The Royal Celtic Society
– Patron: HRH The Princess Royal –
For 200 years, the Royal Celtic Society has been at the cutting edge of activity to support the language, literature, music and culture of the Highlands and Western Islands of Scotland. The Society holds regular events for members, awards medals for excellence in music and literature and sponsors a wide range of organisations dedicated to the traditions, language and arts of the Highlands and Islands.
What We Support
Language
The Scottish Gaelic language continues to survive and thrive, despite two centuries of neglect that verges on persecution.
Music
The Bagpipes are probably the single most identifiable symbol of Scottish identity, but the oldest Highland musical instrument is the clarsach.
Literature
The Gaelic literary canon is one of the oldest in Europe, with the exceptions of Latin and Ancient Greek, combining rich oral and written traditions.
Culture
In the name of progress, the Highland way of life came under sustained attack during and after the 18th century, but it proved too resilient to be suppressed.
History of the Royal Celtic Society
The Celtic Society was founded in Edinburgh in 1820 by a group of Highlanders based in the city, supported by Edinburgh professionals including Sir Walter Scott, the Society’s first Vice President.
Royal Celtic Society News
Report from the Glenfinnan Games 2026 – Royal Celtic Society.
The 2026 Glenfinnan Gathering was held on Saturday the 15th August. The weather was mixed but the crowd came prepared. It was an interesting year as the place felt crowded but the Gate numbers were slightly down on last year. The conclusion was that the Children’s...
Oban Games -Royal Celtic Society Prize 2026
The winner of the Royal Celtic Society prize was Alex Pavlovic from Houston Texas. This is his first appearance at Oban. His piping tutor, also from Houston, is Nick Hudson who won our A Grade Strathspey and Reel competition last year. The Royal Celtic Prize is...
Edinburgh International Harp Festival: Youth Outreach 2024
On Friday 5th April 2024 the traditional Scottish tale of ‘The Dream Makers’ was performed by storyteller Shona Cowie alongside the EIHF Youth Ensemble which consisted of over 30 young harpers from all over Scotland supported by 3 student volunteers and tutors Elinor...
Funding Grants
The Royal Celtic Society gives financial assistance to organisations, events and activities that support or develop the Society’s charitable objectives.
Please contact us for more information about applying for grants.
– Join Our Membership –
Please contact us for more information and any enquiries about our membership.