Sgoil Gàidhlig Bhaile an Taigh Mhóir agus Gàidhlig Photomac

announces

Gàidhlig san Taigh-sholais
(Gàidhlig in the Lighthouse)

A Scottish Gaelic Immersion Weekend on the Chesapeake Bay

Cleachd agus fàs do chomas cànain Gàidhlig ann an coimhearsnachd
Use and grow your Gàidhlig language skills within a community setting

[Please Note: Due to uncertainty surrounding the pandemic we are not requiring a deposit with your registration at this time. Please read the instructions on the registration form.  Safety guidelines will be adopted for the site and must be followed by all participants.]

To register, write to sgoilgaidhlig@gmail.com and we will send you the link for the registration form

On a spit of land at the narrowest part of the Chesapeake Bay in full view of the Calvert Cliffs we will form our own little temporary Gàidhlig-speaking community as we learn together in a beautiful setting. The immersion weekend is only two days, but it will be packed and we  hope you leave having had an extraordinary experience that strengthens the Gaelic you use at home. Read More

Tapadh leibh dha na daoine uile a thàinig gu Cèilidh a ’Ghearrain.
(Thank you to all  the people who came to the February Cèilidh)

Gaelic learners from Maryland and Virginia gathered for an evening of sharing food, songs, music, poetry, dancing, and camaraderie.

Our hostess took some videos of the evening, and we have included them below so our readers can get a peek at the gathering.

Those who attend our cèilidhean range from new to fluent Gaelic speakers.  It’s a space where everyone can use and grow in their Gaelic.

We hold a cèilidh in the traditional Highland style quarterly.
Join us next time around.

In the meantime, enjoy.

Of course all ages love the pipes!

SUNDAY, 23 FEBRUARY
Didòmhnaich, 23mh An Gearran
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Ceithir uairean feasgar – Seachd uairean feasgar

Laurel, Maryland

Thigibh ann cuide ruinn! (Join us!)
RSVP required – Write to sgoilgaidhlig@gmail.com
(The cèilidh house is a private home.
The address will be provided to those who RSVP.
Please note that space is limited. RSVP early.)

Aig a’ chèilidh (At the céilidh)

• We will learn traditional dances.
• We will share Gaelic songs and poems, much as was done at the Language Village.
• We will share food and drink, and great company. 
• Whatever your language level, we encourage you to use your Gaelic. 

Our céilidhean are rooted in the traditional Highland céilidh as an intimate, informal gathering where stories, poems, songs, and news, are shared; good food and drink are partaken of; and the craic is always good.

• Bring a dish to share: Make enough for 8 – 10 people. Let us know in advance what you are bringing.
• Bring your instruments
• Bring a song, poem, story, or tune to share (Gaelic is, of course, great, but not required)

RSVP to sgoilgaidhlig@gmail.com

Slàinte mhòr agus a h-uile beannachd dhuibh

Sgoil Gàidhlig Bhaile an Taigh Mhóir‘s autumn céilidh, Cèilidh na Samhna, was filled with excellent food, drink, and craic. There was too much to capture in a website post, but you can get a peek inside the gathering below – then join us at our next céilidh on the 9th of February.

Thank you to all the teachers and students who came and shared their songs, stories, poetry, and cooking skills. It’s a warm and beautiful little community.  Tapadh leibh a h-uile duine.

And, we had big stuff to celebrate!  Congratulations to our fearless leader, Scott Morrison, for earning his degree in Gaelic Language and Culture from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig college in Scotland.  Welcome on board to Robert Bingham as our newest teacher.  Co-là breith sona dhut, Rick Gwynallen.

Maraji Gwynallen opened the evening with a singalong warmup, a Scottish tune with  new lyrics honoring our three teachers and organizer

At the end of which our teachers got their specially baked (by Maraji) kilted gingerbread men:

Left to right: Robert Bingham, Liam Cassidy, Scott Morrison)  Click on their names to learn a bit more about these guys!

Fluent speakers and students shared songs, stories, music, and poems throughout the céilidh.

We were blessed to have two harpers at the céilidh. Maraji has been playing the harp for six years and is completing certification as a therapeutic musician.  Dan Hinkle has played harp for more than 30 years.

. . . and of course the harp enchants everyone

Tha sinn an dòchas gum faic sinn sibh aig a’ chèilidh sa Ghearran.
(We hope that we see you at the cèilidh in February.)

Suas Leis a’ Ghàidhlig!

[23 September 2019: The cèilidh is now at capacity for the hosts’ home and we have to cut off RSVPs.  We are taking names for a waiting list.]

