Do any Islanders speak Scottish Gaelic?
Hi Catherine,
Thank you for reaching out!
The latest information I could find states that 15 people were claiming Scottish Gaelic as their mother tongue in the 2016 census. In the 2011 census, there were only 10, with over 90 claiming to speak a Gaelic language.
Gaelic has been offered as part of some high school curricula in the past in Prince Edward Island and there is a Gaelic College in our neighbouring province of Nova Scotia.
If you're interested in learning about some of the first Scottish settlers in PEI, have a look at Glenaladale House. Once home to Captain John MacDonald, 8th Laird of Glenaladale and 7th Laird of Glenfinnan in Scotland, he brought the first Scottish Catholic settlers to what was then St. John’s Island, now Prince Edward Island in 1772.
The Croft House/Selkirk Heritage Centre is run by the Belfast Historical Society is an information museum of Scottish heritage of the Big Belfast area. You may find some interesting information there as well.
Regards,
Valerie
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