Early bird ticket opportunities for adults are still available for this year’s Blas festival, but only until the last day of July, when the offer closes.

The “reel deal” tickets at much reduced prices will remain available to July 31 when the prices will revert to the full rate. Reductions for adult tickets normally benefit audiences with £14 tickets down to £12, and the £12 ones down to £10.

From Sunday August 1, normal rates will apply and the prices will be as advertised on the Blas festival website and printed in the festival programme. Blas Director Donna MacRae said: “The response to our early bird offer has been very worthwhile and it is worth highlighting to people that there is still time to take advantage of the reductions as they represent very good value. We believe that the ticket pricing structure even at the full rate is very reasonable, but there is clearly an incentive now to beat the deadline at the end of the month. Some of our events are heavily subscribed so I would urge everyone, to avoid disappointment and take a look at what they would like to come and see. Then, obviously, to book tickets through the usual channels as quickly as possible. The sooner the tickets are secured, the better for everyone.”

There has been world-wide interest in events at Blas 2011 with a party of 50 from Germany signing up to see the festival’s in-house band Inside Track at one of their dates on their extensive tour, at Inverness airport on September 12.

High the list of events included in the early bird offer is Hallaig, a musical celebration of the poetry of Sorley MacLean with musical director Kenneth Thomson featuring compositions by Stuart MacRae, Mary Ann Kennedy, Eilidh Mackenzie, Marie-Louise Napier, Allan Macdonald, Blair Douglas, Donald Shaw, Allan Henderson and Kenneth Thomson.

Hallaig was one of the cleared townships on Raasay. The poem on which this musical work is based was composed by Sorley MacLean in 1952, and was first published in Gairm in 1954. The poem is perhaps the best known of Sorley MacLean’s work, and a translation of ‘Hallaig’ by Irish Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney was published by Urras Shomhairle, the Sorley MacLean Trust, in 2002.

Hallaig, under the musical direction of Kenneth Thomson, is being staged to mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of Sorley MacLean, in conjunction with Urras Shomhairle. Performers at Inverness Cathedral on Friday September 16 and Sabhal Mòr Òstaig on Skye on Saturday 17th September include Dingwall Gaelic choir, Brian McAlpine, Gordon Gunn, Dougie Pincock, Jenna Cumming, Rhona MacKay, Alasdair Whyte, Mary McCarthy, Jack Evans and Su-a Lee.

Gaelic version

Fichead latha air fhàgail son bargan bho Blas

Chan eil ach fichead latha air fhàgail aig daoine airson cothrom a ghabhail air lùghdachadh phrìsean ann an ticeadan inbheach airson cuirmean aig Fèis Blas na bliadhna seo.

Eadar seo agus an 31mh latha dhen Iuchair, tha cothrom ann ticeadan inbheach a cheannach aig prìsean gu math nas saoire na bhios iad an dèidh sin. Tha am bargan a’ ciallachadh gu bheil ticeadan a tha anns a’ chumantas a’ cosg £14 a’ cromadh gu £12, agus ma tha iad £12 anns an àbhaist, tha an lùghdachadh ga thoirt sìos gu £10.

Bhon chiad latha dhen Lùnastal bidh na ticeadan a’ tilleadh gu na prìsean àbhaisteach a th’air am foillseachadh air clàr na Fèise agus air an làrach-lìn. Thuirt Stiùiriche na Fèise Donna MacRath: “Tha a h-uile coltas ann gu bheil daoine air a bhith èasgaidh a’ gabhail a chothrom air an deagh bharagan a tha sinn air a bhith a’ tairgse chun a seo. Tha sinn a’ dèanamh dheth gu bheil na prìsean àbhaisteach a th’ againn airson gach cuirm gu math reusanta. Ach an dèidh sin, tha an lùghdachadh a tha sinn a’ tairgse airson na deich latha romhainn nas tarraingiche buileach. Tha fèill mhòr air cuid de na cuirmean is mar sin mholainn do dhaoine cabhag a dhèanamh an dà chuid airson a’ bhargan aontachadh agus cuideachd dèanamh cinnteach gum faigh daoine na ticeadan a tha iad ag iarraidh.”

Tha ùidh a’ nochdadh bho air feadh an t-saoghail ann an cuirmean Blas le 50 a’ tighinn às a’ Ghearmailt to cuirm aig port-adhar Inbhir Nis air Sultain 12 a choimhead còmhlan-ciùil na Fèise Inside Track.

A-measg na cuirm far am b’ fhiach coimhead ri cabhag a dhèanamh son ticeadan fhaighinn tha an cothrom a bhith an làthair nuair a tha Blas a’ comharrachadh 100 bliadhna bhon rugadh an t-sàr-bhàrd ainmeil Somhairle MacGill-Eain à Ratharsair. An co-bhuinn ri Urras Shomhairle, thèid Hallaig, ceòl a chaidh a dhealbh leis an neach-ciùil ainmeil à Inbhir Nis Stuart MacRath, air a mhisneachadh le tè de na pìosan bàrdachd as cumhachdaiche agus as ainmeile a sgrìobh Somhairle, air adhart ann an Cathair Eaglais Inbhir Nis agus Sabhal Mòr Ostaig san Eilean Sgitheanach, Dihaoine agus Disathairne 16 agus 17mh Sultain.

Chaidh Hallaig a lìbhrigeadh bho thùs aig Fèis Cheilteach Ghlaschu ann an 2009, nuair a chaidh a mholadh gu mòr. Bidh an gnothach air a stiùireadh air gach oidhche leis an t-sàr neach-ciùil Coinneach MacThòmais, agus a-measg na chuir ris a’ dealbh a’ chiùil bha Màiri Anna NicUalraig, Eilidh NicChoinnich, Marie-Louise Napier, Ailean Dòmhnallach, Blair Dùbhghlas, Dòmhnall Seathach agus Ailean MacEanruig.

An cuideachd Còisir Gàidhlig Inbhir Pheofharain air an dà oidhche iomraiteach san t-Sultain, bidh Coinneach MacThòmais fhèin, Brian McAlpine, Gordon Gunn, Dougie Pincock, Jenna Chuimeanach, Rhona NicAoidh, Alasdair Whyte, Màiri McCarthy, Jack Evans agus Su-a Lee.

Source: Fèisean nan Gàidheal