麻豆社

Helen Mark is in Ballycarry, east Antrim, at the Broadisland Gathering, for the Silver Jubilee of the annual celebration of the village's links to Scotland, which stretch back more than 400 years. The sun is shining on the 25th Gathering when Helen meets the chair of the Community Association, Valerie Beattie, all set for an enjoyable day at the festival. Kenny Mitchell and Amanda Robinson tell Helen about the success they're having with the Alastair Scott Ceilidh Band, and Helen gets to meet wee Alastair himself. The Gathering's favourite longfellow, Tim McGarry, is back again to open proceedings and to blatter the drum, but Dick Glasgow is here making some rather more tuneful music with his band Scad the Beggars. Rev John Nelson reminds Helen that the village meeting house was old in James Orr's day, all of 200 years ago, and an east Antrim poet of today, Davy Moore, reads his verse about the director of the Gathering, 'Thon Boy Hume'. David Hume himself tells Helen that it's the first time they have an Irish folk group playing in the festival's marquee, and Helen meets Na Leana铆 to hear about their music.