Words and photos: Seán Ó Mainnín

The beauty and power of music and words were celebrated at the recent Éigse Dara Beag with a gathering of illustrious Irish-language poets and traditional Irish musicians on Inis Meáin.

The event commemorates Dara Beag, an Inis Meáin fisherman and poet whose verses and sage observations attracted attention to an island already renowned, among other cultural gems, for its John Millington Synge residency and the beautiful stained-glass art of Harry Clarke glistening through Séipéal Mháire gan Smál windows.

The poets come to pay homage and recite were Jackie Mac Donncha, Dara Ó Conaola, Dara Dara Beag, (son of the man the Éigse honours), Mairéad Ní Fhlatharta, Peadar Mór Ó Conghaile and Aingeal Ní Chualáin.

Each received rapt attention from the audience numbers bruised into the Cúirt Filíochta centre.

Gentle giant and farmer poet Peadar Mór’s poem recital in a chant-like manner cast a spell on the crowd, hinting perhaps at the millennium-old method the Gaeil used to carry the sagas into new centuries.

The musicians were just as magisterial with their notes.

The maestro himself, Martin Hayes, led a Clare contingent, including Sorcha Costello and Brian Donnellan.

Johnny Óg Connolly led the Galway contingent Saturday night while Saileog Ní Cheannabháin’s enchanting voice and keyboard playing was followed by the melodious mystique of Úna Ní Fhlannagáin’s Celtic harp in the Friday concert.

Couple Brian Terry and Luisne Ní Neachtain and clann kept the spirit lively into the night.

There were Saturday craftshop classes in Sean-nós singing and dancing as well as in impromptu Luibíní song composition.

Nothing was left out of Éigse Dara Beag, not even the Cloch an Fhaoileáin walk which was put back from a wet Saturday to a gloriously sunny final event on the Sunday.

Pictured: Clare duo Martin Hayes and Brian Donnellan at their concert in the Mhuire gan Smál church.