Full Circle – Dark Gathering 2023 (Part One)

There were portents and signs to confirm that this year’s Dark Gathering was given the seal of approval by the gods, but first let me take you back nine years ago to a dark and stormy night in Tintagel 2014…

Yes, the Mari Lwyds were abroad and up to mischief in the local hostelries – and the response from the locals was mixed.  We even got turfed out of one establishment!  Here’s some footage to give you a taste of what that was like:

We had such a good experience with the Pwnco at the Museum the previous day that we felt that it would be a good idea to repeat it – and so we began plotting.

This is the now famous photo of our plotting headquarters for the future Dark Gathering in the Wooton Inn.  In a strange quirk of fate I ended up in almost the identical place, but certainly in the same room at the Post Performance Party at this year’s event.  The Dark Gathering had returned home.

This just to remind folks that the idea of the Dark Gathering was conceived in Tintagel, birthed in Boscastle, and now that the event has proved so popular and outgrew the infrastructure of Boscastle, it has returned to its roots.  We hope that Tintagel will now be the Dark Gathering’s forever home.

As I alluded to earlier, Tintagel didn’t quite know what to make of us on our first visit, but as we made tentative forays into seeing whether Tintagel was a viable option for the Dark Gathering, the folk I approached were positive and did all that they could to welcome us.  One person in particular was a real asset and pleasure to work with.  She works unstintingly for the good of the community and her name is Chelly Sturgess.

Rather tellingly I found it difficult to find any clear photos of Chelly as she tends to hide in the background.  However, in the above photo Chelly, on the right, is about to be surprised by a film crew who ambushed her on the set of The Voice (you can just make them out in the background) in order to present her with an Award for Community work.  Whenever I had a question to ask about Tintagel community and who’s who within it, Chelly replied within minutes.  She knew everyone and anything she didn’t know, she knew who to ask to find out.  Every community needs a Chelly!

So, although in a sense we had to start from scratch again when we moved venue, the process was relatively smooth although there were a lot of emails and messages whizzing around.  We found, once we had decided and successfully hired our new venue at the Mayfair car park, that we had a lot more room than we were used to.  This enabled us to expand and to experiment with having a few stalls.  Also this meant that we were able to explore and focus on the Welsh/Cornish cultural connection more so we invited along a few special guests.  More about that later.

We also leafleted Tintagel businesses so that they were pre-warned about the influx of 500 people or more so that they could prepare themselves.  This information was also disseminated into the community via social media, explaining what the Dark Gathering was about and be there to answer any queries that locals might have.

Just prior to the event there were some very real concerns about the weather which produced many asking the question, “What will happen if it rains?” to which the standard and pragmatic response from us was, “You’ll get wet!”.  Weather is always in the lap of the gods, particularly in Cornwall where the weather is akin to a sulky adolescent.  As it happens, we watched the storm clouds build up and then rather nattily move round the sides of Tintagel.  There was only one time where we got rained upon, and that was during the Parade and that was mizzle and was fleeting.  However, I’m getting ahead of myself – back to the build up storyline.

At last the weekend was upon us and our feet hardly touched the ground as everything took off with gusto!  Following one last meeting with our invaluable Gaffer, Martin Davis we set off for the King Arthur’s Arms.  Friday night was busy meeting up with old friends and getting to know new ones, plus dishing out umpteen wristbands to performers as they arrived.

Early the next morning we set off for the venue where a small army of volunteers and marshals were already busy setting the space up for the Dark Gathering.  It looked amazing.  I am full of awe regarding the sterling work that Martin our Gaffer had produced by managing and supplying the equipage for the Dark Gathering.  He performed wonders with signage and we even had our very own Dark Gathering flag!  Fantastic.

In the afternoon just before lift off I recall the moment when I was standing there watching the performers busying themselves with their equipment and the audience settling themselves but full of anticipation.  It’s always a magical and liminal time fuelled by the expectations of so many people – I usually refer to it as a ‘pinch me moment’.  It really is a bit surreal when you think that, all these folks are here and have travelled miles across the country and some from other lands, just to experience an event that happened purely by chance, because we ran with a original good idea.

Then, bang on time at 3 pm the Dark Gathering 2023 started.  We began in dynamic style with Beltane Border Morris dominating the stage with a oldie but goody rendition of White Ladies Aston involving 16 dancers.  Beltane attended with a huge side which added up to 40 members, so they were out in full force.  This was the first time we were able to accommodate so many dancers in our extended performance space.

The next act to perform was Bakanalia, a Border Morris side from Leicester.  I invited this side because they were enthusiastic, lively and inclusive.  They had performers of diverse physical and mental abilities with an excellent Band of talented musicians – they looked great too.  I salute their altruism.

Then it was the turn of Ragged Oak from the West Midlands.  Their high quality performance was impressive and although their side was small in number they more than made up for it with such vigour and skill.  They managed to cover a huge amount of the performance space even though there was only four to six dancers. They were ably supported by the tribal beat of djembes from their Band. Magnificent.

I would like at this point to put a shout out for Kim Shadowland who has been steadfastly filming the live footage of the Dark Gathering for quite a few years now.  It’s a element that we wished to offer to those folk who were either housebound or unable to be present for any reason, including those overseas.  This way the Dark Gathering is immediate to so many but it wouldn’t happen without Kim’s input.  Thank you Kim – you do a grand job!

The rest of the afternoon was spent being wonderfully entertained by these superb Morris sides.  Here’s a selection of images to portray that:

Meanwhile in the streets of Tintagel and in and out of the pubs and other interesting premises, visitations were taking place…

The Mari Lwyds had arrived in town – was Tintagel ready for this?

Well, as it happens – yes!  Chris who is one of the owners of the Tintagel Curiosity Shop is a Welsh speaker having been born and raised in Wales.  Not only could he converse in Welsh, but he had produced his own verses so that the traditional pwnco ceremony could be performed on the threshold of his shop.  No doubt this was a welcome surprise for the Welsh performers and the Mari Lwyds duly blessed the premises as only they can.

In another part of town, Mari Arianrhod had found the gin bar!

She was quickly joined by Cwmni Gwerin Pontypwl – Lechyd da!

Elsewhere Mari Seren was intent on a little retail therapy.

Even some renegade members of Bakanalia joined in some shopping.

Soon the shadows were lengthening as the sun set and it was time for the Parade.

More later…