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.
