Want to Learn Gaelic?
There are now more opportunities than ever to learn Gaelic in Nova Scotia. Universities and several public schools offer the language as part of their regular curriculum. Gaelic courses are also offered at the Gaelic College during the summer months. There are also many more resources available for Gaelic learners of all levels.
Online Learning
Colaisde na Gàidhlig is pleased to present Gaelic Online | Gàidhlig air Loidhne (formerly the Atlantic Gaelic Academy), a Scottish Gaelic language program dedicated to teaching its students to read, write, and speak the language. Its goal is to provide a fun and effective pathway to Gaelic fluency wherever you live.
Learn Scottish Gaelic in just 5 minutes a day with Duolingo's game-like lessons. Whether you’re a beginner starting with the basics or looking to practice your reading, writing, and speaking, Duolingo has a lesson for all levels.
Learn Gaelic is an online resource that offers online lessons for beginner through to intermediate levels. They also offer a dictionary and links to other videos and radio programs.
Classes
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The Gaelic College provides weekend immersions, the accredited An Cursa Bogaidh month-long course and summer programming for youth and adults.
The Gaelic Language Society of Halifax promotes, provides and supports community-based Nova Scotia Gaelic language learning, within a cultural context, for people of all ages in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Celtic Studies at St. Francis Xavier University has as its core the languages, literatures, and histories of Celtic-speaking peoples, from the Continental Celts of ancient Gaul to the modern survivals in Scotland, Ireland, the island of Man, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany. It extends into a range of topics, including archaeology, art, music, literature, folklore, religion, dance, immigration and ethnic studies.
The Irish Studies Department at Saint Mary's University offers a variety of courses in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic.
Gaelic is offered in the Bachelor of Arts program at Cape Breton University as a minor.
Organizations
Gaelic Affairs works to promote the Gaelic language and ensures that Gaelic culture continues to thrive in Nova Scotia.
The Highland Village is a museum in Cape Breton that also runs courses throughout the year and the Storas a' Bhaile program in Summer.
For nine days in October, Cape Breton Island is alive with music, energy and excitement as people come from far and wide to celebrate our rich culture. From concerts to dances and workshops to community suppers, Celtic Colours International Festival offers a full range of events against a gorgeous backdrop of autumn colours.
The primary objective for The Bridge Between Us is to present Gaelic Nova Scotia's traditional Gaelic cultural expression and tradition as it has been authentically known.
The annual Féis An Eilein encompasses workshops in Gaelic language and song, stepdancing, fiddle and chanter. A two day Gaelic Activities Camp for youth is held each year. Another key feature of the annual féis is the provision of opportunities for visitors and residents to participate in the Gaelic culture through concerts, milling frolics céilidhs and square dances.
The Celtic Music Centre is a not-for-profit society and a one-of-a-kind facility located in the tiny village of Judique, Cape Breton Island. Our mandate is to collect, preserve and promote the traditional Celtic music of Cape Breton Island through Education, Research and Performance. The CMIC offers an in-depth look into the history, culture and music of Cape Breton Island in an authentic and lively atmosphere.
The primary objective for The Bridge Between Us is to present Gaelic Nova Scotia's traditional Gaelic cultural expression and tradition as it has been authentically known.
Cainnt mo Mhàithar is a website showcasing video and audio recordings of Gaelic speakers in Nova Scotia.
Reading and Listening Materials
Gaelic Nova Scotia: A Resource Guide is a document intended for teachers, learners, or anybody curious about Gaelic Culture.
For over a decade, Geoffrey and Rebecca-Lynne MacDonald-May have hosted and produced Aiseirigh Nan Gaidheal, The Awakening Gaels. Hosted bilingually, Gaelic -English, ANG features Gaelic songs and rockin' Celtic instrumental music. ANG also features traditional Gaelic singing from the MacDonald-May's own collection of field recordings, as well as material recorded for the show at the Marcel Doucet Studio.
Over the years, Nova Scotia Archives has been a leader in preserving, for future generations, a body of archival records that document the province's rich Gaelic roots and the continuing culture, heritage and traditions
The Gaelstream Recordings from St.FX University are various recordings of Gaelic speakers, storytellers, and singers.
This website offers Gaelic resources to use when working with children who have speech sound difficulties. This includes activities that target those sounds which occur in Gaelic but not English.
MacTalla (The Echo) was a Gaelic newspaper printed in Cape Breton. SMO has digitized the entire first volume of the newspaper.
The Gaelic Affairs YouTube channel presents samples of Gaelic language and culture in Nova Scotia. Videos on conversation, song, music, dance, story and more will communicate a living Gaelic language and cultural community in our province.
A UK resource for school teachers with quite a bit of Gaelic content (have to search for Gaelic, as it includes everything)
Read to Me, is a not-for-profit that provides children's books to new parents. Gaelic is one of the many languages available for parents to choose from.