Ny Fennee is a dynamic, young dance group founded in 1980 which is based in the North of the Island. Under the leadership of Juan Garrett, the group has worked to evolve traditional dances along new lines. Ny Fennee performs regularly at the Island’s festivals and hosts its own youth festival, Shennaghys Jiu, each Easter. Dancers have travelled to Galicia and Brittany in recent years. Ny Fennee means ‘The Heroes’ in Manx Gaelic.
The group is constantly refreshed with young dancers from local Ramsey schools which means that Ny Fennee’s energy sets new standards for Manx dance performance/
Representation at festivals
2015, 2014, 2012 Festival Interceltique de Lorient, Brittany
2012 Yn Chruinnaght Inter-Celtic Festival, Isle of Man
2012 Shennaghys Jiu Celtic Youth Festival, Isle of Man
2011 Yn Chruinnaght Inter-Celtic Festival, Isle of Man
2011 Shennaghys Jiu Celtic Youth Festival, Isle of Man
2009 Festival Interceltique de Lorient, Brittany
2008 Féile Iorrais, Ireland
2005 Festival Interceltique de Lorient, Brittany
2003 Festival Interceltique de Lorient, Brittany
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Dhooraght into Tree maidjaghyn as ordaag
Dhooraght is a tune by Katie Lawrence, which inspired a very beautiful and elegant dance for the girls in the group. Here it is paired with a stick dance for the men, the title of which translates as ‘three sticks and a thumb’ for obvious reasons! This tune was composed by Peddyr Cubberley and is titled The Belvedere.
Members of Ny Fennee have strong connections with groups and festivals like Speyfest in Fochabers in Scotland. One of the band’s fiddlers, Katie Lawrence, composed the jig and this dance for four men and four women soon followed.
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