For those of you familiar with Colonsay, you will be aware that one of the island's many endearing charms is that life here moves at it's own pace - a pace long forgotten in that big land across the water. It is something of a shock then, to the two hapless souls involved in 'organising' Colonsay's first-ever Fleadh, or Music Festival, that things seem to be actually taking shape! It is as if the event has its own dynamic, and we are helpless to stop the juggernaut...

As evidence of this, we can firstly and gladly report that all the artists that we had hoped would come, are in fact, actually coming! Ochone, whatever next?!
Anyway, this has forced your less than dynamic duo to actually put together a planned Programme of Events. This of course is charting new waters, but we are clinging on for dear life - but one day, towards the end of September, our lives WILL return to the Colonsay world of "an earar"(the day after tomorrow)...

In the meantime, here is what the Fleadh is beginning to look like :

PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME OF EVENTS SEPTEMBER 2008

THURSDAY 18TH
8-9.30PM - CONCERT : “CEOL CHOLASA”. LOCAL SONGWRITERS (HALL)
10 - LATE - CEILIDH : OPEN MIKE (HALL)

FRIDAY 19TH
1-3 PM - SESSION : “TEUCHTERS DO DYLAN”. LOCAL ARTISTS (HOTEL)
7-8 PM - CONCERT : RALLION (HALL)
8.30- 9.30 - CONCERT : KARINE POLWART & HER BAND (HALL)
10-11PM - CONCERT : THE ANNA MASSIE BAND (HALL)

SATURDAY 20TH
1-3 PM - SESSION : PEDIE MACNEILL LEADS THE SESSION (HOTEL)
4-5 PM - CONCERT : KATHLEEN MACINNES & CEOL CHOLASA BAND (HALL)
7-8 PM - CONCERT : RALLION (HALL)
8.30- 9.30- CONCERT : KATHLEEN MACINNES & CEOL CHOLASA BAND (HALL)
10 – LATE – CEILIDH : THE COLONSAY CEILIDH BAND (HALL)

SUNDAY 21ST
12.30-2.30 - SESSION : SEUMAS MCNEILL LEADS THE SESSION (HOTEL)
3-4 PM - CONCERT : KARINE POLWART AND HER BAND (HALL)
4.30- 5.30 - CONCERT : THE ANNA MASSIE BAND (HALL)
GRAND FINALE

IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE THERE WILL BE GUITAR, FIDDLE AND SONGWRITING WORKSHOPS, AT TIMES STILL TO BE ARRANGED. THERE WILL ALSO, UNDOUBTEDLY, BE IMPROMPTU SESSIONS IN THE HOTEL…

Not only that, but ticket pricing, miraculously, seems to have sorted itself out. A Pass for every event (9 concerts and 2 ceilidhs and a number of 'fringe' events) will cost £40, while a ticket for any single event will be priced at £10. But that is not all - while your Fleadh organisers have to date been taking 'expressions of interest', actual, real, tangible tickets will go on sale on Monday 9th June!
To purchase, cheques should be sent to Ceol Cholasa, Isle of Colonsay, Argyll, PA61 7YW, or handed in person to Pedie or Keith. Your seats will then be guaranteed (when we actually get round to buying some seats...)

Oh. And we nearly forgot to tell you about the Music Festival atmosphere that has somehow created itself. There will be a bar before and after each event, there will be a marquee attached to the Hall in which to sip your chosen refreshment, souvenir T-shirts will be on sale and the organisers will even be on hand to sign autographs…


The following links will be of interest:

www.rallion.co.uk Rallion

www.theAMB.com Anna Massie Band

www.karinepolwart.com Karine Polwart

www.iainmacdonald.eu Iain MacDonald

If you have come directly to this page via a link, please explore the Colonsay website by following the menu above, and find out about our lovely island. More importantly you will be able to find out about accommodation for your impending visit!

You can contact me at donaldmacneill@btinternet.com , and my fellow conspirator, Keith at editorcorncrake@yahoo.co.uk , and we will be pleased to help in any way we can.

OTHER LINKS:

A good site to visit to find out about music around Scotland is http://www.musicinscotland.com