Highland 2007, along with VisitScotland Highland and Caledonian MacBrayne, will be showcasing the Highlands and Islands of Scotland as a great place to live and visit to the thousands of visitors expected in the Scottish Village, Grand Central Terminal, New York during the forthcoming Tartan Week celebrations (31 March – 8 April).

Highland 2007 will be part of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland zone.  This year’s Scottish Village is themed around Scotland’s international events and festivals so provides an excellent platform to showcase some of the best the Highlands and Islands have to offer in terms of the vibrant contemporary culture and bold heritage of the area.

Promoting traditional Gaelic song from the Highlands and Islands on the Scottish Village stage will be Morven MacLeod and Fiona Mackenzie.  Morven is a past winner of the Silver Pendant at the Royal National Mod as well as being project officer with Highland 2007.  Fiona won the 2005 An Comunn Gaidhealach Gold Medal for Gaelic singing at the Royal National Mod and is the Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellow for The Highland Council and Gaelic project officer with Highland 2007.  Both are members of the Inverness Gaelic Choir, winners of the Royal National Mod’s Lovat and Tullibardine Shield for the last two years.

Fiona and Morven will perform, both solo and as a duet, a variety of Gaelic songs which demonstrate the diversity and beauty of the Gaelic language and culture.  Including work songs, love songs, songs of the emigrant experience and puirt a beul or ‘mouth music’.  They will also give visitors to the Scottish Village lessons in Gaelic song – including the famous waulking songs involving actions as well as words!

Out with the Scottish Village, VisitScotland Highland area director, Scott Armstrong, will take part in the Scotland Run 10k in Central Park on Sunday 1 April.

Scott said: “The US is still Scotland’s biggest overseas market.  There is enormous interest in the Highlands from people in America, particularly those tracing family roots.  Tartan Week is a fantastic opportunity for us to promote the Highlands and Islands and to encourage more Americans to visit. ”

Highland 2007 is also a major sponsor of this year’s Dressed to Kilt event, along with Citigroup, Mercedes Benz and various others.  Highland 2007 will appear in all promotional material for the hugely popular and well publicised event and will be specifically affiliated with the ‘Highland Romance’ part of the fashion show on Monday 2 April.

Highland 2007 has worked with Dressed to Kilt organisers to incorporate Highland based designers into the show.  Inverness designer Sandra Murray has several outfits in the Dress to Kilt catwalk show including a dress featuring the Highland 2007 Golden Broom tartan – designed by Mulbuie Primary School.

Alison Magee, chair of Highland 2007 said: “We are delighted to be involved in VisitScotland’s Scottish Village again this year.  And are really excited to be involved with Dressed to Kilt, it is one of the most high profile Scottish event in North America so will be a great opportunity to promote the Highlands and Islands to a massive audience.

“We’re also pleased that once again we will be able to showcase our fantastic Gaelic singers, Fiona and Morven, in New York.  Their amazing talent was hugely appreciated last year and captivated the crowds who attended the Scottish Village.”

GAELIC VERSION

A’ Ghàidhealtachd 2007 a’ cuir air adhart a’ Ghàidhealtachd sna h-Eileanan ann an New York.

Bi Gàidhealtachd 2007, còmhla ri VisitScotland air Ghàidhealtachd agus Caledonian Mac a’ Bhruidhinn a’ taisbeanadh a’ Ghaidhealtachd agus na h-Eileanan mar dheagh àite còmhnaidh, agus a bhi a’ tadhal ann, dha na mìltean ris a bheil dùil sa Chlachan Albannach, Grand Central Village, New York fhad’s a tha cuirm Seachdainn an Tartain a’ dol air adhart (31mh dhen Mhart gu 8mh dhen Ghiblein).

Bi Gàidhealtachd 2007 na phàirt de dh’àrainn na Gàidhealtachd agus nan Eilean. Tha Clachan Albannach na bliadhna seo air a stèidheachadh air tachartasan agus fèisean agus marsin tha e a’ toirt cothrom math a’ chuid ‘s fheàrr dhe na th’aig a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus na h-Eileanan, a thaobh cultar, agus dualchas, a thaisbeanadh.

