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Private Notes
The Vatersay Boys give exclusive access to their lives as they go about their day jobs as postman, bin man and fisherman before they head out on tour around Scotland. Life on the road with the Vatersay Boys is never dull as the onstage party continues off stage, and despite having up to four managers, things don't always run to schedule! We also see the band maintain their roots with a local ceilidh in the Vatersay village hall. Not just a live act, the band have an on-board resident engineer and recording studio on Vatersay, courtesy of Donnie's brother, former Simple Minds keyboard player, Mick MacNeill. In early December the band pack up and head to Glasgow for the annual festive ceilidh.
Donald Morrison was born in the town of Megantic to parents who had emigrated from Lewis in search of a better life. However, the life awaiting them was full of difficulty. When he came of age, Donald headed west and worked as a cowboy, sending money to his parents to pay off the debt on their homestead. Donald's life began to unravel when the owner of the debt claimed that the payments had never been made and evicted the family. This 1999 documentary tells Donald's story as he went on the run accused of murder and trying to clear his name.
John Morrison tells the story of Neil MacEachen, a Uist Jacobite who saved Bonnie Prince Charlie from capture. He reveals how the islander's son rose to become one of Napoleon's generals and a marshal of France, while MacEachen died in exile and poverty
Scot Thomas Telford is perhaps Britain's greatest engineer, and nowhere benefited more from his genius than Highland Scotland. 250 years on from his birth, scores of his creations still stand as testament to his achievements - roads, bridges, churches and the great Caledonian canal. This film reveals and celebrates Telford's Highland legacy.
Docu-drama about the serial killer, raising questions about his mental state in relation to his death penalty sentence. Presented by John Morrison, and starring Andrew Clark.
The story of serial killer Dennis Nilsen, who murdered 15 young men in the 1980s.
Profile of notorious child killer Robert Black, who murdered three young girls in the 1980s.
The life and crimes of Dundee murderer Robert Mone who remains active in his bid for parole
A history of Celtic radicalism.
Gary Lewis stars as Glaswegian Archie Hall, the 'mad butler' who murdered five people in the 1970s.
The story of Howard Wilson, a Glasgow police officer who shot three former colleagues in 1969, and has since been paroled from prison.
Murder in the Mearns, in 1968. A young farmer is shot in his sleep - but who pulled the trigger?
The Allied invasion of Southern Italy in September 1943 led to one of the most controversial campaigns of World War II. To prevent invaders from reaching Rome, the Germans constructed a chain of fortifications across Italy. Integral to this was the mountain-top monastery of Monte Cassino. Monte Cassino and its surroundings would be the site of thousands of Allied and Germans casualties in four battles in 1944. The monastery was bombed by the Allies in the mistaken belief that German troops were occupying it. After this bombing that destroyed much of the monastery, elite German paratroopers occupied the rubble and it took several months and several thousand lives to dislodge them. Brigadier John MacFarlane explores the impact of these battles.
The case of Oscar Slater - widely held to be the biggest miscarriage of justice in Scottish history.
Anthony Miller, aged 19, was the last man hanged in Glasgow, in 1960. His defence lawyer recalls the crime and trial.
An opportunity to watch two programmes from the BBC television series The British Connection that explored people's sense of identity during the 1970s, focusing on the Scottish towns of Clydebank and Kelso. Representatives from both communities give an insight into their lives at the time, discuss how they feel about their local environment and whether they feel Scottish or British. The programmes were first broadcast in March 1978.
The epic, feel-good story of a modern rebellion. The campaign against the tolls on the Skye bridge pitted plucky Scottish islanders against the might of the government and the Bank of America, over the building of a privately funded toll bridge which became the only way on or off the island. This film tells an untold, bittersweet story of passion, legal challenge and financial wrangling through the testimony of some of those who took part. Sgeulachd mhisneachail, mu ar-a-mach anns an nòs ùr. Anns an iomairt an aghaidh cìsean drochaid an Eilein Sgitheanaich, sheas Eileanaich stàirneil an aghaidh neart an Riaghaltais agus Banca Ameireagaidh, nuair a chaidh drochaid-chìsean a thogail le airgead prìobhaideach - gun dòigh eile ann airson faighinn air no far an Eilein. Tha mòran den sgeul air h-ùr innse. Tha i èibhinn ann am pàirt, duilich agus deuchainneach le briseadh dùil cuide ri misneachd is buannachd le farsaingeachd bheachdan agus sheallaidhean ioma-fhillte bho chuid de na bha an sàs.
