A chairde

Though delayed, final preparations continue for a historic World Records Breaking fiddle-playing Event in Donegal in north-western Ireland, known as the ‘Forgotten Land.’ It is hoped it will take place this Spring.

Más mall is mithid a deirtear, agus tá na hullmhúcháin dheiridh faoi lánseoil ag an bhomaite don Churiarracht Domhanda Fidléireachta a bheidh ar siúl i dTír Chonaill, in Iarthuaisceart na hÉireann, ‘an tír a ligeadh i ndearmad’. Táthar ag súil anois go dtarlóidh sé le linn an Earraigh seo. 

The event is being organised in co-operation with Canada-based multi-national company, The Jim Pattison Group, owners of the Guinness Book of World Records.  

Tá an imeacht seo á eagrú i gcomhpháirt leis an chomhlacht ilnáisiúnta The Jim Pattison Group atá lonnaithe i gCeanada agus ar leo an Guinness Book of World Records.

The Guinness World Records breaking event to be held this Spring will be the highlight of a dynamic on-stage extravaganza of music, dance, song, poetry, and a few cultural surprises.  

Beidh an Curiarracht Guinness, a reáchtálfar san Earrach, mar bhuaicphointe fhéasta spleodrach ceoil, rince, amhránaíochta agus filíochta a tharlóidh beo ar an ardán, ach bí ag súil fosta le himeachtaí eile cultúrtha gan choinne! 

The event, entitled ‘Fiddles and Faeries’ is expected to attract a very large attendance including selected national and international VIPs.

‘Fiddles and Faeries,’ teideal an imeachta, agus táthar ag súil le lucht freastail an-mhór, aíonna móra náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta ina measc.  

Background

Cúlra

Among many things, Donegal is renown for its specialised style of fiddle-playing so it is a fitting place for the Event to take place.

Tá clú leitheadach ar Dhún na nGall ar go leor cúiseanna, ina measc an stíl ar leith fidléireachta a chleachtar ann agus is cuí dá bharr gur ann a reáchtálfar an ócáid.

Lead organiser of the event is Sean Hillen, author, travel, tourism and entertainment correspondent and former publisher. Sean lives in the village of Bun na Leaca in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht.

Is é an t-údar Sean Hillen – comhfhreagraí taistil, turasóireachta agus siamsaíochta agus iarfhoilsitheoir – príomheagraí na hócáide. Tá cónaí ar Sean i mBun na Leaca, sráidbhaile ag croílár Ghaeltacht Thír Chonaill.  

The plan for the world-record breaking attempt was formulated after discussions on with a number of leading figures including Donegal member of parliament and Sinn Fein finance spokesperson, Pearse Doherty, Micheal Heaney, CEO of Irish-language group, Udaras na Gaeltachta; Colm O’Baoill, co-ordinator with Foras na Gaeilge, Dónall Ó Cnáimhsí, Irish language planning officer, as well as local Donegal County Councillor and Udaras board member, John Sheamais O’Fearraigh. 

Shíolraigh an tionscnamh ar mhaithe leis an churiarracht a shárú ó phlé a tharla le ceannairí mór le rá, ina measc urlabhraí airgeadais Shinn Féin Piaras Ó Dochartaigh, T.D. ó Dhún na nGall, Michael Heaney Príomhfheidhmeannach Fhoras na Gaeilge, Colm Ó Baoill, Comhordaitheoir le Foras na Gaeilge, Dónall Ó Cnáimhsí, Oifigeach Pleanála Gaeilge, agus John Sheamais Ó Fearraigh atá ina Chomhairleoir Contae (Dún na nGall) agus ar bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta.  

Udaras na Gaeltachta and the Irish-language planning group in the Donegal Gaeltacht are supporting marketing efforts as Gaeilge and it is hoped the event will be supported by a number of other groups such as Donegal Tourism, as well as a range of private companies, banks and individuals. The event will help support a number of worthy causes, including people with cancer, motor neurone disease, Alzheimer’s, autism and a life-threatening genetic condition particular to the Donegal region known as hereditary amyloidosis. 

Cuireann Údarás na Gaeltachta agus Meitheal Forbartha Ghaeltacht Dhún na nGall tacaíochtaí ar fáil d’fheachtais éagsúla margaíochta i nGaeilge agus táthar ag súil le tacaíocht fosta ó ghrúpaí eile ar nós Donegal Tourism, agus comhlachtaí príobháideacha, bainc agus ó daoine aonair. Rachaidh an ócáid chun sochair cúiseanna fiúntacha éagsúla, ina measc daoine a bhfuil ailse orthu, an galar néarón luadrach, an galar Alzheimer, uathachas, agus galar ar leith i nDún na nGall ach go háirithe a bhfuil baol báis ag baint leis, an Amyloidosis.  

