Blazin’ in Beauly will take place from the 19th to 24th October, including a big Saturday night show on the 24th.
Day: August 16, 2009
Tattoo Hebrides BBC ALBA,19th Sept.10pm
BBC ALBA is pleased to announce it will be broadcasting coverage of the Tattoo Hebrides 2009 event, a special two day ceilidh taking place in Stornoway as part of this year’s Homecoming celebrations.
The Tattoo, which is being organised by Stornoway Amenity Trust, will feature top pipe bands and soloists from around the world gathered together at Lews Castle Green on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 August.
MacTV will be filming highlights of the piping event for a special production for BBC ALBA, which will be presented by Dingwall-born piper and singer Norman Macarthur, to be broadcast on Saturday 19 September at 10pm.
An associated radio programme for BBC Radio nan Gàidheal will also be produced by MacTV and presented by piper and singer Anna Murray from Back on Lewis.
The headline act is world class grade one band, 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band from Ontario, Canada and other performances lined up include Lewis Highland Games Display, Dougie MacLean and his Acoustic Band, Isle of Skye Pipe Band and Stornoway Concert Band and Gaelic choir, amongst others.
A colourful procession of Pipe Bands and others to the arena will open the event on Friday followed by a full evening line-up including Gaelic singing, Massed bands, Highland Dancing and a fireworks display.
Saturday’s event will feature a carnival parade through Stornoway, culminating with a Grand Concert with artists including, Pipe Major Gordon Walker, Catriona Watt & band, John Carmichael, Deoch ‘n’ Dorus and the Lewis and Harris Accordion and Fiddle Club.
Features on the programme will include ‘homecoming stories’ like that of Bruce MacLean, a piper with the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band whose ancestors emigrated from the Uig area of Lewis. Bruce is coming to Lewis for the first time with other members of his family and will be meeting up with Scottish cousins and exploring the area where his ancestors left from.
Tattoo Hebrides 2009 will be broadcast on Saturday 19 September at 22:00 on BBC ALBA which is available on Sky channel 168 and on Freesat channel 110.
For further information, please contact Lorna Inglis at Media House on 0141 220 6040 or email lorna@mediahouse.co.uk
Notes to editors
BBC ALBA is available on Sky channel 168 and on Freesat channel 110. For further information see http://www.bbcalba.co.uk
BBC ALBA is run by MG ALBA in partnership with the BBC. MG ALBA is the operating name of Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig (Gaelic Media Service). Find out more about MG ALBA and the partnership at http://www.mgalba.com
MacTV, based on the Isle of Lewis, with over 10 years experience in providing award winning televison programming for both the English and Gaelic market, will be producing the programme for BBC ALBA. For more information on MacTV visit http://www.mactv.co.uk.
Catriona Watt wows Hebrides Homecoming crowd.
A musical extravaganza took place on Saturday evening when Tattoo Hebrides was finished off with a Grand Concert at the Lewis Sports Centre, Stornoway.
Around 800 people packed out the centre’s sports hall to be entertained by John Carmichael, Deoch ‘n’ Dorus, massed local choirs, singers such as Catriona Watt and Gaelic band Bi Beo, Dougie Maclean, the Eilean An Fhraoich Pipe and 78th Fraser Highlanders pipe bands.
Many highlights were showcased during the evening including the beautiful voice of Catriona Watt with her choice of Gaelic songs. The skilful playing of Pipe Major Gordon Walker, the stirring ‘Highland Cathedral’ played by Eilean An Fhraoich pipe band and complimented by the beautiful tones of the massed choirs.
Dougie Maclean headlined in the second half of the concert and his songs and stories were an instant hit with the audience.
He finished the evening with his song ‘Caledonia’ and encouraged the audience to join in on this classic song of homecoming.
Fiddle Force.August 22nd-23rd
Hi everyone
Robbie and Dawn Leask have kindly said they would have another fiddle force
gathering this year and have chosen the week-end of August 22nd-23rd.
There is space to camp, and
hopefully August will be drier than July….. The phone number I have from last year
is 01651 843695.
It would be really helpful if you could let Robbie or Dawn know soon if you are
thinking of coming…
There are one or two new names on the list – so for those that aren’t familiar
with these week-ends
– anyone is welcome….
– we usually gather on Saturday lunchtime and disperse on Sunday around
lunchtime, but it may well be ok to come on Friday night if you are able to get
there…
– we generally each bring a contribution to the food (best to ask Robbie and
Dawn when you contact them what they think would be most useful)
Love
Jenny
Heather,Auckland,New Zealand
Hi folks,
Wish I could join you all next weekend – have an awesome time. But I won’t be
missing out completely as we have a fiddle weekend at Onewhero about 60 km south
of Auckland. Great rural property and we’re hoping it will be dry enough for a
session in the bush. 
I’ve attached a photo of the stone hut where we play, and
the campfire – not as large as the one at Taransay!!
I had a brilliant time at Taransay. Thank you all for making me feel so
welcome. In my first week back in NZ my head was still in Scotland. Cheered
myself up one evening with a picnic dinner by the beach watching the sunset
except it was 5.30 pm `cos it’s winter here, and I was wearing a coat! The 3rd
photo is the island I could see out in the harbour – not quite Taransay but if
you use your imagination……….
Will be thinking of you next weekend
Cheers
Heather,Auckland,New Zealand.