William Gillies
Encyclopedia
William Gillies was a Scottish
patriot and a socialist. He helped to form the Scots National League
which joined with in other bodies to form the National Party of Scotland
which in turn evolved into the Scottish National Party
(SNP).
Gillies was born in the Galloway
region of Scotland in 1865, but grew up in London
. He was interested in Scottish History
from an early age and at the age of seventeen he became friend to John Murdoch who was then the editor of The Highlander
. Gillies became as enthusiastic for the rights of crofters in the Scottish highlands
and joined the Highland Land League
. He was at this stage enthusiastic for some form of home rule
for Scotland within the United Kingdom
but grew to support Scottish independence
instead.
Gillies also began to learn Gaelic
and wrote a number of plays in the language, also serving as secretary of the Gaelic Society of London from 1904 to 1905. However he stood down as secretary when the society rejected his proposal that they should campaign to make Gaelic the national language of Scotland.
Gillies, encouraged by Murdoch, also became aware of the developments in the politics of Ireland
becoming an ardent supporter of Sinn Féin
, associating with prominent figures such as Art O'Brian who would become the head of the Irish Self Determination League. He supported the Easter Rising
of 1916 and was deeply critical of those socialists who refused to support it, along with those in the Scottish Gaelic revival circles who refused to support it.
Gillies formed a friendship with Ruairidh Erskine of Mar contributing articles to his publications, Guth na Bliadhna (Voice of the Year) and Alba. In 1920 the Scots National League (SNL) was formed and these two mean became its principal leaders.
Gillies hoped that the SNL would reflect the revolutionary aims of the Irish nationalists by then engaged in a war of independence with the British state. He hoped that it would be the organisation which would lead Scotland to independence and revive the Gaelic language. Gillies became a regular contributor to the SNL's regular publication Liberty (which was in fact in part funded by Sinn Féin).
Gillies was involved in a little known chapter of Scotland's history when he was involved in the establishment of a volunteer force which was ready to use armed force to win Scottish independence. This body (styled Fianna na hAlba) abandoned their plans on the advice of the Irish nationalist leadership. Michael Collins
, in a letter to Art O'Brien stated that they were weaker than the Irish nationalist forces at even their weakest point during their war of independence and stated, "they do not appreciate the particular difficulties they are up against".
In 1926 Gillies became the first editor of the SNL's newspaper, The Scots Independent
.
Gillies and Erskine led the SNL into the formation of the National Party of Scotland (NPS) in 1928, which was far more moderate than the SNL. This resulted in many SNL members leaving the NPS dissatisfied with their methods. Gillies died in 1932, two years before the NPS evolved in the Scottish National Party (SNP), which at the time was even more moderate than the NPS had been.
Angus Clark, one of Gillies' closest friends wrote on hearing of his death, "he has left an example of noble effort, great faith and true devotion to his country."
Gillies' granddaughter, Anne Lorne Gillies
is active in politics, contesting the 1999 elections to the European Parliament
as an SNP candidate.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
patriot and a socialist. He helped to form the Scots National League
Scots National League
The Scots National League were a body seeking Scottish independence in the early 1920s. They were formed in 1921 largely at the efforts of Ruairidh Erskine of Mar and William Gillies....
which joined with in other bodies to form the National Party of Scotland
National Party of Scotland
The National Party of Scotland was a political party in Scotland and a forerunner of the current Scottish National Party.The NPS was formed in 1928 after John MacCormick of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association called a meeting of all those favouring the establishment of a party...
which in turn evolved into the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
(SNP).
Gillies was born in the Galloway
Galloway
Galloway is an area in southwestern Scotland. It usually refers to the former counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire...
region of Scotland in 1865, but grew up in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was interested in Scottish History
History of Scotland
The history of Scotland begins around 10,000 years ago, when humans first began to inhabit what is now Scotland after the end of the Devensian glaciation, the last ice age...
from an early age and at the age of seventeen he became friend to John Murdoch who was then the editor of The Highlander
The Highlander (newspaper)
The Highlander started in nineteenth century Scotland as a political newspaper written in Gaelic and edited by William Gillies. It helped bring Gaelic language back into the spotlight, socially and politically.-Sources:...
. Gillies became as enthusiastic for the rights of crofters in the Scottish highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
and joined the Highland Land League
Highland Land League
The first Highland Land League emerged as a distinct political force in Scotland during the 1880s, with its power base in the country's Highlands and Islands. It was known also as the Highland Land Law Reform Association and the Crofters' Party...
. He was at this stage enthusiastic for some form of home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
for Scotland within the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
but grew to support Scottish independence
Scottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
instead.
Gillies also began to learn Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
and wrote a number of plays in the language, also serving as secretary of the Gaelic Society of London from 1904 to 1905. However he stood down as secretary when the society rejected his proposal that they should campaign to make Gaelic the national language of Scotland.
Gillies, encouraged by Murdoch, also became aware of the developments in the politics of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
becoming an ardent supporter of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, associating with prominent figures such as Art O'Brian who would become the head of the Irish Self Determination League. He supported the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
of 1916 and was deeply critical of those socialists who refused to support it, along with those in the Scottish Gaelic revival circles who refused to support it.
Gillies formed a friendship with Ruairidh Erskine of Mar contributing articles to his publications, Guth na Bliadhna (Voice of the Year) and Alba. In 1920 the Scots National League (SNL) was formed and these two mean became its principal leaders.
Gillies hoped that the SNL would reflect the revolutionary aims of the Irish nationalists by then engaged in a war of independence with the British state. He hoped that it would be the organisation which would lead Scotland to independence and revive the Gaelic language. Gillies became a regular contributor to the SNL's regular publication Liberty (which was in fact in part funded by Sinn Féin).
Gillies was involved in a little known chapter of Scotland's history when he was involved in the establishment of a volunteer force which was ready to use armed force to win Scottish independence. This body (styled Fianna na hAlba) abandoned their plans on the advice of the Irish nationalist leadership. Michael Collins
Michael Collins (Irish leader)
Michael "Mick" Collins was an Irish revolutionary leader, Minister for Finance and Teachta Dála for Cork South in the First Dáil of 1919, Director of Intelligence for the IRA, and member of the Irish delegation during the Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations. Subsequently, he was both Chairman of the...
, in a letter to Art O'Brien stated that they were weaker than the Irish nationalist forces at even their weakest point during their war of independence and stated, "they do not appreciate the particular difficulties they are up against".
In 1926 Gillies became the first editor of the SNL's newspaper, The Scots Independent
The Scots Independent
The Scots Independent is a monthly Scottish political newspaper that is in favour of Scottish independence. It was formed in 1926 with William Gillies as editor, by the Scots National League and switched its allegiance to the National Party of Scotland when the SNL joined with them in 1928.When...
.
Gillies and Erskine led the SNL into the formation of the National Party of Scotland (NPS) in 1928, which was far more moderate than the SNL. This resulted in many SNL members leaving the NPS dissatisfied with their methods. Gillies died in 1932, two years before the NPS evolved in the Scottish National Party (SNP), which at the time was even more moderate than the NPS had been.
Angus Clark, one of Gillies' closest friends wrote on hearing of his death, "he has left an example of noble effort, great faith and true devotion to his country."
Gillies' granddaughter, Anne Lorne Gillies
Anne Lorne Gillies
Anne Lorne Gillies is a Scottish singer-songwriter, broadcaster, academic and writer. She was raised in Argyll and began singing as a child and as a native Gaelic speaker she participated in the Mod aged 17 where she won a gold medal for her singing talent.She studied Celtic and English at the...
is active in politics, contesting the 1999 elections to the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
as an SNP candidate.