Our afternoon prelude to the Music of Healing concert this year is entitled: Ancient Songs and Dealings of Sorrow

Special guests from the world of medical science, religion and music will discuss the use of arts, in general, and music in particular, in dealing with grief and mourning across cultures and traditions. Through reflections on the purpose of the lament, the ancient harpers’ triad of goltraí, geantraí, and suantraí: the storied music of the Scottish pibroch, Saxon traditions and American “Delta Blues,” we will examine music as both witness and remedy to suffering by offering consolation, connection, and celebration in its aftermath.

Confirmed speakers include:

Bróna McVittie (musician, biologist, author), Pipe Major David Hanna MBE, Dr Bruce Victor (psychiatrist, musician) and singer/peace-activist Tommy Sands

Admission is £5 cash on the door.

The Music of Healing & Creative Arts Award

Taking its inspiration and title from a song of that name, written by Tommy Sands, and the late Pete Seeger, this event has been at the heart of Fiddlers Green for more than 30 years and is always one of the highlights of the Festival.

Tommy, in the company of singers and musicians, welcomes guests, often with very diverse political or religious views to pursue a higher quality of disagreement, in the furthering of better understanding and reconciliation.

The Music of Healing, which begins at 8pm has a history of not revealing who all the guests will be. This evolved out of necessity during the “Trouble Times”, and although thankfully those dark days are behind, the tradition continues to this day. What we can reveal, however, is, it will be a memorable evening of music and song reflecting and respecting the hurt and fears of “The other side”. Among the afternoon and evening line-up will be  Singing Pastor, Clemens Bittlinger from Germany; Harpist, Bróna McVittie; Pipe Major David Hanna MBE, Dr Bruce Victor,  psychiatrist/guitarist and Na Leanaí.

It will also feature two people who have emerged from different sides of one of the most fateful and life-changing bombings of the Troubles to meet in Rostrevor and talk with each other and to all of us.

The Creative Arts Award was established at the turning of the century and acknowledges noted achievements in the field of arts, literacy and culture, all of which are an integral part of the Fiddler’s Green Festival. The coveted trophy was crafted by leading Irish sculptor Carolyn Mulholland and was first awarded to the late Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney in the year 2000.

The Creative Arts Award winner as often is the case, usually remains a secret until the last moment and we assure you that the anticipation will be worth every breath of waiting.