Colaisde na Gàidhlig is first and foremost an educational non-profit institution, offering year-round programming in the culture, music, language, crafts, customs, and traditions of the immigrants from the Highlands of Scotland. The only institution of its kind in North America, students of all ages and skill levels visit the College every year to study under some of the finest instructors in Nova Scotia Gaelic culture.
Built at the site of landed Scottish immigrants, St. Ann's and Cape Breton boast a fascinating history and heritage. Learn of the local story in a self-guided museum tour, get a chance to view Gaelic films, and take part in interactive cultural demonstrations. (seasonal)
For decades, the College has offered traditional, hand-stitched kilt-making and custom-tartan clothing through our Craft Shop, creating treasured heirlooms to pass along from generation to generation. Visit our campus to learn more and begin your own creation process.
Since 1938, the College has always remained an independent and largely independently-funded, non-profit organization with a simple mission to preserve the language and traditions that came to this area. With your support, we can continue on this path and help to ensure that those traditions live on.
Secluded and tucked away yet central on the island, Colaisde na Gàidhlig is a great meeting place for you and your guests. Open all year, and with oodles of options to choose from, think of us when planning your big day.
Join the hunt over on our Facebook page now!
🍁 A Celtic Colours Scavenger Hunt! 🎶
Let’s have some fun collecting and sharing this festival week! Here at the College, we always love a good scavenger hunt with the kids, and this year we thought we’d bring the fun online. Planning to be out and about this week? Join in as we prompt you each day to share your finds. Be sure to save your gems, then share in the comments each day. We’ll see who can capture it all! Let’s start with Day 1!
#CelticColours
Day 1: 🍂 A rainbow of colour! Mother Nature is putting on quite a show this year with the trees hitting their peak colours this week. Let’s see what shots you’ve gathered.
We can hardly believe how quickly time has flown — the Celtic Colours International Festival starts today! As you plan your concerts and music stops, don’t forget to plan for some good food too. The Gaelic College kitchen crew will be hard at work once again, serving up delicious breakfasts and lunches, both open to the public. Stop by, say hello, and enjoy a meal with us. It’s sure to be a festive week ahead! 😃
🍂 Good news! The Craft Shop is going tax-free for the festival! Come by, shop your favourites, and know that every purchase helps support the College’s mission to keep Gaelic culture thriving. It’s a true win-win! Sale starts Friday and wraps up Sunday, October 19. 🍂
📣 Applications Now Open for An Cùrsa Bogaidh 2026!
📅 April 27 – May 22, 2026 at Colaisde na Gàidhlig, St. Ann’s, NS
Join us for a 4-week intensive Gaelic program and earn 6 university credits toward your degree!
In partnership with Cape Breton University, Colaisde na Gàidhlig offers:
🎓 Level II (Intermediate)
🎓 Level III (Higher Intermediate)
Also available for personal development, this immersive experience blends language acquisition, cultural connection, and community living, all in a supportive Gaelic-speaking environment.
🌐 Learn more and apply via our website.
📬 Spots are limited so apply early!
#AnCùrsaBogaidh #GaelicImmersion #LearnGaelic #CapeBreton #Gaidhlig #ColaisdenaGàidhlig #CBU
🎨 Craft Shop Hours ~ Rest of the Season 🛍️
Come visit us and browse our lovely collection of local crafts, gifts, and treasures. There’s something for everyone, and we’d love to see you. Come on in before we wrap for the season.
• Sat, Sept 27: 9–4 ☀️
• Mon, Sept 29: 8:30–4:30 🕰️
• Tue, Sept 30: ❌ Closed (Truth & Reconciliation Day) 🧡
• Oct 1–3: 8:30–4:30 🍂
• Sat, Oct 4: 9–4 ✨
• Oct 6–10: 8:30–4:30 📚
• Sat, Oct 11: 9–4 🎶
• Sun, Oct 12: 10–4 🌿
• Oct 13–17: 8:30–4:30 🖼️
• Sat, Oct 18: 9–4 🎉
• Sun, Oct 19: 10–2 🍁
• Oct 20–24 & Oct 27–31: 9–4 🎃
🎃🥄 As we gear up for Halloween Gaelic Weekend, we’ve been wondering… what is the world record for the biggest batch of fuarag, and could we beat it? 😀 Also, what would we use for a bowl? If you want to see how this shakes down, join us this October for our Halloween Gaelic Weekend, with music, dance, stories, and of course, a big bowl of fuarag. 👻✨
A special throwback to 1955 with Ms. Angie MacKenzie in our Craft Shop. 💞
🍂 As we shift into our fall programming, there are plenty of opportunities for youth to learn and grow with us at the College.
✨ And great news ~ we have just one spot left on this year’s Na Gaisgich Òga team! It’s first come, first serve, so don’t wait. Sign up today and be part of the adventure this September!
Please note, our Craft Shop will be closed this weekend and next, but back open through the week and on Saturdays again as of the 27th. Hope you’ll keep us in mind when visiting the area! ☺️
Catch them while you can ~ cultural demonstrations end this week!
It’s the last week of cultural demonstrations at the College, and we’d love to welcome you. With your Hall of the Clans admission, you can sit in with our staff as they share the history of the kilt with our kiltmaker, the Gaelic language and meaning behind the milling tradition, traditional fiddle music and step dancing, and more.
Take your time exploring the Great Hall of the Clans museum at your own pace, and don’t forget to stop by our Craft Shop - both are open until 4:30pm on weekdays. Hope to see you soon!
📚✨ It’s hard to believe the kids are already back in school. We’re still smiling about all the fun we had this summer with so many fun peeps, like this crew during Youth Session 3.
What a week it was! These clips only show a snippet of the memories made, since the best stuff is often in the stuff you can’t capture.
Sorry for the delay in sharing, but perhaps that makes it even sweeter to look back. Here’s to lessons that keep growing and summer magic that lasts all year long. 💛 Full video available on Facebook and YouTube
#LearnWithUs #SummerMemories #GaelicCollege
🍂✨ Fall has a way of stealing the show around here, and we’ve got the perfect pieces to match it!
Wrap yourself in one of our handmade ponchos or capes, created with care by our own Gail Montgomery and longtime kiltmaker here Ann Cantwell. Cozy, stylish, and one of a kind, these pieces tend to sell out quickly.
🧣 Available now in the Craft Shop
⏰ Open weekdays 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and Saturdays 9 am to 4 pm
Come find your new fall favorite before they’re gone! ☺️
