A unique cultural celebration of the Summer Solstice at the iconic 6,000 year-old Killaclohane Portal Tomb near Milltown promises to be a special highlight of this year’s County Fleadh Cheoil which takes place in the mid-Kerry town later this month. The organisers are holding an open-air celebration at tomb, Kerry’s oldest manmade structure and oldest burial site, on 21st June, the longest day of the year, against the majestic backdrop of Dingle Bay and the Sliabh Mish Mountains. Dingle Druid, Juli Ní Mhaoileoin, centre, with Urs Wenk, Dance Drum Ireland, Joan Greene, Singer, Aoibhe Horan, Harpist and Poet Eileen Sheehan.Photo:Valerie O’Sullivan/Free Pic...
Midsummer Solstice Celebration 2018
The midsummer sunset sinking slowly behind Bartregaum mountain provided a majestic backdrop to the most memorable event of Fleadh 2018- the unique midsummer celebration.
Echoing our deep roots in Celtic traditions, this event joined heritage, tradition and spirituality through the ages with the living links to our shared past- music, song, dance and poetry.
Fleadh Chairman and polymath Owen O’Shea was inspired by the recent archaeological findings at the Killacloghane Portal Tomb and the dates of the Fleadh, with midsummer’s day in the middle of the festival. Recent excavations, led by County Archaeologist Michael Connolly, showed the tomb to be over 6,000 years old and evidence of usage showed it to be a place of spiritual significance throughout the ages, right up to the present day.
New awareness of this special place and the timing of the Fleadh led Owen to assemble a programme for what became a truly wonderful event, including local harpist Aoibhe Horan, the Dingle Druid, Juli Ní Mhaoileoin, percussive rhythms from Urs Wenk and Drum Dance Ireland, Uileann piper Barry Lynch and harpist Reidun Schlesinger, local musicians with tunes they danced to in mid-Kerry a century ago, Sliabh Luachra poet, Eileen Sheehan and singer, Joan Greene. The audience was also well fed with a pig on a spit.
The event was also a celebration of the life of the late Denis Courtney, a pillar of Comhaltas in Kerry and the inspiration behind bringing the Fleadh back to Milltown in 2018. The evening began with a procession of drummers, led by Urs Wenk’s drummers and followed by Denis’ grandchildren who together with Denis’ wife, Anne, lit the solstice fire beside the monument.
Reflections, tunes, poetry, singing and dance followed in warm evening sunshine with the stunning vista of the towering Sliabh Mish mountains. The sun itself was the star, as the longest day stretched out into night with a glorious sunset. Few have time now to observe the daily miracles of nature and we were all reminded of this at the solstice gathering. It left a profound impact.
You can still enjoy the event- go on youtube and look for “Summer Solstice Celebration Fleadh Cheoil Chiarraí 2018”.
