NOLLAIG BHO NA H-EILEANAN – AN ISLES CHRISTMAS
ECUMENICAL CHRISTMAS SERVICE ON BBC ALBA
24 December, 11pm, 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.