HEBCELT PUTS STRONGER ACCENT ON USE OF GAELIC
News release
Hebridean Celtic Festival
Year of Homecoming 2014
- Gaelic takes centre stage at award-winning festival
- HebCelt volunteers will help music fans with useful phrases
- Part of wider campaign to promote indigenous culture
Volunteers at this year’s Hebridean Celtic Festival will be minding their language as they mingle with locals and visitors to promote the native tongue.
The award-winning festival is a strong supporter of the Gaelic culture and is stepping up efforts to ensure it will be seen and heard regularly during the four-day event , which opens tomorrow (Wednesday 16 July) in Stornoway.
This year, for the first time, volunteer staff – both fluent speakers and learners – will be dressed in red t-shirts emblazoned with the logo Tha Gàidhlig Agam (I have Gaelic). They will use key Gaelic phrases and encourage music fans to try them out.
Feasgar math - Good afternoon
Tapa leibh - Thank You
Oidhche mhath - Good night
Caite bheil…? - Where is…?
Thall an siud! - Over there!
In addition, HebCelt will be holding its regular Gaelic learner taster sessions during the festival, while Gaelic phrases will be printed on balloons which will be visible at various venues.
HebCelt director Caroline Maclennan said: “We are passionate about promoting Gaelic in all aspects of the festival. It is very much a living language here and it is vital it is seen and heard in everyday situations.
“Having the volunteers sharing some simple phrases is an easy but effective way of encouraging its use and ensuring it is an integral part of HebCelt.”
The festival, which is held from 16-19 July, is also staging a Gaelic Showcase at An Lanntair arts centre in Stornoway. In addition, the main festival programme will feature on Friday, 18 July, Ceòl Na Cloinne, a group of young musicians and singers from Harris formed eight years ago by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Community Learning and Development Service to give young traditional musicians the opportunity to play sessions together.
The 19th HebCelt will be headlined by Levellers, Big Country and Donnie Munro. Rachel Sermanni, Cara Dillon, Duncan Chisholm, Cajun band Magnolia Sisters, from the US, and Canadian outfit Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys will also be among nearly 40 acts featuring on stage.
Caption; The Gaelic interaction team, (left to right) Annabelle Maclennan, Rachel Ellen MacKay and Chrisella Ross.
NOTES TO EDITORS
This year HebCelt was selected as one of the top 10 UK summer festivals for the fourth year in succession by the influential music magazine Songlines.
The 2013 event was the most successful in its history with ticket sales showing an increase of over 30 per cent on the previous year 2012. The 16,000-strong crowd – double the population of Stornoway - helped generate around £1 million for the local economy
Last year HebCelt was also hailed as one of the greenest festivals in the world after being the only Scottish event to receive an Outstanding award from environmental campaign group A Greener Festival. In addition, it was shortlisted in the Greener Festival category in the UK Festival Awards and in the Best Independent Festival category in the AIM Independent Music Awards.
In 2011 it was ranked Best Large Festival at the industry-sponsored Scottish Event Awards and it won Best Event of the Year award at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards in 2004 and 2009.
See - http://www.hebceltfest.com
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For more information contact
John Ross
Lucid PR
01463 724593; 07730 099617
johnross@lucidmessages.com
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