Last weekend’s Blas 2012 Grand Finale at Eden Court’s Empire Theatre once again capped a marvellous week’s entertainment throughout the Highlands bringing the eighth festival to a typically exhilarating finish.

Always a show-stopper, this year’s offering at the Highland’s premier Gaelic event was no exception, with the award-winning Battlefield Band, the Highlands’ own bowing stars Blazin’ Fiddles and the jaw dropping talent that is Fèis Rois delighting a packed audience. A highlight was the appearance of the cast of the beautiful Blas 2012 commission from Margaret Stewart, “A’ Bhanais Ghàidhealach – The Highland Wedding”, acclaimed for all its performances from the opening night at Aigas on Friday 7 September. The Highland Wedding of the year, the special commission which launched the Blas 2012 festival, captured the imagination and led the way for a triumphant week of audience pleasing events.

Blas organisers, building on the outstanding success of the 2011 event, this year attracted new sponsorship from RBS, Business Gateway and West Highland College to enable them to build a successful the platform for this year’s festival. The event was also supported by pubic-sector bodies Creative Scotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and The Highland Council, which has consistently supported the festival’s growth.

Blas 2012 Director Donna Macrae said: “It’s been a blast at Blas, as ever. We have had a fantastic mix of talent from all parts of the globe but, as always, a special focus on the very best of Highland music and song. For all the challenges we face in terms of the current financial constraints, we have managed to pull off another remarkable week which has, on the evidence of our audiences, been a resounding success. Arthur Cormack and his staff and contributors from the Fèisean nan Gàidheal network have kept the machine well-oiled over the years and this year they have once again excelled themselves with their contribution. Throughout the Highlands we have entertained everyone with a great series of events and to see the reception we got at the closing concert in Inverness makes it all worthwhile.”

Donna Macrae added: “One of the most significant votes of approval we receive is the clamour to have some of our performances repeated elsewhere. I have no doubt but that “The Highland Wedding” and “Eilean Fraoich” – the tribute to Calum Kennedy may well be reprised at some point in the future and no-one can ask for any better. And that’s another series of major performances the young Fèis stars have under their belts as they set off on their musical careers. Perhaps that is the most satisfying aspect of Blas 2012.”

Arthur Cormack, Chief Executive of Fèisean nan Gàidheal paid tribute to all those involved in Blas 2012. He said: “We had a great bunch of artists, on the ball promoters at local level, a great team at Donna Macrae’s office and very enthusiastic audiences. We also hit our box office targets, which we have done almost every year since Blas began. But the nature of the festival is such that it will always require a level of external investment if we are to be able to bring good quality events to small venues. We are extremely grateful to all those bodies that continue to help us financially, even in these tough times. There is, of course, an economic benefit from Blas which gives employment to musicians, income to accommodation and food providers and to other areas of the creative industries. But the greater benefit is the opportunity to celebrate Gaelic culture and promote the language.”

Plans are already underway for Blas 2013 which will take place from 6 to 14 September. Among other events it is hoped to that there will be an appearance from one of Scotland’s foremost bands marking a significant anniversary next year.

Blas 2012 a’ coimhead chun na h-ath bhliadhn’ mar tha

Thàinig an t-ochdamh Fèis Blas gu crìch an Inbhir Nis air an deireadh sheachdain le cuirm shònraichte ann an Talla an Aodainn a chuir crioch air sia latha de chuirmean air leth air feadh na sgìre. Agus ‘s gann gu bheil an doras sin air dùnadh na tha sealladh air adhart bhon stairsnich gu 2013.

Tha e na chleachdadh a nis aig Fèisean Blas gu bheil a’ chuirm-chriochnachaidh na h-oidhche air leth, agus cha robh am bliadhna air chaochladh. A-measg na ghabh chun àrd-ùrlair bha an còmhlan Battlefield, Blazin’ Fiddles agus òigridh Fèis Rois. Mur biodh sin fhèoin son air togail a thoirt do dhaoine, chaidh sealladh eile fhaighinn air luchd na bainnse, a bha fhathast a’ rèiteach cuid de na ceistean is àmghairean, spòrs is fealla-dha a bh’air fhighe steach dhan Bhanais Ghàidhealach. Eadar a h-uile gnothach eile a chaidh a chur air adhart, chaidh aithris ionmholta a dhèanamh air coimisean fèis na bliadhna seo, a chaidh a dheisealachadh leis an t-seinneadair Maighread Stiùbhart.

A’ togail air fèis na bliadhn’-uiridh, fhuair Blas 2012 taic às-ùr bho bhuidhnean goistidheachd leithid RBS, Business Gateway agus a’ Cholaiste mun Iar. Fhuair an fhèis taic cuideachd bho bhuidnean poblach leithid Alba Chruthachail, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilan agus Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd, a tha air a bhith a’ cumail taic chun na Fèise grunn bhliadhnaichean.

