FEILE CHOLM CILLE
Gleann Colm Cille
Donegal,  9-11th June 2006

Irish supergroup Hothouse Flowers headlined the first ever Feile Cholmcille held this year in Gleann Colmcille, County Donegal.  The Feile, which is to become an annual event in the Colmcille calendar, was held on the weekend of Colmcille’s Feast Day 9th June, commemorating the death of the Saint.    It provides a wonderful opportunity for positive interaction between the Gaels of Scotland and Ireland and hopefully will convert some new enthusiasts to our cause.

The Feile brought together young and old, Scottish and Irish, in a celebration of all forms of our shared traditional culture – language, music, dance and boating to name but a few.  It also provided the perfect platform for the launch of the new Colmcille Strategic Plan and Photography Competition, Saol na nGael.  Highlights of the programme included several performances by traditional Scottish Psalm Singers from the Isle of Lewis, Colmcille Pilgrimages round the 15 stations (inscribed monuments/stones) in the Gleann valley  and the arrival of a traditional Zulu Skiff, Cuach, from the Scottish Hebrides.  The language and culture of the Isle of Man also played a significant part in the Feile – links we hope to strengthen in the future.

The importance of our initiating such an event was publicly acknowledged by the presence of Angus MacNeil, MP, Westminster (Western Isles); Mary Coughlan, TD, Minister of State, Dail, Dublin; and Peter Karran, MHK, Isle of Man.

Press interest in this year’s Feile included a news feature on RTE Six 1and Nine 1 (Ireland’s main news programmes), interviews on Raidió na Gaeltachta, RTÉ 1 Radio and an two page photo spread in the Donegal on Sunday along with various other newspaper reports, local and national and by following a similar but expanded strategy we predict that the amount of interest generated in 2007 will surpass that of 2006