BBC ALBA and Radio nan Gàidheal’s schedules will keep audiences informed, educated and entertained during this unprecedented time with the services providing content in News, Education and Children’s output, Culture, Sport and Religion across platforms, to ensure audiences can access what they need, when they need it.
News: the news output across all Gaelic services, including online and on social media, is a vital service and the BBC’s news teams are working hard to ensure programming continues and key messages are easy to find and share.
From Monday the 30th March BBC ALBA’s An Là will include news and information from communities alongside a new, multiplatform short programme, A-staigh, which will share personal insights into how people across Scotland and beyond are managing social distancing and self-isolation.
On Radio nan Gàidheal, Aithris na Maidne will start the day at its regular time of 0730, handing over to Prògram Choinnich at 0830 to continue discussion on the topics of the day.
Education/Children’s: BBC ALBA is creating BBC iPlayer and YouTube playlists of Gaelic children’s and educational content in a convenient on-demand service. From tomorrow (31 March) box sets of children’s content will start appearing on BBC iPlayer, starting with a fabulous collection of Julia Donaldson animated adaptions. Updates on this will be shared on MG ALBA and BBC ALBA social media pages in the coming days.
Religion: BBC ALBA and Radio nan Gàidheal schedules will feature new religious content, as well as archive services. On Sundays from 29th March BBC ALBA will offer an hour of religious content from 1850-2000. The first archive service to be shown came from St Columba’s Cathedral in Oban led by the late Father Donald MacKay, and is now available on the iPlayer.
Sport: BBC ALBA and Radio nan Gàidheal, will continue to offer sports and entertainment programming. On Saturdays from 4th April at 1800, a series of highlights programmes with a focus on individual sports starts with a look at the world of Women’s Rugby. Radio nan Gàidheal’s award-winning Spòrs na Seachdain continues to offer lively, informed and wide-ranging discussion on sporting matters each Saturday morning at 0900. And BBC ALBA will feature distinctive coverage of fabulous ‘golden games’ from its back catalogue in coming weeks.
Culture: BBC ALBA’s new series Sofa Sessions will use technology to bring local and international artists together to perform for us from their homes. We’ll also be putting some of our best loved musical artists back on stage as Robert Robertson takes a dive into the archive.
BBC ALBA’s producers are working hard on the creation of new content in new and imaginative ways which will ensure that we keep you informed and entertained through the weeks and months to come.
Margaret Mary Murray, the BBC’s Head of Gaelic Services, said: “Working with our partners MG ALBA and producers across Scotland, we wish to ensure that our Gaelic services are responsive and flexible and offer the best possible range of services for audiences. Our priorities are that vital news is shared in a timely and effective manner, that we offer opportunities for spiritual reflection, that young audiences can find resources to inform and educate them and that we offer companionship, amusement and entertainment for all, as we stay at home.”
A total of 13 Gaelic programmes have been nominated from BBC ALBA and BBC Radio nan Gàidheal for the 2020 Celtic Media Festival awards.
Among the BBC ALBA nominations were Cèilidh na Bliadhn’ Ùire (the BBC ALBA Hogmanay ceilidh), FUNC (comedy sketch show) and Tha thu air Aigeann m’ Inntinn (animation about the Iolaire disaster).
BBC Radio nan Gàidheal has also been nominated for station of the year, whilst programmes including Bailtean fo Bhròn and Beag air Bheag are shortlisted for awards.
Iseabail Mactaggart, Director of Multiplatform Content at MG ALBA, the organisation that operates BBC ALBA in partnership with the BBC, said: “It’s great to see such distinctive Gaelic content being recognised. We know our audiences have loved these programmes and this recognition is hugely valuable. Congratulations to all.
The Celtic Media Festival this year takes place in Quimper in Brittany from 2-4 June.