The second in a series of four programmes documenting Glasgow's notorious 'square mile' murders, and presented by John Morrison. A crime of passion? Maybe. It certainly caused a scandal, and prompted David Lean to make the film 'Madeleine'. The question remains - did she do it, or didn't she? In 1856, Glasgow debutante Madeleine Smith began a passionate affair with Emile L'Angelier, a drifter from the Channel Islands.
The case of Jessie McLachlan, known as 'the Sandyford killing', is the third in a four part series looking at Glasgow's notorious 'square mile murders.'.
On the 28th July 1865, nearly ten thousand people gathered in what was then known as 'Jail Square' in Glasgow, to witness the last public execution in Britain. The convict was a murderer - and a doctor - found guilty of administering poison with deliberate intent to kill.
An insight into life on the islands of Lewis, Uist and Skye from the BBC TV series Around Scotland, originally broadcast in 1970.
For Norman MacArthur and his family, there was always an area of his grandfather Johnny's life that was never discussed: his years spent as a prisoner of war during the Second World War. He had been part of the ill-fated 51st Highland Division captured at St Valery, but while his fellow prisoners returned home at the end of the war, Johnny didn't. His family were only made aware of snippets of his story: being taken prisoner by the Red Army and brutally treated, transported to the Black Sea, finally making his way home from Odessa in the Soviet Union, after which he had to be hospitalised whilst recovering from trauma. His family had more questions than answers. Now, we accompany Norman as he follows his grandfather's wartime journey. From the bloody French battlefield of Hedgehog Wood, to the forgotten prison cells of Poland and on to the camps of Odessa, Norman attempts to discover new evidence in order to be able to piece together and tell his grandfather Johnny's incredible untold story.
Cathy MacDonald travels in the footsteps of Detective Fin MacLeod, the central character in Peter May's best-selling trilogy of novels - The Black House, The Lewis Man and The Chess Men. Her journey takes her from her native Lewis and south to the Isle of Eriskay. En route, she visits the locations and meets the real life characters who inspired Peter May in his writing of The Lewis Trilogy. The programme also features an interview with the author.
A set of glass plate negatives dating back to the early years of the twentieth century was discovered recently in a barn in Shawbost on the west side of the island of Lewis. The photographs, of individuals and families from the area, provide a fascinating insight into island life in the early 1900s. This is the story of the photographs and their photographer, Dr Norman Morrison, who despite having only two years of education in childhood, went on to become an expert on the adder, Dr of Science and fellow of the Zoological Society of Scotland and co-founder the Scottish Police Federation. (Sgeulachd an Dtr Tormod Moireasdan, neo Tormod an t-Seòladair, fear a thog dealbhan annasach agus tarraingeach de mhuinntir Shiaboist is Bràgair aig toiseach an linn a chaidh. Thog na dealbhan ceann ann am bathach ann a Siabost bho chionn ghoirid agus tha iad a' toirt sealladh iongantach dhuinn air beatha muinntir na sgìre sin bho chionn còrr is ceud bliadhna. Ged a 's e glè bheag de dh'fhòghlam a fhuair Tormod na òige, bha e na phoileas, na dhealbhadair agus na fhìor eòlaiche air nathraichean.)
BBC Alba's McQueen of Scots looks at how his mother Joyce traced the family's roots back to the time of the last Jacobite rising
John Morrison tells the story of Eugene Chantrelle, hanged in Edinburgh in 1878 for the murder of his wife, by poisoning.
The story of one of the most colourful and daring criminals to have lived in Scotland.
Documentary telling the story of Pink Floyd, who since forming in 1965, have sold 250 million records and become one of the most successful bands in the world.
Documentary charting the reality of life for those who leave the comfort of their home to work offshore. It captures a variety of roles from drillers to caterers who work up to a 12-hour shift for 14 days straight, with no days off in between. The programme is given access to the largest North Sea oil platform 'Buzzard` and the newest addition 'Golden Eagle` to learn about the lives of the people whose job it is to work in the hostile and challenging environment
Scotland played England in the first international football match in the world, creating the genesis for a story of emotional, cultural and historical significance that continues to resonate in Scottish society in 2014. (Ann an 1872 chluich Alba agus Sasainn a' chiadgheam ball-coise eadar-nàiseanta air an t-saoghal, a' cruthachadh sgeulachd aig a bheilbuaidh a chun an latha an-diugh a thaobhfaireachdain, cultar agus eachdraidh an luibsluagh na h-Alba.)
