Pan Celtic plays host to singers, musicians and dancers renowned in their own countries and the week’s competitions provide these very talented people with a platform to entertain you.

With previous winners of the International Song Competition including international successes such as Clannad and Capercaillie it is sure to be a busy week for talent scouts. The Pan Celtic competitions promote the exchange of artistic expression between the Celtic countries, many of the competing artists being already successfull performers in their own countries. Indeed, the Welsh entrant to Thursday’s international competition is selected from the Welsh National Song Contest televised by Channel 4.

A more recent addition to the week’s programme has been the International Choral Evening in Siamsa Tíre featuring choirs from throughout the Celtic nations.
 
 

InterCeltic Song Winners 2000

Winning Songs: Tir Kemmyn (Common Ground)

Group: Rachael Gans Tir Kemmyn

Sung by: Rachael Heffer

The aim of Pan Celtic is to encourage and strengthen the Celtic languages by encouraging new compositions both in modern songs and new songs in the traditional mode.  This competition features Celtic Rock, Folk, traditional and pop-music to appeal to all tastes.

Participants to the International Song Contest are winners of renowed national competitions, they are nominated by local committees as follow:

Ireland

The winners of Corn Uí Riadat an t-Óireachtas .

Scotland

The gold medalist at the Royal National Mód is sponsored by the Mód to represent Scotland

Wales

The winners of the Welsh National Eistedfodd.

The Welsh competition for Folk Groups is held during the premier Folk Festival in Wales Gwyl y Cnapan, with the winner sponsored to attend Pan Celtic Festival. The Song Contest for a new song to represent Wales is held on Channel 4 TV which hits top ratings.

In Wales each year, a weekend Pan Celtic reunion is held which is aimed at those who participated to Pan Celtic events. It serves as a promotional opportunity, prior to the Pan Celtic Festival, to generate interest and encourage people to travel to the festival.

Brittany

Through Pan Celtic a number of other events have been organised, some of which are now held annually including Kan ar Bobl in Brittanym which is a spring weekend Festival, started by Pan Celtic and features a competition for a new song for the Harp.

Cornwall

For the coming year, a special competition is being organised by a local radio station in Cornwall, Pirate FM, which will chose a song to represent Cornwall. Lowender Peran in Cornwall was started as a direct result of Pan Celtic to generate Cornish and Celtic culture and has been held for the last twenty years during October.

Isle of Man

An Cruinneacht in the Isle of Man is an old Gaelic Festival which has died out, but as a result of Pan Celtic has now become an annual event.