The BBC ALBA programmes which have been shortlisted in 2020 are:
Animation
Tha thu air Aigeann m’ Inntinn (Produced by Am Bocsa)
Arts
Colin MacLeod, When it Kicks in (Produced by MacTV)
Children’s Programme
Lòn le Linda (Produced by BBC Gàidhlig)
Comedy
FUNC (Produced by The Woven Thread)
Entertainment
Cèilidh na Bliadhn’ Ùire (Produced by BBC Gàidhlig)
History
Gaisgich Òga an Dàrna Cogaidh (Produced by LOOKSFilms + Solus Productions)
In addition to its nomination in the Radio Station of the Year category, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal also has several programmes shortlisted across radio categories:
Radio Documentary
Bailtean fo Bhròn
Santa Maria III a’ Seòladh Dhachaigh
Radio Magazine Show
Beag air Bheag
Radio Music Programme (Live)
A’ Mìre ri Mòr aig a’ Mhòd
Sruth na Maoile
Radio Sports
Caley Thistle Inbhir Nis aig 25
Spòrs na Seachdain
MG ALBA has announced further additional content for BBC ALBA, including a new Canadian co-production planned for 2021.
Stornoway-based media company, MacTV, was successful in securing £28.5k in development funding for an ambitious international project with the working title Secrets in the Peat.
The Canada – Scotland Co-development Incentive for Television and Digital Media Content is funded by the Canada Media Fund and Highlands & Islands Enterprise (with support from Scottish Screen).
This follows an initial investment of £5k through the Celtic International Fund – backed by MG ALBA & TG4 – in late 2019.
Seumas Mactaggart, Head of Production & Development at MacTV, said:
“Agreements like this will assist MacTV’s aspirations for further growth, and to increase the scale of what we have already achieved through our extensive work with BBC ALBA, and our growing and successful international co-production collaborations.
“It will now allow us to create a strong, and comprehensive bespoke pitch package for Secrets in the Peat to take to the global market.”
MG ALBA, the organisation which operates BBC ALBA in partnership with the BBC also announced that international agreements have brought additional content to the value of £8 million for Scotland’s Gaelic-language channel.
The announcements were made to coincide with the visit of Deputy First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, to MG ALBA’s base in Stornoway. He said:
“This is welcome news and speaks volumes about the important work MG ALBA undertakes to support and promote the Gaelic language”.
The new content is the result of several years’ focused effort by MG ALBA and its supplier companies in developing global partnerships based on long-term deals with the broadcaster.
For BBC ALBA viewers, the deals mean new content that otherwise would have been unaffordable. For BBC ALBA’s innovative producers, it means growing international networks and the possibilities of further business in these territories, as well as their own domestic market.
Margaret Cameron, MG ALBA’s Channel Editor for BBC ALBA, said:
“Working with international partners allows us all to learn from one another and means BBC ALBA is more equipped to create new and even more ambitious projects, which will benefit our whole industry and ultimately our viewers.”
MacTV will now develop Secrets in the Peat along with Canadian production partner, Cineflix, based in Montreal, and it’s planned that the series will go into production in 2021.
The series will explore the ancient secrets of peatlands, and the special relationship that communities have with them.
This is the latest international success for the Stornoway based company who, along with the Welsh production company, Cwmni Da, co-produced the award-winning natural history & factual specialist series, An Làn / Tide. Funded by BBC Northern Ireland, S4C, BBC ALBA, TG4 and LIC China, Tide won a Silver Award at the prestigious China Dragon Awards in October 2019.
In November 2019, MacTV and Cwmni Da also announced a collaboration with Korean broadcaster JTV, and the partners from An Làn / Tide to produce a new series of documentaries. Rain Stories which will be co-produced along with Belfast based Below the Radar, with finance package and production planned for spring 2020 and broadcast on BBC ALBA in 2021.
