When: 13th – 17th July 2016
Where: Peel, Isle of Man
£: Tickets cost from £3 to £18
What is it?
Yn Chruinnaght, the Isle of Man’s annual Inter-Celtic festival, brings a selection of musicians, singers, dancers, poets and artists together in Peel.
The festival began life in 1977, as a one-day festival called Feailley Vanninagh Rhumsaa. The festival became known as Yn Chruinnaght (Manx for ‘The Gathering’) the following year. The festival has continued to celebrate the cultures of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, and the Isle of Man for nearly 40 years.
This year’s programme offers something for everyone, with the main ticketed concerts running at the Centenary Centre in Peel. The music line-up features feisty young Welsh folk group Calan, quartet An Tri dipoP, and up and coming Cornish singer-songwriter Kezia.
The Isle of Man’s singing legend, Christine Collister, and Manx Gaelic singer-songwriter, Aalin Clague, will perform at the Celtic Voices concert. For those who prefer to take to the dance floor, there is a Ceili to enjoy on the Friday evening at Peel Golf Club, with Breton, Manx and Bulgarian dances to join in with.
Headlining the Saturday night will be Dublin folk miscreants Lynched. A group who combine distinctive four-part vocal harmonies with arrangements of uilleann pipes, concertina, Russian accordion, fiddle and guitar.
Carmen Hunt will lead a workshop on Cornish dance, and Welsh language expert Aran Jones, will be encouraging visitors to ‘Say Something in… Manx’.
There will also be traditional instrumental group Birlinn Jiarg, Gaelic singer Ruth Keggin, Manx duo Isla Callister-Wafer and Cairistiona Dougherty, Katie and Lawrence’s Folkestra. In addition, there will be Bulgarian singing and piping duo Ivelina and Vladimir, Ellan Vannin Pipes and Drums, and Manx dance groups Skeddan Jiarg and Perree Bane.
In addition to the ticketed events, there will be plenty of free events, such as lunchtime concerts at the Peel Methodist Church, and dance and music displays at the House of Manannan. Other free events include a bands’ night in the White House, walking tours around Peel, and children’s Manx music workshops. Finally, there will be a Manx Gaelic afternoon on the beach (Er y Traie), and a ‘playing at sessions’ workshop to encourage newcomers to join in with traditional tunes at the pub.
Local illustrator Alice Quayle designed the Peel-themed Yn Chruinnaght programme cover this year. Quayle will join a medley of local artists and producers at the Artisan Craft Fair in the Corrin Hall on Saturday 16th July. Supported by Peel Town Commissioners, the fair also features local designer Greg Joughin, who will be revealing how to draw in the ancient Pictish styles of ‘ribbon interlace’ and ‘key pattern’.
Yn Chruinnaght is a not for profit event. The committee is grateful for the generous support of Culture Vannin and the IOM Arts Council, Ramsey and Peel Town Commissioners, Department of Economic Development, Sure, Conister Bank, Shoprite and Paradise and Gell.
More info: www.ynchruinnaght.com