Heely & Knight to teach Sing Like a Gael!

Seinn mar Ghàidheal!
Òran Gàidhlig: A’ gabhail pàirt anns na cèilidhean agus aig a’ Mhòd

Sing Like a Gael!
Gaelic Song – Participating in Cèilidhs and the Mòd

We are excited to announce that the new Sgoil Gàidhlig Bhaile an Taigh Mhóir class teaching Scottish Gaelic songs will be taught by Seán Heely and Cynthian Knight.

Seán Heely is an award-winning fiddler, singer, harpist, and composer who holds the rare distinction of being both a U.S. National Scottish Fiddle Champion and a U.S. National Champion in Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig) Song.

Seán has shared the stage with traditional music luminaries such as Liz Carroll, Bonnie Rideout, Natalie Haas, Cathy Jordan, Eamon O’Leary, Zan McLeod, Maeve Gilchrist, and Paddy Keenan.

Seán has studied Gàidhlig language through Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the Isle of Skye, Gàidhlig song and music through Ceòlas on South Uist, and now Gàidhlig language with Sgoil Gàidhlig Bhaile an Taigh Mhóir.

In 2024, Seán won the NYC Tartan Week Mòd, the Grandfather Mountain North Carolina Mòd,  the Chesapeake Mòd in Maryland, and the U.S. National Mòd.

Along with many other accolades in Traditional Music, in 2018 Seán was featured on the cover of the Fiddler Magazine Winter Issue as well as an interview article on Seán’s journey to one of the foremost young performers of his generation. In April 2023, Seán won the Dan R. MacDonald Memorial Prize from the Clan Donald Trust from the Gaelic Performing Arts. Seán was awarded 2023 Male Musician of the Year by the Ireland Tonight Radio Music Awards. Seán has recorded three full length internationally acclaimed albums: the latest of which (“Dramagical”) has been featured on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal, RTÉ  Raidio na Gaeltachta in Ireland, and NPR’s Thistle and Shamrock. 

Cynthian Knight has musical roots in both the traditional Celtic and classical worlds, but has found a particular passion in Scottish Gaelic song.

Cynthian won First place at the 2019 Richmond Highland Games Mòd (VA) after which she began studying Gaelic song more intensively with legendary singer, Kathleen MacInnes. In 2022, Cynthian attended the Ceòlas summer program in South Uist, Scotland, where she experienced Gaelic language and song from many of today’s great tradition bearers, including Cathy-Ann MacPhee, Gillebrìde MacMillan, Màiri MacMillan, and Eilidh Cormack.

In 2023, Cynthian was named Champion of the first NYC Tartan Week Mòd, and then, winner of both the Grandfather Mountain North Carolina Mòd and the inaugural Chesapeake Mòd in Maryland. Her participation in the NYC Tartan Week Mòd was then featured in a documentary aired on BBC Scotland (BBC Alba). Additionally, she has had the honor of being invited to sing at the Scottish Government’s Burns Night event at the British Ambassador’s Residence and for the Hebridean Baker’s Washington, DC book tour event at The Black Cat.

Cynthian has recently been heard in concert with the Seán Heely Celtic Band and in the 25th Annual Pipes of Christmas concerts in New York City and New Jersey.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Friday, 24 October 2025, 7:00 – 8:00 pm – Cynthian Knight
Friday, 21 November 2025, 7:00 – 8:00 pm – Cynthian Knight
Friday, 9 January 2026, 7:00 – 8:00 pm – Cynthian Knight
Saturday, 7 March 2026, 1:00 – 2:00 pm – Sèan Heely
Saturday, 18 April 2026, 1:00 – 2:00 pm – Sèan Heely
Saturday, 30 May 2026, 1:00 – 2:00 pm – Sèan Heely

TUITION

$235 Enrolled Sgoil Gàidhlig Bhaile an Taigh Mhóir students
 $280 all others.