MacTV have just delivered a series Thar na Loidhne / Crossing the Line looking at young up-and-coming rugby players in Ireland and Scotland and the growth in take up in the sport. Co-produced with Crawford McCann in Belfast with funding from MG ALBA, TG4 and the Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF), broadcast is on BBC ALBA is from 2/3/20 to coincide with the Women’s Six Nations Rugby Championships.
Ealasaid MacDonald, MG ALBA’s newly appointed Director of Strategy & External Affairs, said:
“MG ALBA has had an international vision for a number of years as part of our Lèirsinn strategy and this valuation of £8 million of original content demonstrates how successful we’ve been with that.”
TG4 is pleased to collaborate with BBC ALBA, to bring the annual awards ceremony and showcase of Traditional Irish Music, GRADAM CEOIL TG4, live to homes across Scotland and the UK for the first time. TG4’s Gradam Ceoil will be televised live on both on TG4 and BBC ALBA at 9:30pm on Sunday evening, from Belfast Waterfront Hall and will also be available as catch up on BBC iPlayer and worldwide on the TG4 player TG4.ie
TG4 Director General, Alan Esslemont, welcomed this collaboration between TG4 and BBC ALBA:
“As Ireland’s Irish language Public service broadcaster TG4 aims to extend the reach of TG4’s Irish language and cultural content to audiences worldwide. Our collaboration with BBC ALBA this year is an opportunity for Scottish and UK audiences to celebrate the best of traditional Irish music Live on the night.”
BBC ALBA Channel Editor Margaret Cameron said:
“BBC ALBA and TG4 have enjoyed a valued partnership on co-productions over the years but this is our first joint broadcast of a LIVE music event. And we look forward to bringing a lively night of traditional Irish music to audiences throughout the UK.”
TG4, the Irish language television channel is an independent statutory entity (Teilifís na Gaeilge). The channel has been on-air since late 1996. TG4 is a free-to-air channel, with a strong viewer base throughout the island of Ireland. It is currently the 6th most watched channel in Ireland, ahead of BBC 2 and Channel 4.
Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn, a community owned estate in the north west of Lewis, receives £1,000 to spend on equipment.
Louise Senior from Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn, said: “The young people who volunteered their time and energy to make the film showed such passion and we are so pleased to see their dedication recognised with an award. The whole process has been a real team effort so we will have to sit down and decide together how best to use the prize money.”
BBC ALBA, the Scottish Gaelic channel in the UK, is a partnership channel between MG ALBA and the BBC and has been operating since 2008.
Women lead the way in this year’s accolades, with ‘Musician of the Year’, ‘Young Musician of the Year’ and ‘Composer of the Year’ all set to be awarded to highly talented female musicians. Harper Laoise Kelly from Westport, Co. Mayo is this year’s TG4’s ‘Musician of the Year’ and is one of the youngest recipients of the main award to date. Fiddle and Cello player, Sharon Howley, from Kilfenora, Co. Clare has been selected as the 2019 Young Musician of the Year, having been immersed in traditional music from a young age with a rich musical lineage.
Lillis Ó Laoire, two-time winner of the premier sean-nós singing competition Corn Uí Riada in 1991 and again in 1994 is to be awarded the title of Singer of the Year.
The other award recipients are Lifetime Achievement Award to Séamus Connolly, Outstanding Contribution Award to Nenagh’s Ned Kelly and Composer of the Year to Josephine Marsh.
Gradam Ceoil is the premier annual traditional music awards scheme, with this year’s event set to be televised live on TG4 from Belfast on Sunday 23rd February thanks to support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund. Some of Ireland’s most notable stars from across music, film, sport and civic society will assemble in Belfast this weekend for the 2020 Gradam Ceoil music awards, taking place at the Waterfront Hall on Sunday 23rd February. The internationally acclaimed traditional Irish music award ceremony will welcome an array of prestigious guests including Line of Duty’s Adrian Dunbar, GAA Presidential Candidate Jarlath Burns and Minister for
Communities Deirdre Hargey. Trad sensation Beoga, who collaborated with Ed Sheeran for his 2017 chart topping hit ‘Galway Girl’ will also take to the stage alongside the 2020 award recipients for what is set to be the biggest Gradam Ceoil to date.
