Songs

Let’s talk about love. Specifically, one of the most well-known Scottish Gaelic proverbs: “Thig crìoch air an t-saoghal, ach mairidh gaol is ceòl” (The world will end, but love and music will endure). We’ll explore its context, how it’s been used in Gaelic art, how to hear the poetry in it, and how to pronounce it.

Recently a reader in Cape Breton asked me where to find Psalm 23 in Gaelic. If you’re not already part of a Gaelic community or taking classes, it can be hard to find! This post offers a video of us singing the metrical 23rd Psalm, the text of the metrical and regular Bible versions, and more information about the Gaelic psalm singing and the Gaelic Bible, including the new free app and translation.

Having a wedding ceremony in a Celtic language is fairly rare nowadays, but we were excited to try. Let me tell you the story of My Big Fat Gaelic Wedding (A’ Bhanais Mhór Ghàidhealach Dhà Rì-ribh agam)!

Can a Gaelic song change your life forever? Here are ten of my favourite solo artists and groups who sing in Scottish Gaelic, with links to purchase their work and support the language. Perfect for gift-giving, or for learning more about Gaelic language and culture any time.

What’s it like to attend a Scottish Gaelic milling frolic in Halifax, Nova Scotia? I’ll “waulk” you through it (pun intended) with videos and photos!

Gaels in Scotland and Nova Scotia don’t tend to know a lot about each other. When they actually visit each other’s home turf, they find many similarities, but also a few surprises. So in a spirit of education and understanding, I’ve created a list of the top ten differences between Gaelic in Nova Scotia and Scotland, from a Nova Scotian perspective. Here is the first half of the list, Part One.

How I customized my Apple laptop computer with a decal showcasing themes from Scottish Gaelic language and culture. I wanted my laptop not only to look beautiful, but also to make Gaelic more visible in public. Art and design provide a small but enjoyable way to raise awareness about the continued existence and use of Gaelic in the 21st century.

Celtic Life International, which is based here in Nova Scotia, published my article on the use of Gaelic in Disney/Pixar’s film “Brave” in their Spring 2013 issue. The online version also includes a sidebar with the interesting transatlantic history of the Gaelic song “Tha Mo Ghaol air Àird a’ Chuain” which was featured in a trailer for “Brave”. I’ve also created a free YouTube playlist with real examples of how Gaelic was used in the film, including a trailer. The playlist features introductions and analyses that expand on some of my points from the article.