“INFORMED REFLECTION” on recent developments in the artistic performance of the Irish language has been called for by the chairman of Cumann Merriman, Liam Ó Dochartaigh.
This year’s Merriman Winter School aims to explore such trends, Mr Ó Dochartaigh said in Galway yesterday, when he published details of the 41st school’s programme.
“Traditional song and the performance of contemporary poetry in Irish with music has burgeoned in recent years,” he said.
“Cumann Merriman thought it timely to investigate further these manifestations of the continuing vibrancy of Irish-language poetry and song.”
The cumann was founded in 1967 in honour of poet Brian Merriman, author of the 18th-century Rabelaisian epic, Cúirt an Mheán Oíche( The Midnight Court). It hosts an annual summer and winter school.
This year's winter event will be opened in the Meyrick Hotel, Galway, on February 6th by Prof Breandán Ó Madagáin. Among the speakers will be Peadar Ó Ceannabháin, Dr Lillis Ó Laoire, Deirdre Ní Conghaile, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and Dr Seán Crosson, author of the recently published book, The Given Note, which examines the influence of traditional music on Irish poetry.
The school’s éigse on February 8th aims to reflect the twin themes of the programme, when Belfast-based performance poet Gearóid Mac Lochlainn teams up with piper Ronan Browne.
More information is available at www.merriman.ie