Beoga talked about their upcoming performance and return to Belfast:
“We are delighted to be involved in the 23rd annual Gradam Ceoil TG4 traditional music awards celebration. We are proud to be associated with such a prestigious event that celebrates highly-talented Irish and international musicians and we can’t wait to take to the wonderful Waterfront Hall stage on 23rd February.
“It is shaping up to be an incredible showing of the best in Irish traditional music, and we look forward to playing in Belfast on the night.”
For more information see www.gradam.ie or Facebook and Twitter @GradamCeoil @bbcalba #Gradam
A film highlighting the effects of climate change on the Scottish islands has picked up the Film Dùthchais (Community) award at this year’s prestigious Gaelic Short Film Competition (FilmG) ceremony in Glasgow.
AN DRÀSTA! (RIGHT NOW!), made by Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn (Galson Estate Trust) on the Isle of Lewis, features young people from across the Western Isles who have been involved in the recent Climate Strikes.
The film focuses on the effect that climate change will have on their own communities, and other communities across the world, and encourages people to get involved in Climate Change activism to make a difference.
Liam Crouse from Uist, who featured in the film, said: “The Western Isles are among the first areas in Scotland that will be affected by the steadily worsening conditions which climate change, and sea-level rise, will bring. Areas such as Am Bràigh in Lewis and Cille Pheadair in South Uist are extremely vulnerable to the more severe and more frequent extreme weather. AN-DRÀSTA helped to highlight this existential threat to politicians, islanders and the wider public.”
Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn, a community owned estate in the north west of Lewis, receives £1,000 to spend on equipment.
Louise Senior from Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn, said: “The young people who volunteered their time and energy to make the film showed such passion and we are so pleased to see their dedication recognised with an award. The whole process has been a real team effort so we will have to sit down and decide together how best to use the prize money.”
This year’s hotly contested People’s Choice award went to Staffin Primary School in Skye, who mounted a robust social media campaign to garner an impressive 1210 votes to come out on top. Their tongue-in-cheek tourism infomercial, Fàilte don Eilean, takes a practical but entertaining approach to advising tourists on how to behave when visiting the island.
Presenting the award was the Minister for Public Finance and Digital Economy, Kate Forbes MSP, who said: “It was great to attend the FilmG awards, an evening which showcased the great wealth of talent out there and which celebrates Gaelic storytelling and media skills. It was my pleasure to present the People’s Choice award to Staffin Primary School for their highly entertaining and original take on tourist advice.”
FilmG is run by MG ALBA and Skye-based media company Cànan Graphics Studio, to encourage the growth of Gaelic media talent. It has been running for 12 years, and has been the platform for many people now working within the Gaelic TV and film industry.
Cànan Graphics Studio Business Development Manager, Garry Noakes, said: “The judges were handed an unenviable task in choosing the winners from such a strong field of entries. Congratulations and kudos to all who took part in the film making process and have contributed to making FilmG 12 such a big success.”
Murdo MacSween, Communications Manager for MG ALBA, said: “FilmG is hugely influential, with films covering important topics but also injecting some fun into the process of how to create Gaelic content. The awards this year were fantastic in celebrating what the future of Gaelic media has to offer and I’m looking forward to seeing more and more from everyone who took part.”
Meabh NicChoinnich from South Uist, who stars in the film, was also shortlisted in the Best Performance category, but on the night the £200 prize went to joint winners, Euan MacDonald and Lachlan Peel, both from Edinburgh, for their performance in Lachlan’s film, Àrdan is Aineolas: Soidhnichean. Lachlan, a winner in last year’s competition, was also nominated in the Best Film and Best Student Film categories for his film, which takes a light hearted look at why the general public seem to get so upset by Gaelic signage.
