bun na leaca donegal

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Festive tribute to the creative, artistic people of Donegal

Getting kissing techniques just right for on-stage credibility, takes practice.

Ask director-cum-teacher Máire Ioannidis.

She’s taught loads of people how to do it, her latest challenge being in the recent production of the musical ‘Hairspray’ by students at Pobalscoil Chloich Cheann Fhaola at Amharclann theatre in Bunbeg recently.

“Where do you put your hands, your arms,” she explained to me during a conversation after the Donegal Gaeltacht’s school’s triumphant, four-show run attended by more than a thousand people. “What side do turn your head to kiss, if you both turn the same way heads, noses may bump together, hardly an authentic and romantic sight to behold.”

That was only one of many challenges facing Máire and her team in the ambitious production. Capacity crowds and standing ovations are testament to the fact that they got them all right, including directing sixty-six teenagers.

Tickets for all productions were like gold-dust, with friendly Amharclann general manager, Manus O’Domhnaill, saying the shows provided a record attendance for the historic theatre, which was established in 1961 and reopened after major renovation more than a year ago.

Speaking about ‘Hairspray,’ Máire said proudly, “This particular musical holds a special place in my heart, a story about an amazing opportunity that turns a vision into reality. And I thoroughly enjoyed working with our talented students who showed commitment, energy and enthusiasm throughout. Unlocking their confidence, seeing them grow and perform on stage each night along with watching their joyous celebrations and a shared team attitude of ‘we did it!’ at the end of each show made this whole experience very worthwhile.”

‘Hairspray’ is an American musical with score by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman based on John Waters’ 1988 film. Winner of eight Tony Awards, including best musical, it focuses on efforts by a dance-loving teenager to bring racial integration to a popular TV show in 1960s Baltimore.

Having gone to watch several productions of ‘Hairspray,’ in other theaters, Máire and her team then created several unique extras to their production. These included performers surprising audiences by entering from different doorways at Amharclann and a scene in which a chorus of singers walk through the aisles holding candles singing, then sitting on the floor among the audience.

Set changes were accomplished professionally with the aid of lighting, for example, from an ordinary living-room scene complete with ironing-board and TV to that of a prison cell, in which the lead performer, Róisín Doogan, playing Tracy Turnblad, has been incarcerated.

From the get-go, the opening song and dance routine ‘Good Morning Baltimore,’ this production leaped along in vibrant bounds with other complex choreography and songs including a powerful renditions of ‘Big, Blond and Beautiful,’ ‘Mama, I’m A Big Girl Now’ and ‘It Takes Two’ spiced with comedy and sentiment.

“PCC’s production of ‘Hairspray’ was full of energy from beginning to end,” said Eoghan Mac Giolla Bhrighde, a well-known actor who was in charge of lighting for this show. “Their singing was lively and it was excellently choreographed. It was well cast and they all portrayed their character effortlessly. Their drive and enthusiasm was palpable, students and teachers alike. “

Máire herself is no stranger to the arts, being a member of local acting group, Aisteori Ghaoth Dobhair, and an accomplished flute player. She also directed a school production of ‘Grease’ for two consecutive years. Of Gweedorean-Greek parentage, Máire has worked at Pobalscoil Chloich Cheann Fhaola for the last four years teaching a mix of Irish language, IT and business.

Aside from the versatile student actors and singers, full credit goes to crew, some of whom were also students, and senior production members including producer Donna Coll; choral director, Siún McDermott-Lyng; choreographer, Maureen Byrne; audio Noel Boylan; set construction, Joe Coll, Christopher Symth and Manus Gallagher; costumes, Mairead Harkin McGee and Siobhan Doogan. School principal, Maeve Sweeney and her deputy, Donna McFadden, said they were “over the moon about the show’s success.” Profits went towards various school expenses.

Coming up soon at Amharclann is its annual pantomime, this one entitled, ‘Leipreachán an Phota Mhóir.’ With Eoghan Mac Giolla Bhrighde involved, both on and off-stage, it’s bound to be a beauty. Don’t miss it! January 24-26 and January 30 to February 1.

The Amharclann and student actors and production crew at Pobalscoil Chloich Cheann Fhaola are only the tip of the iceberg of creativity throughout the Donegal Gaeltacht. Throw a stone and you’re likely to hit a painter, a musician, a sculptor, a yoga teacher, a hypnotherapist, a novelist, a poet, a psychotherapist on the head.

Consider the wondrous wealth of talent coming up beginning tomorrow at the Scoil Gheimhridh Ghaoth Dobhair, the Gweedore Winter School beginning tomorrow (Friday) –  http://scoilgheimhridh.com/

Also, please read previous blog on this site on an issue vitally important for everyone living in Donegal.

And check out ‘Ireland Writing Retreat’ https://www.irelandwritingretreat.com/ and my novel, ‘Pretty Ugly,’ linking Donegal and the United States https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pretty-Ugly-Sean-Hillen/dp/1523361158

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Wish me luck – I’ve applied as the first county council Donegal Gaeltacht Tourism Officer

Using the magnificent panoramic backdrop of the Atlantic coastline on Ireland’s ‘Wild Atlantic Way,’ people living around Cnoc Fola (Bloody Foreland) in the Donegal Gaeltacht this weekend displayed not only a strong sense of community spirit but a classic example of cultural tourism.

