{"id":7594,"date":"2016-08-29T15:29:39","date_gmt":"2016-08-29T14:29:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/?p=7594"},"modified":"2016-08-29T15:33:01","modified_gmt":"2016-08-29T14:33:01","slug":"tickets-selling-well-as-blas-2016-prepares-to-launch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/projects.handsupfortrad.scot\/handsupfortrad\/tickets-selling-well-as-blas-2016-prepares-to-launch\/","title":{"rendered":"Tickets Selling Well As Blas 2016 Prepares To Launch"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tickets are already selling well as communities across the Highlands and Argyll prepare to celebrate Highland culture at this year\u2019s Blas Festival<\/a> which takes place between 2 and 10 September.<\/p>\n

F\u00e8isean nan G\u00e0idheal, who operate the festival in a partnership with The Highland Council, have put together a programme with a generous helping of c\u00e8ilidhs, concerts, school visits, music in hospitals, performances in care homes, drama performances, family events, walks and talks.<\/p>\n

Blas will celebrate the 80th birthday of Uist cultural icon, Rona Lightfoot, and the contribution to Gaelic music of Skye\u2019s Jonathan MacDonald. New work will feature in the shape of Beul na h-Oidhche gu Camhanaich (Mouth of the Night to First Light) from Highland-based Gaelic singer and harp player, Mary Ann Kennedy and Nick Turner, which is the 11th new piece commissioned in the relatively short history of the Blas Festival.<\/p>\n

Home-grown Highland talent will be to the fore including a performance of Graham Mackenzie\u2019s Crossing Borders. Originally commissioned for Celtic Connections the Highland outing, in Eden Court\u2019s One Touch Theatre on Friday 9 September, will also be the vehicle of the launch of Graham\u2019s CD.<\/p>\n

Young people from the Highlands will feature widely including F\u00e8is C\u00e8ilidh Trail groups, Guth na nGael \u2013 A Gaelic and Gaeilge exchange project, pupils from the Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music at Plockton High School and the singers from an innovative F\u00e8isean nan G\u00e0idheal project, Fuaran.<\/p>\n

They will appear alongside some of the best international artistes including Sharon Shannon, making her first appearance at Blas, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Nuallan from Cape Breton as well as perennial favourites Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham who are celebrating 30 years playing together. There will be appearances from newer outfits, Tide Lines, Tannara and Kilda, as well as a staple of the finest Gaelic singers including Margaret Stewart, Mairi MacInnes, Darren Maclean, Kristine Kennedy, James Graham, Paul McCallum, Linda Macleod, Rachel Walker, Ruairidh Cormack, Anne Martin, Ellen MacDonald, Ceitlin LR Smith, Robert Robertson and Eilidh Cormack. Gaelic writers and poets will also feature in the continuation of a partnership with Comhairle nan Leabhraichean, the Gaelic Books Council.<\/p>\n

Donna Macrae, Director of Firefly Productions, the company contracted by F\u00e8isean nan G\u00e0idheal to organise the festival said: \u201cWe already have two sold-out shows well ahead of the start of the festival and tickets are selling well for other events. We are looking forward, once again, to taking great music to smaller communities as well as large venues like Eden Court and the IronWorks, and to bringing entertainment to schools, hospitals and care homes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Blas runs from this Friday, 2nd September, until Saturday 10th. The full festival programme is available at www.blas-festival.com<\/b><\/a> where details of all events and how to buy tickets can be found.
\n\u2026 ends<\/p>\n

Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham
\nGraham MacKenzie
\nKilda
\nMargaret Stewart
\nMary Ann Kennedy
\nNuallan
\nRed Hot Chilli Pipers
\nRona Lightfoot
\nSharron Shannon
\nTannara
\nTide Lines
\nTrail West<\/p>\n

For further information or to arrange interviews in Gaelic or English please contact Arthur Cormack on 01478 614002 or 07702 674143, or e-mail arthur@feisean.org<\/a>.
\n——
\nTIOGAIDEAN A\u2019 FALBH GU LUATH AIRSON F\u00c8IS BHLAS 2016<\/p>\n

Tha tiogaidean a\u2019 dol gu math agus coimhearsnachdan air feadh na G\u00e0idhealtachd a\u2019 deiseileachadh airson F\u00e8is Bhlas na bliadhna-sa a bhios a\u2019 tachairt eadar 2 agus 10 Sultain.<\/p>\n

Tha F\u00e8isean nan G\u00e0idheal ga ruith ann an com-p\u00e0irt ri Comhairle na G\u00e0idhealtachd agus tha iad air pr\u00f2gram a chur ri ch\u00e8ile loma-l\u00e0n de ch\u00e8ilidhean, cuirmean, tachartasan ann an sgoiltean, ce\u00f2l ann an ospadail, tadhal air dachaighean-c\u00f9raim, dr\u00e0ma, tachartasan teaghlaich, cuairtean agus \u00f2raidean.<\/p>\n

