English-speaking people from the American colonies had been the first settlers and English became the language of business. In the homes, though, people spoke, sang and wrote in Gaelic. Fiddlers, pipers and singers continued to play and sing the traditional Gaelic tunes.

The Catholic Church was very important in these communities. People put their best clothes on and went to church Sunday morning, no matter how late they had been up with their neighbours the night before. There was more visiting Sunday afternoon with music, dancing and storytelling.

Nearly everyone loved the Gaelic music and helped it to survive— but not Fr. Kenneth MacDonald of the Mabou parish. In the late 1880s, it seemed to him that people loved their music even more than they loved the Church. Fiddling, he believed, was the devil’s idea. Fiddle music caused men to drink too much. He wanted to destroy all the violins in the area. Under pressure from the priest, Johnny Ranald Beaton gave up his old fiddle—but he hid his good one. Fr. Kenneth found out about it and smashed the good fiddle.

Fortunately, Fr. Kenneth was not able to stamp out fiddle music. The parish had its first parish picnic soon after he left. Who do you think was the life of the party? Johnny Ranald Beaton, of course, and his new violin!