The event was the annual Cnoc Fola Festival, which continued today (Sunday) with Mass at the old 19th century Mass Rock, all organized by a hard-working committee led by well-known former teacher and headmistress, Mary Nic Phaidin, whose family run the highly-successful Teac Jack boutique hotel, bar and restaurant.

It is a festival enjoyed by locals and visitors alike and it was uplifting to see so many people there yesterday (Saturday), not just from the surrounding region, but also from countries as far apart as Japan, Germany, France and the US, including a bus-full of young students and teachers from New Mexico.

cnoc fola festival, gaeltacht festivals

Well-known former teacher, headmistress and community leader, Mary Nic Phaidin (right) enjoying the festival with photographer and website designer, Columbia Hillen.

Living within walking distance, my wife, Columbia, from Transylvania, Romania, and I attended with acquaintances from Portland, Oregon, Paul and Kristin Newbry, who thought it was “a wonderful event that reflected deep-rooted Irish traditions, and was so much fun to experience.” Like everyone else there, Paul and Kristin enjoyed the famous traditional ‘brush dance’ (Damhsa na Scuaibe) and sean-nós steps performed by Proinsias Mhic Suibhne; experts in sheep shearing; a blacksmith working his anvil, shoeing a handsome horse; and basket weaving by artist and teacher, Ownie Diver.

Ownie Diver painter donegal, Gaeltacht Tourism Officer

Gola Island native, Ownie Diver, artist and teacher and basket weaver showcases his many skills.

Even the stalls set around the charming, 100-year-old thatched cottage, Teach Mhuiris, offered the kind of foods and drinks that have been eaten and drank for generations, such as dulse and carrageen moss handpicked and sold by friendly farmer, Pa MacPhaidin; health-giving, organic bog bean juice made by Margaret ‘Kitty’ Boyle from Shaskenbeg; delicious wheaten bread and scones with rhubarb, gooseberry, blackcurrant and strawberry jam made by local women, and a wide range of fresh seafood such as crab legs, a bumper harvest caught by local fishermen.

The festival took place as Donegal County Council announced the closure of applications for its first-ever Gaeltacht Tourism Officer, a post that will be decided within the next week or so.

Proinsias Mhic Suibhne dancing, Pat McFadden farmer, gaeltacht festivals,

Friendly farmer, Pa MacPhaidin, shares a joke with Paul Newbry, a visitor from Portland, Oregon.

Having lived in the area for over ten years, in Bun na Leaca, in the shadow of Cnoc Fola, and proudly possessing ‘O’ and ‘A’ level Irish with accompanying gold fáinne I consider this an excellent initiative, so much so I have applied for the position myself.

Creating employment and the economic benefits that accrue from that for cafes, hotels, bed and breakfast operations, bars, activity and leisure projects and community groups in this marginalized area of northwest Donegal should be the number one priority. In doing so, we can help stop the sad flow of young people out of the region to far-off countries through emigration, a movement that desiccates the entire social fabric, with communities barely able, and sometimes simply unable, to even field football teams for local leagues and tournaments.

Irish dancing Gweedore, Irish music Gweedore, Gaeltacht festivals,

Proinsias Mhic Suibhne prepares to perform a ‘duet’ with the floor-brush – the famous traditional Damhsa na Scuaibe.

Gone are the days when the manufacturing industry took care of our employment needs, when the local industrial estates in Gaoth Dobhair, Falcarragh and elsewhere in the Gaeltacht teemed with thousands of workers. While some smaller companies still exist, due in great part to the valiant efforts of local entrepreneurs, large spaces stand empty and forlorn. To an extent, English-speaking call centers have replaced factories. And even they generally last only a short time before leaving, often under controversial circumstances, with some obviously adopting a ‘let’s-take-local-funding-then-run’ attitude.

For a number of years, I have voiced my opinion through this blog and through newspaper articles that cultural, environment-friendly tourism initiatives should be expanded and strengthened, that they are a key avenue upon which jobs can be created, enabling families to remain living in the Gaeltacht and the native language to remain alive.

Otherwise, I feel – like many others do – that it will go the way of the dinosaurs – extinction.

The success of ‘Ireland Writing Retreat’ that I helped establish more than five years ago and where I teach creative writing is a modest example of what can be achieved through cultural tourism. We have succeeded in attracting almost 100 writers – novelists, short-story writers and poets – from all over the world to Gaoth Dobhair, many of whom have never been to Ireland, never mind Donegal, before. And after learning basic Irish phrases through our collaboration with Foras na Gaeilge, ceilidhe dancing at Teac Jack, where writing workshops are held, with tuition from members of community centre An Crannog; excursions to Gola Island on ‘The Cricket’ ferryboat with Captain Sabba Curran, and to Glenveagh National Park and Castle, they all leave loving the place and its people.

An Crannog Donegal, Gweedore festivals, summer festival donegal, traditions in Donegal

Great efforts by community leaders such as these two stalwarts (l to r) Cathal Ó Gallchóir and Caitlin Ui Dhuibhir – help make festivals and events of all kinds successful.

With 35 years of experience in international media and marketing, including branding, on print, broadcast and digital media platforms and the last ten years specializing in tourism, with a travel book to be published later this year, perhaps, if selected as the winning candidate, I can contribute to the regeneration of the Gaeltacht area. We will soon see.

Gaeltacht Tourism Officer, donegal gaeltacht, gaeltacht festivals

Traditional artists such as these abound in the Donegal Gaeltacht.