Increased ticket sales with the start of Blas 2011 this weekend are setting organisers up for one of the busiest festivals ever.  Festival Director, Donna MacRae, is reporting encouraging demand for tickets at venues throughout the Highlands and Islands with a number of hot-spots appearing where the sell-out banners will soon be raised.

One of the festival’s annual success stories where a limited number of tickets are still available is “The Highland Voyage”, set on the famous Jacobite Queen, which has as its regular route the dramatic setting of Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle.

The voyage and monstrous party which ensues is a wonderful evening’s entertainment with a Para Handy theme. Devised and performed by Allan MacDonald from Glenuig with guests Ian Macleod and Russell Hunter, the annual cruise down Loch Ness on Friday September 9, with an appropriate level of culinary excellence provided by The Red Poppy, is always a must-have ticket for Blas aficionados.

Only 40 tickets are available for the cruise in total and should be purchased as soon as possible. Accompanied by Iain MacLeod, Allan MacDonald will be Para Handy for the evening, stoking the entertainment.

“The Highland Voyage”, on The Highland Queen has become one of the most notable events at Blas festivals and is being repeated by popular demand. Festival Director Donna MacRae said: “We fully appreciate that there is always a tendency for last minute booking due to individual circumstances. However, we hate to disappoint and the sooner people can secure their tickets the better.

Tickets for this event have always been very popular and I would urge anyone wishing to be on the cruise to get in touch with the ticket office as soon as possible. The Para Handy theme seems to be perfectly set up for Allan and with his foot on the tiller heading down Loch Ness, anything could happen and the one thing that is guaranteed is that the entertainment will be first class.”

MacDonald groupies in the Glenuig fan club should also note that the following evening (monstrous events on Loch Ness permitting), Saturday, September 10 Allan and his brother Dr Angus will be leading the charge at the Empire Theatre Eden Court, along with other pipers, “Celebrating the Regal Pipe.”

Joining them will be Mairearad Green, Angus MacColl, Silver Chanter winner and fresh from his latest success in the Clasp competition at the Northern Meetings, the world championship winning Oban High School Pipe Band (still celebrating their latest success at the Worlds in Glasgow) and Seudan – Angus Mackenzie, Angus Nicolson, Fin Moore and Calum MacCrimmon.

Further information about the Blas festival programme and how to purchase tickets are available on the festival website http://www.blas-festival.com

‘S truagh nach fanadh iad tioram air tìr………..

Le barrachd thiogaidean gan reic airson fèis Blas 2011 na chaidh a reic an uiridh, agus nas lugha na seachdain gus an tòisich am fèis, tha a h-uile coltas ann gum bi cùisean nas beòthail na bha iad riamh.  Tha Donna NicRath, stiùiriche Blas 2011, ag ràdh gu bheil fèill mhòr air tiogaidean feadh na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean air fad, le cuid de chuirmean làn mar tha.

Tha cothroman ann fhathast ged tha tiogaidean a cheannach airson cuid de na tachartasan as ainmeil aig an fhèis. Chan eil cus de thachartasan Fèis Blas bliadhna sam bith a tha a’ tarraing uibhir de dh’aire agus de dh’fhèill air tiogaidean ris a’ Bhòidse Ghàidhealach, am-bliadhna air Dihaoine 9mh Sultain, far a bheil Ailean Dòmhnallach à Gleann Ùige a’ cur a stamp fhèin air turas cho eireachdail sa tha air a’ Ghàidhealtachd, sìos Loch Nis, seachad air Caisteal agus Gleann Urchadain air a’ bhàta Jacobite Queen.

Tha Ailean air turas na bliadhna seo a dhealbh a’ leantainn cuid de ne h-eisimpleirean agus feallsanachd a bh’ aig an sgiobair ainmeil Para Handy, agus ‘s ann dhà a thigeadh. Tha e air seata a chur air dòigh airson an turais agus a’ cumail taic ris bidh Iain MacLeòid agus Russell Mac an t-Sealgair.

A bharrachd air a’ chuirm-chiùil fhèin, tha aoigheachd gu leòr air bòrd an Jacobite Queen le Red Poppy – a tha air cliù mòr a chosnadh – a’ frithealadh a’ bhidhe.  Tha fèill mhòr air an turas bhliadhnail seo, a tha nis ainmeil air clàr thachartsan Blas, mar a mhìnich Stiùiriche na Fèise, Donna NicRath.

Thuirt i: “Tha fhios againn glè mhath gum bi fèill air na tiogaidean airson an tachartais a tha seo, agus mholamaid do dhuine sam bith a tha airson a bhith air bòrd fios a chur a dh’iarraidh tiogaidean cho luath sa ghabhas. Tha Para Handy cliùiteach gu leòr dheth fhèin, ach tha mi an amharas le cas an sgiobair à Gleann Ùige air an stiùir gum bi an turas sìos Loch Nis gu math inntinneach agus aighearrach.  Cha chuireadh e iongnadh sam bith oirnn ged a nochdadh uilebheist no dhà am measg a h-uile càil eile a bhios a’ dol. Seach nach eil ann ach 40 tiogaid uile gu lèir, bu chòir do dhaoine cahbag a dhèanamh.”

An oidhche an dèidh sin, Disathairne 10mh Sultain, bidh Ailean agus a bhràthair an Dr Aonghas, a’ gabhail ri àrd ùrlar Talla na h-Iompaireachd ann an Eden Court, cuide ri pìobairean ainmeil eile, airson cuirm a bhios a’ comharrachadh na Pìoba Rìoghail.  Cuide riutha bidh Mairearad Green, Aonghas MacColla, a ghlèidh an Fhìdeag Airgead am bliadhna agus an Clasp aig a’ Cho-Chruinneachadh mu Thuath, Còmhlan Pìoba Àrdsgoil an Òbain, a ghlèidh duais mhòr eile aig Farpais an t-Saoghail an Glaschu,  agus Seudan – Aonghas MacCoinnich, Aonghas MacNeacail, Fin Moore agus Calum MacCruimein.

Gheibhear fiosrachadh mu phrògram na fèise gu lèir agus diofar dhòighean air tiogaidean a cheannach bho làrach-lìn na fèise http://www.blas-festival.com

Source: Fèisean nan Gàidheal