Almost a month since the event and I finally managed to get my act together to edit my first longer video from the Islay Sessions 2017. I’ve decided to go slightly out of sequence and start with the later evening sessions in the bar of the Port Charlotte Hotel, where everyone gathered after Adam’s and Mark’s Concert in the Conservatory (which I’m aiming to edit next).
But now it’s really time for the video, half an hour of beautiful tunes, laughter and joy:
I hope you’ll enjoy the tunes and the video transports a bit of the joy of the evening into your lounge, study or wherever you’re reading and watching this. More to come over the next few weeks.
Sometimes a delayed ferry can be a good thing. I’m usually booked on the afternoon ferry when leaving after one of my Islay visits. This November visit Calmac called to inform me that due to delays in the dry dock (the MV Hebridean Isles was having her annual overhaul) the one ferry timetable would be running slightly longer and they had to move me to a ferry leaving in the evening. Initially I wasn’t too happy as it meant I would arrive at my hotel (which I had already booked and paid on one of those non-changeable, non-refundable deals) much later than planned, but then an unexpected benefit turned up:
As it turned out the long anticipated launch of the Òrain Ìleach Islay Gaelic Songbook took place the afternoon of the day I was leaving. Under normal circumstances I would have missed it, but because I was now on a later ferry I was able to attend.
The launch took place at the Islay House in Bridgend, a very nice venue for the event. After some mingling and chatting with various people in the foyer we were asked to move over into one of the rooms for the main launch event. Lynn MacDonald opened the proceedings, talking about how the project came to pass and more. Kenneth Thomson spoke about some of the songs and poems included in the collection and how he came across some of them. Finally a representative from Acair Books (unfortunately I’m not sure of her name) spoke about working on the project and the importance of recording the old Gaelic songs and poems. Then it was time for some of the songs. Various singers including Mòd Gold Medal winner 2017 Alasdair Currie sang a variety of songs, some with audience participation. After the music we enjoyed a few biscuits and cup of tea/coffee while talking about the event and buying our copies of the songbook. A very enjoyable afternoon!
The songbook itself is a lovingly collated and designed book, not only for singers and Gaelic speakers, but for everyone (including me who doesn’t know much Gaelic apart from a few words and is musically challenged). Each song receives two pages, on the left are the notes, on the right the words in both Gaelic as well as an English translation. Various beautiful black and white pictures of Islay are spread through the book. Lynn and Kenneth provide an introduction and foreword while at the end of the book we find author biographies. The songbook is ring bound, as someone explained to me that makes it easier to place it on a note stand when performing a song.
Impressions from the Òrain Ìleach Islay Gaelic Songbook
Sadly that’s the Islay Sessions 2017 almost over. Off to the bar in a minute after a fantastic concert in the conservatory by Innes Watson (with the help of a few friends at the end):
This was filmed with the phone, I hope the quality is reasonable. I’m hoping to upload more video from a better camera later once I had the time to edit it.
The sessions were amazing, great artists delivering fantastic performances. More later.
I’ve shared a few kitesurfing videos before I think, but then again certainly I don’t tire of them. Gael (and two humans I believe) recently visit Islay. I’m not sure how much time Gael did get out on the water, certainly the two humans spent quite some time kitesurfing as you can see in this video:
I hope you enjoyed the video as well, there is some whisky in it as well towards the end. Not to mention a few sightings of a distillery soon to be resurrected.
Recently I blogged about the Kilchoman 100% Islay video, now there’s more from Islay farm distillery. The first two videos of what I understand to be a series of ‘People Behind the Whisky’ videos. Let’s start with the founder Anthony Wills:
Second in the series is distillery manager Islay Heads:
Nicely done, I think should pour another dram of the 100% Islay I opened when I watched the first video.
Calum and Jess went for a camping and walking and whisky/gin holiday on Islay. They stayed at Kintra from where they walked out to Soldier’s Rock. They also visited Bruichladdich for the Botanist Gin tour. Enjoy the video:
When I was on Islay back in June I bought a bottle of 100% Islay from Kilchoman distillery, but so far hadn’t opened it yet. Tonight being Friday evening I decided to finally open it and enjoy a wee dram (or may be two) with their latest video:
Oh, and here’s a picture of the bottle and the first dram poured from it:
A nice short video of a cycling tour of Islay, Jura and Arran by Lyndsey and Paul. Camping, ferry crossings and distilleries feature among other things. Also some sheep.
Another drone video of Islay, some nice beautiful sunny views in this one. Good views of a big surf in Machir Bay. Interesting views from under some of the old bridges, something not seen before. Enjoy:
Something rather cool tonight: Laphroaig invites us to a 360° video tour of the bay, the peat bogs and of course the distillery on Islay. While watching the video you can move the viewing angle (either with the dial on the top right or by just ‘grabbing’ the video with the mouse pointer and moving it around) and look into all directions. Left, right, up, down, whatever you like. And all the while you are flying over Loch Laphroaig, the peat bogs, through the still house and more. Quite amazing technology, I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did:
PS: If you don’t like the 3D 360° video there’s also an old fashioned 2D version available:
Almost a month since the event and I finally managed to get my act together to edit my first longer video from the Islay Sessions 2017. I’ve decided to go slightly out of sequence and start with the later evening sessions in the bar of the Port Charlotte Hotel, where everyone gathered after Adam’s and Mark’s Concert in the Conservatory (which I’m aiming to edit next).
I’ve shared a few kitesurfing videos before I think, but then again certainly I don’t tire of them. 
Recently I 