July 10, 2007

Hi Everyone,

Ciaran and I are back from our travels to Northern Ireland. We had 6 really good days of concerts in Nursing Homes, hospitals and the Northern Ireland Hospice in Belfast - 2 a day.

Completely outwith our control, Ciaran's dad was back in the hospice for respite care the week we were there so Ciaran found himself entertaining not only the day hospice patients but also his dad, family and relatives as well. To add to the mix, just before the concert began we were greeted by the Northern Ireland representative for the Council for Music in Hospitals, who we work for, who had come to check us out! (http://www.music-in-hospitals.org.uk/ and http://www.musicinhospitalsscotland.org.uk/) Thanks to Ciaran's professionalism and helped by Jacynth who had come along to add a little Irish dance to the mix, the concert went extremely well.

Our travels took us through Glasgow airport both ways but thankfully not on the day of the terrorist attempted bombing.

Earlier in the month Caim sang at Tchai -Ovna in Glasgow to a select audience. Tchai-Ovna's hospitality to us must be noted especially their dessert menu which was to die for! What was that cake called again Jacynth?

Jacynth helped with harmonies for my concert with Margaret Gillies Brown the following evening at the Birnam Institute. I thoroughly enjoyed singing at this one - the acoustics were excellent - no need for PA.

To finish off our short Scottish tour Caim sang at morning worship at St Catharine's, Blairgowrie and for a very special communion service at St Ninian's, Alyth where all of us experienced a unique quality of peace and the presence of God.

Coming up this month Caim are giving a workshop and concert at Scargill House, Skipton, Yorkshire for their summer festival and then travelling on down to Rotherham to film our DVD to go with our new Right Real Records Single "Healing God". Al will be travelling with us and recording a couple of singles of his own songs "Valley of Love" and "Man on the Corner" with Chris and Ian at Right Real Records. Sadly Al's band Freedom Place have disbanded but something new is afoot.

I'm also looking forward to two week long Gaelic song workshops this month at Sabhal Mor Ostaig on the Isle of Skye with Cathy Anne McPhee and Christine Primrose and hopefully researching songs for the 2008 Margaret Gillies Brown and Heather Innes performance for the Perth festival of the Arts - "Out of the Westland".

Meanwhile Al and I are snatching precious minutes of sleep here and there in between hand rearing three little baby chics (Mumbles, Honey and Chirpy) abandoned by their mother at Auld of Clunie Farm.

Till next time.

Heather