Locations
The Gaelic College and the Matheson Farm are both in the region of the “North Shore” (“Cladach a Tuath”), an area of Cape Breton famed for its beauty and connection to the Gaelic culture.
The Matheson Farm
The Matheson Farm is a treasure, a rare example of a homestead built by Gaelic settlers that has not collapsed into ruin or been radically modernized. The makers of Faire Chaluim Mhic Leòid were greatly fortunate to have the support of Bell MacIntyre, one of the co-owners of the house. The last full time residents of the Matheson Farm house were native Gaelic speakers. And rumours have it that the place is haunted with Gaelic-speaking ghosts! “It was a perfect location for our film shoot; we couldn’t have asked for a more authentic, pretty little house,” states writer/director Marc Almon.
The Gaelic College
Situated in St. Ann’s, the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts was founded in 1938 as a school devoted to the study and preservation of the Gaelic language, arts and culture. Students of all ages and abilities from around the world are welcome to take courses in Scottish traditional disciplines including Gaelic language and song, music, dance and crafts (you can learn more about the college and its courses by visiting its website at www.gaeliccollege.edu.) The hippie commune scene in Faire Chaluim Mhic Leòid was filmed in a forest and clearing near the college campus.
Baddeck
Baddeck is home to the Alexander Graham Bell museum and many beautiful and historic buildings. The scene within Seamus’ office was filmed in the Old Post Office building, which is now an interpretative centre for the Bras d’Or Lakes Preservation Foundation.