Mary Ann Kennedy & friends with Còisir Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis

Mary Ann’s (in Gaelic: Màiri Anna NicUalraig) life is music – she grew up in a well-known traditional music family in Glasgow, and trained as a classical musician. Her roles as instrumentalist, singer, choral director, broadcaster, composer and producer have led to many awards including the National Mòd (Gaelic festival), Lorient Festival Interceltique, and Scots Trad Music Awards ‘All-Time’ Best Album. Recent work includes musician-in-residence at the Gaelic college, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig; a PRSF New Music Biennial commission; soundtrack for a BBC WW1 documentary and the first-ever album of original Gaelic songs.

Co-writer of the song “Grioglachan” (“Constellation”) is Marcas Mac an Tuairneir. Marcas is a Gaelic writer from York, part of a second-generation Irish family. He graduated in Gaelic and Hispanic Studies from the University of Aberdeen, with an MLitt in Irish and Scottish Literature there, and an MA in Television Fiction Writing at Glasgow Caledonian University. He has just embarked on his PhD at the University of Edinburgh. He has seen success in several poetry prizes.

They are joined on stage by a band with Nick Turner, Finlay Wells, Lorne MacDougall and Euan Burton. And the Còisir Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis (Inverness Gaelic Choir), which consists of Mags Burgess Aburn, Victoria Caine, Mhairi Grant, Malina MacDonald, Donald MacIver, Donald McLellan and Morven MacLeod. They sing in Scottish Gaelic.