Air taobh tuath an eilein Cheap Breatainn tha àiteachan mar Iongoinis, Ceap Nòr, Inbhir Pheofharain, Bàgh Naomh Loireans, agus eile. Smaoinichidh mi uaireannan gun téid an dio-chuimhn' air an còrr dhe 'n eilean air sgàth 's gu bheil iad car fada air falbh agus dà bheinn eadarainn.

Ma théid thu gu tuath air taobh an ear an eilein, bidh Beinn Smokey ann, agus air taobh an iar, bidh Beinn a Tuath ann. Tha rathad an dà bheinne cas agus lubach agus faodaidh iad a bhi eagallach do dhaoine nach eile eòlach air rathaidean de 'n seòrsa sin. Nì an dà bheinn seòrsa de dhealachadh eadarainn. Ach 'nam réir fhéin ( ge b' e a 's fhiach e! ) cha ghabhar blas an eilein fhaighinn gu h-iomlan gun a bhith tadhail air na h-àiteachan seo, agus tha cuid de na rudan a 's fheàrr air an eilean ri 'm faotainn air taobh tuath nam beanntan.

Mar is fhìor do dh' àiteachan eile ann an Ceap Breatainn, bha Gàidhlig 'na prìomh-chainnt an seo 'sna bliadhnaichean 'sa chaidh, agus ma tha e agam ceart, bha Gaeilge aig daoine a thàinig gu fuireach ann an Acarsaid Nìll á Eilean nan Trosg. Cluinnear blas na cànan sin ann an cainnt cuid dhaoine fhathast, agus tha e milis ri chluinntinn.

Thachair mi ri daoine aig féis ann am Bàgh Naomh Loireans a thuig mo chuid Ghàidhlig gu furasda, ach cha robh iad féin-chinnteach air an cuid Ghàidhlig fhéin o 'n nach robh iad 'ga bruidhinn bho chionn mòran bhliadhnaichean. Ged nach robh, bha fìor bhlas ruitheamach na Gàidhlig anns a' bheagan a thuirt iad rium.

Am bliadhna bidh clasaichean Gàidhlig aig an sgoil Chabot ann an Acarsaid Nìll, le cuideachd taic airgid bho 'n riaghaltas. 'S e seo a' chiad turus a bhios clasaichean Gàidhlig anns an sgoil sin, ri mo chuid fhiosrachd, agus tha ùigh mhór aig na sgoilearan annta. Bidh ceistean aca air eachdraidh nan Gàidheal, dé dh' itheadh 'ad, dé am fearas-chuideachd a bh' aca, agus iomadh rud eile. Ged a tha e duilich cànan sam bith a thogail le aon clas fad dà uair a thìde, aon turus ás seachdainn, tha iad a' faighinn air adhairt gu math. Bidh cuimhn' aca air na chaidh a dheanamh roimhe, agus togaidh iad rudan ùra gu luath. Tha mi moiteil asta.

'S iad seo àiteachan nach bu chòir do luchd thadhail a chuir suarach, agus bu chòir dhuinne anns a' choimhearsnachd Ghàidhlig a bhith smaointinn orra. Bha Gàidhlig làidir anns a' cheàrna seo uair agus dh' fhaodadh i bhith a rithist. 'S e na tha dhìth oirnn duine aig a bheil Gàidhlig ( gu h-àraid neach ionadail ) gu bhith fuireach taobh tuath nam beanntan ri teagasg na Gàidhlig. Cha chreid mi nach biodh an neach sin ri obair, agus tuarasdal math aige, fad na bliadhna no a' mhór-chuid dhi air a' char a 's lugha.

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Northern Cape Breton

In the north of Cape Breton are communities like Ingonish, Cape North, Dingwall, Bay St. Lawrence and others. Sometimes I think the rest of the island forgets about them because they are far away with two mountains between us.

If you go to the north on the east side of the island, Smokey mountain is there, and on the west side, North Mountain, The road on both mountains is steep and full of turns and they can be a bit scarey for people who aren't used to that sort of road. The two mountains make a sort of separation between us. But in my opinion (for whatever it's worth!) you can't truly experience the island without visiting these places, and some of the best things on the island are to found north of the mountains.

As is true for other places on Cape Breton, Gaelic was the main language here years ago, and if I have it right, people who moved to Neil's Harbour from Newfoundland had Irish. You can still hear the rhythms of that language in some people's speech and it is sweet to hear.

I met e few people at a Féis at Bay St. Lawrence who easily understood my Gaelic, but were not confident of their own Gaelic because they had not spoken it in many years. Even so, the true rhythmic flavour of Gaelic was apparent in the little they spoke to me.

This year classes are being held at Cabot School in Neil's Harbour, with support money from the government. This is the first time there will be Gaelic classes in this school, as far as I know, and the students have a great interest in it.  They have questions about what the Gaels would eat, their pastimes and many other things.Although it's difficult to learn a language with only one two hour class once a week, they are progressing well. They remember what was done previously and they learn new things quickly. I'm proud of them.

These are places visitors should not ignore, and we in the Gaelic community should be thinking about them. Gaelic was strong in these areas and could be again. What we need is a Gaelic speaker (especially one from this area) to be living north of the mountains and teaching Gaelic. I'm sure that person would have work and a good salary throughout the year, or for most of it at least.