Do mhòran Ghàidheil sa bhaile, b’ e an Eaglais a bha aig cridhe beatha spioradail is shòisealta. Chaidh ‘Caibeal Gàidhealach’ fhosgladh ann an 1770 air oisean Sràid na Banrighinn agus Sràid Ingram, aig an àm sin ainmichte mar Back Cow Loan. Timcheall air an àm seo, bha buidheann de mu 20 Caitligich Gàidhealach a’ coinneachadh ann an rùm air an t-Sràid Àrd. Thairis air an linn às dèidh sin, chaidh àireamh de choitheanalan ùra a chruthachadh gus feumalachdan àireamh de shluagh  a bha a’ sìor fhàs de dh’in-imrichean le Gàidhlig don bhaile, a fhrithealadh. Tha an sgeulachd acasan ga h-innse le Iain R. Dòmhnallach san leabhar aige, Glasgow’s Gaelic Churches. Highland Religion in an Urban Setting, 1690-1995 (Dùn Èideann, 1995).

For many Gaels in the city the heart of spiritual and social life was the Church. A ‘Highland Chapel’ was opened in 1770 on the Corner of Queen Street and Ingram Street (then Back Cow Loan). At around this time a group of 20 or so Highland Catholics met in a room on High Street. Over the following century, several new congregations formed to serve the needs of the booming population of Gaelic-speaking immigrants. Their story is told by Ian R. Macdonald in his book Glasgow’s Gaelic Churches. Highland Religion in an Urban Setting, 1690-1995 (Edinburgh, 1995).

Dh’fhuirich eaglais Naomh Chaluim Cille, an eaglais a b’ ainmeile de na h-eaglaisean Gàidhlig ann an Glaschu, ann an Eaglais Stèidhichte na h-Alba aig àm an Dealachaidh ann an 1843, nuair a chaidh a’ mhòr-chuid de Ghàidheil eile a-null gu na Soisgeulaich san Eaglais Shaor ùr. A bharrachd air a bhith a’ solarachadh sheirbheisean creideimh ann an Gàidhlig agus Beurla, san àm a dh’fhalbh bha an eagalis a’ toirt taic do chùisean Gàidhealach agus Gàidhlig leithid ath-leasachadh fearainn, còraichean chroitearan agus cùisean cultarach. Ghluais an coitheanal bho Shràid an Dòchais ann an1904 gu an làrach sa bheil i an-diugh air Sraid St Vincent. Mar thoradh air stoidhle Ghothach an togalaich le stìopall sa bheil 200 troigh de dh’àirde, fhuair Eaglais Naomh Chaluim Chille am far-ainm ‘Highland Cathedral’. Tha i air na seirbheisean Gàidhlig a chumail gus an latha an-diugh, agus is i an aon eaglais air tìr-mòr na h-Alba a tha a’ cumail a prìomh sheirbheis ann an Gàidhlig.

The most famous of all Glasgow’s Gaelic churches, St Columba’s remained in the Established Church of Scotland at the Disruption of 1843 when most of the other Highlanders joined the Evangelicals in the new Free Church. As well as providing religious services in Gaelic and English, in the past the church lent its support to Highland and Gaelic causes such as land reform, crofters’ rights and cultural causes. The congregation moved from Hope St to its current location on St Vincent Street in 1904. The size of the new Gothic revival style building, with its 200 ft spire, contributed to St Columba’s being nicknamed the ‘Highland Cathedral’. It has maintained its Gaelic service to the present, and it is the last church on the Scottish mainland to have its main service in Gaelic.