manx celtic music and dance

Arrane son Mannin concert & competition

01 Feb 2014

all competitors and judges
all competitors and judges

by Fiona McArdle
Arrane son Mannin, Song for Mann, has really taken off this year with four sparkling entries to welcome in 'Island of Culture' in 2014. All were of a high standard and much appreciated by the audience at the concert and competition held in Peel's Masonic Hall. After the first part of the concert featuring Isla Callister and David Kilgallon on fiddle and keyboard, the Gaelic Choir Cliogaree Twoaie, who are celebrating 30 years together this year, and Shenn Scoill with Dave and Laura Rowles on guitar and keyboard respectively, together with bass guitarist Frazer Grant and lead vocalist Michelle Jamieson, it was the turn of the four new songs.

First came Shenn Scoill with their song ‘Tayrn Mee Thie’ (Drawing Me Home), followed by Clein (Clan) a band of 6, featuring the McLean family and friends, with Alanna McLean as lead singer. Their song ‘Nar Lhig Eh Ve Eshyn Vees Ayn’ (Don’t Let It Be Him) was about one of Dave McLean’s ancestors, Joe Moughtin, who was killed in the Snaefell Mines’ Disaster of 1897, leaving a wife who was five months pregnant and a small child. Next was Marlene Hendy with her song ‘Yn Challoo Yiarn’ (The Iron Pier) in which she reminisced about her childhood in South Ramsey when summers were enlivened by the thousands of visitors who came by ferry to the town’s hotels and boarding houses and landed at the pier. The fourth entry was Lindsay Ridley’s song ‘Skeealyn ny Marrey’ (Tales of the Sea), a conversation between a seagoing father and his son, who also finds the lure of the sea to strong to resist.

The three adjudicators, musician mother and son Clare and David Kilgallon and Manx speaker Catreeney Craine, found that awarding the £300 prize money sponsored by Culture Vannin for the winning song was no easy task, but finally declared Shenn Scoill with ‘Tayrn Mee Thie’ to be the winners. They will now go to Derry to compete in the 6 nation Inter Celtic New Song competition held as part of the 43rd Pan-Celtic Festival from 22nd- 27th April. The Mannin Pan-Celtic Branch also awarded this year a prize of £50 for the song judged to be the best new song in traditional mode which was won by Lindsay Ridley with her song ‘Skeealyn ny Marrey’.

Finishing the evening off in style came father and daughter singers David and Jonee Fisher with David Kilgallon again on keyboard for two of Jonee’s solos, including last year’s winning song in Arrane son Mannin ‘Ny Jean Keayney’, (Don’t Cry), Cliogaree Twoaie with some of their recently composed songs, and Marlene Hendy whose final set ended with her winning traditional solo song from the 2013 Pan-Celtic Festival ‘Arrane Oie Vie’ (Good Night Song)

Check out www.panceltic.ie for further information on the 2014 Pan-Celtic Festival
 

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