Ar Seanachas, Ar Daoine agus Ar n-Àiteachan “Our Stories, Our People and Our Places” Wednesday, August 16 Christmas Island Fire Hall 7:30 pm | Adm. by donation. Tea & Lunch will be served. Each community in the Gaelic world had an active and lively tradition of song composition. Songs from Central Cape Breton were made by people such as Alec Steele, Captain John MacKinnon, Shamus Campbell, Jonathan MacKinnon, and Mary MacLeod. Who were these composers and what were their songs about? Do these songs matter in our modern world? This evening’s event pays tribute to them and examines some of the issues around retaining their songs in the 21st century. Join long time Féis contributor Bean an Taighe Lorrie MacKinnon as she welcomes Winnie MacDonald and her son Paul MacDonald, Rod C. MacNeil, Mickey MacNeil, and Emily Clegg as they explore some of the composers and singers from our area and the music they created. SPECIAL GUEST: Author Alison MacLeod will read from her book, "all the beloved ghosts." Alison MacLeod is a novelist and short story writer. Her second story collection, all the beloved ghosts, was published this year by Bloomsbury UK, Bloomsbury USA and Penguin Canada. She has written three novels to date. The most recent, Unexploded (Hamish Hamilton UK and Penguin Canada), was long-listed for the 2013 Man-Booker Prize for Fiction and was one of the Observer‘s ‘Books of the Year’. It was serialised for BBC Radio 4’s ‘Book at Bedtime’ (Sweet Talk Productions) and has been optioned for film.