05/21/2026
May is Mìos nan Gàidheal / Gaelic Nova Scotia Month. This May, we highlight the achievements of Sr. Margaret MacDonell (1920-2023), a member of the Congregation de Notre Dame (1945), a graduate of StFX (1954, 2000) and of Harvard (1968 MA, 1969 PhD in Celtic Languages and Literature). She began teaching as a professor of Celtic Studies at StFX in 1969, becoming Chair of the department in 1977.
Sr. Margaret worked with Dr. John Shaw to establish the Cape Breton Gaelic Folklore Project, collecting approximately 2000 samples of Gaelic songs and spoken folklore. This material was made available to researchers and students online as the Srùth nan Gàidheal / Gaelstream collection.
She was granted an honorary degree by StFX in 2000, and in 2023 received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal for her contribution in the preservation and advancement of the Gaelic language in Nova Scotia. She is fondly remembered at StFX for her nearly 30 years of teaching and research, during which she shared her love of Gaelic language and culture with many students.
Cuiridh sinn clach air a càrn.
