Manx music, dance and culture was on show at a recent Gaelic festival, held in the UK.

Dancers, singers, musicians and performers took part in the annual Lowender Perran festival, held in Newquay, Cornwall, last weekend.

More than 20 members of the dance group Ny Fennee were the main representatives from the island, holding workshops in dancing and hosting Manx ceilis, alongside performing three set piece routines throughout the weekend.

There was also a Manx music session, led by visiting local musicians including Adam Rhodes, the bouzouki player from the trad group Imar, Gilno Carswell and guitarist Mark Lawrence, who also played several well-received concerts.

Ny Fennee leader Juan Garrett said that the Isle of Man was well-represented, and that he was proud of the dancers for the way they handled themselves during the weekend, alongside a range of other acts from fellow Celtic countries Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall and Brittany.

’We took a group of dancers, aged from 10 years old upwards, made up from pupils from Bunscoill Rhumsaa, the Dhoon school and Ramsey Grammar School and we met up with a lot of our dancers who came down from university to dance with us,’ said Juan.

’Alongside hosting ceilis and performing, we all joined in with the other dance and music sessions that were going on at the same time.

’It was a great experience for all the group, especially the younger ones. They were able to meet people from different Celtic countries and experience different cultures and traditions and so on.

’We all met a lot of people and made a lot of new friends there, which is great for the dance group, and above all the dancers represented the Isle of Man wonderfully.

’They really did themselves very proud indeed.’

Juan said that the weekend gave them the chance to show off their latest contemporary costumes, featuring a swirling, fiery triskele motif, designed by local artist Nicola Dixon.

by Mike Wade

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