Siol nan Gaidheal

First incarnation (1978–1985)

The organisation was founded in 1978 by Tom Moore and Gordon Walker as Sons of Scotland, before adopting the name Siol nan Gaidheal.^[11][12] Moore, who had spent twelve years in New York before returning to Scotland, later said he founded the organisation because he believed the Scottish nationalist movement lacked militancy, describing the SNP as "mealy-mouthed".^[12] Moore claimed that the organisation's aim was to "inspire nationalist without inhibition or restraint".^[12] In 1980, the SNP's national executive decided that membership of Siol nan Gaidheal was incompatible with membership of the party,^[13] and the party launched an inquiry into the group, with Colin Bell as vice-chairman.^[14] The group was proscribed by the SNP in 1982 following internal disputes over political strategy and style.^{[citation needed]}

The 1320 Club, associated with figures such as Hugh MacDiarmid, merged into the organisation in 1982.^[15]

During this period, the group published Firinn Albannach. Surviving issues of the publication contain a mixture of political perspectives, including anti-NATO, anti-imperialist and anti-war arguments, as well as support for a "Socialist Republic" and criticism of both Labour and the Communist Party of Great Britain.^[16]

Some members were associated with or expressed support for Arm nan Gaidheal (AnG), a militant group linked to arson attacks in the early 1980s, though surviving material indicates no formal organisational affiliation between SnG and AnG.^[17]

Second incarnation (1987–1990s)

The organisation was revived in 1987 by Jackie Stokes, a member of the Scottish Republican Socialist Party. This incarnation explicitly rejected violence and focused on cultural and republican activism.^[18] By 1988, it claimed a membership of 300. Its activities included, in 1989, erecting a cairn in memory of Willie McRae—who was sympathetic to SnG, and possibly at one point a member^[19]—along with Michael Strathern. By the early 1990s, Stokes had serious health issues, including kidney problems.

Third incarnation (1997–present)

Re-established again in 1997, the organisation shifted towards online activity, diaspora engagement, and participation in pro-independence demonstrations.^{[citation needed]} By 2001, however, Stokes had passed away due to health issues which had been ongoing since the 1990s.^{[citation needed]} Siol nan Gaidheal also formed a website called Clannasaor which called itself a political party despite not contesting in any elections.^{[citation needed]} According to records of its manifesto, it described themselves as Social Democrats with minimal governance and advocated for both Scottish independence and euroscepticism.^[20]

Siol nan Gaidheal actively campaigned for Scottish independence during the 2014 independence referendum, though the official Yes Scotland campaign distanced itself from SnG.^[1] The group made headlines in the run-up to the referendum for heckling Labour MP Jim Murphy on his visits to Dundee and Montrose.^[21][1]

Siol nan Gaidheal has marched at pro-independence demonstrations organised by All Under One Banner. In 2018, the online magazine Bella Caledonia criticised AUOB for platforming what it described as a "fascist" group. AUOB replied that while Siol nan Gaidheal's banner was not welcome, it was unable to physically ban the organisation from its marches.^[22] SnG went on to say on their website in response to AUOB's requests; "We're quite happy to limit its (SnG flag) use to political rallies in future".^[23] Political campaigner Math Campbell, who founded the pro-independence group English Scots for Yes, said that Siol nan Gaidheal's presence left him and others feeling unwelcome: "They claim they have moved on from those days, when Siol Nan Gaidheal members later went on to be involved in the Scottish National Liberation Army, setting fire to houses and intimidating New Scots. We'd like to believe that claim, but the Siol Nan Gaidheal official website, right now, still contains articles saying things like 'every English incomer is suspect, the good with the bad', and talking of Scottishness being linked to ancestry and birthplace, the so-called 'blood and soil' position adopted by fascist groups worldwide." In a Facebook post, Siol nan Gaidheal responded by saying that its website is "somewhat unrepresentative of the current Siol nan Gaidheal".^[24] It is also suspected that Siol nan Gaidheal could be associated or aligned with the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement as SRSM flags have been spotted amongst Siol nan Gaidheal rallies.^[25]

On 11 January 2020, an AUOB pro-independence demonstration in Glasgow marched behind a banner badged with the Siol nan Gaidheal symbol.^[26] Siol nan Gaidheal has been relatively inactive since SNP MSP Evelyn Tweed apologised after being photographed holding an Siol nan Gaidheal banner at an AUOB march commemorating the Battle of Bannockburn in 2022.^[27]