News

MEITHEAL CHOLMCILLE – 8th AUGUST 2021

Islander artist Cathal Mc Ginley will curate an art project on Inisdooey as part of the ‘Colmcille 1500’ celebrations this year. The theme of the project will be influenced by local folklore and the connection of Saint Colmcille and Saint Dubhthach to the local islands. Cathal will be joined on the 30th July by the children of Club Óige Mhachaire Rabhartaigh to complete the art project.

On the 8th August there will be an exhibition of both the children’s and Cathal’s artwork. There will also be a guided walk and boat trip around Inis Bó Finne with songs, stories and refreshments provided. – Further information @ 087 656 1879

Cassan is the name of a partnership between the Manx-medium primary School in the Isle of Man and Conradh na Gaeilge in Lower Mourne in south Down. They have now come together to provide a resource with information in Manx, and Scottish and Irish Gaelic: a beautiful series of seven posters with useful vocabulary so that pupils can learn about the links between the Gaelic languages. The posters should be available to a wide range of schools.

‘Cassan’ is the Manx for ‘cosán’ or ‘path’ in Irish. The Isle of Man can be seen clearly from the Mourne Mountains, the home of Gaelscoil na mBeann, which has close links with Conradh na Gaeilge in Lower Mourne. The artists are Vicki Webb from the Ilse of Man, and Andrea McCloskey from County Down. The project has been developed by Josephine Siriu Dunbar, a linguist who is development officer with Conradh na Gaeilge in Lower Mourne, and Aalin Clague, a teacher at the Bunscoill Ghaelgach in the Isle of Man, in consultation with educational publishers Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig in the Scotland, and and the Áisaonad in Ireland. The project is funded and facilitated by the Colmcille project of Foras na Gaeige as part of the Colmcille 1500 programme.

Lower Mourne Conradh na Gaeilge hope to make the posters available through Irish-medium educational organisations and from bookshops such as An Ceathrú Póilí in Belfast. The posters are:

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The residents of Arbory parish in the Isle of Man celebrate Laa Columb Killey towards the end of June rather than on the 9th as in Ireland or Scotland. This year, there is a special programme to mark the 1,500th anniversary of the saint’s birth. Jeebin, the Manx Language Network, is working with Arbory School to create resources which help show the parish’s strong history with Manx.

Culture Vannin has developed an artistic response to Colmcille1500. Aalin Clague, a Manx speaker and teacher at Bunscoill Ghaelgagh has composed a choral anthem Y Folliaght (The Secret) A poem attributed to Colmcille inspired Marie Clague who wrote the lyrics.
The anthem – Y Folliaght (The Secret) – talks of Columba’s journey across the seas, marvelling at the new sights and sounds, in the world around him. A recording of the Manx Gaelic choir Caarjyn Cooidjagh has been made by Ballagroove Recording Studio. You can hear the anthem and read the lyrics here. It will be released with a video featuring beautiful imagery of the Isle of Man very soon on www.culturevannin.im
The Manx Language Network’s Gaelg21 is a celebration of all things Manx (9 June-9 July) and is also a contribution to Colmcille1500.

Find out more about Gaelg21 here.