Sign language festival in Athy had a touch of stardust
The Irish Sign Language Athy (ISLA) festival included amazing aerial performances from Chloe Commins
One of the most inspirational events in Kildare occurred last weekend featuring performers from the London Olympics, Coldplay and Taylor Swift, and possibly the quote of the year.
The Irish Sign Language Athy (ISLA) festival was held in the Community Hall and Library over the two nights.
The guest of honour was Dame Evelyn Glennie OBE, who was told ‘no’ over 40 years ago, yet still opened the Olympics, headlined at the Royal Albert Hall and won something called a Grammy.
Compèring was Sarah Jane O’Regan, a PE teacher from the Holy Family School of the Deaf in Cabra, Dublin, but in her spare time signs the weather for RTÉ, and this year alone signed the gigs of Coldplay, Taylor Swift and Pink.
Indeed, so impressed was Sarah-Jane with the festival and the welcome she got in the town that she declared: “I wanna be Athy-Irish!” However, the driving force behind the whole thing was Maggie Owens, who was “born and reared in Athy!”
Maggie is chair of the Sing and Sign Club in the Gaelscoil in Athy; she set it up in 2007 after a kid knocked on her door wondering if he could sing ‘Tonight’s gonna be a good, good night’…’.
“It was very powerful, very emotional,” said Maggie.
“After the Evelyn Glennie speech, a parent of a deaf child came up after the show and said how it had opened her eyes to a totally other way to appreciate music – through vibrations! There wasn’t a dry eye in the house,” she said.
More than 300 attendees at the festival were able to avail of stalls for maths, physics, pottery, weaving, hair-braiding and an aerial performance to boot.
“All day long it was fantastic, it was fabulous – just a brilliant day.
“Someone said the day was like a magic hat, pulling out surprise after surprise!” laughed Maggie.
“Evelyn Glennie was inspirational. Back in 1982 she was told ‘no’, she couldn’t play music because she was deaf. But she found a great teacher who told her to take her hearing aids out and feel the music – not only through the ears, but through every part of the body – and she broke the glass ceiling for the deaf community.
“She loved Athy, said she could see music in the stained-glass windows!” Maggie wanted to thank Kildare County Council, Creative Ireland, Music House Ireland, Ruth from Audio Feasibility, the non-mainstream educational bursary, and all the local representatives who offered their time.
“I loved the support from the Athy community, and we’re really excited for next year!” said Maggie.
Well, expect Lionel Messi or Greta Thunberg, because this woman is something on the far side of irrepressible!
