Canadian Gaelic

Canadian Gaelic or Cape Breton Gaelic (Scottish Gaelic: Gàidhlig Chanada, A' Ghàidhlig Chanèideanach or Gàidhlig Cheap Bhreatainn), known in English as often simply Gaelic, refers to the dialects of Scottish Gaelic spoken by Gaels in Atlantic Canada who have their origins in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

Gaels settled in Nova Scotia commencing in 1773 with the arrival of the Ship Hector and continuing up until the 1850s. Gaelic has been spoken for 241 years in Nova Scotia: on Cape Breton Island and on the northeastern Nova Scotia mainland.

The Gaelic cultural identity community is a vibrant part of Nova Scotia's diverse peoples and communities. Thousands of Nova Scotians attend Gaelic-related activities and events annually including: language workshops and immersions, milling frolics, square dances, fiddle and piping sessions, concerts and festivals. Up until about the turn of the 20th century, Gaelic was widely spoken on eastern Prince Edward Island (PEI). In the 2011 Canadian Census, 10 individuals in PEI cited that their mother tongue was a Gaelic language, with over 90 claiming to speak a Gaelic language.