BBC ALBA and the Camanachd Association have announced details of the five shinty games to be broadcast live on BBC ALBA. 

The package of five live televised shinty games over the summer months will cover a series of cup finals taking place throughout June 2009, July 2009 and August 2009.

The specific games selected for live coverage are:

•           MacTavish Cup Final, Bught Park, Inverness      

            Sat 13th June 2009 – throw up time 4pm

•           Marine Harvest Clash of the Camans Final, An Aird, Fort William    

            Sat 20th June 2009 – throw up time 5.30pm 

•           Glasgow Celtic Society Cup Final, Old Anniesland Glasgow         

            Sat 27th June 2009 – throw up time 4pm

•           Balliemore Cup Final, Playing Fields, Bute         

            Sat 18th July 2009 – throw up time 4pm

•           The Aberdein Considine' Sutherland Cup Final, Playing Fields, Cannich   

            Sat 1st August 2009 – throw up time 4pm

Alan Esslemont, head of content for BBC ALBA, said: “Live television coverage of five of the main highlights throughout the shinty season is a tremendous sports package. We are delighted to provide such an attractive sports offering, allowing shinty fans throughout the country to enjoy, from the comfort of their own home, their favourite teams as they compete at grounds throughout the country.”

Donald Stewart, Director (Communications) for the Camanachd Association said: "This historic agreement will significantly raise the profile of our indigenous sport and provide new exposure for players at junior level which in turn, will help to improve the status and attractiveness of shinty to the youth of Scotland.”

The live coverage of these matches is in addition to BBC Scotland’s live broadcasting of the Camanachd Cup Final and the BBC ALBA “Lean gu Dluth” – which means Follow Closely – programmes which take the form of a documentary for the first episode followed by a studio debate in the second episode.

The first episode of Lean gu Dluth will be shown on Friday 5 June 2009 at 9pm. This documentary will follow the memories of shinty journalist and historian Hugh Dan MacLennan and includes filming from Pairc nan Laoch, Portree. This programme will be repeated on Saturday 6 June 2009 at 8pm.

The second episode of Lean gu Dluth will be shown on Friday 12 June 2009 at 9pm. This programme takes the form of a studio debate where a panel - including Skye Camanachd's Donnie Martin and Somhairle MacDonald - will discuss Camanachd Cup Finals from years gone by. This programme will be repeated on Saturday 13 June 2009 at 8pm.

BBC ALBA is a partnership between the BBC and MG ALBA, the Gaelic Media Service and is available on Sky channel 168 and on Freesat channel 110.