This year's Feis Ile, the island's annual festival of music and malt, will take place in a variety of local venues and distilleries from the 21st to the 28th May. The organising committee is putting the finishing touches to an imaginative programme which will cater for all tastes and enjoys sponsorship from Black Bottle. Its contents will greatly appeal to locals as well as to the thousands of visitors who descend on the island for the event.

Feis Ile 2007 - Islay Ales Open Day

Established happenings will include the not to be missed whisky tasting extravaganza, the ever popular clootie dumpling ceilidh, discos and open air gigs, guided walks, fishing on a variety of lochs, golf at the Machrie links and bowls at Port Ellen and Bridgend. The best of local talent will also be showcased along with input from visiting performers. The Gaelic language will also have a high profile including a language taster at Ionad Chaluim Chille Ile. Port Ellen's White Hart Hotel will host an evening devoted to the Islay bards narrated by Margaret Anne Mactaggart, and her daughter Iseabail will encourage Gaelic singing at the ICCI. Continue reading....

The Gaelic College will also be the setting for an island concert , the local Pipe Band will strut its stuff at Morrison Square in Bowmore, singers, dancers and instrumentalists will display their abilities in a variety of venues and there will be opportunities for chanter players to improve their skills. A £100 prize will be given to the winners of the best dressed street competition, to be judged by the council binmen, so get busy with the bunting, garlands and balloons.

Islay produce will also be much to the fore when Isabel Capper, hospitality tutor at the local high school, demonstrates her culinary skills at Morrison Square. Emulating her abilities will be two street chef teams drawn from the ranks of the WRI and the Islay lifeboat crew.
A photographic exhibition at Port Askaig is sure to increase the interest as will the Feis raffle featuring a top prize of a complete set of Islay malt whiskies resplendent in their festival colours. There is much work involved in such a venture but, then, there is much to enjoy during the week of festivities.

This story was published with kind permission of the Ileach local newspaper.

Tag: feis ile islay festival music malt