A Gaelic immersion school is coming to Inverness Co.
Spokesperson Shamus MacDonald says Taigh Sgoile na Drochaide will be the first of its kind in North America.
MacDonald tells The Hawk they plan to open their first primary class- with about eight students- in September.
“It’s about keeping the language alive, about passing it on,” he says. “It’s about sustainability of the language itself, about creating that next generation of speakers.”
MacDonald says they’ve formed a partnership with reps from the Gaelic College, and plan to rent space at the new Beinn Mhabu campus in Mabou.
He says it’s not just about preserving the language; it will help develop students into community members.
“(They’ll be) invested in the community, (and) feel embedded,” he says. “(They’ll) have that strong sense of self, which is tied to culture and language, and a sense of history.”
MacDonald says the private school will have tuition, but they’re doing what they can to keep it low so the program stays accessible.
He says they hope to add a new primary class each year, and eventually work up to grade four in the next five years.
