Mórag ni'n Chaluim Dhòmhnuill

Sarah MacEachern MacDonell was from Hillsdale, Inverness County. Born October 4, 1895, she was the daughter of Malcolm and Jessie MacEachern, whose family originally came from the Isle of Eigg.

Sarah married William “Alasdair Chailein” MacDonell, and together they raised a family of nine children, two sons died in infancy. Their home was steeped in the Gaelic language and culture.

Sarah was a skilled violin player, and her love of Gaelic tradition and faith was reflected in the paths taken by her children. Two of them entered religious life: Father Malcolm MacDonell and Sister Margaret MacDonell.

Her daughter Sr. Margaret became a lifelong educator, scholar, and a staunch champion of the Gaelic language. For decades, she lent her talents and tenacity to St. Francis Xavier University, where she served as professor, chair, and professor emerita in the Celtic Studies Department. Sr. Margaret also worked to establish the Cape Breton Gaelic Folklore Collection, ensuring the preservation of the region’s rich Gaelic heritage.