Magnus 900 events get under way

Events to commemorate the martyrdom of St Magnus, 900 years ago, get under way today, Saturday.

Magnus 900 kicks off with a re-enactment of the martyrdom of St Magnus this Saturday in Egilsay.

The event has proved popular, with all spaces on the ferry to Egilsay taken.

Those lucky enough to be present at the live roleplay will take on the persona of a medieval person from 1117, experiencing everything as one of Haakon or Magnus’s crew.

The re-enactment is being staged under the guidance of Ragnhild Ljosland from the Centre for Nordic Studies.

Also fully booked is the performance of a newly commissioned foy A Jar of Light, written by Pam Beasant which will take place at Birsay Hall on Saturday evening.

The evening will be accompanied by a traditional Orkney supper and music by Kirsty Drever and Jake Watson, Camron Dowell and members of the Song Shop Choir.

For those who haven’t been able to secure a place at  the above events, there’s plenty more to see and do in a packed weekend of free activities to formally launch the Magnus 900 programme.

Antony Mottershead, the OIC’s arts officer, said: “We’re delighted with the response to the launch events — they have really captured the imagination of local people and it’s shaping up to be quite a weekend.

“There’s a whole range of events on offer over that weekend and I hope that folk who aren’t able to come to the fully booked events will pop along to these other events and help celebrate and promote the story of Orkney’s very own saint.”

On the afternoon of Saturday, April 15, Waves, a new artwork by Erlend Brown and Dave Jackson, which takes as its inspiration George Mackay Brown’s Tryst on Egilsay, will be unveiled at St Magnus Church, Birsay.

Sunday, April 16, sees the official launch of the St Magnus Way — a new 55-mile pilgrimage route through the West Mainland — at 2pm.  A four-mile “taster” route departing from the Broch of Gurness  will give folk a chance to experience the route for the first time.

Sunday will conclude with the 21st annual St Magnus Day Service at 7.30pm in the St Magnus Church, Birsay. The Revs David McNeish and Roy Cordukes will lead the service, which explores the example of St Magnus.

Monday, April  17, gives the option of walking, in full, the first leg of the St Magnus Way — from the Broch of Gurness to Birsay.

The 12.5 mile route takes in some of Orkney’s most spectacular coastline and walkers will arrive in Birsay  in time for a very special visual arts, music and literature programme, The Inspiration of Magnus, hosted at the St Magnus Church.

Other programme highlights from the Easter weekend include:

• Sunday, April 16: Easter Sunday Service at St Magnus Cathedral. 11.15am
• Sails of St Magnus: St Magnus Cathedral — free to view from Easter Sunday onwards.
• Monday, April 17 — For The Journey & Return – artist Beatrice Searle will join walkers on the first leg of the St Magnus Way as she begins her epic pilgrimage with the Orkney Boat. The walk departs the Broch of Gurness at 10am.