BY DECLAN VARLEY
A brand new blackberry festival, ‘Féile na bPuiteachaí’ will take place on Inis Meáin on Saturday October 1, celebrating the island’s blackberries with a wide variety of events.
The festival is named after an Irish word, ‘puiteachaí’, which is unique to Inis Meáin and is used locally instead of the more commonly-known ‘sméara dubha’.
Events taking place at Halla Naomh Eoin on the day include blackberry ink and jam-making, poetry and baking competitions, a gin workshop and an evening concert.
“We are absolutely delighted to launch this festival and to celebrate some of the many assets we have here on the island; from the blackberries themselves to the skills of the Inis Meáin community”, said festival director Aedín Ní Thiarnaigh.
“It’s all about appreciating the landscape around us, as well as our local culture and community”, she said.
Two new competitions will take place on the island as part of the festival, in keeping with the blackberry theme.
An Irish language poetry competition, Comórtas Filíochta Fhéile na bPuiteachaí, is now calling for entries for its two categories; Comórtas na nÓg for primary-school age children, and Cómórtas na nDaoine Fásta, which welcomes compositions from adults. Entrants are asked to submit a newly composed poem or song inspired by ‘puiteachaí’; the blackberries of Inis Meáin. The winner of the Comórtas na nÓg will receive a €30 voucher for Cló Iar Chonnachta and the adult winner will come away with a cash prize of €100. Entries must be submitted by September 27 via email to [email protected] or by post to Ionad Pobail Inis Meáin.
Entries are also welcome for the first ever ‘Féile na bPuiteachaí’ Baking Competition which invites bakers to prepare a dish of their choice with blackberries as a key ingredient. Entries will be judged on the day by head baker at the Michelin Green Star Award-Winning Inis Meáin Restaurant and Suites, Maedhbh Ní Dhomhnaill, with prizes of €100 for first place, €50 for second and €30 for third.
“There’s great excitement among the local community already about the competitions, which is brilliant. Of course we also welcome entries from other areas and hope to get support from our neighbours on the Aran Islands and in Connemara”, said Gráinne Ní Chonaighle, Vice Director of the festival and project co-ordinator with Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Meáin.
From food to drink, high demand is expected for Pádraig Ó Fátharta’s drinks workshop, where he will reveal his top tips for gin-making with Inis Meáin’s wild autumn fruits and where participants will make their own wild gin infusions to take home.
Television presenter and folklorist Aedín Ní Thiarnaigh will lead a guided blackberry-picking tour on the day, where participants will gather their own berries and hear folklore associated with the island’s unique landscape.
Participants can then put their berries to good use at the first of the day’s family events, making fresh blackberry ink with local women Juda Uí Loinsigh and Orlaith Bhreathnach and creating their very own ‘puiteachaí’ painting.
No blackberry festival would be complete without some good old-fashioned jam-making and festival goers will also have the option to turn their own collected berries into jam on the day in the Halla Naomh Eoin kitchen.
Award-winning harpist Úna Ní Fhlannagáin will take to the Halla Naomh Eoin stage for the festival finale for a night of music and song.
More information and event registration will be available at www.inismeainbeo.ie and at Siopa Ruaidhrí Beag in the week before the festival.
The festival is supported by Údaras na Gaeltachta and Ealaín na Gaeltachta.