For the millions of tourists who flock to Edinburgh each year, The Royal Mile is a big draw ... packed with buskers, lined with souvenir shops and with its dark, intriguing little 'closes' either side. Lots of visitors will stop for a refreshment at Deacon Brodie's Tavern, a popular landmark. But how many know that the real life "Deacon" was hanged for his crimes? Who was the man who inspired Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde? And why does he remain such a figure of affection, in the city of his birth? This is the story of William Brodie - the man who had everything to lose... With expert opinion and drama reconstruction, the programme is presented by John Morrison.
The Northern Lights was first broadcast on BBC One in 1969 and followed the Pole Star, a Northern Lighthouse Board relief vessel and her crew as she serviced some of Scotland's most remote and inaccessible lighthouses. Although the Northern Lighthouse Board had begun the process of automation by then, several manned lighthouses remained and the crew of the Pole Star had the crucial role of taking relief crews and supplies to these lighthouses. In this programme, the Pole Star visits the Sule Skerry and North Ronaldsay Lighthouses in Orkney as well as the mysterious Flannan Isles Lighthouse where three lighthouse keepers disappeared in mysterious circumstances in 1900.
The story of Fleetwood Mac, a band who overcame drug and alcohol problems as well as fractured relationships to achieve great success and a lasting musical legacy.
The story behind Blondie's album Parallel Lines, which sold 16 million copies and captured the spirit of 1970s New York.
Through the 60s, 70s and 80s Muhammad Ali became a household name. He was a man driven by his ambition to be the best and went on to become one of the greatest boxers of all time, a sporting legend that to this day is loved throughout the world. This documentary takes a look at the life and times of one of the greatest sportsmen of all time, from his amateur boxing career and Olympic gold through to his legendary fights with Henry Cooper, Sonny Liston, George Foreman and Joe Frazier. Also included are archive news interviews with Ali throughout his career. Ali is now highly regarded for the skills he displayed in the ring and the values he exemplified outside of it - religious freedom, racial justice and the triumph of principle over expedience.
Documentary examining the case of Jessie King, who in 1889 was hanged in Edinburgh for the murder of her three adopted children.
Before he was hanged for murder in 1831, young Hugh Macleod was paraded through the streets of Inverness in chains, jeered by a crowd of three thousand. He was the only defendant in Scots legal history whose trial had admitted the evidence of second sight.
Documentary following five deaf patients at the Scottish Cochlear Implant Unit as they undergo treatment which will hopefully give them the ability to hear.
Thirty years ago – on April 26, 1986 – reactor four at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded, spewing out massive quantities of radiation into the atmosphere. Within days the pollution had spread across Europe. Living on land contaminated with radioactivity would be a life changing ordeal for the people of Belarus. But also for the Sami reindeer herders of central Norway. And even the Gaels of the distant Hebrides. Five years ago there was a meltdown at the Fukushima reactor – and thousands of Japanese found their homes, fields and farms irradiated, just as had happened in Europe. This international documentary to be screened on BBC ALBA – filmed in Belarus, Japan, the lands of Norway’s Sami reindeer herders, and in the Outer Hebrides – poses the question: what lessons have been learned? The film reveals that a combination of science, local lore, and the commitment of ordinary men and women, has made life possible in much of the contaminated land. The filmmakers gained unique access to nuclear experts, health officials, and the farmers, reindeer herders and crofters whose lives, land and livelihoods were in jeopardy following the two nuclear disasters. We learn that five years ago, the residents of Fukushima turned to the people who entirely understood their problem when the Japanese nuclear plant was wrecked by a tsunami – the people of Belarus. For quarter of a century, Belarusians had been evolving ways to live heathy lives and bring up healthy children in areas with higher than normal levels of radiation. They had developed a culture of public education, health care, and radiation monitoring that allows them to lead relatively normal lives. The Japanese, including young mothers, visited Belarus to learn the lessons. The first advice they got was from a Belarus mother: “Don’t panic, Japanese mothers!” International co-operation proved successful in lessening the impact of the Fukushima disaster on Japan, by show
A decade on from his death, Jimmy Johnstone examines the life of a phenomenal Scottish sporting talent, telling the story of the highs and the lows of an unforgettable working class footballer, Celtic legend, husband and father who lost his life to motor neurone disease age 61.
