Dara Ó Cinnéide and Colm Ó Snodaigh spoke to Shay Byrne on The Oliver Callan Show on RTÉ Radio One, about Bard na Páirce, a tribute to the late Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh as part of IMRAM festival this week.
Labhair Dara faoin aithne phearsanta agus aithne ghairmiúil a bhí aige ar Mhícheál le blianta. Ag caint faoin gceangail láidir a bhí ag Ó Muircheartaigh leis an Ríocht, deir sé 'there were parts of Mícheál that never left Kerry'.
Nuair a bhí Dara ag imirt do Chiarraí, dúirt sé go raibh sé de nós ag Mícheál a bheith istigh sna seomraí feistis nuair nach raibh sé de mhisneach ag tráchtairí eile sin a dhéanamh. Dara said when he was playing for Kerry, Mícheál had the charisma to 'ramble casually' into the dressing rooms with a programme in his hand to talk to the players.
Ó Cinnéide said he was honoured to be involved keep the memory of Mícheál alive and that Mícheál kept the Irish language alive for many people and this event as part of literary festival, IMRAM keeps the Irish language front and centre, as Ó Muircheartaigh would have wanted.
Bhí bua speisialta ag Mícheál draíocht a chur leis an gnáthshaol agus aird an phobail a dhíriú ar nithe beaga nár thug daoine eile faoi deara. Dara mentioned that Mícheál used to do analysis of GAA matches for RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta long after he had retired from commentating and he had a way of 'elevating the mundane' and bringing people out of their 'bog sadness', as John Moriarty called it.
Bard na Páirce is a literary celebration of Mícheál's life and work, featuring specially commissioned poetry and prose from Colm Mac Gearailt, Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh, Dara Ó Cinnéide and Alan Titley; as well as new songs and music from Colm Ó Snodaigh, accompanied by Brian Hogan. The show will also feature archive recordings of Mícheál's commentaries; and on-screen images, created by Margaret Lonergan. Curated by Majella Ní Chríocháin.
You can book a ticket for Bard na Páirce, here.
