Two-day poetry event in Helmsdale featured Caithness poet and playwright, George Gunn
CAITHNESS writer, George Gunn, took part in a two-day poetry event which was hosted at the Timespan Museum and Art Gallery in Helmsdale.
The event was held last weekend and focused on poetry inspired by people and the landscapes and stories of the north of Scotland. Pipe music was also featured, along with workshops and performances. Also taking part were poet and archaeologist, Cait O'Neill McCullagh and musician, Robert Aitken.
The events are part of Timespan’s People’s Mobile Archive well-being initiative, funded by Museums Galleries Scotland.
Gunn, who comes from Dunnet but lives in Thurso with his wife Christine, led a workshop on the language and history of poetry on the Saturday. The participants took their inspiration from the Helmsdale River, creating a selection of reflective and personal poems, and sharing them with the group.
A minibus trip along the Kildonan Strath provided the opportunity for open-air poetry readings from Gunn, McCullagh, and members of the group at Kilphedir Clearances Township and Kildonan Church.
Early on Saturday evening, there was a poetry recital. Gunn read a selection of his poems, accompanied by piper and filmmaker Robert Aitkens, who regaled the audience with his own tunes inspired by Jacobites, the French Court, and rotting emigrants’ ships.
The event got underway on the Friday when McCullagh, who braved Storm Otto to come to Helmsdale, took the first workshop of a free three-week course about people and place-making poetry with local writers, new and experienced. Her workshop continues on Friday (24th) from 10.30am.
The events have helped promote Timepsan’s new community heritage library. Created by the People’s Mobile Archive, the library makes available through the option of home deliveries a unique collection of resources about the social history and culture of Helmsdale and the surrounding areas.
A spokeswoman at Timespan said: "These workshops reflect Timespan and People’s Mobile Archive dedication to support the cause of local writers, while highlighting a demand for more initiatives of this kind in the future to combat mental health issues and rural isolation."