Cathy MacDonald explores the locations, folklore and history that have inspired Diana Gabaldon's hugely successful 'Outlander'. What is the fact behind the fiction that has brought fans flocking to Scotland from across the globe? Cathy talks to Diana to find out how she became an author and asks why she decided to set her debut novel in 18th-century Scotland. Diana talks about readers' reactions across the world to the Scottish imagery in the book, her close connection with Scotland and her creative process. Cathy visits some of the places connected with the book and the television series and finds out from historical experts about the real background to the book's setting. She also looks into the Highland folklore Diana has drawn upon, from waterhorses to changelings.
Anns an Iuchar 1969, bha sia millean neach air feadh an t-saoghail a' coimhead gu dlùth air Niall Armstrong, a' chiad duine a-riamh a chur cas air planaid eile. 'S e misean Apollo 11 agus na còig tursan eile chun na gealaich, aon de na pròiseactan as cosgaile a chur riaghaltas sam bith air adhart a-riamh ann an eachdraidh. Do na daoine saor-thoileach a chaidh ann, bha na tursan seo nas cunnartaich na a bhith air cuairt-cogaidh ann am Bhietnam. Uile gu lèir, chaidh 24 gaisgich, cairteal a mhillean mìle air falbh bhon dachaigh, a' siubhal le earbsa ann an aon einnsean a-mhàin. Tha am prògram seo ag innse na sgeulachdan nach eil cho aithnichte mu dheidhinn Apollo: na taisgealaidhean a chaidh a dhìochuimhneachadh agus na tubaistean a bha a' cur am beatha ann an cunnart. In July 1969 600 million people around the world watched Neil Armstrong become the first human being to set foot on another planet. Apollo 11's mission and the five moon landings that followed were the most costly and dangerous single expeditions ever undertaken by any government at any time in history. For those who volunteered for the job, the risk of death was many times greater than a tour of duty in Vietnam. In all, 24 remarkably brave men ventured a quarter-million miles from home, relying on just a single engine. These are the untold stories of Apollo: the rarely remembered breakthroughs and heartbreaking disasters.
Scotland's seas are among the deadliest in the world. Only the most skilled of mariners can navigate the country's wild waters - among them, Captain Eric Smith of the Northern Lighthouse Board. As skipper of their tender vessels - the Pharos and Pole Star - it's Eric's job to sail to the places other mariners are told to avoid. In 'Sgiobair nan Taighean-solais', the story of today's Northern Lighthouse Board is told through one of its most experienced skippers. As he celebrates three decades with the NLB, the programmes follows Eric over a year at sea as he and his crew sail between the country's vast network of navigational aids.
Frank Sinatra's career spanned more than five decades. He was at the top of his game with his music, movies and television, making him the most popular entertainer on the planet. This programme recounts the golden age of the legendary singer and actor and the country he embodied, taking us from New York to Los Angeles, via Las Vegas, Palm Springs and Lake Tahoe, following the still-visible traces of an exceptional artist and of the seductive American dream with which he is inseparable. A fitting tribute to one of the 20th century's greatest idols.
Norman MacLean was renowned as a piper, writer, singer and also as an acclaimed entertainer. He made his name in this groundbreaking comedy series where he displayed his comedy talents.
A warm-hearted look back at aspects of the social life of Stornoway in the decades that followed World War II. The baby-boomers, born in the years that followed the war, came into a community still reeling from the effects of war and the poverty that followed it. However, the next three decades saw steady improvement in their circumstances with a building boom and tweed industries providing jobs a plenty. It was a time of great cultural change, with a new order emerging through the increasing influence of cinema and pop music. But for a time, the baby-boomers seem to enjoy the best of both worlds - the strength of community bonds forged in war and economic progress. Presented by Ceitlin LR Smith, Bha mi Latha Samhraidh is packed with warm, entertaining anecdotes about a halcyon period in Stornoway's history.
