News > 2009

22 December 2009

2010 - THE YEAR OF GAELIC SONG

Mick MacNeil from Simple Minds and Scottish actor Alex Norton join Gaelic band Na h-Òganaich in new documentary for BBC ALBA’s ‘Year of Gaelic Song’

BBC ALBA and Radio nan Gàidheal are delighted to announce that they have dedicated 2010 as ‘Bliadhna nan Òran’ - the ‘Year of Gaelic Song’.

Throughout 2010 an unparalleled line-up of programmes featuring a wealth of Gaelic singing talent both from the archives and newly produced programmes will be broadcast on Radio nan Gaidheal and BBC ALBA. A dedicated website at www.bbcalba.co.uk will also offer contextual information about the song writers and performers, song lyrics and audio and video of many of the BBC's archive recordings.

The ‘Year of Gaelic Song’ on BBC ALBA starts with a documentary about the immensely successful Gaelic music trio Margaret MacLeod, Donnie MacLeod and Noel Eadie who formed the band Na h-Òganaich in the early 1970s. The documentary follows the group as they return to the studio to record their first CD after a 35 year break.

Na h-oganaich

Joining them as producer is Mick MacNeil, former keyboard player with the 80s Scottish rock band, Simple Minds. What kind of album will result from the fusion of these two very different backgrounds; will they follow the band’s 1970’s idiom or adopt a more contemporary style?

The programme provides exclusive interviews with Calum MacDonald from Runrig, Karen Matheson and Donald Shaw from Capercaille and Alex Norton, who long before he started his beat on Taggart, toured North America with Na h-Òganaich.

Na h-Òganaich dominated the Gaelic music scene during the 70’s and influenced the next generation of Gaelic bands, including Runrig and Capercaille. Three highly popular albums and extensive tours of America and Canada followed but the band hung up their guitars in 1975. Na h-Òganaich enjoyed a reputation second-to-none, and their impact on the development of the Gaelic music scene is still evident today. Indeed, in late 2009 the band received a lifetime award in the Trad Awards for their contribution to Gaelic music.

BBC ALBA will also be broadcasting two special programmes from Celtic Connections’ Jewels of the Ocean event from the Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow for transmission at the end of January as well as it being covered live on Radio nan Gàidheal.

Radio nan Gàidheal will be celebrating the ‘Year of Gaelic Song' from the first of January and throughout the whole of 2010 ’ with Oran an Là - The Song Of The Day. Each song will also be made available on the website which will create a fantastic bank of songs across the year. Oran an Là will reflect the riches of the BBC's archive of Gaelic song offering songs from across Scotland stretching from the earliest audio recordings to the present day to provide a diverse schedule of songs and singers, old and young.

Also on Radio nan Gàidheal, ‘Saturday Champions’ will feature guests who champion a song and share their passion and connection with their chosen song. The acclaimed musician Julie Fowlis, is the first champion who has nominated Moladh Uibhist, written by Ruaraidh Mackay and sung by Hugh Matheson.

Julie said: “It’s a great pleasure for me to be involved with Bliadhna nan Òran. Our Gaelic songs include some of the best examples of poetry in the world. They are the life-blood of our culture and history.”

Transmission details are as follows:
• BBC ALBA - Na h-Òganaich documentary on Friday 1st January at 9pm
• BBC ALBA - Celtic Connections ‘Jewels of the Ocean’ programmes on Saturday 23rd January and Saturday 30th January
• Radio nan Gàidheal - Oran an Là - The Song Of The Day each week day at 9.55am, 1.55pm and 9.55pm as well as 11.55pm on Fridays.
• Radio nan Gàidheal – Saturdays throughout 2010 will have a ‘Saturday Champions’ at 9.55am and again at 1.03pm.
• Radio nan Gàidheal - Wednesdays throughout 2010 will have a ‘Year of Song’ feature programme at 11.30am and 10pm including both unique archive programmes and new commissions