The popular children’s competitions known as ‘Cruinnaght Aeg’ will take place at the end of June and the beginning of July and will incorporate an extensive range of classes. Organised by Fiona McArdle for the Department of Education and Children and Manx National Heritage competitions for the south of the Island will be held at Rushen Primary School and those in the north at Auldyn Infants’ School.
There’s a huge number of classes organised providing a wide variety of choice for the Island’s talented youngsters. Falling into the categories of song, instrumental, dance, dialect recitation and English recitation there is a strong emphasis on Manx identity in each class using Manx Gaelic, traditional dance and song, or items with a Manx theme, or author.
This year’s syllabus will also include competitions for groups of secondary school pupils, concentrating on choirs, group singing, instrumental and dance. This additional initiative has been spurred by two recent ‘Bree’ training workshops, organised with the specific aim of introducing pupils in years 7 – 13 to ‘Cruinnaght Aeg’. Working under the guidance of expert traditional musicians groups were asked to work on arrangements of Manx music and dance before competing in the new look ‘Cruinnaght Aeg Competitive Concert’, held at Douglas Youth Centre. Bands competed for cash prizes and trophies and for the opportunity to perform at the local inter-Celtic festival ‘Yn Chruinnaght’ in July.
© May 2010 Valerie Caine
