Cuairt Chaluim Chille // Touring St Columba Tour Launch

(English Below)

Gus toiseach an turais a chomharrachadh gu dòigheil, air 9 Ògmhios, chùm CHARTS feasgar drùidhteach ann an trì cànanan ann an Taigh-tasgaidh eachdraidheil Cheann Loch Chille Chiarain, le ealain lèirsinneach bho Dhuaisean Chaluim Chille CHARTS 2020-22, òraidean air eachdraidh Chaluim Chille agus measgachadh de cheòl agus de bhàrdachd Ghàidhlig is Ghaeilge le luchd-ealain air aoigheachd às Earra-Ghàidheal agus Èirinn. 

Chuala sinn:

Columba:  Life and Times, Òraid le Rosemary Power 

An seinneadair Gaeilge Diane Ní Chanainn 

Gwen Màiri Nic na Ceàrdaich air a’ Chlàrsaich 

Bàrdachd le Ciaran Ó Maitiú

"Air an fheasgar chuala sinn bho sgrìobhadairean, bàird, seinneadairean agus luchd-ciùil às gach taobh de Shruth na Maoile le luchd-èisteachd a ghabh tlachd à measgachadh dha-rìribh de dh’oirfeidean agus cothrom sealltainn air an taisbeanadh fhèin. 

Chaidh an oidhche a thoirt gu crìch gu grinn le ceòl binn Gwen Màiri air a’ Chlàrsaich a tha a sinnsearan Nic na Ceàrdaich ga ceangal ri Taigh an Uillt ann an Latharna. Thòisich an dà chuid brath air a chlàradh le Brian Ó hEadhra bho Bhòrd na Gàidhlig agus “Cantus Benedictus” àlainn le Raonaid Nic an Fhùcadair gnothaichean bho sgàilean san t-slighe a-steach mus do dh’fhosgail Àdhamh Ó Broin, an t-Oifigear Cultair Ghàidhlig againn an tachartas leis a’ chiad mhìr den fheasgar agus òran le bàrd Gàidhlig air nach eilear cho eòlach, Deonaigh Mac a’ Bhiocair às an Loch Gheàrr.

Na dhèidh seo, chaidh fàilte is furan a chur air an luchd-èisteachd, le facal-toisich agus buidheachas ri Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Foras na Gaeilge agus ris an luchd-chuideachaidh air fad leis an stiùiriche Caitlín Ní Néill ro lèirsinn sgoinneil air bàrdachd bho na Linntean Meadhanach air a spreagadh le Calum Cille, leis an sgrìobhadair Rosemary Power a thug seachad òraid a bha an dà chuid tarraingeach agus gu math fileanta. Bha dà òran à saoghal nan òran Gaeilge leis a’ cheòladair à Tìr Chonaill Diana Ní Chanainn a dhrùidh gu mòr air an luchd-èisteachd an làthair. Thug am bàrd agus am fear-teagaisg Gaeilge Ciarán Ó Maitiú an luchd-èisteachd a-steach ann an gnothaichean le beagan fealla-dhà le aithris bàrdachd eadar aosta is ùr air a spreagadh le Calum Cille e fhèin. Mura robh sin gu leòr airson prògram math dha-rìribh gus rud a chur air bhog, chuala an luchd-èisteachd an uair sin ceòl gu math cruthachail air an fhidheall le fear Chinn Tìre Eàirdsidh MacAlasdair a thug dòighean-cluiche na h-Alba agus na h-Èireann còmhla gu dòigheil.

Gu h-iomlan, bogadh barraichte ann an ionad barraichte le cothrom math dha-rìribh air ceanglaichean agus a’ chiad oidhche de thaisbeanadh a thadhlas air caochladh ionadan air feadh Earra-Ghàidheal, a’ ceangal na roinne ri Èireann le cultar coitcheann Gàidhealach agus dìleab Chaluim Chille.” Àdhamh Ó Broin

To mark the start of the tour in style, on the 9 June, CHARTS hosted an atmospheric trilingual evening in the historic Campbeltown Museum, featuring selected visual arts from CHARTS Colmcille Awards 2020-22, talks on the history of St Columbia/Colmcille and a blend of Irish and Scots Gaelic music and poetry by invited performers from Argyll and Ireland. 

Performances and readings include:

Columba Life and Times Talk by Rosemary Power 

Irish Gaelic singer Diane Cannon 

Gwen Màiri Sinclair on Clarsach 

Poetry by Ciaran Ó Maitiú

“The evening featured contributions from writers, poets, singers and musicians from both sides of the Straits of Moyle alongside an audience who enjoyed a veritable smorgasbord of entertainment and a chance to peruse the exhibition itself.

The opening event was beautifully book-ended by the delicate stylings of Gwen Màiri on Clarsach, whose Sinclair ancestors connect her to Taynuilt in Lorne.  Both an encouraging recorded message from Brian Ó h-Eadhra of Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Rachel Walker’s gorgeous “Cantus Benedictus” set the tone from a screen in the foyer before MC Àdhamh Ó Broin, Our Gaelic Culture Officer, opened the event as host in traditional fashion with the first contribution of the night and a piece by the otherwise little-known Gaelic poet Deonaigh Mac a’ Bhiucair (John MacVicar) of Loch Gair.

This was followed by a heartfelt welcome to the audience, with an introduction and thanks to Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Foras na Gaeilge, and all contributing staff by director Kathleen O’Neill before a terrific window into the world of Columba-inspired Medieval poetry, by writer and scholar Rosemary Power whose delivery was both engaging and incredibly eloquent. The bill was punctuated by two offerings from the world of Irish Gaelic song and the mercurial singing talents of Donegal musician Diane Cannon which deeply touched the gathered crowd.  Ciarán Ó Maitiú, poet and Gaelic teacher from Kildare, inserted audience participation and a little zany humour into proceedings with recitals of both previously existing and newly self-composed Gaelic poetry inspired by St Columba himself. Were that not quite enough by the standards of any great launch programme, the audience were lastly treated to a double installment of wildly creative fiddling by local Kintyre legend Archie MacAllister which provided an exciting fusion of different styles of Irish and Scottish playing.

All in all, a fantastic launch in a great venue with superb networking opportunities and the first night of an exhibition which will tour several venues across Argyll, linking the region to Ireland through shared Gaelic culture and the legacy of St Columba.”  Àdhamh Ó Broin

Tha Cuairt Chaluim Chille ga cruthachadh le Còmhdhail Cultair, Dualchais is Ealain Earra-Ghàidheal  agus nan Eilean (CHARTS), le taic bho Chomhairle Earra-Ghàidheal agus Bhòid. Chaidh an com-pàirteachas dàna seo eadar Earra-Ghàidheal agus Èirinn a chur air chomas le taic còmhla bho  Bhòrd na Gàidhlig agus Foras na Gaeilge gus cur ris na ceanglaichean eadar luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig ann an Èirinn agus Alba a dh’èirich à bliadhna Chaluim Chille 1500.  Buidheachas gu sònraichte  airson taic Taigh-tasgaidh Sgìre Thìr Chonaill agus Roinn Turasachd, Cultair, Ealainean, Gàidhealtachd, Spòrs agus nam Meadhanan.

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Cuairt Chaluim Chille //  Touring St Columba is hosted by CHARTS, supported by Argyll and Bute Council. This bold project partnership between Argyll and Ireland is made possible with joint support from Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Foras na Gaeilge to build from relationships grown during the themed year Colmcille 1500.  A special thanks to the support of Donegal County Museum and the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.