The title of Best Film went to Shannon NicIlleathain of Tobermory, who scooped the £1,000 prize with her delightful documentary, Seònaid, which looks at the life of Janet MacDonald, who has spent her life supporting the Gaelic language on Mull. Shannon had also received a nomination in the Film Dùthchais as Fheàrr category.
Best Student Film, and the £1000 prize, was won by Joseph Flower of Dunbar for his film Sgiùradh, based on the traditional folk tale of the washer woman, but with a twist. Joseph himself doesn’t speak Gaelic, but his sister Izzy does, and she was nominated in the Best Performance category for her role in the film.
The Best Industry Director award went to Hamish MacLeòid of Glasgow for his spectacular climbing documentary, Aig an Oir, filmed on a rocky Ayrshire crag, the use of drone footage brilliantly showing the scale of the climb. Hamish’s film was also nominated in the Best Film category, but his Best Industry Director prize sees him win £2,500 to spend on equipment.
Winning a television production placement in the Highlands through HIE is Mara Drysdale of Lochcarron, after picking up the award for Most Promising Director. Her documentary Gualainn ri Gualainn traces the history of the Lochcarron shinty team and its importance within the community.
Best Mobile Short was won by last year’s winner of the same award, Eilidh NicIain from Dingwall, for her psychologically disturbing film Smuaintean an Diabhail, in which we see a young woman journey from sane to psychotic over the course of the film. Eilidh was also nominated for Best Performance for her own role in the film, and wins a placement on BBC’s The Social as her prize.
The only film to pick up two awards in this year’s competition featured in the Youth category and was made by Anndra Cuimeanach of Gairloch. Siùbhal gu Sear sees Anndra travel the breadth of Scotland on two wheels within a day, and was the recipient of Best Documentary and the Gaelic Award for Fluent Speakers.
This year’s award for Best Film in the Youth category was picked up by Culloden Academy in Inverness, for their surreal comedy, Eilean nam Muc, following one farmer’s attempts to produce a more humane black pudding.
Ardnamurchan High School in Acharacle, were the recipients of two awards for their two films in this year’s competition. The school received four nominations in total, but were the very worthy recipients of the FilmG International Representative award for their film Reòite, and the Gaelic Award for Learners for their film An Cuach, na h-Iuchraichean agus an Dron.
This year’s Best Young Filmmaker was Alice Gordon of Glasgow, with her cleverly made film An Losgann agus An Sgairp, which takes viewers on a thought-provoking journey into the darker side of vlogging. Alice was also nominated for Best Performance for her part in Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu’s (Glasgow Gaelic School)’s film Ar Solas.
And fellow Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu (Glasgow Gaelic School) pupil, Conor Galbraith, picked up the award for Best Performance for his entertaining portrayal of Detective John Reid in the school’s who-dun-nit police drama, Fo Chasaid Muirt.
The award for Best Production was won by Plockton High School in Wester Ross for their high crime drama, An Corp, which sees murder and suspicion on the west coast.
Isle of Lewis school, Sgoil an Rubha’s film Cuairt Cuimhne took home the award for Best Youth Group Film for their heartfelt story of how we can learn and support each other across the generations.
A programme with highlights of the FilmG 2020 awards ceremony at The Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow airs on BBC Alba on Friday, February 21st at 9pm.
MG ALBA is yet again one of the ‘Best Places to Work’ in television, according to one of the industry’s leading publications.
For a fifth consecutive year, Broadcast Magazine has named the key partner behind BBC ALBA as one of the top TV companies across the UK.
Committed to identifying and recognising the best employers in TV, Broadcast assesses companies on everything from leadership and planning to corporate culture, work environment, training and salaries.
MG ALBA has appeared on the list every year since inception in 2016, sharing that honour only with London-based production companies Shine TV and Dragonfly TV.
