Ayrshire is a historic county and registration county, in south-west Scotland, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. The lieutenancy area of Ayrshire and Arran covers the entirety of the historic county as well as the island of Arran, formerly part of the historic county of Buteshire. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine and it borders the counties of Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire to the north-east, Dumfriesshire to the south-east, and Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire to the south. Like many other counties of Scotland, it currently has no administrative function, instead being sub-divided into the council areas of East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire. It has a population of approximately 366,800.
Horse Isle
Part of Ayr Beach with the Heads of Ayr in the background
Boyd's Hill near Dunlop
The Garnock's Waters near Glengarnock Castle
Scottish Gaelic, also known as Scots Gaelic or simply Gaelic, is a Goidelic language native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as both Irish and Manx, developed out of Old Irish. It became a distinct spoken language sometime in the 13th century in the Middle Irish period, although a common literary language was shared by the Gaels of both Ireland and Scotland until well into the 17th century. Most of modern Scotland was once Gaelic-speaking, as evidenced especially by Gaelic-language place names.
1891 distribution of English (including Scots) and Gaelic in Scotland 75–80% Gaelic, and English ━ 25–75% Gaelic, and English; line indicates the 50% isogloss 5–25% Gaelic, and English 0–5% Gaelic, and English Purely English
Cumbernauld Gaelic Choir in 2021
Anne Lorne Gillies speaking publicly in the Scottish Gaelic language
Police Scotland vehicle logo (Bilingual)