Thuirt Stiùiriche Blas 2012 Donna NicRath: “Bha ceum an casan a h-uile duine aig Blas mar as àbhaist agus farum aig na bùird anns a h-uile talla. Tharraing sinn measgachadh air leth de thàlantan bho air feadh an t-saoghail, ach bha ar prìomh amas mar as àbhiast air fìor cheòl is òrain na Gàidhealtachd a chumail aig teis-mheadhain gach tachartas is àrd-ùrlar. Ged a tha cùisean air teannachadh orinn ann an iomadach dòigh thaobh staid an eaconamaidh agus gearraidhean eile, the e iongantach mar a chaidh againn air leithid de sheachdain a chruthachadh agus a lìbhrigeadh. Chan eil dearbhadh nas fheàrr againn air sin na an taic a fhuaras bhon luchd-amhairc. Cha ghabh luaidh a dhèanamh gu cothromach air Art MacCarmaig agus luchd-obrach Fèisean nan Gàidheal agus tha lìoradh nam Fèisean a-rithist air a bhith nan rionnagan ann an speuran nan ealan. Chuir sinn clàr air leth air adhart fad na seachdain agus tha mar a chaidh le gach tachartas air feadh na Gàidhealtachd, ach gu sònraichte leis a’ chuirm-chriochnachaidh na shàr thoileachas dhuinn uile.”

Bha Donna air leth moiteil as na rinneadh le cuirm no dha air an deach fèill air leth a bhuileachadh. “Chan fhaigh sinn moladh nas fheàrr an àite sam bith na daoine a bhith ag iarraidh ath-shealladh air cuirmean, agus an toirt gu àiteachan eile. Tha sin air tachairt mar tha a-thaobh na Bainnse Ghàidhealaich agus cuideachd “Eilean Fraoich” – far an robhas a’ luaidh beatha agus saoghal a’ Cheanadaich. Tha a h-uile dòchas again gun tèid dòigh a lorg airson an cur air adhart a-rithist. Agus aig deireadh an latha ‘s dòcha gur e an rud as mòtha a tha a’ toirt dhuinn de thoileachas gu bheil sinn air sruth eile de luchd-ciùil agus seinneadairean òga a leigeil ma sgaoil tro shaothair nam Fèisean. Sin a bhuannachd as mòtha a thàinig à Blas 2012.”

Rinn Ceannard Fèisean nan Gàidheal, Art MacCarmaig, moladh air a h-uile duine a bha an sàs ann am Blas 2012. Thuirt e: “Bha còmhlain, seinneadairean agus luchd-ciùil air leth againn, sgiobaidhean agus daoine aig àrd ìre anns na coimhearsnachdan a’ cur nan cuirmean air dòigh agus gam foillseachadh, sgioba air leth san oifis aig Donna NicRath agus sluagh a bha air am beò hlacadh leis na bha man coinneimh. Choilean sinn an teachd a-steach a bha a dhìth orinn, mar a tha sinn air a dhèanamh cha mhòr a h-uile bliadhna on a thòisich Blas a dh’aindeoin àmhghairean an eaconamaidh. Tha cosgais an lùib cuirmean mòra a chur air adhart ann an coimhearsnachdan beaga agus tha taic-airgid gu bhith a dhìth airson sin a dhèanamh. Tha sinn gu mòr an comain nam buidhnean maoineachaidh a tha a’ cumail taic thugainn, gu h-àraidh seach gu bheil gnothaichean gu math doirbh aig cuid dhiù iad fhèin. Tha iad ag aithneachadh gu bheil buannachdan ann dhan eaconamidh bho shaothair Blas, a tha a’ toirt obair do luchd-ciùil cho math ri teachd a-steach do thaighean- còmhnaidh agus ithe, agus do mheuran eile de na gnìomhachasan cruthachail. Ach tha a’ bhuaidh as motha a’ tighinn bho na cothroman a tha Blas a’ tairgse ar cultar a chomharrachadh agus aithneachadh, a’ cheart cho math ri bhith a’ brosnachadh agus a’ misneachadh dhaoine a-thaobh na Gàidhlig.

Thathas a-nis a’ coimhead air adhart gu Blas 2013 a bhios a’ dol air adhart bho 6 gu 14 Sultain. A-measg ghnothaichean eile, tha dùil gum bi còmhla ciùil ainmeil Albannach a’ comharrachadh ceann-latha shònraichte le bhith a’ tighinn chun na Fèise.

Source: Blas Festival