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.
It’s the perfect wee accessory that’s both colourful and practical ~ the College’s own line of tartan purses! Cindy makes these upstairs just above the Shop and are a favourite item in these parts. Get yours before they’re gone! Just $38.99 + tax
Thinking of a visit to the Great Hall of the Clans museum? Our doors are open here (M-F, 9am-4:30pm) up until Celtic Colours, but if hoping to catch our cultural demonstrations, we wrap those this coming Friday. More on that found here: https://gaeliccollege.edu/visit/cultural-demonstrations/
It’s been another great season of sharing elements of our Gaelic culture with visitors from here and around the world. We asked staff members who regularly interact with tourists in our museum or Craft Shop, or conduct our daily demos to share the most common questions they are asked in the run of a day:
❔ Colin: What’s the difference between Irish and Scottish Gaelic?
❔ Rodney: What’s the difference between a fiddle and a violin?
❔ Margie: What sort of shoes do you wear to dance?
❔ Gail: What is worn underneath the kilt?
❔ Jenni: How long does it take to make a kilt?
❔ Joyce: How did you learn Gaelic and to tell stories?
❔ Darlene: Can you help me find my family tartan?
❔ Linda R: Is this made locally?
❔ Wanda: What’s a milling frolic?
❔ Cindy: Where are the washrooms?
To find out the answers to all this and more, swing by and visit us in St. Ann’s! ☺️
One more summer recap, this time of youth session 3! The place was packed once again, and there wasn’t a dull moment to be found. We had so much fun, and sure hope this crew did too. Now, keep going! Sin sibh fhèin!
If in need of adding a little more tartan to your wardrobe, look no further ladies! Our seamstress Cindy is always busy creating so many beautiful pieces for our tartan room, like this fringed poncho and triangular shawl. Swing by and see for yourself, or call our Shop directly: 902-295-3441.
Save the date! KitchenFest! will return for year 12, June 27-July 5, 2025. We hope you will be too! #kitchenfest!
Thigibh uile dhan deireadh-seachdain, Oidhche Shamhna Ghàidhealach, far am bi sinn a’ comharrachadh an dualchais aig na Gàidheil a’ cuairteachadh Oidhche Shamhna. Bidh clasaichean Gàidhlig do dh’inbhich ann, fuarag, òrain, naidheachdain, seiseanan ciùil, dannsa, le bòcain is spòrs gu leòr! (19+)
Come one, come all to our Halloween Gaelic Weekend, where we will be celebrating the traditions of the Gaels surrounding Halloween. There will be Gaelic language classes for adults, fuarag, a milling frolic, a storytelling session, music sessions, a square dance, with plenty of spooks and fun! (19+)
Arrival: 6:30pm Friday
Departure: 3:00pm Sunday
Deadline: Friday, October 18th
To find out more and register, click the link in our bio.
Isn’t this cape a beauty? Could be your very own if you act fast! Come on in and see the amazing line of capes and ponchos made by our own Gail Montgomery and former College kiltmaker Ann Cantwell. Called Spaideil, Gaelic for well-dressed, they’ve created four styles of the stylish pieces, the Angie, the Eveline, the Nan, and the Margaret, named for important women within the College’s history. We’re open here today until 4:30pm or tomorrow again, 9am-4pm. Call us to purchase now - 902-295-3441. We ship around the world!
We just got a shipment of fresh hoodies and crew necks into our Craft Shop just in time for the cooler days ahead. One of our most popular items, these cozy favourites are a hit with our students and visitors alike. Come on in for your own, or call/email to have us pop one in the mail for you! 902-295-3441, or craftshop@gaeliccollege.edu.
In our adult sweaters, we’ve got a colours Heather Maroon, Heather Green, Dark Heather Grey (sizes small to XL, limited 2XL sizes) at $54.99 for s-xl and $59.99 for 2XL.
And Heather Navy in our new crew neck sweatshirts (sizes s-xl, limited 2xl sizes) at $47.99 all sizes.
And Black and light Heather Grey for the full zip hoodies (sizes s-xl, limited 2xl sizes) at size $54.99 for s-xl and $59.99 for 2XL.
Check out our kid hoodies as well! We love the sweet pink and black combo, navy and white, and grey and red. :)
It`s been a full-tilt summer here in St. Ann`s, and we`re already missing our students and the fun! Luckily we`re left with a pile of beautiful memories, and hopefully many tunes, steps, songs, words, and the drive to learn to keep us going. Here`s a little look-back at the 2024 youth session 2! #LearnWithUs
Let us be part of your Gaelic language learning journey!
Our online classroom is lively, worldly, and growing, with more and more discovering their roots, interest in minority languages, and all the beauty that comes in discovering Gàidhlig. We start up this September, with our deadline to register set for August 31.
That’s a wrap! Another amazing week with an amazing crew of students and instructors - thank you for saying yes to Colaside na Gàidhlig! So many returnees, many here for their second week, and a wonderful bunch of first-timers as well. Hope we can do it all again next year! Safe home.
Have you been in to the Craft Shop this season? Don’t miss out on the treasure trove of local goodies available, like these hooked wall hangings by Mel’s Painting With Yarn. Handcrafted with love in Wolfville, NS, these one-of-a-kind works of art would make a perfect gift or sweet reminder of Nova Scotia. We’re open until 4:30pm today, swing by!
