Island Narratives: Linguistic Contours

Sat 24 Aug | 11am - 4pm | Free, booking required | Theatre 

Key Address by Manchán Magan & LANGUAGE + LANDSCAPE | 11am – 1pm 

The richness of the Irish language is closely tied to the natural landscape and afforded our ancestors a more magical way of seeing the world. Magan’s work considers the sublime beauty and profound oddness of our ancient tongue; a language spoken on this island for almost 3,000 years.

Drawing on the installation, this symposium (chaired by Magan) explores the complex relationship and interdependency between language and the environment. The local Irish speaking community, along with writers and landscape historians are invited to participate in an exploration of how the Irish Language structures our idea of landscape and the environment. The Meath Gaeltacht, which has its roots in the West of Ireland, consists of two adjacent villages of Ráth Chairn and Baile Ghib, (linguistic islands) which are located close to Navan town in County Meath.

Film: The Tribe of Gods | 2pm | Dir: Loic Jourdain | Runtime: 96mins

After coming back from a long cancer treatment, the semi-retired king of Tory Island is once more confronted with the neglect of the community by its own government. After being on the edge of evacuation 30 years ago, the king and the community start a new campaign to fight back for their rights to keep the islanders on the island.

Courtesy of Lugh Films/Dearcan Medias/TG4/BBC NI/ILBF