[1] Na Gathan were formed in 2007 and first came to national attention in Scotland when they appeared in a piece on the Rapal music programme on BBC2 that documented their involvement in organizing the Celtic Connections unofficial fringe held in Glasgow early in 2008.

In 2009, the band's second single, "Claigeann Damien Hirst," was shortlisted in the Nòs-ùr competition for a new song in a Celtic language or Scots.

[5][6] The song was inspired by the short story, An Claigeann aig Damien Hirst, written by Maoilios Caimbeul and published by CLÀR as part of the Ùr-sgeul new Gaelic fiction series.

The band was formed by Kathryn NicAoidh (drums), Tomaidh MacAilpein (bass), Greg MacThòmais (guitar) and Tim Armstrong (voice and keyboard).

Kathryn is from Skye, Greg from Glasgow, Sìleas from Köln, Germany and Tim from Seattle.