Revisit your glorious Gaeltacht days at pop-up Gaeltacht!

AH, the Gaeltacht days of youth, when we’d be packed off to spend the summer brushing up on the ‘cúpla focal’... The Bean an Tí’s soda bread, ranganna in the morning (yawn), spórt in the afternoon, but the best thing of all, an céilí san oíche!

‘An ndéanfaidh tú rince liom?’ ‘Déanfaidh agus fáilte!’, and we’d be off, ag damhsa Ionsaí na hInse and Ballaí Luimnigh. Later, we might be found in a field ag canadh Óró Sé do Bheatha Bhaile, Trasna na dTonnta or the legendary Niamh Cinn Óir...Your first time away from home, your first crush ... and then, your first póg? B’fhéidir?!

Well, here’s your chance to relive those great days of spraoi agus craic. Come along to Cathair na Mart’s first ever Pop-Up Gaeltacht and delve into the memories of summers past and go back to the glorious Gaeltacht days. Don your ‘bróga damhsa’ for the big céilí, agus brush up on your cúpla focal, mar níl céad Béarla a labhairt!

Find out what Bean an Tí you’ll be staying with, and most importantly ... be ready to have the criac.

The fear an tí for the evening will be Aindrias De Staic. A proud native of Maigh Eo, Aindrias is a well-known actor, comic storyteller, musician and TV presenter. He’ll keep you entertained on the mic, he’ll guide you through the damhsa, and he has been known to give a high kick or two of his own!

Described in The Scotsman as 'a wild-eyed shock of Celtic unpredictability', you can be guaranteed there won’t be a dull moment nuair atá De Staic sa teach.

Music will be provided by the Kerry-based powerhouse of a band - The Rising. Since November 2015, this group of four lads have created a unique, individualistic style of playing which will guarantee to have everyone on the dance floor! The band is a living, breathing entity made up of Cian O'Sullivan (fiddle), Steven O'Leary (accordion/melodeon), Seán Kelliher (guitar) and Thomas Barrett (cajon/vocals).

There will be plenty of other surprise entertainment to ensure a great evening of craic agus spraoi. So, Sunday evening of the October bank holiday weekend, October 28, bígí in Matt Molloy’s Yard Bar, Westport, from 6 to 8 p.m.

This event is being organised by Gnó Mhaigh Eo in association with Togra Mhaigh Eo and Oifig na Gaeilge, Comhairle Contae Mhaigh Eo as part of Westival – Westport Music and Arts Festival.

For further details, contact Gnó Mhaigh Eo on gno@gnomhaigheo.ie or call (094) 9010140.

Tickets and bookings via www.westival.ie.

 

* Pictured at the Pop-Up Gaeltacht launch were (from left) Willie Walsh (Westival chairman), Brídín Ní Cheallaigh (Togra Mhaigh Eo), Freda Nic Giolla Chatháin (Gnó Mhaigh Eo), Matt Molloy and Daithí Ó Gallachóir (Gnó Mhaigh Eo). Photo: Michael McLaughlin