Eòs Nìll Dhòmhnuill Alasdair

John Joseph “Joe Neil” Johnston was from Red Islands, Richmond County. Born December 7, 1909, he was the son of Neil Johnston and Catherine MacInnis from Glengarry, Big Pond. His paternal great-grandfather, Alexander Johnston, immigrated from the Isle of Barra.

In 1939, Joe Neil married Sadie Campbell of Hay Cove, and together they raised eight children. The couple first settled in Sydney, living on Townsend Street, where Joe Neil worked at the Steel Plant. Not long after, his mother became ill—her husband had died when Joe Neil was just nine months old—and Joe Neil made the decision to relocate his young family back to Red Islands to care for her.

Back home, the family kept a small farm and sold milk locally. Like many during that time, Joe Neil would pick up seasonal work with the highways department, depending on which political party was in power.

A fluent Gaelic speaker, Joe Neil cherished the language and the songs that came with it. His next-door neighbors, the MacCuish brothers, were lifelong bachelors and brimming with Gaelic—and Joe Neil would visit daily to enjoy a chat in the language they all loved.

One of the highlights of the year was the Johnstown Milling Frolic, a major event in the community. In the weeks leading up to it, Joe Neil’s family remembers him sitting in his rocking chair, thoughtfully rehearsing Gaelic songs. He also shared his voice in the Sacred Heart Church choir in Johnstown.

Joe Neil died July 28, 1996 and is laid to rest at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Cemetery, Johnstown.