11 December 2008
NOLLAIG BHO NA H-EILEANAN – AN ISLES CHRISTMAS
ECUMENICAL CHRISTMAS SERVICE ON BBC ALBA
A special Gaelic Christmas event, Nollaig bho na h-Eileanan, An Isles Christmas, will be broadcast on BBC ALBA, with an ecumenical service from St Peters Church, Daliburgh Isle of South Uist.
Leading the event will be Father Roddy MacAuley, with prayers and readings from the Reverend John Smith of the Church of Scotland and Reverend Iain MacAskill of the Free Church.
Acclaimed soloists Julie Fowlis, Margaret Stewart and Paul McCallum are accompanied by local group The Flying Fiddles and young musicians from Lews Castle College, Benbecula. Sgoil Lionacleit's senior choir and the Daliburgh congregation sing favourite Gaelic carols, as piper Iain MacDonald welcomes in Christmas Day.
The programme will also feature local community activities in the run up to the festive period including Iochdar Primary School pupils filling shoe boxes with Christmas essentials for the needy overseas and primary one and two pupils at Daliburgh Primary School performing a Gaelic Nativity Play.
A Christmas Dinner held with the residents of Sacred Heart House, Daliburgh, and a visit to the drop-in centre at An Caladh for former alcohol and drug addicts will also form part of the programme.
Nollaig bho na h-Eileanan, An Isles Christmas was produced by Eyeline Media Production for BBC ALBA.
The service will be transmitted on BBC ALBA on Christmas Eve, Wednesday 24 December at 23:00 and again on Christmas Day, Thursday 25 December at 16:20.
Picture caption: (left to right) Performers at the service include Margaret Stewart, Paul McCallum and Julie Fowlis.
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For further information please call Lorna Inglis or Ramsay Smith at Media House on 0141 220 6040 or email: lorna@mediahouse.co.uk / ramsay@mediahouse.co.uk
Notes to editors:
MG ALBA, in partnership with the BBC, has launched BBC ALBA, which is available on Sky channel 168 and on Freesat channel 110. BBC ALBA is expected to become available on cable in due course. Subject to review by the BBC Trust, BBC ALBA will become available on Freeview after digital switchover in 2010. More information on BBC ALBA can be had online at www.bbcalba.co.uk.
MG ALBA and the BBC have established a partnership to deliver digital television, radio and online services in Gaelic. BBC ALBA is broadcast under a BBC licence. To find out more about how the partnership works visit www.mgalba.com
MG ALBA is the operating name of Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig (Gaelic Media Service), which is funded by the Scottish Government and regulated by Ofcom. MG ALBA stands for Meadhanan Gàidhlig Alba, or Gaelic Media Scotland.