Bidh f\u00e8is na bliadhna seo gu s\u00f2nraichte a\u2019 comharrachadh an 80mh ceann-bliadhna aig t\u00e8 de sh\u00e0r luchd-ci\u00f9il is lasairean cultarail Uibhist, Rona Lightfoot, agus cuideachd na rinneadh do che\u00f2l G\u00e0idhlig le s\u00e0r Sgitheanach E\u00f2in D\u00f2mhnallach. Th\u00e8id obair \u00f9r fhoillseachadh am bliadhna cuideachd – Beul na h-Oidhche gu Camhanaich – le Mairi Anna NicUalraig, an 11mh uair a tha an fh\u00e8is air p\u00ecos ci\u00f9il \u00f9r fhoillseachadh.<\/p>\n

Bidh luchd-ci\u00f9il a tha a\u2019 buntainn ris a\u2019 Gh\u00e0idhealtachd gu math follaiseach aig an fh\u00e8is. Th\u00e8id Crossing Borders le Graham MacCoinnich, air a chruthachadh an toiseach airson Celtic Connections, a chur air adhart air a\u2019 Gh\u00e0idhealtachd airson a\u2019 chiad uair. Bidh a\u2019 chuirm, san Talla-cluiche One Touch aig C\u00f9irt Eden air Dihaoine 9mh Sultain, na cothrom airson CD \u00f9r Graham a chur gu se\u00f2l cuideachd.<\/p>\n

Tha \u00f2igridh na G\u00e0idhealtachd aig cridhe na f\u00e8ise mar as \u00e0bhaist. Bidh na buidhnean C\u00e8ilidh air Chuairt aig F\u00e8isean ann cho math ri Guth na nGael – co-oibreachadh G\u00e0idhlig is Gaeilge agus cuideachd cluinnear luchd-ci\u00f9il bho Sgoil Chi\u00f9il na G\u00e0idhealtachd aig \u00c0rd-sgoil a\u2019 Phluic, a bharrachd air seinneadairean bho Fuaran \u2013 pr\u00f2iseact \u00f9r agus adhartach a tha ga chur air adhart le F\u00e8isean nan G\u00e0idheal.<\/p>\n

Bidh an \u00f2igridh a\u2019 nochdadh air pr\u00f2gram eadar-n\u00e0iseanta eile le s\u00e0r luchd-ci\u00f9il leithid Sharon Shannon, a bhios a nochdadh airson a\u2019 chiad uair aig Blas, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Nuallan bho Cheap Breatann agus cuid de na seann laoich a tha air a bhith a\u2019 nochdadh thar nam bliadhnaichean, leithid Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham a tha a\u2019 comharrachadh 30 bliadhna c\u00f2mhla. Cluinnear buidhnean nas \u00f9ire cuideachd leithid Tide Lines, Tannara agus Kilda, a bharrachd air seinneadairean is eile air am bith luchd-frithealaidh Bhlas gu math e\u00f2lach, nam measg M\u00e0ighread Sti\u00f9bhart, M\u00e0iri NicAonghais, Darren MacIllEathain, Cairistiona Cheanadach, Seumas Greumach, P\u00f2l MacCaluim, Linda NicLe\u00f2id, Rachel Walker, Ruairidh MacCarmaig, Anna Mh\u00e0rtainn, Ellen NicDh\u00f2mhnaill, Ceitlin Nic a\u2019 Ghobhainn, Robert Robasdan agus Eilidh NicCarmaig. Bidh sgr\u00ecobhaichean agus b\u00e0ird Gh\u00e0idhlig cuideachd a\u2019 frithealadh na f\u00e8ise agus an com-p\u00e0irteachas le Comhairle nan Leabhraichean a-rithist ga chur air adhart.<\/p>\n

Thuirt Donna Macrae, Sti\u00f9iriche Firefly Productions, a\u2019 chompanaidh fastaichte le F\u00e8isean nan G\u00e0idheal a l\u00ecbhrigeadh na f\u00e8ise: \u201cTha d\u00e0 chuirm againn mar th\u00e0 far nach eil tiogaid air fh\u00e0gail agus tha iad a\u2019 dol gu math airson tachartasan eile. Tha fiughar againn deagh che\u00f2l a thoirt gu coimhearsnachdan beaga cho math ri \u00e0iteachan m\u00f2ra mar C\u00f9irt Eden agus an IronWorks, a bharrachd air tachartasan a chur air adhart ann an sgoiltean, ospadail agus dachaighean c\u00f9raim.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tha l\u00e0n chl\u00e0r na f\u00e8ise ri fhaighinn a nis aig www.blas-festival.com far am faighear fiosrachadh mu na tachartasan gu l\u00e8ir agus mar a gheibhear tiogaidean.
\n\u2026 cr\u00ecoch<\/p>\n

Airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh no airson agallamhan a chur air d\u00f2igh ann an G\u00e0idhlig no Beurla, cuiribh fios gu Art MacCarmaig air 01478 614002 no 07702 674143, no tro phost-d aig arthur@feisean.org.<\/p>\n

Notes to editors:<\/p>\n