The closing weekend of the seventh Blas festival reaches a camanachd climax this weekend with more entertainment than anyone would want to shake a stick at.  And the highlight will be a major day’s cultural celebrations in Inverness when the Scottish Hydro Electric Camanachd Cup Final trundles into town, to set up the evening’s Blas 2011 finale at Eden Court.

Shinty’s big day begins at 11.45am when some of shinty’s best youth players take the field in two national U14 Finals: The MacMaster Cup Final between Fort William and Skye, and the Scottish Hydro Development Trophy Final between Milngavie & Bearsden and Lochcarron.

Then, marking the closing weekend of Blas 2011, the young stars of the Fèisean Cèilidh Trails will be performing at the ground in the Blas tent from 1pm.  From midday the Shinty Skills School will allow those new to the sport, young or old, to ‘have a go’ at Scotland’s great game, and kids can also be kept entertained at the bouncy castle and face painting stations.

The main action begins at 1430 when Kingussie and Newtonmore, Badenoch’s Big Two cross camans to decide the bragging rights for season 2011. All this will come after an action packed Friday night throughout the Highlands and Islands as Blas 2011 thunders towards its closing climax.

There’s a shinty connection at Fort William’s Nevis Centre when Blas 2011 comes to town. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Lochaber High School, a group of the school’s illustrious (allegedly) former pupils, who have spread Lochaber’s fame far and wide, are re-assembling to reminisce and rejoice in their collective and individual past.  They will be joined by some of the best musicians to have emerged from Lochaber’s vibrant music scene to provide a heady concoction of wit, repartee and entertainment.

There will also be an opportunity to pay tribute to one of the area’s favoured sons and most respected musicians, fiddler Angus Grant, celebrating his 80th birthday. And Fergie MacDonald, “the comeback king” will be offering a surprise for 2012. The compères are broadcaster Hugh Dan MacLennan and self-styled musician and shinty superstar Gary Innes, the Graeme Norton-style counterpoint.

Elsewhere on Friday night, (September 17th) Blas 2011’s resident Band The Outside Track are performing at Portmahomack; the Island Ceilidh series reaches Raasay and the Ladies and their friends, including The Addie Harper Band and Christine Stone will be Cherishing Blas at the Wick Assembly Rooms;  Lochcarron will extend a welcome to one of Gaeldom’s best known families, the Campbells of Greepe, at the Village Hall on Friday 16th, before they head a home to Dunvegan on Saturday 17th.  Kenna and Seumas Campbell, Mary Ann & Wilma Kennedy and Maggie Macdonald belong to this remarkable family of Gaelic singers who, between them, have won 7 Mòd Gold Medals.

The other Friday night highlight will be a special performance of “Hallaig”, a musical celebration of the poetry of Sorley MacLean directed by 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 marks 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, Kirsteen MacDonald, Brian McAlpine, Gordon Gunn, Dougie Pincock, Jenna Cumming, Rhona MacKay,  Alasdair Whyte, Mary McCarthy, Jack Evans  and Su-a Lee.

“The best-ever opening weekend in terms of audience numbers and performances” was how Blas 2011 began a week ago, after a hugely successful first weekend which was marked by sell-out performances delivered to critical acclaim throughout the Highlands and Islands.

The 2011 Blas festival will have delivered nearly 100 cultural events throughout the Highlands and Islands before it ends on Saturday September 17.  Apart from events in Inverness, The Outside Track will have reached Poolewe Village Hall; the Island Ceilidh will be in Strathy Village Hall, The Campbells will be coming home to Dunvegan and Hallaig will be at one of Sorley MacLean’s spiritual homes, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig on Skye.

But it is the Grand Finale at Eden Court Inverness which will bring everything to a fitting fling, if anyone has any energy left after a challenging and demanding week of the best of cultural celebration. Cherish the Ladies, Dàimh, Mànran and the combined talents of Fèis na h-Òige and Fèis a’ Bhaile will tie up the loose ends with a final Blas(t)!  And if that’s not enough revellers can take part in a late night informal session at Bogbain Farm following the Eden Court event, when Bruce MacGregor will host the Blas Festival Club.  Roll on 2012!

The full programme and information about several ways in which to buy tickets for the remainder of the festival are available from the festival website http://www.blas-festival.com.

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‘S iomadh oidhche is tachartas air leth a tha ri fhaotainn aig Fèis Blas ach ‘s iongantach gum bi càil nas fheàrr na a’ Chuirm-Chrìochnachaidh aig Taigh-cluiche na h-Ìompaireachd an Eden Court, Inbhir Nis, air Disathairne, 17 Sultain.

Bidh a’ Chuirm a’ comharrachadh deireadh is dùnadh an t-seachdamh Fèis agus cuideachd a’ toirt gu crìch fìor dheireadh sheachdain de spòrs is fealla-dha ann an Inbhir Nis.