Firmly established as an industry leader, MG ALBA, the Gaelic broadcast service, employs almost 40 staff across sites in Stornoway, Glasgow and Inverness.
Primarily known as the partner organisation behind the Gaelic language service BBC ALBA, the organisation is also a key partner in LearnGaelic, a comprehensive online resource for the language, and FilmG, an annual Gaelic short film competition which this year attracted record entries.
The Broadcast magazine shortlist is compiled through independent research, with senior management and staff members at companies across the UK asked to give their views about their own organisation and its culture.
MG ALBA Chief Executive Donald Campbell says:
“MG ALBA is again recognised as an example of good practice in the media industry in both Scotland and the UK as a whole. Our commitment to staff wellbeing as well as to our audiences and communities creates great sense of togetherness and a culture that promotes creativity and talent.
“Gaelic media makes a big economic impact in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland in particular and creates hugely aspirational jobs. I’m so proud that MG ALBA has yet again been listed as one of the best places to work in TV and we will continue to work hard work to secure investment into Gaelic media and to serve our audiences.”
With a fantastic line-up of live sport and entertainment programmes, more than ever before, there’s something for everyone on BBC ALBA.
Presenters Joy Dunlop, Fiona MacKenzie and Mary Ann Kennedy come together to celebrate the best in music and entertainment programming over the coming weeks.
Music fans are in for a real treat this weekend with the talented Joy Dunlop co-hosting the ‘BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Final 2020’ with Bruce MacGregor, live from Glasgow’s City Halls. Six of Scotland’s best young musicians will perform live in the final of this prestigious competition on the final night of Celtic Connections 2020 and the winner will be announced on the night.
Competing for the title this year are singers Josie Duncan from the Isle of Lewis, Cameron Nixon from Aberdeen, along with accordionist Pàdruig Morrison from Uist, whistle and pipes player Ali Levack from Dingwall, Perthshire fiddle player Mhairi Mackinnon and Aberdeenshire musician Calum McIlroy who sings, plays mandolin and guitar.
BBC Radio Scotland and BBC ALBA will broadcast the event simultaneously at 5.05pm on Sunday, February 2.
Fiona MacKenzie brought the best of the Celtic Connections festival to BBC ALBA in her live chat-show ‘Nochd’. The final episode airs on Saturday, February 1 and the whole series is available to view on BBC iPlayer.
The established Celtic Connections music series, ‘Seirm‘, starts on Saturday, February 8. Presented by Mary Ann Kennedy, this is filmed before an audience at the Arches in Glasgow and features lively performances from the best of the festival.
Look out for more live sport on BBC ALBA with the eagerly anticipated Women’s Six Nations Rugby, presented by Iona Whyte, starting on Sunday, February 2 with Ireland v Scotland.
Scotland v England takes place on Saturday, February 9 at Scotstoun in Glasgow and Italy v Scotland on Sunday, February 23, Scotland v France on Saturday, March 4 and Wales v Scotland on Sunday, March 15.
BBC ALBA will also broadcast the SPFL Challenge Cup games – Partick Thistle v Raith Rovers on Friday, February 14 and Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Rangers Colts on Sunday, February 16, followed by the final at the end of March.
Iseabail Mactaggart, Director of Multiplatform Content at MG ALBA, which operates BBC ALBA in partnership with the BBC, said:
“BBC ALBA has been so successful with regards to live programming.
“For example, our hugely popular Hogmanay Ceilidh each year and our coverage of major sporting events such as the Women’s World Cup last year and the Women’s Six Nations for two years now and, of course, our fantastic music content. People watch BBC ALBA to see things they can’t watch anywhere else.”
MG ALBA (the Gaelic Media Service) has announced the appointment of Ealasaid MacDonald to the post of Director of Strategy & External Affairs.
The newly created post will take a leading role in nurturing important stakeholder relationships and in developing a renewed Lèirsinn (Vision) with partners for the future of Gaelic media. The post will also take a lead role in proposing and delivering strategies for transformation as MG ALBA and its partners face increasing levels of challenge and opportunity in the media sector.
