Scottish Gaelic literature

Scottish Gaelic literature encompasses writings in the Scots Gaelic language. The earliest known examples are marginalia from the 12th century in the Book of Deer. A significant early collection is The Book of the Dean of Lismore (1512–1526), featuring poems by Scottish and Irish authors, as well as ballads about the mythical Ossian.1

The 18th century saw the first printed secular poetry in Gaelic, notably by Alexander Macdonald and Duncan Ban Macintyre, who wrote on various themes including Highland life and nature. While short stories and essays emerged in later centuries, vital poetry was scarce until the 20th century, with a movement to revitalize Gaelic poetry led by figures like Sorley Maclean and Derick Thomson.23

Scottish Gaelic developed as a distinct language from Irish, with unique phonetic and grammatical features. Its literary history is intertwined with the broader context of Scottish literature, which also includes works in Scots and English.45