Taobh a-staigh duilleagan Leabhar Dhèir tha a' chiad sgrìobhadh riamh ann an Gàidhlig na h-Alba. Tha sgioba de dh'àrc-eòlaichean a' feuchainn ri lorg fhaighinn air manachainn Dhèir far an deach na h-earrannan seo an sgrìobhadh o chionn mìle bliadhna, agus tha iad a' lorg barrrachd na bha dùil aca. On the shelves of the library at Cambridge University lies a book that symbolises the heart of Scottish Gaelic culture: the Book of Deer. It is a gospel book that was written in Deer in Aberdeenshire sometime between the 8th and 12th century. Within the pages of the book is the first ever writing that exists in Scottish Gaelic. "The Book of Deer is a tiny book but it has left a huge legacy for us, not only in the north east but for the whole of Scotland. We had to wait another 200-300 years after the Book of Deer to find any more evidence of written Scottish Gaelic" - Dr Michelle MacLeod, senior lecturer in Gaelic at University of Aberdeen. Without doubt, one of the most important texts in the Scottish Gaelic language, the Book of Deer was written in the ancient monastery of Deer that disappeared over 1,000 years ago. This documentary is the story of a team of archeologists, students and volunteers who spent nine days on an archaeological dig in the hunt for the lost monastery of Deer, and they found more than they bargained for.
Documentary following The Gambia Partnership, a tiny Christian charity from the Western Isles of Scotland, as they attempt to build a school in the west African country of Gambia.
Sgeul cha mhòr caillte, air mar a chaochail faisg air 700 neach nuair a thug a'Chiad Chogadh slac air cladach Ìle. 'Sa Ghearran 1918 chuir bàt'-aigeann Gearmailteach torpedo ann an long làn shaighdeirean, an Tuscania. Chaill còrr is 200 am beatha, eadar saighdeirean Aimeireaganach agus criubha Breatannach. Ochd mìosan as dèidh sin, bhuail an HMS Otranto ann an long eile san aona chabhlach, ann an gaillionn eagallach, san do chaochail faisg air 500. Cha d'fhuair ach 19 beò air tìr an Ìle. Sgeul dorcha ach le leus na gaisgeachd air a feadh. Mar a thug sgiobair calma long-chogaidh 600 neach air bòrd bhon Otranto mus deach i fodha, is mar a chuir eileanaich iad fhèin ann an gàbhadh gus daoine am impis am bàthadh a shlaodadh gu tìr. Tha am prògram stèidhichte air aithrisean a rinneadh aig an àm, leothasan a fhuair as beò, leothasan a chunnaic na thachair, agus le an càirdean. The unknown story of how nearly 700 men died when World War I crashed onto to the coast of the inner Hebridean island of Islay. In February 1918, the troopship Tuscania was torpedoed by a German U-boat. More than 200 American soldiers and British crew died as lifeboats were dashed against Islay's cliffs. Eight months later, HMS Otranto collided with another ship in its convoy in a terrible storm, killing nearly 500 men. Just 19 reached Islay's shore alive. The tragic tale is shot through with stories of heroism and self-sacrifice. A fearless destroyer captain snatched 600 men from the stricken Otranto before it sank, and islanders risked their lives to drag half-drowned survivors from sea. The programme is based on contemporary accounts of survivors and witnesses, and on interviews with family members of American soldiers, British crewmen and islanders who lived through the tragedies.
This documentary looks at what it's like adjusting to life with a prosthetic leg. For the majority of cases leg amputations are as a result of diabetes and poor circulation among older people. 60-year-old bus mechanic John Murphy, from Glasgow, has had his lower left leg removed just two weeks ago. We follow him as he is fitted for a new leg and hopes to be able to walk again, something his livelihood depends on.