Ealasaid will take up the role in Stornoway, starting on 27 January.
Originally from Eriskay and South Uist, Ealasaid previously worked in policy for Renfrewshire Council and has been living and working in the Isle of Lewis for the past five years, working as a freelance policy and public affairs consultant.
Donald Campbell, Chief Executive of MG ALBA, said: “This is a time of unprecedented change for us. Ealasaid will be a fantastic addition to our senior management team and we’re excited that she is joining us to help make the most of the opportunities ahead of MG ALBA and the Gaelic media sector in the near future.”
Voting is now open for this year’s entries into FilmG Gaelic Short Film Competition
There were a record-breaking number of entries for this year’s Gaelic Short Film Competition, FilmG, and they are all available now to watch online.
A massive 103 entries were submitted in total, including 23 films to the open category, 75 films made by young people aged 5-18, and five scripts.
The competition is now well-established in schools and with Gaelic speakers and filmmakers across the country.
Voting for The People’s Choice Award is open until the end of January.
Shortlists chosen by a panel of media professionals will be announced in January and their winners will be unveiled at the Awards Ceremony on 14 February 2020.
Each year, FilmG encourages aspiring filmmakers to show off their talent and creativity. This year filmmakers were tasked with making films relating to the theme “Treòraich,” which means guide or lead.
Eilidh Rankin, FilmG Project Manager, said: “It’s been a joy to go through this year’s entries. We are delighted to see numbers growing year on year – a sign that the competition is increasing in popularity.
“It’s also really exciting to see such a breadth of topics and genres being covered, and the overall quality of the films is so high.
“It’s great to see familiar faces returning to our screens, as well as new talent coming to the fore.”
Project Funders MG ALBA were also delighted at the standard of entries, and Communications Manager, Murdo MacSween, said:
“It’s great that FilmG continues to grow and it’s really inspiring to see funny, dramatic, fascinating content made in Gaelic with such enthusiasm!
“FilmG is a fantastic route to get noticed and to lay a marker for the future and as an industry it’s encouraging to see so many come through FilmG to a career in Gaelic media.”
Many Glasgow and Edinburgh based filmmakers took part including industry entrant, Glasgow-based freelance filmmaker Hamish MacLeod.
His documentary film Aig an Oir (The Edge) follows Lochalsh-born climber Kenny Rankin as he takes on a renowned route in Ayrshire, and ex-pupil of Greenfaulds High School in Cumbernauld, filmmaking student Tommy Hammond’s documentary film, celebrates the work of two influential Gaelic teachers in his old school.
Primary schools in the area showed an interest as well, with Condorrat in Cumbernauld and Mount Cameron (East Kilbride) primaries taking part and Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghleann Dail on Glasgow’s South Side who have had a film club running in order to make their film An Coidse (The Coach).
Edinburgh entrants have also been creative across the youth and open categories, with Queen Margaret University student Cara Turner exploring a world where guidance on all of life’s issues comes at the touch of a button in her drama film, EFFY. While Napier student Joseph Flower’s film Sgiùradh (Scrubbing), follows a washing woman who has secret powers, as she quietly solves problems for her neighbours.
Pupils at James Gillespie’s High School, also in Edinburgh, made a film as part of the FilmG Workshops process, and two independent entries including a comedy based at a tea-making championship.
In the Highlands and Islands, comedy was popular this year. Kilmuir Drama Club in north Skye adapted a stage play for screen in Bùth nan Èisg (The Fish Market) which follows a cheekily-named proprietor, and a variety of weird and wonderful staff and customers as they go about their business.
Advanced Higher S2 pupils at Stornoway’s Nicolson Institute made a film called Holiday Inn-tinneach which sees holidaymakers arrive at Lewis’ answer to Fawlty Towers, while Gaelic learners in Culloden Academy in Inverness made a film about an old man who comes up with an innovative solution to a shortage of black pudding.
