On the eve of the shinty world’s day of days, the Camanachd Cup Final, and the centenary of the Great War, Blas 2013 will pay tribute to its sporting heroes, many of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice. This musical extravaganza, along with a visual romp through the 117 years of shinty’s competitive championship history is the first event of the Blas 2013 programme to be formally launched.

Shinty’s Heroes Musical Director, Gary Innes (himself a hero) and wordsmith, Hugh Dan MacLennan (who always wanted to be a hero), will inform, entertain and surprise at the Nevis Centre, Fort William on Friday , September 13. Amongst the stellar list of guests are Skye’s Donnie Munro, Duncan Chisholm from Cannich, Duncan MacGillivray from Easter Ross, Allan Henderson, Iain MacFarlane and the one and only Fergie MacDonald – all from various parts of Lochaber.

The first half of the programme will revolve round the impact of the First World War on shinty- playing areas. Hugh Dan will provide an audio-visual display detailing some of the exploits of Highland Heroes at battles such as Festubert in 1915 through a combination of war-time and sporting images, many of which have been unseen before.

He said: “The starting point of our journey is really the unique success of the Lovat and Beauly teams who allegedly combined to win the Camanachd Cup in 1913. We’ll celebrate that remarkable event and then follow a couple of the Beauly players who went to War and left us a remarkable pipe tune which we will play on the evening. There are extraordinary tales to tell and on the eve of shinty’s greatest day out, it’s singularly appropriate that we mark the shinty player’s and the shinty community’s contribution to the Great War. And the impact that had on the game.”

Musical Maestro Gary Innes will mastermind the musical aspects of the event, and is confident the success of “Lochaber Gold” two years ago will be repeated. “I cannot think of a better way to launch Shinty’s Heroes than be here at the Commando Memorial in my home village of Spean Bridge. I am delighted that so many top musicans from the shinty-playing areas, each with a connection to shinty teams, will be joining us. It promises to be a remarkable evening and we are sure it will sell out as it will be the start of a perfect weekend for shinty fans throughout Scotland.”

Hugh Dan and Gary were joined for the launch of Shinty’s Heroes at the Commando Memorial by the one and only Fergie MacDonald, formerly a trainer of Fort William shinty club and most recently occupied producing his latest musical accomplishment, the song “The Shinty Referee” recently released as a single.

All three assisted Camanachd Association President Archie Robertson make the draw for the quarter finals of the Scottish Hydro Camananchd Cup. Archie added: “The Camanachd Association is delighted to again partner with the Blas Festival. It is a great event which celebrates many aspects of Highland culture and it seems very appropriate that the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final should be part of it. The content and array of performers included in Hugh Dan and Gary’s show, “Shinty’s Heroes”, leaves me in no doubt that it will be an excellent evening and a perfect start to the cup final weekend as those who paid the ultimate sacrifice during the Great War are remembered.”

Shinty’s Heroes will take place at the Nevis Centre, Fort William on Friday, September 13, 2013 at 7.30pm.

The formal launch of the Blas 2013 Festival Programme will take place at Eden Court Theatre Inverness on Thursday, June 13.

Gaelic version

Curaidhean na Camanachd le urram aig Blas 2013

Thèid an ceangal eadar saoghal na camanachd agus na thachair anns a’ Chogadh Mhòr a chomharrachadh aig cuirm shònraichte mar phàirt de dh’Fhèis Blas 2013. Air an oidhche mas tèid cuairt dheireannach Cupa na Camanachd a chluich anns a’ Ghearasadan am bliadhna (Dihaoine 13 Sultain) thèid na thachair a chomharrachadh tro chuirm le dealbhan, ceòl agus sgeulachdan. Chaill mòran a bha rio camanachd am beatha anns a’ Chiad Chogadh agus bha buaidh aig na thachair air grunn choimhearsnachdan Gàidhealach. Bidh Curaidhean na Camanachd a’ coimhead air sin agus làithean mòra eile anns na cuairtean deireannach tro eachdraidh faisg air 120 bliadhna na farpais.