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh from Gaoth Dobhair in the Donegal Gaeltacht, and one of the leading fiddle players in the world, and co-founder of the ‘super group’ Altan, has been informed and granted some suggestions to help, including involving Rab Cherry, fiddle player and an excellent fiddle maker who is a key member of Cairdeas na bhFidiléirí.

Cuireadh an fidléir iomráiteach áitiúil Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh ó Ghaoth Dobhair, duine de bhunaitheoirí an tsárghrúpa ALTAN ar an eolas faoin tionscnamh agus chuir sí a comhairle ar fáil. Ceann de na rudaí atá déanta aici ná an  fidléir agus déantóir fidleacha Rab Cherry a mhealladh ar bord. Duine lárnach in Cairdeas na bhFidiléirí é Rab.   

Fiddle player extraordinaire Martin McGinley, manager of a great project, Donegal Music Education Partnership, a columnist with the ‘Donegal News,’ also offered his advice and it is hoped that young musicians who have undergone training under that scheme will take part in the world record-breaking event.

Chomh maith leis sin chuir an fidléir iontach agus bainisteoir an tsárthionscadail Donegal Music Education Partnership; Martin McGinley, comhairle ar fáil fosta. Iriseoir é Martin le ‘Donegal News’ agus tá súil go dtiocfaidh ceoltóirí óga a ghlac páirt sa scéim sin ar bord sa churiarracht fosta.

“This event could be be one of the most historic single cultural events ever to take place in Donegal and will attract a very large local, national and international audience,” said Mr. Hillen, who writes for JustLuxe, a US travel and hospitality publication with an estimated 2.5 million readers and Sean also owns and operates his own luxury blog, World Itineraries.  

“This event could be be one of the most historic single cultural events ever to take place in Donegal and will attract a very large local, national and international audience,” a dúirt an tUasal Hillen. Scríobhann Sean don fhoilseachán Meiriceánach JustLuxe a phléann cúrsaí taistil agus aíochta agus a bhfuil 2.5 milliún léitheoirí aige. Ina theannta sin tá a bhlag féin ag Sean World Itineraries. 

“Aside from supporting a range community initiatives  helping people less fortunate, the event will also highlight the rich vein of arts and cultural talent in Donegal and support the regeneration of rural Ireland, which has suffered setbacks in recent years with the closing of post offices and banks. The important role played by women in rural Irish society will also be emphasised.”  Sean was a former foreign correspondent for The Irish Times in Dublin and The Times in London, as well as Time magazine in New York. 

“Aside from supporting a range community initiatives  helping people less fortunate, the event will also highlight the rich vein of arts and cultural talent in Donegal and support the regeneration of rural Ireland, which has suffered setbacks in recent years with the closing of post offices and banks. The important role played by women in rural Irish society will also be emphasised.”  Iarchomhfhreagraí eachtrach le Irish Times Bhaile Átha Cliath agus le Times Londan é Sean, agus le Time Magazine Nua-Eabhrach. 

SEAN HILLEN

Born in west Belfast, Sean, a joint Irish and American citizen, also worked at the United Nations Media Center in New York and was chairperson of a national US Fulbright Commission. 

I mBéal Feirste a rugadh Sean agus tá saoránacht Éireannach agus Mheiriceánach aige i gcuideachta. D’oibir sé san United Nations Media Center i Nua-Eabhrac agus bhí sé ina bhainisteoir ar choimisiún náisiúnta Fulbright. 

An author, the plot of one of his books, contemporary novel ‘Pretty Ugly’ links Donegal with New York, Washington DC and Kansas City, where Sean was a daily newspaper correspondent in the science and medical field. 

Údar é Sean agus i gceann dá leabhair, an t-úrscéal ‘Pretty Ugly’ déantar Dún na nGall a cheangal le Nua-Eabhrac, Washington DC agus Cathair Kansas le himeachtaí an phlota. Chaith Sean seal i gCathair Kansas ag obair ann mar comhfhreagraí laethúil i réimsí na heolaíochta agus an leighis. 

Sean is also co-founder with his Transylvania-born wife, Columbia, of ‘Ireland Writing Retreat,’ an international creative writing retreat established seven years ago, that attracts authors and participants to Donegal from countries such as Mexico, Iceland, Denmark, the US, Germany, Ireland and various parts of the UK. The retreat takes place several times a year and has expanded beyond Ireland’s shores to both France and Romania.

In éineacht lena bhean Colombia a rugadh sa Trasalváin, seacht mbliana ó shin bhunaigh Sean an Ireland Writing Retreat, díseart idirnáisiúnta ar mhaithe leis an scríbhneoireacht cruthaitheach, ionad a mheallann údair agus rannpháirtithe go Dún na nGall ó thíortha éagsúla, Meicsiceo, an Íoslainn, an Danmhairg, SAM, An Ghearmáin, Éire, agus áiteanna éagsúla sa Ríocht Aontaithe. Bíonn an díseart i mbun oibre cúpla uair sa bhliain agus tá sé ag feidhmiú anois sa Fhrainc agus sa Rómáine chomh maith.   

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