Bi Morven NicLeòid agus Fionnaghal NicCoinnich a’ taisbeanadh òrain Gàidhlig bhon a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus na h-Eileanan san t-seann nòs. Choisinn Morbhairn an t-Agallan Airgead aig a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rioghail agus tha i na h-oifeagach pròiseict le Gàidhealtachd 2007.

Choisinn Fionnaghal Bonn Oir a’ Chomainn Ghàidhealaich airson seinn aig a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rioghail agus ‘s ise Caidriche Màiri Mhòr do Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus tha i na h-Oifeagach Pròiseict airson na Gàidhlig le Gàidhealtachd 2007. Tha iad le chèile nam buill de Chòisir Gàidhlig Inbhir Nis a bhuannaich Sgiath MhicShimidh agus Thulaich Bhàrdainn airson an dà bhliadhna a chaidh seachad.

Bi Fionnaghal agus Morbhairn air àrd ùrlair, an da chuid fa leth agus còmhla, a’ taisbeanadh iomadachd an cultair agus nan òran Gàidhlig. Bi seo ag gabhail a-steach òrain obrach, òrain gaoil, òrain imrich agus puirt-a-beul. Bheir iad cuideachd leasanan ann an òrain Ghàidhlig, nam measg gniomh, cho math ri facail, nan òran-luaidh, do luchd-tadhail a’ Chlachain Albannaich.

A bharrachd air a’ Chlachan Albannach, gabhaidh Scott Armstrong, Stiùiriche VisitScotland air Ghàidhealtachd, co-phàirt ann an rèis 10k ann an Central Park air Latha na Sàbaid, a’ chiad latha dhen a’ Ghiblein.

Thuirt Scott, “Se an US a’ mhargaidh ‘s motha a th’aig Alba thall thairis. Tha ùidh mhòr aig na h-Ameiriganaich anns a’ Ghàidhealtachd, gu h-àraid aca-san a tha a’ sìreadh freumhaichean teaghlaich. Se cothrom air leth a th’ann an Seachdainn an Tartain dhuinn airson Ameiriganaich a bhrosnachadh gus tighinn a dh’Alba.

Tha a’ Ghàidhealtachd 2007 na buidheann-taic do thachartas Dressed to Kilt, còmhla ri Citigroup, Mercedes Benz agus feadhainn eile. Bi a’ Ghàidhealtachd 2007 a’ nochdadh anns gach mir de stuthan sanasachd an tachartais agus bi e gu sònraichte co-cheangailte ri taisbeanadh an fhasain, ‘Highland Romance’ air Diluain 2mh dhen a’ Ghiblein.

Tha a’ Gàaidhealtachd 2007 air obrachadh còmhla ri Dressed to Kilt ann a bhi a’ brosnachadh dreachadairean bhon a’ Ghàidhealtachd. Tha corra aodach aig Sandra Mhoireach a Inbhir Nis ann, nam measg èideadh ann an breacan Golden Broom aig Gàidhealtachd 2007, a chaidh a dhealbh le clann Sgoil a’ Mhuil’ Bhuidhe.

Thuirt Alison Magee, Cathraiche a’ Ghàidhealtachd 2007, “Tha sinn toilichte a bhi a’ sàs anns a’ Chlachan Albannach a-rithist am bliadhna. Agus, tha sinn air bhioran a bhi a’ sàs ann an Dressed to Kilt, seach gu bheil e air fear de phrìomh thachartasan Albannach ann an Ameirigidh agus na shàr chothrom a’ Ghàidhealtachd agus na h-Eileannan a shanasachd gu sluagh farsuing.

“Tha sinn toilichte cuideachd gu bheil an cothrom againn, aon uair eile, ar seinneadairean miorbhailleach Gàidhlig, Fionnaghal agus Morbhairn, a thaisbeanadh ann an New York. Fhuair an tàlantan sònraichte deagh ghabhail riuthe an uiridh agus chòrd iad gu mòr ris na bha an lathair anns a’ Chlachan Albannach”.