Tha luchd ealain ainmeil a’ dèanamh air Alba bho gach ceàrnaidh dhen t-saoghal airson aon de na tachartasan ealain-sràide as motha san Roinn Eòrpa: Nuart Obar Dheathain. Buaireasach, ionmholta, a’ cur an aghaidh ughdarras; abair gun toir e buaidh air an àite. Chaidh dusan ealanaiche-sràide fhastadh airson meadhan baile Obar Dheathain ath-bheothachadh, ach chan eil aca ach còig latha airson a' bhaile a thoirt beò mus fhosgail an Fhèis. ‘S e am fear-ealain Martyn Reed a tha stèidhichte ann an Stavangar, a chur Nuart air bhonn. Tha e ag iarraidh cur às dha na bacaidhean a tha a' cumail obair ealain air leth, agus fhosgladh dhan t-sluagh. Tha e a' feuchainn ri annas a dhèanamh às an àbhaist, agus 's e sin cuspair na Fèise “A Revolution of the Ordinary”. Cha b' fhada bho bha graffiti mì-laghail, ach a-nise tha fèil mhòr air ealain-sràide. Tha sinn a’ leanntainn na h-ealanaichean fhad 's a tha iad ag ath-bheòthachadh cùl-shràidean Obar Dheathain. World famous artists arrive in Scotland from all corners of the globe for one of Europe’s biggest street art events: Nuart Aberdeen. Edgy, stunning, provocative, subversive; their work makes an impact. These 12 international street artists have come to paint the grey streets of Aberdeen red (and blue, and green) and they have only five days to complete their work before the Festival opens. Stavanger-based artist Martyn Reed, who founded Nuart, is on a mission to remove the barriers that place art on a pedestal – and return it to the people. He wants to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, giving rise to the festival’s theme ‘A Revolution of the Ordinary’. But when does illegal graffiti become celebrated street art? We get behind the scenes to see what makes the artists tick, what inspires their work, and how they cope when the weather turns. The results provoke reactions - some good, some bad and in one case the art proves just too much and has to be taken down.
Ten years on from his death from cancer at just 51 years old, Tommy Burns’ daughters and sons look back on the life and career of their beloved father, a much-revered player and manager of both Celtic and Kilmarnock.
Ciamar as urrainn a ghiùlan nuair a tha dùil ri breith pàiste is an ath rud chan eil ann ach bròn is briseadh-cridhe? An dèidh mar a thachair dhi fhèin, tha an tè-naidheachd Màiri Rodgers a’ cluinntinn nan sgeulachdan pearsanta aca fhèin bho bhoireannaich agus an teaghlaichean. It should be the happiest time in anyone’s life. But when the anticipation of pregnancy turns into the grief of miscarriage or stillbirth, how do women and their families find hope for the future? Drawing on her own experience journalist Mairi Rodgers meets others to hear their stories.
Unique access to Lewis singer-songwriter Colin Macleod as he tours on both sides of the pond.
The International Space Station is without doubt the most ambitious orbital project ever built. This giant structure, covering nearly 10,000m squared, has allowed men and women to prepare for long periods of weightlessness, as a precursor to possible trips to Mars. It has also allowed people from around the world to live and work together, with no fewer than 16 nations having participated in the construction of this steel mega-structure. But how did the engineers and astronauts go about assembling this station in space? How does it operate, what energy source does it use, how do the crew get there and how do they get home again? What is it like to eat, sleep and even breathe on board? This film takes us inside the International Space Station to reveal the life of the crew that inhabits it. Gun ceist sam bith, ’s e an Stèisean Fànais Eadar-nàiseanta aon de na pròiseactan as motha a chaidh a chruthachadh a-riamh. Tha an structar àibheiseach seo, a tha faisg air 10,000m ceàrnagach ann am meud, air cothrom ullachaidh a thoirt do dhaoine fàs cleachdte ri amannan fada as aonais iom-tharraing mar thoiseach tòiseachaidh airson a dhol gu Màrs. Tha e air cothrom a thoirt do dhaoine bho air feadh an t-saoghail a bhith a’ fuireach agus ag obair còmhla agus ghabh 16 nàiseanan am pàirt aca fhèin ann a bhith a’ togail an stèisean mòr stàilinn seo. Ach ciamar a chaidh an t-àite seo a chruthachadh? Ciamar a tha e ag obair, dè an connadh a tha iad a’ cleachdadh, ciamar a tha an criutha a’ faighinn ann agus a faighinn dhachaigh? Ciamar a tha e a bhith ag ithe, a’ cadal agus fiù’s a’ tarraing anail air bòrd. Tha am film seo gar toirt am broinn an Stèisean Fànais Eadar-nàiseanta agus ag innse sgeulachd nan daoine a tha fuireach ann.
In 1991, as the town of Motherwell faced the crippling social, economic and cultural impact of the closure of the Ravenscraig steelworks, its football club, locally known as the Steelmen, lifted the prestigious Scottish Cup for the first time in 39 years. The victory was a glimmer of light in the ensuing darkness. Ann an 1991, bha baile Thobar na Màthar a’ greimeachadh ris a’ bhuaidh shòisealta, eaconamach agus chultarail a bheireadh dùnadh ionad stàilinn Ravenscraig air an sgìre, ach airson a’ chiad uair ann an 39 bliadhna thog sgioba ball-coise a’ bhaile, na ‘Steelmen' mar a theirear riutha, Cupa na h-Alba, a’ toirt boillsgeadh dòchais a thogadh an dorchadas.
