Award Recipients
In 1979, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Nova Scotia Highland Village Society, the board instituted an annual Award of Merit program. The program was designed to recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to the Highland Village and/or to Scottish Gaelic culture in Nova Scotia.
| Year | Recipient(s) |
|---|---|
| 1979 | Tom Cash |
| 1980 | Major C.I.N. MacLeod |
| 1981 | Rev. A.D. MacKinnon |
| 1982 | CBC Sydney |
| 1983 | Stephen Rory MacNeil |
| 1984 | Rev. A. A. Ross |
| 1985 | Peter F. MacLean |
| 1986 | Capt. Angus MacNeil Hugh J. Murphy Hugh F. MacKenzie Bill McCormack |
| 1987 | John Dan & Catherine MacNeil |
| 1988 | Joe Neil MacNeil |
| 1989 | Dr. Donald Ferguson |
| 1990 | Frances Hector MacNeil |
| 1991 | Margaret & Archie Neil Chisholm |
| 1992 | Rev. John Angus Rankin |
| 1993 | Donnie Campbell |
| 1994 | Hector MacKenzie (Special) Archie Alex MacKenzie |
| 1995 | Rev. Donald Sutherland |
| 1996 | Malcolm S. (Maxie) MacNeil |
| 1997 | Alex C. MacLean |
| 1998 | Evan Lloyd |
| 1999 | Ray “Mac” MacDonald |
| 2000 | Mae Cameron |
| 2001 | Vincent W. MacLean |
| 2002 | Catherine “Honey FX” MacNeil |
| 2003 | The Boisdale Trio - Janet Cameron, Paul Wukitsch and Joe Peter MacLean Iona Gaelic Singers - Beth MacNeil, Peter MacLean, John Dan MacNeil, Dan Rory MacNeil, Joe MacNeil, Michael MacNeil, Jim Francis MacNeil, Maxie MacNeil, John Rory MacNeil, Rod C. MacNeil, Jamie MacNeil, Michael John Mickey MacNeil, Neil John Gillis and Johnny Gillis |
| 2004 | Mary Margaret MacLean |
| 2005 | J. Bruce MacNeil |
| 2006 | James O. St Clair |
| 2007 | Dan E. MacNeil |
| 2008 | David Newlands |
| 2009 | Aggie MacLeannan |
| 2010 | Jean & Columba MacNeil |
| 2011 | Helen MacNeil Lou MacKenzie |
| 2012 | Catherine Alex MacNeil Anna Hector MacNeil (Posthumously) |
| 2013 | Rod C. MacNeil Joe Peter MacLean (Posthumously) |
| 2014 | Hector MacNeil |
| 2015 | Féis an Eilein |
| 2016 | Trueman & Laurinda Matheson |
| 2017 | James "Seumas" Watson (With Excellence) |
| 2018 | Anna MacKinnon |
| 2019 | Charlie Cash |
| 2020 | Flora Ann MacIsaac |
| 2021 | Catriona Parsons |
| 2022 | Michael “Mickey John H” MacNeil |
| 2023 | Cape Breton Fiddlers’ Association M.A. MacPherson, PhD Quentin MacDonald |
| 2024 | Fr. Allan MacMillan |
| 2025 | Effie Rankin |