A Light in the North

20 Oct 2003 in Highland, Writing

Celebrating Neil M. Gunn

TOM BRYAN looks ahead to a new festival dedicated to the work of the great Caithness novelist and dramatist Neil M Gunn.

THIS FIRST Light in the North event is a celebration of the life and work of Neil M. Gunn (1891-1973) in his birthplace, and will take place at Dunbeath Heritage Centre (and in Dunbeath itself) from 7-9 November, 2003. It is a collaboration of many people and organisations. It is hoped that it will take place every year, centred on the 8 November, which is Neil Gunn’s birthday.

It will kick-off at the Heritage Centre on Friday evening, and will conclude on Sunday afternoon. The event will have a strong local ceilidh element of poetry, song, music, film and food. International flavour is supplied by Professor Maria Vega of Madrid University who is translating Gunn’s work into Spanish.

Caithness poet and playwright George Gunn will talk on Neil Gunn as a dramatist, and will also read his own poetry. The weekend will also see two launches, The Neil Gunn Reading Group and the 2004 Neil Gunn Writing Competition. The weekend will end with a performance of the poet Robert Davidson’s Oratorio, Dunbeath Water, to be performed in the Dunbeath Ross Church near the Heritage Centre on Sunday afternoon.

The events will be open to the public, but it is advisable to book ahead. Nominal fees are charged for each separate session.

For further information and booking details please contact:

The Manager
Dunbeath Preservation Trust
Old School
Dunbeath
Caithness KW5 6ED
Tel. 01953-731233
Email: info@dunbeath-heritage.org.uk
A review of the festival will follow in this Journal.