Mirrie dancers go worldwide
A spectacular Hogmanay display of Northern Lights was seen around the world thanks to Promote Shetland’s cameras.
The network of webcams was streaming live on the internet on Saturday night as the regular show by Tom Morton was broadcast live from Market Street in Lerwick. The stunning images of the mirrie dancers were shown on Facebook as well as Promote Shetland’s 60 North website.
The time-lapse video below shows some of the footage.
Aurora New Years Eve 2016 from Far andAway on Vimeo.
And listeners and viewers were logged in some far-flung locations – including Abu Dhabi, Indiana in the USA and across Europe. Most of the Northern Lights footage was from the “cliff cams” at Sumburgh Head.
Former BBC DJ Morton said: “It was great, and a real privilege to take Shetland to the world for two hours, live on Hogmanay.
“The show has built up a real following since going on air at midsummer. We were very lucky to be on air when the aurora became so strikingly visible.”
In addition, the radio show, which has a “Museum of Lost Audio” feature, broadcast rare music on cassette from the likes of classic Yell band Scrape the Barrel, and on vinyl from Aly Bain, Trevor Hunter, Tom Anderson, Davie Tulloch and Violet Tulloch on vinyl. Contemporary Whalsay combo The Bashies also featured.
Andy Steven of Promote Shetland said: “Our webcams show fantastic scenery and wildlife in the summer, and the winter we can, if we’re lucky, relay the aurora to the world, coupled with great music from Shetland and beyond.”
A team comprising engineer Iain Waddel and vision mixer Bo Anderson, plus volunteers, put out the show live every week.
Neil Forsyth
Sadly, another enjoyment non-Shetlanders will miss if no longer able to enjoy well run Shetland Webcams, according to 7 June 2017 news:
Living in Stamford, Lincolnshire, an avid followers of all things Shetland, including the Webcams run by the Shetland Amenity Trust, I, too, am VERY DISAPPOINTED to learn the news & fate of such a Hard Working Promote Shetland Team, & do sincerely hope the decision can, please be reversed before it is too late.
Will Everyone possible, PLEASE sign the change.org petition my Brother, Gradon, has set up to try & reverse this decision, which is obviously also going to affect the lives of Shetland Residents, Traders, & potential Visitors alike. http://www.change.org/p/shetland-county-council…
For my part I am a subscriber of The Shetland Times & other publications & regular listener to Shetland local radio stations, & completely as a labour of Love, have made & gifted world-widely a Shetland Webcam Collage 2017-18 Calendar. I currently have health issues preventing me from carrying out another re-reprint, but as soon as I am able, I am happy, within the bounds of my private finances, to send to anyone interested in trying to promote this Wonderful group of Islands.