Some of the high schools have taken a supernatural or historical slant on the theme, including Ardnamurchan High School (near Fort William) where fluent speakers made a sci-fi film Reòite! (Frozen) which sees science whizz John invent a machine that can stop time, only for it to land in the wrong hands.
Dingwall Academy, Inverness, created a drama film with influential characters from Scotland’s past while Citadel High School in Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada, took part for the first time with a film based on a traditional Cape Breton tale.
The newly-introduced award for Best Documentary in the youth category has been popular too.
Fluent speakers at Castlebay High School (Isle of Barra) made a film Tìr a’ Gheallaidh (Land of Promise) which tells the little-known story of the Annie Jane, a ship which was wrecked off the coast of Vatersay in 1853 with 450 passengers, mostly emigrants, on board.
Independent filmmakers have explored a variety of topics within the documentary genre, as well as making drama, comedy, and animation-based films.
Visit www.filmg.co.uk to see this year’s entries.
‘Peatlemania’ will be in full flow this New Year on BBC ALBA with the popular band Peat & Diesel appearing as one of the headline acts on the channel’s Hogmanay Ceilidh programme, which will broadcast live from Motherwell.
The Stornoway-based band have taken the Highland music scene by storm this year after they went viral on facebook with their Hebridean themed songs and won the award for best Live Act at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2019.
Peat & Diesel sold out their upcoming Barrowlands gig in January within hours, leading to a second date announced at the iconic Glasgow venue, as well as their 2020 UK and Ireland tours. A huge feat considering their grassroots origins playing in kitchens, barns and pubs on the Isle of Lewis just last year.
Cèilidh Na Bliadhn’ Ùire 2019 will be broadcast live from Motherwell Concert Hall in Lanarkshire, and hosted by popular BBC ALBA stalwarts Cathy Macdonald and Niall Iain Macdonald.
Motherwell’s name originates from an ancient water source in the area, ‘Tobar na Màthar’, which translated from Gaelic means the ‘Mother’s Well’.
Lanarkshire has strong links with Gaelic, including Gaelic-medium education provision from nursery all the way to secondary and the Cumbernauld Gaelic Choir is a regular winner at the Royal National Mod.
This year’s Hogmanay programme offers an array of stunning Gaelic singers and musicians providing ceilidh craic to take viewers and listeners through the bells and into 2020.
Also performing live on the night is Mànran, who celebrate 10 years together in 2020 and will be joined by singer – Kim Carnie in her first TV appearance as part of the band.
Other acts include the Glenfinnan Ceilidh Band, renowned Gaelic singer Margaret Stewart and Scotland’s first ever entry to a Eurovision content, the Alba Choir, conducted by BBC Weather presenter Joy Dunlop.
Hosts Cathy and Niall Iain are popular in Scottish broadcasting. Cathy presents the Royal National Mod coverage and hosts her own radio shows whilst Niall Iain this year presented live from the TRNSMT festival on BBC ALBA and live from Belladrum festival on both BBC ALBA and BBC Scotland on the same nights!
Niall Iain Macdonald said: “We are really looking forward to raising a glass at the bells with the BBC ALBA viewers and Radio nan Gàidheal listeners and bringing in the New Year in style.
“Cathy and I love being in amongst it all and it’s hard not to forget that we are there to work and just join in the dancing with everyone else.
“It’s going to be a great night in Motherwell and we can’t wait to get the ceilidh going.
“Tune in live to the ceilidh and raise a glass with us at the bells as we bid farewell to the old year and welcome in the New Year.”
Cèilidh Na Bliadhn’ Ùire 2019 airs on BBC ALBA on Tuesday, December 31 from 11.30pm to 1.30am, on Radio nan Gàidheal and is available on BBC iPlayer and worldwide via bbc.co.uk/alba