Agus ‘s e latha gu math trang a tha gu bhith ann do leithid Gary Innes bhon chòmhlan Mànran a bhios ag obair aig Pàirc a’ Bhught anns a’ bhaile nas tràithe dhen lath aig Là mòr na Camanachd agus a’ Chuairt dheireannach de Chupa na Camanachd – ged nach bi e a’ cluich ann am bliadhna. The e a-measg na bhios a’ gabhail chun àrd-ùrlair nas fhaide dhen oidhche. Ach bidh gu leòr eile a bhios an lùib Blas 2011 a’ nochdadh aig a’ Bhught cuideachd tron latha, a’ chiad turas a tha Fèis Blas air a bhith an co-bhuinn ri leithid de thachartas.

Tha cluicheadairean òga an Eilein Sgitheanaich agus a’ Ghearasdain a’ dol am bad a chèile anns a’ chiad ghèam aig 1145 agus an uairsin Lochcarran a’ cluich an aghaidh Muileann Dhaibhidh agus Bearsden.  Agus ‘s e òigridh nam Fèisean a bhios a’ cumail a’ chiùil ri daoine anns a’ Phàileann aig a’ Phàirc bho uair feasgar, gus an tòisich Blàr Bhàidneach eadar Ceann a’ Ghiùthsaich agus Bail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh aig 1430.

A-measg na bhios a’ togail a’ chiùil aig a’ Chuirm Chriochnachaidh am beul na h-oidhche bidh Dàimh, Mànran agus Cherish the Ladies, a bharrachd air an òigridh fìor  thàlantach a tha a’ riochdachadh Fèis a’ Bhaile agus Fèis na h-Òige.

Chan eil teagamh nach e oidhche air leth a bhios ann a-rèir Art MacCarmaig bho Fhèisean nan Gàidheal, a tha a’ stiùireadh Blas.  Thuirt e: “Aig deireadh sheachdain mar seo, tha e na chleachdadh againn a bhith a’ comharrachadh dùnadh na Fèise le tachartas air leth.  Seach gu bheil an ceangal seo again ri Comann na Camanachd agus a’ Chuairt dheireannach air an aon latha, ‘s e deireadh sheachdain gu math sònraichte a bhios ann uile gu lèir agus tha deagh chothrom gu bhith aig daoine a bhith an làthair aig an dà thachartas far am faic sinn spòrs, ceòl agus fealla-dha aig fìor àrd-ìre.  Tha fèill mhòr an còmhnaidh air an òigridh aig an tachartas seo an Eden Court ach tha measgachadh math ann dhen luchd-ciùil as fheàrr a th’air nochdadh aig an Fhèis am bliadhna seo, agus bidh sinn an dòchas gum fàg sinn fadachd air an luchd-èisteachd airson na Fèise a tha ri thighinn ann an 2012.”

Le taic a bharrachd bho Iomairt “Eileanan na h-Alba” tha Fèis Blas na bliadhna air a bhith a’ comharrachadh agus a’ foillseachadh na tha sònraichte mu chuid de na làraich is suidheachaidhean eireachdail a tha mu chladaichean iomallach na Gàidhealtachd. Air an deireadh sheachdain dhen  fhèis, tha na cèilidhean gu bhith ann an Strathaidh mu Thuath oidhche Shathairne an dèidh a bhith ann an Ratharsair oidhche Haoine.

Tha an còmhlan The Outside Track, còmhlan na fèise am bliadhna, gu bhith ann am Port Mocholmaig oidhche Haoine a’ cluich measgachadh de cheòl is òrain Albannach, à Canada agus an Eireann agus ri dannsa cuideachd.  Ruigidh iad Talla Pholl Iù oidhche Shathairne.

Bidh Comhairle nan Leabhraichean a’ comharrachadh ceud bliadhna bhon rugadh am bàrd Somhairle MacGillEain is dithis sgoilearan a th’air a bhith a’ sgrùdadh a chuid bhàrdachd, Derrick McLure agus Peadar MacAoidh, a’ leughadh cuid dhen bhàrdachd.  Bidh sin aig 7.30f Dihaoine 16 Sultain ann an Cathair Eaglais an Naoimh Anndra an Inbhirnis mar phàirt den chuirm “Hallaig”.

An co-bhuinnn 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.

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 Mairi 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 Cumming, Rhona NicAoidh, Alasdair Whyte, Kirsteen NicDhòmhnaill, Màiri McCarthy, Jack Evans agus Su-a Lee.

Agus mu dheireadh, bidh an teaghlach iomrtaiteach sin, na Caimbeulaich, air an slighe dhachaigh thar deireadh sheachdain na fèise. Tha iad ann an Lochcarran oidhche Haoine anns an Talla Choimhearsnachd, agus an uarsin aig baile an Dùn Bheagain fhèin oidhche Shathairne.

Sin crìoch air fèis Blas 2011 agus fiughar ri tilleadh le tuilleadh ann an 2012!

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/.  Tha tiogaidean fhathast rim faotainn bho Eden Court aig 01463 234234.

Source: Fèisean nan Gàidheal