Two of BBC ALBA’s television highlights over the festive period will feature “Curaidhean na Camanachd - Shinty’s Heroes” which was one of the outstanding successes of this year’s Blas Festival.
On the eve of the shinty world’s day of days, the Camanachd Cup Final, and the centenary of the Great War, Blas 2013 saluted its sporting heroes, many of whom paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Shinty’s Heroes was staged by Musical Director Gary Innes and shinty historian Hugh Dan MacLennan at the Nevis Centre, Fort William on Friday 13 September 2013 and filmed for BBC ALBA by Bees Nees Production company from Glasgow.
Amongst the stellar list of guests are the renowned fiddler Duncan Chisholm from Cannich, master piper Duncan MacGillivray from Easter Ross, singers Norrie MacIver and Kathleen MacInnes, along with Allan Henderson, Iain MacFarlane and the one and only Fergie MacDonald – all from various parts of Lochaber. The cast also features representatives of the current armed forces shinty team and their piping Padre.
The first programme, to be broadcast on BBC ALBA on Sunday 29 December 2013 at 8.30pm, “Shinty heroes”, revolves around the impact of the First World War on shinty-playing areas and in particular 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. Anne-Mary Paterson from Beauly makes a notable contribution with her moving family connection to the Beauly Club.
Hugh Dan MacLennan said, “The starting point of our journey is really the unique success of the Beauly team which won the Camanachd Cup in 1913. We 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 Duncan MacGillivray played on the evening. There are extraordinary tales to tell and on the eve of shinty’s greatest day out, it was singularly appropriate that we marked 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 masterminded the musical aspects of the event, and is behind the news that the show will be repeated in a slightly different form at this year’s Celtic Connections in the Mitchell Theatre on Sunday 2 February 2013.
He said: “I am delighted that so many top musicians from the shinty-playing areas, each with a connection to shinty teams, joined us for the show. It was a remarkable evening in the Nevis Centre and the start of a perfect weekend for shinty fans throughout Scotland. I am really pleased now to confirm that we are able to take the show to Glasgow and Celtic Connections.”
The second television programme, and hour of highlights from the Fort William show will be broadcast on BBC ALBA on Saturday 4 January 2013 at 9pm.
Details of repeat transmissions can be found in BBC ALBA schedules.
Thèid an ceangal eadar saoghal na camanachd agus na thachair anns a’ Chogadh Mhòr a chomharrachadh ann an dphrògram sònraichte air BBC ALBA thar na lìthean a that romhainn. Bidh a’ chiad tè: “Curaidhean na Camanachd” ga craoladh aig 2030, oidhche Shathairne (29mh).
Chaidh na prògraman a chlàradh aig cuirm shònraichte mar phàirt de dh’Fhèis Blas 2013, air an oidhche mas deach cuairt dheireannach Cupa na Camanachd a chluich anns a’ Ghearasadan , (Dihaoine 13 Sultain). Chaill mòran a bha ri camanachd am beatha anns a’ Chiad Chogadh agus bha buaidh aig na thachair air grunn choimhearsnachdan Gàidhealach. Tha Curaidhean na Camanachd a’ coimhead air sin agus ga chomharrachadh tro chuirm le dealbhan, ceòl agus sgeulachdan.
A-measg na bh’ air an àrd-ùrlar còmhla ri Stiùiriche a’ chiùil Gary Innes agus fear-an-taighe Ùisdean MacIllInnein bha sàr luchd-ciùil agus seinneadairean, uile le ceangal ri sgìrean no sgiobaidhean camanachd, leithid Norrie MacIomhair à Leodhas, 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’ tòiseachadh le mar a thachair 100 bliadhna air ais nuair a bhuinnig sgioba a’ Mhanachain 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.”
Thuirt Gary Innes: “Tha mi air leth toilichte gun tàinig uibhir de shàr luchd-ciùil chun na cuirme, uile le ceangal fa-leth ri sgirean camanachd. 'S e oidhche shònraichte a bh’ann ann le spòrs is fealla-dha a-measg a h-uile càil eile, agus tha mi cuideachd a nis toilichte innse gu bheil a’ chuirm gu bhith dol air adhart a-rithist aig Feis Cheilteach Ghlaschu air Là na Sàbaid Gearran 2 ann an leabhar-lann Mhitchell.”
Thèid an dàrna program a chraoladh Disathairne, Faoilleach 4mh aig 2100, son fad uair a shìde.