmas first came to my attention when he was still an undergraduate at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, and it was obvious to me then that he was an outstanding student with clear postgraduate/PhD potential. He has crafted a research proposal which is achievable, original, and imaginative and it is a pleasure for Dr Kidd and me to be working with him.’

The Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland supports staff and students of the universities of Scotland in a number of ways, providing a limited number of scholarships for graduates with First Class honours degrees to undertake research leading to a PhD. Sir Lewis Robertson, an eminent industrialist and administrator, is a past Chairman of the Trust and the silver Robertson Medal was introduced in 2003 to mark his services to the Trust over a period of forty years.

At a ceremony on 1 December, the medal was presented to Tòmas - on behalf of the Carnegie Trust - by Lord Cameron of Lochbroom.  Lord Cameron reminded us of Andrew Carnegie’s wish to provide a continuation of academic excellence for Scotland by supporting the finest graduates of the each generation.  He said: “ As the Carnegie scholarships are awarded only to the crème de la crème of graduates, Tòmas has been chosen as the crème de la crème of the crème de la crème.”

Guest of honour was Tom’s mother Rona MacAilpein, and attending from the University were Dr Sheila Kidd, Dr Martin MacGregor, Professor Dauvit Broun, Professor Thomas Clancy and Professor Roibeard O Maololaigh. Professor Steve Beaumont, Vice Principal for Research, represented the Principal on this occasion. 

Professor Beaumont said: ‘This very exciting and timely project will undoubtedly provide a valuable resource for those who are involved in the re-establishment of Gaelic in Scotland. With the first Chair of Gaelic in Scotland, and the appointment of a Gaelic Language Officer here at Glasgow, we are genuinely committed to the development of Gaelic at the University.  It is wholly appropriate to have Tom’s project based here.

First published: 29 November 2011

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