A NEW Christmas song is highlighting the importance of Gaelic in North Lanarkshire.

’S e Nollaig a th’ ann! (It’s Christmas!) was recorded by Làn Chomais, a rock band made up of pupils from Greenfaulds High School in Cumbernauld, with the backing of almost 1000 young voices from the area.

Gaelic teacher Kevin Rodgers mentored the young musicians and helped them make their first recording, and was supported by North Lanarkshire Council and Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

Rodgers said: “At Greenfaulds High School, we have been searching for a way to make the North Lanarkshire community more aware of the fact that Gaelic is alive and well in our area.”

“Làn Chomais are very hopeful the track will enter the Scottish download charts, and highlight to the whole of Scotland that Gaelic is as relevant in North Lanarkshire as it is in any other part of the country.”

Backing vocals were provided by other pupils from Greenfaulds High School, Condorrat Primary School and Baird Memorial Primary School.

Lead singer Emily Robertson said: “This experience has been awesome and has given us an amazing opportunity to promote the Gaelic profile of North Lanarkshire while working at a professional level with hugely inspiring musicians such as John Somerville.”

Fiddle player Jessica Muir added: “We are so happy to have been given this opportunity to promote the language in the area and to show that, as young Gaels, we are just as important to the future of the language as those in the more traditional Gaelic heartlands.”

The song will be available on iTunes, Amazon, Google Music and Spotify from December 7.