By Julie Collins -The Cape Breton Post

ST. ANNS — Former premier Rodney MacDonald is going back to college. MacDonald, who is living in his home community of Mabou, will take on the duties of CEO of the Gaelic College on Sept. 15.

"There were well over 30 candidates for the position including from Scotland," said Gaelic College chair Maureen Carroll. "Rodney was the top choice."

The selection committee took a full month to evaluate the submissions. The committee narrowed the field to seven, interviewed them all and scored and evaluated them

During Gaelic Day at the Gaelic College, visitors were given what to them was a rare treat, a chance to participate in a milling frolic. For many of us, growing up in a community where milling frolics were commonplace, singing in public was something many of your friends, acquaintances and others did regularly. For some outside of this culture however, it’s a new experience.

Our visitors were first given a short history of the purpose and function of the milling process and the special place it held in the lives of our ancestors, as well as the stories behind the songs they sang. They then learned the choruses to two Gaelic songs in short order and sang them very well in accompanying a loc

al singer who sang the verses. During the second song the cloth was passed around the table just as it would have been at a real milling, ( perhaps with a little less grace…! ) and everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves, remarking on what hard work it was and the camaraderie of the activity.

This is a part of their Cape Breton tour that they will long remember!