BARRHEAD was going Gaelic to celebrate the age-old language and culture back in 2003.

A large crowd gathered in Barrhead to hear local Gaelic singers, and they reacted enthusiastically to the setting up of a Gaelic community group to promote the language.

The numbers attending classes to learn the language in Barrhead were rising, and enthusiasts were hoping to tap into the trend.

Barrhead resident Claire Graham was passionate about learning the language and had been perfecting the art for two years.

She said: “I decided to learn Gaelic because I believe everyone should speak in their native tongue or our language will be lost.”

Alasdair Law, the local Gaelic development officer, said: “This is really a re-awakening of our heritage. The numbers of people in our Barrhead classes have never been so high.”