She has already enjoyed success as a singer, a dancer and a TV and radio broadcaster.
And now, Joy Dunlop will be at the forefront of the first Gaelic music festival weekend, Tional, which will be broadcast online from Friday September 18 to Sunday September 20.
The event has been arranged by Hands Up for Trad with financial backing from Bord na Gaidhlig’s Covid-19 Support Fund and will feature a wide selection of music and stories from a range of Gaeldom’s leading performers.
Ms Dunlop told the Press and Journal about her excitement at being involved in this new initiative, which has been designed for an international audience.
She said: “When I was asked to work on the programme for Tional, I wanted to create a weekend of events that would appeal to as wide a range of people as possible.
“That stretches from native Gaelic speakers to those who are just tipping their toes in the Gaelic language pool for the first time and from traditional music fans to those with no experience of our cultural heritage.
“That’s why Tional will feature a wide range of events: concerts and ceilidhs, workshops, films and interviews.
“For example, we have concerts with some of Gaeldom’s finest musicians, including Kathleen MacInnis, Iain MacFarlane, Ingrid Henderson and Brighde Chaimbeul.
“For those beginning their language journey, there is a workshop in Gaelic song for beginners and those interested in furthering their own creative talents can try workshops in Scottish step dance, clarsach and the pipes, among other things.
“We are even bringing the party to your home with live ceilidhs featuring favourites such as Iain MacIver, Robbie Greig and Ian and Bernie Smith and we hope that our virtual Gaelic community will get involved and interact with our live streams on Facebook and YouTube.
“We may not be able to celebrate our language and heritage in person right now, but there is nothing stopping us doing so online, from the comfort of our own homes.”
All the details about the festival can be found at www.TionalGaelicFestival.com