In 2019, the Moulin Rouge turned 130 years old. Broadcaster Cathy Macdonald follows three Scottish girls who form a part of the illustrious history of this world-famous cabaret. These young Scots are living out their dreams of dancing at such a prestigious venue, presenting the best of France, two shows a night, 365 days a year. Feathers, sequins and make-up - this show has it all and Cathy is right at the heart of it. Welcome to The Moulin Rouge Écosse. . Tha 2019 a’ comharrachadh 130 bliadhna bho chaidh am Moulin Rouge a stèidheachadh. Bidh an craoladair Cathy NicDhòmhnaill a’ leantainn triùir nighean Albannach a tha mar phàirt de dh’eachdraidh iomraiteach an taisbeanaidh chliùitich seo. Bidh na h-Albannaich òga sin a’ coileanadh miann an cridhe le bhith a’ dannsa aig ionad a tha cho iongantach, a’ cur air adhart a’ chuid as fheàrr den Fhraing, dà thaisbeanadh san oidhche, 365 latha sa bhliadhna. Itean, grìogagan agus maise-gnùis – tha h-uile rud san taisbeanadh seo, agus bidh Cathy na theis-mheadhan. Fàilte gu Moulin Rouge Écosse.
Soviet spy Donald MacLean and Tory cabinet minister Iain Macleod were both sons of the Hebrides, born in 1913, went to Cambridge University and both tried to change the world. Macleod implemented independence for the British colonies – but was hated by the Tory right. MacLean betrayed his country – but believed he worked for world peace. Cathy MacDonald reveals the forces that shaped these very different lives.
In 2007, two men and a dog set out to beat the behemoths of brewing. James Watt and Martin Dickie first met at Peterhead Academy in the northeast of Scotland and within 10 years the close friends turned their craft beer cottage industry into a global phenomenon. Today they employ over 2,000 people, and have opened over 100 bars globally from Japan to Australia and America, all from their base in Aberdeenshire. But their journey wasn’t smooth, and the business nearly went under until a supermarket competition changed their fortune. They faced negative press and grew through unconventional means. In 2018, they sold a 22% share to a private equity company, earning £50m each in the process. They are adamant they won’t sell out, but have the punks grown up to be just like the corporate giants they fought so hard against? With exclusive access – they tell us their own story from the beginning.
In 1954, Richard Dimbleby and a BBC film crew visited the Isle of Skye to record an episode of the early British television series About Britain. In this programme he gives viewers across the United Kingdom an insight into life on the island, meeting local characters and gaining an understanding of the lifestyle and culture of islanders, as well as spending some time with the Skye Mountain Rescue team and with Dame Flora Macleod at Dunvegan Castle. This programme was originally broadcast in September 1954.
Margaret Fay Shaw was born in 1903 near Pittsburgh. A talented piano player, she loved music from a young age. Arriving in South Uist in 1929 to collect Gaelic songs, she fell in love with the island, and spent the remainder of her days collecting songs and stories, whilst taking photographs and filming a way of living which was ceasing to exist. She married John Lorne Campbell in 1935, and two years later, they purchased Canna. Margaret stayed in Canna House until her death at the age of 101 in 2004. In this programme, Canna House archivist Fiona J Mackenzie gives a fascinating insight into the life of Margaret Fay Shaw, told through her own photographs, films and audio recordings.
Featuring some of the best clips from great movies, Cinema Gadelica reveals how film-makers have been drawn to the Highlands and Islands to shoot amid the spectacular scenery of the Gaidhealtachd. Discover James Bond’s Glencoe birthplace, as revealed in Skyfall. Join Harry Potter on his way to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry via the Glenfinnan Viaduct, and set out on Ridley Scott’s Prometheus to discover the origins of humankind – starting the mission at the Quiraing in Skye. Join Mel Gibson’s Braveheart rebellion in Glen Nevis. Did you know that Eilean Donan Castle was both the headquarters of the warlike Clan MacLeod in the cult fantasy Highlander as well as the HQ of MI6 in the Pierce Bronson Bond movie The World Is Not Enough? The great locations of great movies revealed.
