manx celtic music and dance

Pan-Celtic victory for Isle of Man!

02 May 2014


ISLE OF MAN WIN PAN-CELTIC SONG CONTEST!

43rd Pan-Celtic Festival 2014 - Derry -  Report by Fiona McArdle

We had high hopes for the Manx musicians when we set out for Derry and they lived up to expectations. For the first time Mannin has won the Inter-Celtic New Song contest! Shenn Scoill’s winning Arrane son Mannin has now proved to be top of the Inter-Celtic pops as well. ‘Tayrn Mee Thie’, ‘Drawing Me Home’ was written by Laura and Dave Rowles, translated by Bob Carswell, and performed by Laura and Dave and their two pupils from Mannin Music, Michelle Jamieson, whose lovely young voice wowed the judges, and Frazer Grant whose bass guitar was beautifully and sensitively played. Four of the five judges eligible to vote placed Shenn Scoill with top marks, and the fifth was not far behind. Isle of Man Arts Council sponsored Shenn Scoill’s visit to Derry for which we are most grateful. Shenn Scoill are hoping to record ‘Tayrn Mee Thie’ very soon (in between Michelle and Frazer sitting their G.C.S.E.s) as it’s a great and memorable song.

As if one win wasn’t enough, Marlene Hendy won the ‘New Song in Traditional Style’ solo competition with her ‘Yn Challoo Yiarn’, ‘The Iron Pier’, a reminiscence of her childhood days watching ‘the visitors’ disembarking at Ramsey’s Pier for their annual summer holiday.

Read more in the May edition of KMJ here

"Tayrn Mee Thie" was written for David and Laura’s newborn baby daughter, Cara, and is about how hard it is to be away from your loved ones.

The song is now available to listen to and download here

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