Island News

Caim, A Celtic Ceilidh

It was a beautiful Tuesday evening in August when the company of four strolled off the boat and up to the elevated venue of the Church of Scotland. The group consisted of the Scottish and Irish singers Heather Innes and Jacynth Hamill, Irish dancer Nuala Prince and Northumbrian piper Andrew Harper. The material was based on the books of Canon David Adam of Lindisfarne and featured Celtic prayers and stories, original and ancient, set to music and illustrated with dance. The venue, thanks to Church members, was most fitting for the programme of the evening. It was also a bonus for the musicians as they had a fine view of Arinagour and the Treshnish whilst they feasted on local freshly smoked mackerel, home-made bread and wine.

The repertoire was varied. Many of the pieces were a delight of unaccompanied close harmony, lilting and carried by the Church acoustics. Then there was the dancing in the aisles when the piper broke the meditative peace and brought us firmly back to earth. There was much laughter and participation when the audience grabbed their chance to dance in the aisles of the church!

The church was full and the company were surprised at the generosity of the donations. They, in turn, gave a percentage of sales to the Church Fund. They left the following morning to perform on Tiree making the most of the ferry time-tabling.

T.H.