Fiona, the Mairi Mhor Gaelic Song Fellow for Highland Council, released a CD entitled ‘Orain nan Rosach’, or ‘Songs of the Ross-shire Folk’, in 2006.

“I was absolutely stunned by the response it generated from all corners of the world,” she said. “It would appear that Ross-shire folk and the landscape around us, do indeed have a very strong attraction to other cultures and peoples around the world and I have been inundated with orders and queries about the CD. We originally decided to release the CD after the enthusiastic response we had to the book, which we published by the same name in 2005.

“We realised that although there are CDs and books of songs from most other parts of the Highlands and Islands, there was no definitive collection of Ross-shire material and felt it was about time we redressed the balance. The book contains many more songs than we could include on the CD so we chose a variety of songs illustrating the varying styles and areas of the Ross-shire Communities – from Gairloch to Achiltibuie, from Muir of Ord to Kintail. We included ‘village’ songs, telling stories of local weddings, beautiful heart felt love songs of great ‘bardic’ worth and haunting pibroch songs amongst them.

“What an audience may find surprising is the number of Gaelic songs which they know well but do not realise that they are actually songs from Ross-shire- songs such as ‘Theid mi Dhachaidh’ , ‘Mairi Laghach’ or ‘Frith nan Damh Ruadha’, which are all sung at ceilidhs throughout Scotland.”

As well as the traditional songs from Ross-shire, the Orain nan Rosach concert will also feature several contemporary songs all with very strong Ross-shire connections.

“Local Gaelic writer and piper, Angus Macphee of North Kessock and originally from Skye, contributed several songs to the collection and I am delighted to be including them in the programme. One of his songs ‘Meomhairean’ or ‘Memories’ is a beautiful arrangement set to the well known classical tune by the American composer McDowell, ‘To a wild rose’. We will also be including a song which I wrote myself recently, focussing on the power of song to pull people and races together no matter where they live.”

Fiona’s song ‘Guthan air a’Ghaoith’ or Voices on the Wind was recently chosen to represent the Highlands in Nos Ur, the Minority Languages Eurovision Contest at Eden Court.

The diverse programme of Ross-shire song will be complemented by a multimedia display of Ross-shire scenery, appropriate to the songs themselves. “We felt it might be nice for people to see where the songs have come from, whilst they are being sung and so we will have a large screen backdrop of the scenery and wildlife around us, encompassing the many faces of this beautiful part of the world.”

Presented in a relaxed cabaret style, the concert will feature Fiona accompanied by her daughter Katie who recently graduated from the RSAMD in with a BA in Scottish Music and Irvin Duguid of Glasgow, who produced Fiona’s Christmas album, Duan Nollaig in 2007.

“I feel very strongly that Ross-shire should be proud to hold its head up high in the world of Gaeldom and prove it has as much to offer as any of the other Gaelic speaking areas of Scotland,” said Fiona. “Our programme will include something for everyone, whether or not they speak Gaelic or whatever their tastes are in music- you don’t need to be a ‘folkie’ to appreciate the wealth we have of beautiful song and music around us here.”

Tickets and further information are available from June’s Card Shop in Dingwall and www.the-booth.co.uk

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