Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Annual Lecture 2025
It gives us great pleasure, on behalf of the Board of Directors of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, to invite you to the next lecture in the series of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Annual Lectures.
This year’s lecture will be given by the highly respected TV Executive and Broadcaster, Mr. Alan Esslemont, Director General of TG4, whose illustrious career in broadcast media, both here in Scotland and in Ireland, will bring important insights into the unique challenges and opportunities of broadcasting through the medium of a minority language. Mr. Esslemont’s lecture is therefore being keenly anticipated on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig’s Annual Lecture has become a major keynote event in Scotland’s cultural calendar, attracting many distinguished guest speakers over the years, including: past Irish Presidents, Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese; former Chancellor and UK Prime Minister, Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP; former Scottish First Ministers, the late Rt Hon Donald Dewar MSP and the late Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP; writer and historian, Dr James Hunter; the late Sir Charles Duncan Rice, former Principal of the University of Aberdeen (1996-2010); and many other key figures from across all areas of Scottish public, political, educational and cultural life.
The lecture will take place in Talla Dhonaidh Chaimbeil, Àrainn Chaluim Chille , Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Sleat, Isle of Skye, at 4pm on Thursday 20 February 2025.
If you wish to attend in-person
We hope that you will be able to join us for the lecture in-person and for the drinks reception immediately afterwards. If you would like to attend in-person, we would be grateful if you could contact Sarah Jane Campbell, PA to the Principal. You can do this by emailing .
If you wish to view online
If you are not able to attend in-person, there will be a livestream link sent out closer to the time of the event. Please register below if you would like to have access to this link.
Register for Live stream Web link
The Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Annual Lecture is supported through the generous sponsorship of James MacQueen Building Contractors Ltd, the Gaelic Whiskies and Gaelic Gins from Pràban na Linne and Fearann Eilean Iarmain, and R.HOUSE Ltd, along with the support of Ireland’s Consulate General in Edinburgh.