Celebrating '˜Dalriada Sounds' at the Heart of the Glens Festival

Layde Church of Ireland provided the beautiful backdrop for a new event at this year's Heart of the Glens Festival in Cushendall.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Aug 2017, 11:22 BST
Updated 12th Sep 2017, 11:37 BST
Kieran Dempsey, Glens of Antrim Comhaltas Chairperson and Chair of the Heart of the Glens Festival Committee, Reverend Helen MacArthur of Layde Church of Ireland, Mrs Murphy and Paul McAlister with the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Joan Baird OBE, following the Dalriada Sounds concert.Kieran Dempsey, Glens of Antrim Comhaltas Chairperson and Chair of the Heart of the Glens Festival Committee, Reverend Helen MacArthur of Layde Church of Ireland, Mrs Murphy and Paul McAlister with the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Joan Baird OBE, following the Dalriada Sounds concert.
Kieran Dempsey, Glens of Antrim Comhaltas Chairperson and Chair of the Heart of the Glens Festival Committee, Reverend Helen MacArthur of Layde Church of Ireland, Mrs Murphy and Paul McAlister with the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Joan Baird OBE, following the Dalriada Sounds concert.

The Dalriada Sounds concert on August 6 featured music, song, poetry and dance which reflected the rich musical heritage of the region.

The evening was inspired by the Ancient Kingdom of Dalriada, which brought large parts of North Antrim together with a considerable part of Scotland, the Mull of Kintyre and the Western Isles.

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Speaking afterwards, the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Joan Baird OBE, said: “I would like to thank the festival organisers and the Glens of Antrim Comhaltas group for their very kind invitation to this wonderful musical celebration. It was clear that a lot of hard work and thought went into the programme, and it was fantastic to hear pieces of music, songs and poems which were so closely related to the Glens and beyond. My thanks go to all those who performed on the night, showcasing the wide array of talent nurtured in the area. The Church building added great atmosphere to the event, and my thanks go to the Reverend Helen MacArthur and her congregation for their very warm welcome.”

Concert performers included the Glens and Dalriada U3A choir, young champion musicians April and Myles MacAulay, Amy McAllister who has taken part in musical tours in America, banjo player Caitriona Lagan, members of the Glens Comhaltas group and dancers from the Lir School of Irish Dancing.

The Heart of the Glens Festival, which is now in its 27th year, continues throughout the week with a packed programme of activities for all the family to enjoy. The Festival is organised by Cushendall Development Group, with funding provided by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

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