'Moch's mi'g Èirigh ...' A celebration of Màiri Mhòr nan Òran - if you happen to be in Portree

4th September 2007

A three day festival, 'Moch's mi'g Èirigh..', will celebrate the life, work and song of one of Gaeldom's greatest female songwriters, Mary MacPherson, known as "Màiri Mhòr nan Òran" (Big Mary of the Songs).

Màiri Mhòr did not begin to write songs until she was fifty, when she was a widow with five children, long exiled from her native Skye. The incident which ignited her genius was her imprisonment for forty-two days on a malicious accusation of petty theft. The shame and anger she felt resulted in her first song "Luchd na Beurla"

For the next twenty-six years of her life, Màiri Mhòr wrote prolifically on the issues, great and small, which affected her people - songs of exile, songs praising the beauty of the Skye landscape, songs recalling the joys and contentment of her childhood, humorous songs, songs celebrating the sport of shinty, songs of hope for the future of the Gaels, and most importantly, her songs recording the ravages of the Highland Clearances.

Màiri Mhòr returned home to Skye in the 1880's, as Bard of the Land League, her songs drawing huge crowds to rally the crofters' resistance to decades of landlord exploitation.

The festival takes place in Portree, Isle of Skye and has been organised by The Highland Council with support from HIE Skye and Wester Ross, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Dualchas Heritage Service in Skye.

The celebrations will begin on Thursday 20 September at the Aros Theatre in Portree with a bi-lingual play written by Uiseag Theatre Company about the life Màiri Mhòr nan Òran featuring the cast from Tigh na Drochaid Resource Centre supported by local actors and musicians and the Paragon Ensemble. The performance, which begins at 7.30pm, will be followed by a Cèilidh.

On Friday 21 September, Professer Donald Meek will give a talk about her life and work illustrated with a selection of her songs sung live by The Màiri Mhòr Fellow for The Highland Council, Fiona MacKenzie. During the evening a recently commissioned portrait of Màiri Mhòr by Dutch artist Fred Schley will be unveiled. The evening, at the Aros Theatre, begins at 7.30pm and admission is free.

On Saturday 22 September the celebrations continue with a free guided tour led by The Highland Council's Ranger to look at some of the places close to Màiri Mhòr, including a visit to her home at Skeabost and an unveiling of a commemorative plaque at the Rosedale Hotel. A mini bus will depart from Portree High School Car Park at 10am and a light lunch will be provides. Places are free but they should be booked in advance by telephoning John Phillips on 01471 822905.

The celebrations will culminate in a Saturday evening concert at the Skye Gathering Hall in Portree featuring Arthur Cormack, Irvin Duguid, Mary Ann Kennedy, Maggie MacDonald, Anne Martin, Fiona MacKenzie, Ronan Martin, James Ross, Portree and Strath Gaelic Choirs, students of Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd and Steve Gwyn Davies. Tickets for this event are available now from the Portree Service Point.

Chairman of The Highland Council's Gaelic Committee, Councillor Hamish Fraser said: "'Moch's mi'g Èirigh..' aims to celebrate the life and work of a person who has made a significant contribution to the 'dualchas' of the Highlands especially Skye and the event is an example of best practice of how people of all ages and abilities, the language, heritage and environment, are all linked and combined to play an important role in placing Gaelic at the centre of events in the community. The Council draft Gaelic Plan aims and sets targets to fulfil this. I want to increase the range of opportunities to use Gaelic in the community and events such as this do so in a practical manner."