South Kerry prepares for ‘Éigse’ 2017
MIX OF MUSIC AND DISCUSSION AT 25TH STAGING OF BILINGUAL FESTIVAL
SOUTH Kerry’s Gaeltacht Uíbh Ráthach is preparing once more to celebrate its considerable traditions, with the bilingual Éigse na Brídeoige festival reaching a milestone 25th staging this February.
Speaking ahead of this year’s festival, Fiona De Buis of the organising committee took The
Kerryman through the vibrant schedule of events, which run from February 3 to 5.
“The bilingual event is held over the course of a weekend in Gaeltacht villages in South Kerry,” Ms De Buis said.
“Minister of State for the Gaeltacht Seán Kyne will open the festival at 2.30pm in Caherdaniel’s Halla an Phobail, and that will be followed by a screening of Aodh Ó Coileáin’s award winning film Fís na Fuiseoige.”
“Ó Coileáin’s acclaimed work focuses on the bond between Irish poetry and landscape, with Iveragh assuming centre stage as birthplace of the first Irish language poem. Admission to events in Caherdaniel is free, and Ó Coileáin himself will be present.”
After a Friday night of musical entertainment at Caherdaniel’s ‘ The Blind Piper’ the festival zooms in on the Iveragh region’s bilingualism on Saturday.
“We’ll have a panel of eight experts present to discuss the future of Irish in our Gaeltacht,” Ms De Buis said.
“The discussion will be chaired by Professor Muiris Ó Laoire, and it’s my pleasure to say Manx Language Officer Adrian Cain will be coming over to join us.”
‘ The Éigse Concert’ runs from 8pm and will fill the hotel with beautiful music, before festivities move to Ballinskelligs.
Radió na Gaeltachta will broadcast Sunday mass from Séipéal Naomh Mhichíl from 11.00am, before another musical treat gets underway:
“Peter Mullarkey is director of the Binneas Collection of Iveragh Music and song,” Ms De Buis explained.
“We’ll run a concert of Binneas’ materials from 2.30 pm, which will be one of the festival’s highlights,” Fiona said.
For a full rundown of the schedule, you can visit www.éigsenabrídeoige.com, and further information is available from Fiona at (087) 2931463.