Teach Mhicí Mhic Gabhann – the setting for the Culture Night
Teach Mhicí Mhic Gabhann near Magheraroarty will host an eclectic mix of cultural, heritage and artistic endeavour for Culture Night on Friday, September 20 at 7:30 p.m.
The event entitled ‘The Heritage of an Emigrant’s Home’ will consider the built heritage features of Teach Mhicí Mhic Gabhann with Dr. Fidelma Mullane, a vernacular architecture specialist and a member of the Board of the Heritage Council of Ireland.
There will be music and song provided by Éist, a traditional group of young musicians from Cloughaneely.
“Culture Night provides a great opportunity for people of all ages across the county to find out more about our culture and heritage. Teach Mhicí Mhic Gabhann provides an intimate venue and surroundings to hear about the built heritage of this traditional building” explains Joseph Gallagher, County Donegal Heritage Officer.
“This emigrant’s home will come to life with music, song and stories about its built heritage. The rich Irish language associated with the naming of different parts of the traditional home and its built heritage will also be explored. We encourage everyone to come along and find out more about the cultural heritage, traditional architecture and emigration from west Donegal.”
Teach Mhicí Mhic Gabhann is an outstanding example of a rural traditional building from west Donegal that demonstrates the work of traditional craftsmen from the area.
This free event is a unique opportunity for people to find out more about the vernacular architecture of the former combined byre-and-dwelling with its rope-thatched roof, its slate room addition and its ‘cailleach’ (bed outshot).
Togra Fiontar agus Cultúr Uladh secured funding recently for the repair of aspects of the built heritage of the house including the quarried-slate roof on the ‘upper room’.
The life and times of Micí Mac Gabhann (1865-1948), the former resident of the house will also be recalled.
A seasonal labourer, Mac Gabhann worked on farms in ‘The Laggan’ and Scotland before ultimately emigrating to the United States to seek his fortune, however, unlike many of his contemporaries, he returned to Ireland to bring up his family.
His life story was published as ‘Rotha Mór an tSaoil’ / ‘The Hard Road to Klondike’. The event is presented by County Donegal Heritage Office, Donegal County Council in association with Togra Fiontar agus Cultúr Uladh and Ealaín na Gaeltachta.
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