A charaidean,

We’ve had a lot happen in our little community this year – our first immersion weekend; our first Language Villages; our head teacher, Scott Morrison’s, graduation from Sabhal Mòr Ostaig; one of our founding members, Liam Flynn, getting married; our first faculty addition with Robert Bingham coming on as a new teacher – we want to celebrate all of that.  And we are going to do so in the first cèilidh of the new academic year!

Thigibh ann cuide ruinn! (Join us!)

Cèilidh na Samhna

Tha am foghar ann a bheireas an Samhradh gu crìch agus a dh’fhosglas an Geamhradh. (The autumn is here which brings the summer to an end and opens the winter.)

A new year in the Celtic calendar is upon us, and we are gathering with song, story, food, and drink in a warm, convivial environment.

SUNDAY, 10 NOVEMBER
Didòmhnaich, 10mh Samhain
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Ceithir uairean feasgar – Seachd uairean feasgar

Laurel, Maryland
RSVP required – Write to sgoilgaidhlig@gmail.com
(The cèilidh house is a private home.
The address will be provided to those who RSVP. Please note that space is limited.
RSVP early.)

Aig a’ chèilidh (At the céilidh)

• We will share Gaelic songs and poems, much as was done at the Language Village.
• We will share food and drink, and great company. 
• Whatever your language level, we encourage you to use your Gaelic. 

Our céilidhean are rooted in the traditional Highland céilidh as an intimate, informal gathering where stories, poems, songs, and news, are shared; good food and drink are partaken of; and the craic is always good.

• Bring a dish to share: Make enough for 8 – 10 people. Let us know in advance what you are bringing.
• Bring your instruments
• Bring a song, poem, story, or tune to share (Gaelic is, of course, great, but not required)

Chì sinn uile aig a’ chèilidh sibh! (We’ll see you all at the cèilidh)

RSVP to sgoilgaidhlig@gmail.com

Sgoil Gàidhlig Bhaile an Taigh Mhóir is very pleased to announce the addition of Robert Bingham to our faculty for the 2019 – 2020 academic year. It’s an exciting hallmark in the growth of Sgoil Gàidhlig Bhaile an Taigh Mhóir that our student demand requires us to expand our faculty. It’s also an honor to work with Robert, who has a deep love of the Gaelic language and culture and a passion for the revitalization of the language.

Robert is a native of South Florida.  He graduated in 2003 with a B/A Honours in Celtic Studies from Saint Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia, Canada where he learned Gaelic with Dr. Ken Nilsen and Catriona Parsons, as well as with the local community.  In Cape Breton he had the opportunity to immerse himself in North American Gaelic culture.  Robert received the Angus L MacDonald Scholarship to travel to Scotland, which he did in the summer of 2003. He currently lives with his wife and four children in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Robert is teaching one of our New Beginner classes, but even if you are not studying with him you are sure to see him around area events.

A bhiel thu airson Gàidhlig ionnsachadh?
Thigibh ann cuide ruinn!

Do you want to learn Scottish Gaelic?
Come join us!

The 2019 – 2020 academic year starts in just a few weeks.   Interviews with returning and new students for Beginner, Advanced Beginner, and Intermediate levels are underway.

Would you like to join us on this Gàidhlig journey?
Click here or on the schedule below for information on learning Gàidhlig with us.

Slàinte mhòr agus a h-uile beannachd dhuibh.
Suas Leis a’ Ghàidhlig!

The weather was beautiful, and the site on the South River was ideal with gardens, the historic tavern and home, recreated rustic 18th century buildings, the fields, the trees, and the river.  The first Language Village was quite a hit at Historic London Town’s 2019 Celtic Weekend.

The Language Village compound was set up next to the marquee tent where The Devil’s Tailors and Tweedsyde performed, and where some of The Appin Regiment joined us for a waulking demonstration.

Take a visual stroll through our first Language Village – then do join us at future festivals.

We had four scheduled activities each day
(and many unscheduled):

Scott MacIlleMhoire led the Introduction to Gàidhlig class

The Tents of the Village offered

information on the Gaelic language in its homeland and in North America . . .

. . . and a sample of Gaelic Music
Maraji played the harp throughout the event

The Village Children

(The children were particularly enthusiastic about the music)

(. . . and the dogs)

Participation was the hallmark of the Gaelic Song sessions

The Appin Regiment joined us for some waulking songs

Join us for the next Language Village

at the

Virginia Scottish Games & Festival
31 August – 1 September