Irish Poets and Musicians team up at Blas 2012

11 Sep 2012 in Festival, Gaelic, Highland, Music, Outer Hebrides

During the Blas festival, with the assistance of Colmcille, Cuairt nam Bàrd will see Irish poets Bríd Ní Mhóráin and Ciarán Ó Coigligh join seann-nòs singer Naisrín Elsafty and piper Caoimhín Ó Fearghail, touring to Inverness, Sleat, Borve (Lewis), Ullapool and Roybridge where they will hook up with Scottish writers and musicians.

Cuairt nam Bàrd is a long-standing exchange between Scotland and Ireland and Fèisean nan Gàidheal recently took over its organisation from Comhairle nan Leabhraichean.

Arthur Cormack, Chief Executive of Fèisean nan Gàidheal, said: “Cuairt nam Bàrd, or Turas na bhFhilí, is a long-established cultural events featuring writers, musicians and singers from both sides of Sruth na Maoile and we are delighted to have been able to include the Scottish leg of the exchange in this year’s Blas festival. There brings a great line-up of poets, storytellers, singers and musicians as a very welcome addition to the festival programme.”

Brìd is now a full-time writer, having taught languages previously. She has won several awards for her poetry, and also for her prose when her M. Litt thesis was published. Ciarán is a professor of language, literature and civilization in St Patrick’s College Drumcondra, Dublin, and with many publications to his name in the field of poetry, novels and academic works. Caoimhín is studying for an MA in Irish at Cork, and was TG4’s Young Musician of the Year in 2012. Naisrín is a medical doctor, and the daughter of Treasa Ni Cheannabháin and native Egyptian Dr Saber Elsafty. Naisrín has won many competitions for seann-nòs singing and has appeared on several albums.

Scottish-based poets and musicians will include Calum MacLeod (Inverness), Peter MacKay and Rody Gorman (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig), Tarmod MacLeòid (Leòdhas), Lisa MacDonald (Ullapool), and Ronnie Campbell (Roy Bridge), with music from such Highlandluminaries as Rona Lightfoot, Angus Nicolson, Roddy-John “Rodaigean” Martin, Iain-Gordon MacFarlane and Sgoil-chiùil Loch Abar.

Cuairt nam Bàrd will visit the following venues:

Tuesday 11 September – MacLean Room in Eden Court Theatre @ 7.30pm [01463 234234]

Wednesday 12 September – Talla Dhonaidh Chaimbeil in Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Sleat @ 7.30pm [01471 888000]

Thursday 13 September – Clan MacQuarrie Centre in Borve, Lewis @ 7.30pm [01851 850397]

Friday 14 September – The Ceilidh Place, Ullapool @ 8.30pm [01854 612103]

Saturday 15 September – Roy Bridge Memorial Hall @ 7.30pm [01397 712371]

For more information about the full programme of events visit www.blas-festival.com

Èirinneach agus Albannaich còmhla aig Blas 2012

Fhad sa tha fèis Blas 2012 a’ dol air adhart am bliadhna, bidh Cuairt nam Bàrd, le taic bho Cholmcille, air fhilleadh dhan phrògram – cliar air a’ chlàr mar gum biodh. Bidh na Bàird Èireannach Bríd Ní Mhóráin agus Ciarán Ó Coigligh còmhla ris an t-seinneadair seann-nòs Naisrín Elsafty agus am pìobaire Caoimhín Ó Fearghail, agus sgrìobhaichean is luchd-ciùil à Alba a’ tadhal air Inbhir Nis, Slèite, Borgh (Leòdhas), Ulapul agus Drochaid Ruaidh.

Tha dlùth-cheangal agus co-luadar làidir air a bhith eadar Alba agus Èireann fad ghrunn bhliadhnaichean tro Chuairt nam Bàrd agus tha e nis air a fhrithealadh le Fèisean nan Gàidheal, a th’air a’ chùis a ghabhail os làimh bho Chomhairle nan Leabhraichean.

Thuirt Art MacCarmaig, Stiùiriche Fèisean nan Gàidheal: “Tha inbhe agus seasamh aig Cuairt nam Bàrd, no Turas na bhFhilí, air a bheil e airidh agus tha an Turas gu math soirbheachail ann a bhith a’ cur air adhart sgrìobhaichean, luchd-ciùil agus seinneadairean bhon dà thaobh de Shruth na Maoile. Tha sinn air leth toilichte gun d’ fhuair sinn cothrom meur na h-Alba dhen cho-luadar a thoirt a-steach gu Fèis Blas 2012. Tha a’ Chuairt a’ cur gu mòr ris a’ chlàr de thachartsan a tha sinn a’ tairgse, le bàird, sgeulaichean, seinneadairean agus luchd-ciùil a’ falbh mar chliar, fad is farsaing.”

Tha Brìd a-nis na sgrìobhaiche làn-ùine an dèidh a bhith a’ teagasg chànan. Tha i air grunn dhuaisean a bhuinnig airson a cuid bàrdachd agus cuideachd airson a cuid rosg nuair a chaidh treachdas M.Litt a sgrìobh i fhoillseachadh. Tha Ciaran na Àrd-Ollamh cànan, litreachas agus sìobhaltachd ann an Colaiste an Naoimh Pàdraig an Drumcondra, am Baile Ath Cliath, agus tha e air mòran fhoillseachadh mu bhàrdachd, nobhalan agus ann an raointean acadaimigeach. Tha Caoimhín an dràsta a’ leantain ceum ann an Gaeilge ann an Corgaigh agus chaidh ainmeachadh mar neach-ciùil òg na Bliadhna le TG4 ann an 2012, a-measg dhuaisean is tachartasan soirbheachail eile. Tha Naisrín na dotair meidigeach agus is i nighean Treasa Ni Cheannabháin agus an Dr Saber Elsafty a bhoineas dhan Èiphit. Bhuinnig Naisrín grunn math dhuaisean airson seinn san t-seann-nòs agus tha i air a bhith a’ seinn air iomadach clàr.

A-measg nan sgrìobhaichean agus sgeulaichean ionadail a bhios a’ cur ris a’ chuairt tha Calum MacLeòid (Inbhir Nis), Peadar MacAoidh agus Rody Gorman (Sabhal Mòr Ostaig), Tarmod MacLeòid (Leòdhas), Lisa NicDhòmhnaill (Ulapul), agus Ronnie Caimbeul (Drochaid Ruaidh), le taic bho shàr luchd-ciùil bhon Ghàidhealtachd leithid Rona Lightfoot, Aonghas MacNeacail, Ruairidh-Iain “Rodaigean” Màrtainn, Iain-Gòrdon MacPhàrlain agus Sgoil-chiùil Loch Abar.

Bidh Cuairt nam Bàrd anns na h-àiteachan a leanas:

Dimàirt 11 Sultain – Seòmar MhicIllEain ann an Cùirt an Aodainn, Inbhir Nis @ 7.30f [01463 234234]

Diciadain 12 Sultain – Talla Dhonaidh Chaimbeil ann an Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Slète @ 7.30f [01471 888000]

Diardaoin 13 Sultain – Ionad Chlann MhicGuaire ann am Borgh, Leòdhas @ 7.30f [01851 850397]

Dihaoine 14 Sultain – Ionad a’ Chèilidh, Ulapul @ 8.30f [01854 612103]

Disathairne 15 Sultain – Talla Chuimhneachaidh an Drochaid Ruaidh @ 7.30f [01397 712371]

Airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh mu chlàr Blas 2012 airson a’ chòrr dhen t-seachdain, faicibh www.blas-festival.com

Source: Blas Festival