Elgol, Isle of Skye, 24 July 2008

Ceilear (photo - Joan Murray)

EIGHT of Skye and Lochalsh’s most talented young traditional musicians set a merciless pace for the final “Strip the Willow” of the evening in Elgol Village Hall. You’d never guess they’d been three weeks on the road throughout the district, nor that this was their 18th gig of a series that included concerts, ceilidhs, dances and sessions – three of them on a CalMac ferry!

Ceilear is the latest group of local youngsters selected for the annual Skye and Lochalsh Ceilidh Trail, now in its fourth year. Participants are selected by audition and interview at Feis an Earraich (the Easter traditional music festival) and – after a week’s intensive coaching and practice – they set out to tour as a professional, wage-earning band.

It’s no easy ride. A co-ordinator makes sure the tour runs smoothly, but band members have to arrange the programmes, set up their equipment, manage the sound system and – not least – make contact with their audience. They do this admirably, as well as playing superb music. Aged between 16 and 19, Ceilear members are all multi-instrumentalists and they all sing too.

At the Elgol event, Crisdean MacDonald (fiddle, bodhran, pipes) made a fine Master of Ceremonies, cajoling and encouraging dancers on to the floor. Shona Masson (piano, fiddle) called the dances, Hannah Beaton (clarsach, voice) performed mouth music of breath-taking speed and clarity, and Dan Finlayson (guitar, accordian, voice) had the audience singing along on ‘Caledonia’.

Coralea MacKay (fiddle, piano), Alasdair Murray (pipes, accordian), Murdo Cameron (accordian, whistle) and Rhoan Jagger (pipes) completed a line-up bursting with energy, that kept everyone’s toes tapping and left the dancers gasping for breath.

“We’re paid a wage and we’re expected to be professional,” said Crisdean, admitting that life on the road was exhausting as well as exhilarating, and an invaluable experience. Will Ceilear stay together as a group? “It’s hard to get gigs for a band of eight people,” he said, “but we’ll make up a trio or whatever, if the chance comes up”. Three or four of the band are thinking of making a full-time career in music. Let’s hope they do – these are seriously good musicians.

There’s another chance to hear the full Ceilear sound at the Blàs Festival in September. They’re booked for Glenelg and Arnisdale Hall on the 5th and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on the 6th. Don’t miss them!

© Terry Williams, 2008

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