Fèis Blas Air-loidhne a’ faighinn moladh mòr 

Cllr Calum Munro, Chair Gaelic Committee

Cllr Allan Henderson, Vice Chair Gaelic Committee

Tha Buill Chomataidh na Gàidhlig aig Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd air moladh mòr a dhèanamh air lìbhrigeadh soirbheachail Fèis Blas air-loidhne le Fèisean nan Gàidheal.

’S e com-pàirteachas eadar Fèisean nan Gàidheal agus Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd a th’ ann am Blas, agus tha an fhèis a’ faighinn taic cuideachd bho Alba Chruthachail, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd is nan Eilean agus feadhainn eile.

Ann an 2020, air sgàth galar mòr-sgaoilte a’ choròna-bhìorais, b’ fheudar an fhèis a chumail air-loidhne. Thairis air 11 latha, chaidh prògram sgoinneil de chonsairtean, chèilidhean, bhùithtean-obrach is òraidean a chur air dòigh gus ceòl, òrain, cànan is cultar na Gàidhealtachd a chomharrachadh.

Chaidh 23 tachartas a lìbhrigeadh, agus 16 bùth-obrach san do ghabh 219 neach com-pàirt.

Ann an aithisg le Oifigear Leasachaidh Gàidhlig na Comhairle, chaidh mìneachadh gur e fìor dheagh eisimpleir a th’ ann am Blas a thaobh mar a thathar a’ cleachdadh na Gàidhlig taobh a-staigh fèise, ag àrdachadh ionnsachadh a’ chànain agus a’ brosnachadh deagh ìomhaigh a thaobh cànan na Gàidhlig.

Chomharraich an aithisg gun robh Fèisean nan Gàidheal a’ tuairmse gun robh buaidh eaconamach aig Blas 2020 luach £250,000. Bha seo a’ gabhail a-steach cosnadh do 125 neach-ciùil, 11 oide bhùithtean-obrach, 13 neach fèin-fhastaichte a’ tabhann eòlas teicnigeach; com-pàirteachas co-òrdanaiche pàirt-ùine agus cunnradair pàirt-ùine airson nam meadhanan sòisealta/dàimh phoblaich; teachd-a-steach do ghrunn aitreabhan, àiteachan-fuirich agus ionadan-bìdh air feadh na Gàidhealtachd.

Tha mion-sgrùdadh a’ sealltainn gun deach coimhead an toiseach air na tachartasan a bha air an sruthadh air-loidhne faisg air 30,000 turas, le daoine air feadh an t-saoghail. Tha na h-àireamhan seo air àrdachadh gu còrr is 55,550 sealladh agus sin a’ sealltainn gu bheil soirbheachas agus iarrtas airson Blas a’ sìor leantainn.

Thuirt Cathraiche Chomataidh na Gàidhlig, An Comhairliche Calum Rothach: “B’ e fèis thlachdmhor is shoirbheachail dha-rìribh a bh’ ann am Blas san t-Samhain a chaidh seachad. Cheannaich mo theaghlach fhèin tiogaid ràithe agus chòrd e glan rinn a bhith ga coimhead còmhla, gu h-àraid seach gun robh taobh Gàidhlig na fèise cho làidir. B’ urrainn dhan chloinn as sine againn coimhead air luchd-ciùil a’ bruidhinn mun cuid ciùil is mun cuid faireachdainnean anns a’ Ghàidhlig agus bha sin sgoinneil. Bha obair Fèis nan Tallachan Beaga SEALL san Eilean Sgitheanach na pàirt fìor shoirbheachail de Bhlas cuideachd. Uile gu lèir, bha an fhèis air-loidhne soirbheachail dha-rìribh agus a’ ruigsinn luchd-amhairc fada na b’ fharsainge na an àbhaist.”

Cuideachd, thuirt An Comhairliche Ailean MacEanraig, a bha air ùr chur an dreuchd mar Iar-Cathraiche Chomataidh na Gàidhlig: “Bha Blas air thoiseach a thaobh nam fèisean a’ dol air-loidhne ri linn Covid. Chaidh leasanan ionnsachadh a thaobh a bhith a’ lìbhrigeadh fèis air-loidhne, ach bha e math dha-rìribh faicinn gum b’ urrainnear seo a dhèanamh. Fhuair mise tiogaid ràithe airson Blas mar thìodhlac Nollaige agus bha luach air leth na lùib. Tha mi fìor mhisneachail mun dòigh san deach Blas a chur air-loidhne agus cha bhiodh dragh sam bith orm ged a dh’fheumadh an fhèis a dhol air adhart air-loidhne san àm ri teachd nam biodh suidheachadh Covid a’ ciallachadh nach b’ urrainn dhan fhèis a dhol air adhart beò. Is math a rinn Fèisean nan Gàidheal ann a bhith a’ cur Blas air dòigh air-loidhne agus ann a bhith a’ ruigsinn luchd-amhairc cho mòr.”

Virtual Blas hailed a huge success

The highly successful virtual delivery of the Blas festival by Fèisean nan Gàidheal has been commended by Members of The Highland Council’s Gaelic Committee.

Blas is a partnership between Fèisean nan Gàidheal and The Highland Council, with support from Creative Scotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and others.

In 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic the festival took place online. Over 11 days a fantastic programme of concerts, cèilidhs, workshops, lectures and more celebrated the music, songs, language and culture of the Highlands. Twenty-three events were delivered and 16 online workshops - attracting 219 participants in the workshops.

In a report by the Council’s Gaelic Development Officer she explained that Blas is an excellent example of how Gaelic is being used within the festival, increasing the learning of the language and promoting a very positive image of the Gaelic language.

Her report highlighted that Fèisean nan Gàidheal estimated that Blas 2020 had an economic impact worth £250,000. This included the employment of 125 musicians, 11 workshop tutors, 13 freelancers providing technical expertise; the engagement of a part-time co-ordinator and a part-time PR/social media contractor; and income for several venues, accommodation providers and food outlets across the Highlands.

Analysis shows that there was initially just short of 30,000 views of the online streamed events, accessed by people across the world. These viewing numbers have increased to over 55,500 views which clearly demonstrates the ongoing success and demand for Blas.

Gaelic Committee Chair, Cllr Calum Munro said: “Blas last November was a very enjoyable and successful festival. My family bought the season ticket and the pleasure we got from it watching together was immense and the Gaelic element of the festival was really strong. Our eldest children were able to watch musicians talk about their music and feelings in Gaelic which was great. Another element of Blas was the very good work with SEALL Festival of Small Halls on the Isle of Skye – which was a really successful part inside the Blas festival. Overall the online offering was a great success reaching a far wider audience than its normal reach.”

Newly appointed Vice Chair of the Gaelic Committee Cllr Allan Henderson added: “Blas was the leader in terms of festivals going online during COVID. Lessons were learned in delivering an online festival but it was great to see that this could actually be done. I received a recording of the Blas festival as a Christmas present and the value of this was magnificent to watch. I am extremely enthused about the whole approach to an online Blas and would not be worried about it going ahead online again if future COVID circumstances were to prevent it being live. A huge well done to Fèisean nan Gàidheal for being able to get Blas organised online and for the huge audience reach that it has achieved.