SKIPINNISH DEBUT HPMA PROTEST SONG IN ABERDEEN

Skipinnish debut HPMA protest song in Aberdeen. As the Scottish Government moves apparently inexorably forward with its destructive proposals for Highly Protected Marine Areas, Celtic music legends Skipinnish and Barra & Vatersay fisherman Donald Francis (DF) MacNeil will debut their hit protest song opposing HPMAs in Aberdeen this Friday (12 May).

‘The Clearances Again’, written by the band’s co-founder Angus MacPhail, is from the perspective of his friend DF who has fished the waters around his home island of Vatersay and nearby islands all his life. It illustrates the significant concern over Scottish Government plans to impose HPMAs on island and coastal communities. If approved, HPMAs would cause economic, social and cultural devastation by banning all fishing, aquaculture and infrastructure developments in at least 10% of Scotland’s coastal and inshore waters by 2026.

HPMAs stem from the Bute House Agreement between the government and the Scottish Greens. They would mean Scotland’s island and coastal communities, where fishing and marine activities are critical for the fragile local economies, will be devastated as centuries-old industries will be forced to close and small inshore fishing boats – such as DF’s – will be permanently tied up.

The song – which was 64-year-old DF’s recording debut – was released on 14 April and reached number five in UK download charts in a little over 24 hours and became the longest top ten charting song for Skipinnish. Its time in the top ten saw the song overtake established global acts such as Ed Sheeran, David Guetta, Kelly Clarkson and Sam Ryder.

Inshore fisherman, DF will perform as lead vocals on The Clearances Again along with Skipinnish at the band’s Aberdeen Music Hall gig on Friday 12 May. They will be joined in the song by the gig’s special guests Leo Moran and Anthony ‘Anto’ Thistlethwaite of The Saw Doctors, who will also be opening the Aberdeen event.

The Friday night concert coincides with the annual major fishing exhibition in the city which attracts thousands of people from fishing communities across the UK.

DF MacNeil said:

“This is the first time I’ll stand in front of such a large crowd to sing, and certainly the first time I’m debuting a song.  I’m doing this to send a clear message to the government and politicians about the damage they’ll inflict on island and coastal communities through their poorly conceived policies.

“I am singing to save my community and my industry for future generations. We want the government and its agencies to work better with us and in a more collaborative and open manner. We are often at the blunt end of a thoughtless Edinburgh policy with little or no meaningful consultation or dialogue or care for its impacts. We know every inch of these shores and we know the waters better than any civil servant. But ministers and officials feel they can write us off with the sweep on a pen and leave us to pick up the pieces.

DF added:

“The communities of the Highlands and Islands are no walkover. We hope the response to this song shows our politicians that they must rethink and avoid inflicting depopulation on the scale of the Highland Clearances on our already fragile communities.”

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