C.B. college keeps Gaelic alive

Posted: 21 Jul 2004

Students come from as far away as Japan and Australia

By ROD CURRIE / The Canadian Press

There's a rather quaint but unconventional school in tiny St. Ann's, Cape Breton, that is unchallenged in its claim to being North America's only Gaelic college.

Test photo Situated in the heart of the island's earliest Scottish settlement, the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts offers summer classes in the lilting language and its songs, Highland bagpipes, Celtic harp, Scottish small pipes, weaving and spinning.

And it seems a pretty safe bet that it's the only college anywhere making and selling made-to-measure kilts.

It makes all kinds and sizes, even kilts using customer-designed tartans rather than the college's vast stock of traditional plaids. Each is handmade to measure, most using the standard 5,000-odd stitches for a man's kilt, says seamstress Gail Montgomery.

How does she know?

"Well, Ann counted them one day," she says of her colleague Ann Cantwell. "Of course, that's an average - it depends on how big the waist is."

There's a wide range of prices, depending on the quality and weight of the textile, and size. Women's run from $198 to $223 and men's $625 to $1,000, she says.

"Tourists from the southern U.S., mainly Florida, prefer the summer weight materials."

But kilt-making is an elegant sideline for the busy school, which attracts about 1,000 students annually to non-degree summer classes ranging from one day in length to several weeks for both adults and children.

Students come from as far away as Japan and Australia, says Peggy MacAskill, manager of hospitality. Another 8,000 to 10,000 tourists visit the Great Hall of the Clans each year to see the "walk around" exhibit tracing the history of the Celts.

During the "off" season, MacAskill says a staff of six remain on duty to supervise accommodations, food and entertainment for groups booking workshops, conventions and conferences or simply visiting for a few days of cross-country skiing.

The lavish gift shop, specializing in Scottish and local crafts, is open from May to Christmas.

The college, located on the picturesque Cabot trail, has an intriguing history. Begun in a one-room school in 1938 it now occupies sprawling seaside farmland once the domain of Rev. Norman MacLeod, a strict and stern Calvinist who denounced the Church of Scotland. He and followers then sailed to Pictou, N.S., which he soon rejected as "a land for shameless and daring wickedness."

Later they came to St. Ann's, then sailed to Australia and later to New Zealand, establishing churches under MacLeod's autocratic rule.

Mostly, he was disappointed by what he found.

Whereas the college keeps the surrounding hills alive with the sound of music, MacLeod set joyless standards.

He is remembered for publicly scolding his wife, mother of their 10 children, for wearing a red hat in church. He instructed a doctor to cut off the tip of a teenage boy's ear for stealing. Later, the boy was vindicated.

Although highly regarded in some quarters for his skills as preacher, shipbuilder, seaman and teacher, he died at age 82 still distrusting the world. "Children, children," were his last words, "look to yourselves - the world is mad."

Today, the traditional world of Gaelic song and dance prevails in Cape Breton, and will be celebrated Oct. 8 with the eighth annual Celtic Colours International Festival.

The hearty schedule of toe-tapping music, shows, square dancing, local food and workshops is set against the incredibly rich autumn burst of colour as island foliage reaches its glorious peak.

Spokesman Dave Mahalik says the nine-day festival will stage 44 shows and 40 workshops, with more than 300 performers coming from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Norway, Germany, Denmark, the United States and across Canada.

Organizers estimate the festival will inject close to $6 million. Venues range from Sydney's vast Centre 200 arena to small church basements, firehalls and school gyms.

MacAskill says that a tradition has developed that artists performing in this area make their way back to the college's Great Hall for an informal hoedown, which sometimes runs until 3 a.m.

Rev. MacLeod wouldn't approve.

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