arts
Sailm nan Daoine (Psalms of the People) review
Jack Archer’s gentle film follows the immensely likable Rob MacNeacail as he journeys across Scotland and Ireland in a bid to save these traditional songs of people and place
TL;DR
- The film follows Rob MacNeacail, a Gaelic psalm singer, on his quest to find and connect with others preserving the tradition.
- Gaelic psalm singing is a community activity where one person sings a line and the others sing it back, characterized by its rich, textured sound without instruments.
- MacNeacail's interest in psalm singing is cultural, influenced by his father, the Gaelic poet Aonghas MacNeacail.
- The documentary highlights MacNeacail's warmth and humor during his travels to places like the Outer Hebrides, Skye, Belfast, and County Cork.
- MacNeacail also works at a care home for adults with learning disabilities, where his sister Galina is a resident.