Niall mac Ruairidh 'ac Nìll 'ic Iain Bhàin 'ic Eòin

Neil John Gillis, a gifted Gaelic tradition bearer of Barra descent, hailed from Jamesville, Victoria County. Born January 26, 1916, he was the son of Rod F. Gillis of Jamesville West and Catherine MacNeil of Big Beach. Neil John married Carmel Margaret “Marge” Sharkey of Saint John, New Brunswick, and together they raised nine children and one granddaughter in Jamesville. Neil John served with the Cape Breton Highlanders in World War II as Company Sergeant. Upon returning home, he worked for the Canadian National Railway Company as a section foreman.

Neil John grew up at a time when the taigh céilidh (visiting-house) was a central part of community life. When he was just a child, his close relatives John and Charles MacInnis (Iagan Pheadair Ruaidh and Teàrlach Pheadair Ruaidh), renowned storytellers from nearby Castle Bay, frequently visited the Gillis home. Their visits would draw people of all ages from the local area for evenings of song and extended storytelling, beginning at dusk and continuing late into the night. It was in this setting that Neil John absorbed much of his cultural knowledge and repertoire.

Among the material he carried was a rare sgeulachd, included in this collection as “Sgeulachd nan Gillean Glasa.” The story was first recorded from Neil John in 1980, more than fifty-five years after he had last heard it recited in the house.

A community-minded man, Neil John was well-known for his volunteerism. He was a member of the Iona Gaelic Singers and a long-time contributor to the Christmas Island Féis.Neil John became a valued source of humorous stories, accounts of second sight, proverbs, and songs, enriching the community with his contributions. His legacy lives on in his family and in the memories of friends and neighbors in Jamesville. He died November 8, 2001 and is laid to rest at Sacred Heart Cemetery, Iona, Nova Scotia.