Arisaig Games has announced an exciting programme of events for its 2012 season. Note, that is season, now, not just a day.

Operating across Arisaig Week, the Games start on Monday 23rd July with an exciting development with the addition of Fèis Àrasaig to the cultural offer. Arisaig Games’ Fèis Manager spoke enthusiastically about this latest development, saying, “It’s great that we are able to play a part in the very successful fèis movement, helping young people to develop their skills and talents in traditional and Gàidhlig music and song culture.”

Fèis Àrasaig is a joint effort operating as part of Fèis Òigridh na Mara, which covers the whole of Arisaig, Morar, and Mallaig, providing continuing teaching for youngsters in the area. The FèisManager said “We are very grateful to Fèis Òigridh naMara for all the help and support they have given us with our work. Without them, and Maria MacInnes, Lochaber Fèis Development Officer at Fèisean nan Gàidheal, it would have been a whole lot more difficult. This way we make the best of all the talent around, and that’s what’s important for our youngsters.”

Tutors have been announced for Fèis Àrasaig with two very impressive and youthful musicians signed up to lead what is going to be primarily a groupwork fèis. Ewen Henderson, part of that great musical Lochaber family now playing across the globe with the Battlefield Band and Manran amongst others, will be joined by Sìleas Sinclair who has her own band and is a former leader of Oban Gàidhlig Choir.

The objective is to encourage young people, who already have some skill with their instruments, to learn the art of playing as part of a group. However, there will also be a Taster Session on the Tuesday for those who are new to instruments.

Innovatively, Fèis Àrasaig will not only be held in the local school in Arisaig, but the third and final day will be spent in performance at Arisaig Games as part of the teaching process. The Fèis Manager explained, “This will give the musicians a chance to learn with their tutors, as well as feel the interaction with an audience, which is such a vital part of the performing process, be it professional or leisure based.”

Supporters of the RNLI, Coastguard, and other water based charities will also be excited by another addition to the programme for Games day on July 25th. The Hunky Dory is a competition based on sea life, rescue, and fitness, in common with many other of the sports and performances at Highland games. Teams of four will be competing against the clock to haul a dory boat on a trailer around the field. As Chas Mac Donald, Pas de Bas Producer at Arisaig pointed out, “Before we had the hugely mechanised fishing industry seen in the past fifty years, most boats would have been much smaller and launched daily from the shore. Indeed, many inshore lifeboats and Coastguard RIBS are trailer shore launched, so it is a skill that remains useful today. We think this is going to be an event which will provide great entertainment value for spectators.”

Mr. Mac Donald went on, “But more than the fun for the crowd, we have been generously supported byMarine Harvest, one of our largest sea based employers, now, with £500 prize money. Teams will compete to win the prize which must be split with one half going to RNLI or MCA stations, and the other half to water based charities. This is about Arisaig Games continuing its tradition of doing its small bit to support the local lifeboat and MCA stations. It’s fun, but it’s important, too.”

The competition is open to any team with a water based background, be it fishing, fish farming, pleasure boating, rescue, transport, or the like, as long as the work is done at least partly on the water. Swimming pools can take part too, for instance.

Arisaig’s third major development is a pre Games Cèilidh Barbecue on Tuesday evening before the Games. Held at the Games field this will be a chance to meet people and also to meet the committee who work so hard to put the event on. The entire committee is voluntary, and spend Games day working, so don’t have much time to meet the people who come to the Games. The barbecue is being provided by Caledonian Catering, and the cèilidh by Lochaber Cèilidh Trailers. Allan MacDonald, veteran Secretary of the Games welcomed the addition of the barbecue and the Cèilidh Trailers, saying, “It’s very good that we are seeing the young people getting involved in music, and coming out to spread that bit of Highland culture to people. Tuesday is the night when we get everything finished and ready, so we can relax a wee bit, and look forward to a successful Games day.”

Games night will see two more developments designed to tantalise. The hugely successful band Skipinnish will be playing at the Games dance in the Astley Hall. But before that, it is hoped that there will be a performance of new work from Allan MacDonald, Glenuig, and friends, who have put together a somewhat satirical look on the perceptions of those involved in the Clyde steamer industry. Para Handy was a joke, as were the steamers often, but Allan argues that this was extremely unfair, and that the Clyde steamers provided a vital and valuable service to the west coast. The music will challenge the snobbery involved, and throw a few well aimed jokes back at the detractors.

Arisaig also announced the judge for this year’s Boisdale Prize, the young people’s art competition sponsored by Ranald, Younger of Clan Ranald, and his London restaurant group, Boisdale. Richard Bracken is a native of Lochaber and a sculptor and artist. He is currently artist in residence at Room 13 in Caol Primary. Welcoming his nomination, Ranald commented that “it is brilliant to see a young artist from Lochaber getting involved in this way. Richard’s work is striking and thought provoking, and his sensibility will be of great interest to those entering the competition.”

Games week starts with Fèis Àrasaig on Monday 23rd July, Taster Sessions and the Cèilidh Barbecue on Tuesday 24th, and the Games proper on Wednesday 25th. More details can be found on the Games website www.arisaighighlandgames.co.uk 

Source: Arisaig Highland Games