Isle of Man: "Manx Song Chosen to Represent Isle of Man at Pan Celtic Festival"

An appreciative audience gathered at the Masonic Hall in Peel, Isle of Man/Mannin, to hear the entries for this year’s Arrane son Mannin (Song for Mann) which included an evening of free entertainment of music and song provided by a cross section of the Island’s traditional music performers.

They included Isla Callister, David Kilgallon, David and Jonee Fisher, Fiona McArdle, Marlene Hendy, members of Shenn Scoill and the northern based Manx Gaelic choir Cliogaree Twoaie.

This annual event, which looks for the best new song in Manx Gaelic in both lyrics and tune from 2013, provides an entry for the popular Pan Celtic International Song Contest which features a number of genres, including Celtic, Rock, Folk, Traditional and Pop.

Introduced by the Isle of Man’s Pan Celtic representative, Fiona McArdle, there were four entries this year whom competed for a prize of £300 courtesy of Culture Vannin (formerly the Manx Heritage Foundation), and were judged by David Kilgallon, Clare Kilgallon and Catreeney Craine who have extensive experience in the fields of music, song and Manx Gaelic.

After much deliberation local quartet Shenn Scoill secured the top position and will now go forward to the 43rd International Pan Celtic Festival at the end of April, which for the first time in its history will cross over the border to the city of Derry in Northern Ireland.

An extensive programme of events has been planned for this year’s festival, where Shenn Scoill will be joined by others from the Isle of Man to compete in annual competitions for choirs and traditional singers, and hopefully add to a number of victories clinched last year by the Manx contingent.

www.panceltic.ie

Valerie Caine © January 2014