Seo a’ chiad chuirm de Bhlas 2013 a th’air fhoillseachadh, le Stiùiriche a’ chiùil Gary Innes agus fear-an-taighe Ùisdean MacIllInnein a’ lìbhrigeadh oidhche a bhios air leth. A-measg na bhios air an àrd-ùrlar còmhla riutha bidh sàr luchd-ciùil agus seinneadairean, uile le ceangal ri sgìrean no sgiobaidhean camanachd, leithid Donaidh Rothach bhon Eilean Sgitheanach, Dunnchadh Siosal bho Channich, Dunnchadh MacGilleBhrath, am Pìobaire bho thaobh sear Rois, Ailean MacEanruig, Iain MacFàrlain agus cò eile ach Fergie Dòmhnallach, uile a’ riochdachadh diofar cheàrnaidhean de Lochabar.

Thèid a’ chiad earrann dhen oidhche a chur seachad a’ sealltainn mar a thug an Cogadh Mòr buaidh air sgìrean agus ginealach gan sgrios, leithid ann am boglaich na Frainnge. Thèid dealbhan (gu leòr nach fhacas leis a’ mhòr-shluagh roimhe seo), a shealltainn a nì ceangal eadar na thachair ann an leithid Blàr Festubert ann an 1915 agus mar a chaidh uibhir de bhalaich òga an Eilein Sgitheanaich a mharbhadh an sin agus nach do thìll.

Thuirt Uisdean: “Tha sinn a’ dol a thòiseachadh le mar a thachair 100 bliadhna air ais nuair thàinig sgiobaidhean Lòbhat agus a’ Mhanachain còmhla agus bhuinnig iad an cupa ann an 1913. Bha feadhainn san sgioba sin nach do thill ach a dh’fhàg pìobaireachd àraid againn a’ cuimhneachadh air a’ ghèam. Tha iomadach sgeulachd ri h-innse, duilich is àmhghaireach gu leòr dhiù, ach ‘s math an cur air beulaibh dhaoine agus iad a’ cruinneachadh dhan Ghearasdan an ath latha son Là Mòr na Camanachd. Cha bu chùir do dhuine na thachair a dhiochuimhneachadh.”

Tha Gary Innes làn chinnteach gun tèid cho math leis an oidhche sa chaidh le cuirm eile a chaidh a chumail ann an Ionad Neibheis mar phàirt de Bhlas 2011 – “Òr Lochabair”. Thuirt e: “Cha b’urrainn dhuinn àite nas iomchaidh a thaghadh airson na cuirme fhoillseachadh an seo aig Carragh-chuimhne Dhrochaid an Aonachainn anns a’ bhaile far an do thogadh mi fhèin. Tha mi air leth toilichte gu bheil uibhir de shàr luchd-ciùil air aontachadh tighinn chun na cuirme, uile le ceangal fa-leth ri sgirean camanachd. ‘S e oidhche shònraichte a bhios ann le spòrs is fealla-dha a-measg a h-uile càil eile, agus tha mi cinnteach gum falbh na tiocaidean leis a’ ghaoith agus daoine gu bhith dol chun ghèaim mhòir an ath latha.”

Còmhla ri Gary agus Ùisdean a’ foillseachadh Curaidhean na Camanachd bha Fergie Dòmhnallach a bhios e fhèin a’ gabhail an àrd-ùrlair. Bha iad le chèile a’ cuideachadh ann a bhith a’ tarraing an ath chuairt de chupa na Camanachd aig a’ Charragh Chuimhne.

Thuirt Ceann-Suidhe Chomann na Camanachd Eàirdsidh Robasdan: “Tha sinn air leth toilichte a bhith ag obair còmhla ri Fèisean nan Gàidheal a’ cur air adhart Blas 2013. Tha e air leth freagarrach gun rachadh cuirm mar seo a chumail an co-cheangal ri là mòr na camanachd. Tha an luchd-ciùil agus an dreach a chuireas Ùisdean agus Gary air an oidhche air leth tarraingeach agus tha mi deimhinne gun tèid na gnothaichean uabhasach a thachair sa Chogadh a chomharrachadh dhan h-uile duine a bhios a’ cruinneachadh dhan Ghearasdan.”

Bidh Curaidh na Camanachd ann an Ionad Neibheis anns a’ Ghearsadan, oidhche h-Aoine, Sultain 13, aig 7.30 feasgar. Thèid am program slàn airson Fèis Blas 2013 fhoillseachadh ann an Inbirnis air Diardaoin, 13 Ògmhios.

Source: Fèisean nan Gàidheal