Two of Scotland’s leading young traditional musicians, Charlie Grey and Joseph Peach, take a musical voyage on the Dutch vessel Wylde Swan to some of the most remote islands off Scotland’s north west coast. Two musicians on the high seas hoping for inspiration to compose new material which they will perform for the first time in this isolated part of Scotland. A beautiful film from musician and director Hamish Macleod. In Gaelic with English subtitles
Canna lies about 25 miles southwest off the coast of Skye in a cluster of four islands known as the Small Isles. But with only 16 residents living across 10 households, and with the lack of easy access to the mainland, Canna is a fragile community. We spend a summer with the residents to find out what life is like for them and how they cope with the challenges island life throws at them, from weather to water supply. We discover how tourism is a vital part of their economy and how they attract around 15,000 visitors to their island every season. And high stakes are at play when the Small Isles Island Games are held on Canna for the first time in four years, with teams from Eigg, Muck and Rum competing for the coveted trophy. Will Muck retain their winning streak or will Canna benefit from their home advantage? A heartwarming insight into a close community working together.
Canna lies about 25 miles southwest off the coast of Skye in a cluster of four islands known as the Small Isles. But with only 15 residents and with the lack of easy access to the mainland, Canna is a fragile community. We spend a winter with the residents to find out what life is like for them and how they cope with the challenges island life throws at them, from weather to farming. Canna House is closed for renovations but we get a look inside what was home to John Lorne Campbell and Margaret Fay Shaw, now owned by NTS. And the islanders are excited as resident Anna Rothach is getting married in spring - the first time in 10 years since a resident got married on the island, and the whole community is invited to help the newlyweds celebrate. A heartwarming insight into a close community working together. In Gaelic with English subtitles.
A profile of Charles Kennedy and how his Highland upbringing influenced his life and politics. Charles was 23 when he stood for the Highland seat Ross, Cromarty and Skye. His victory began a 32-year career in politics. Charles rose through the political ranks of his party and he went on to lead the merged party, the Liberal Democrats. However through those years, Charles never forgot his Lochaber roots. From his stance on the 2003 Iraq War to the fight to save the Fort William Sleeper, he stood on principle. Ultimately his battle with alcoholism forced his resignation as leader but he never gave up on the party or his constituents. This is a story of addiction, but mainly of a humorous Highlander who had heart
The story of a remote area's ambition to build a community centre on the edge of a cliff in Uig, Isle of Lewis. The locals have come together to try and make this building project, on a site once used as a radar station looking out towards St Kilda and the Atlantic Ocean, a reality. They require an outstanding design, funding, and enough patience to see them through a ten-year struggle.
Fiona MacKenzie explores the journeys travelled by the country’s most revered female artists including Annie Lennox, Barbara Dickson, Eddi Read and Clare Grogan.
During the First World War, a few miles from the front, soldiers played football, ran races or boxed. For most of them, this was a first encounter with organised sport. It helped troops to forget the horrors and death around them, and gave fresh hope. Surprisingly, the Great War played a key role in the history of sport. Soldiers from rural populations all now practised sport – an activity until then reserved for the elite.
How Gandhi is considered the embodiment of non-violent resistance. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, known as 'Mahatma', was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic on 30 January 1948. Today, Gandhi is considered the embodiment of non-violent resistance. His great words have also taken hold in the western world: ahimsa - non-violence, satyagraha - insistence on truth, and swaraj - self-governance. Gandhi was and remained a Hindu, but engaged intensively with other religions. He took the Baghavad Gita and the Sermon on the Mount as the spiritual basis for his political actions. His concept of renunciation of violence and loving one’s enemies therefore also had a strong influence on Christians, for instance the American Civil Rights movement and Martin Luther King.
The late Dr John Hay was a highly respected and long-serving GP in Uig and Bernera on the Isle of Lewis from the 1970s to the 1990s. Despite the demands of serving a large practice, he managed to create a vast film archive of life in the community to which he was devoted. Like many island communities at the time, crofting and fishing were the foundation of daily life and the resulting films and photographs are a priceless record of a changing society. They also reveal the affection in which Dr Hay was held locally. Photographer Calum Angus Mackay goes in search of John Hay, his archive and the people he captured on film. In a series of specially commissioned portraits, he also presents a snapshot of the people of Uig today. In Gaelic with English subtitles
