Màiri Britton

Gaelic Language / Harp

B’ ann aig aois còig bliadhna a thog Màiri suim ann an cànan is cultar na Gàidhlig le bhith dol chun na Fèise ann an Dùn Èideann. Stiùirich seo a ceuman dha na hEileanan an Iar, a dh’Èirinn agus an uair sin a dh’Alba Nuaidh far a bheil i anis gu mòr ansàs ann an saoghal na Gàidhlig ann an Ameiriga a Tuath. Le fo agus forcheum ann an Ceiltis bho Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann, bidh Màiri a teagasg chùrsaichean Gàidhlig aig Oilthigh Naoimh Fransaidh Xavier agus Colaside na Gàidhlig an cuide ri prògraman sa choimhearsnachd. Tha i cuideachd na manaidsear airson pròiseact òrain Ghàidhlig, Language in Lyrics, aig Oilthigh Cheap Breatainn. Na seinneadair, dannsair is clàrsair, tha Màiri air a bhith air an àrdùrlar agus a’ teagasg ann an Eòrpa agus Ameiriga a Tuath. Bidh i a’ seinn agus a’ dannsadh anns a’ chòmhlanchiùil Fàrsan, còmhla ri Katie McNally (fìdheall), Neil Pearlman (piano) agus Elias Alexander (pìob). Chuir iad a’ chiad chlàr aca amach ann an 2018 is choisinn e deagh chliù am measg luchdèistidh ciùil traidiseanta. Tha Màiri taingeil a bhith a fuireach ann an Unama’ki tìr dhùthchasach nam Mikmaq agus àite far an do thuinich na Gàidheil bho chionn còrr is 250 bliadhna. Tha e na thoileachas mòr dhi a bhith a’ cèilidh air seanchaidhean sa choimhearsnach gus ionnsachadh bhon stòras phrìseil a th’aca.

Màiri’s love of the Gaelic language was sparked at the age of five through attending the local Fèis in her hometown of Edinburgh. Since then, it has steered a journey to the Hebrides, to Ireland, and now to Nova Scotia where she works as a Gaelic educator, musician and cultural projectmanager. With undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Celtic Studies from Edinburgh University, Màiribalances teaching courses at St. Francis Xavier University and Colaisde na Gàidhlig with community Gaelic classes and immersion programs. She is also the manager of the Nova Scotia Gaelic song project, Language in Lyrics’ at Cape Breton University (www.languageinlyrics.com). As a Gaelic singer, step dancer and harpist, Màiri has taught and performed extensively in Europe and North America. She is lead vocalist and step dancer in the Gaelic trad group Fàrsan, alongside Katie McNally (fiddle), Neil Pearlman (piano) and Elias Alexander (pipes). The group released their debut album at the end of 2018 to critical acclaim and have performed at festivals such as Celtic Colours and Small Halls (www.farsanband.com). Màiri is grateful to live in Unama’ki the ancestral and unceded lands of the Mi’kmaq indigenous people, and a place with over 250 years of Gaelic history. She loves visiting local elders to learn from their store of songs, stories and cultural wisdom.
An Cùrsa Bogaidh II & III
Summer Adult Session 1