Tha am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail fo làn-sheòl aig letheach na slighe
Published by Corrie Campbell Communications
Luchd-ionnsachaidh na Gàidhlig ri comharradh is òigridh fhileanta ri ullachadh
Tha am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail 2025 ann an Loch Abar letheach slighe a-nis agus tha an òigridh a tha fileanta sa Ghàidhlig ag ullachadh ceòl, dràma, bàrdachd is òrain is iad gu bhith air an àrd-ùrlar an dèidh pailteas duaisean a bhuannaich an luchd-ionnsachaidh an-dè.
Air a’ cheathramh latha dhen fhèis naoi làithean, bha Gàidheil suas ri aois 19 an sàs co-fharpaisean airson buinn, duaisean is gill-dhùbhlain eadar 27 tachartas.
Nam measg, ann an seinn aon-neach luchd-ionnsachaidh 13-15, bhuannaich Eilidh NicAonghais, aois 14, à Àird nam Murchan Bonn Cuimhneachan Sheumais C. Mhic a’ Phì, an dèidh dhi ar fàgail bog balbh is i a’ seinn an òrain ainmichte aice, Do’n Chuthaig.
Bhuannaich Eilidh Geall-dùbhlain Alasdair Hamalton cuideachd leis gum b’ ise a fhuair an comharra as àirde ann an Gàidhlig, ach ’s e Erin Greig aois 15 à Muilea fhuair Geall-dùbhlain Sìne Ghreumach leis a’ chomharra as àirde ann an ceòl.
Ann an roinn aois 16-18 ann an seinn thraidiseanta mheasgte aon-neach luchd-ionnsachaidh b’ i Màiri Mhoireastan, aois 18, às an Rubha a choisinn a’ chiad àite, a’ buannachadh Bonn Probhaist na h-Eaglaise Brice.
Ann an roinn 13-15 ann an seinn thraidiseanta mheasgte aon-neach luchd-ionnsachaidh, ’s e Robaidh Dòmhnall MacGilleEathain, aois 14, à Bàgh a’ Chaisteil ann am Barraigh a thug buaidh, a’ toirt dhachaigh Duais Dhòmhnaill MhicLeòid.
Ann an roinn seinn aon-neach 16-18 , ’s e Isla Duke às an Eaglais Bhreac a bhuannaich co-fharpais nan caileagan is Fionnlagh Moireastan à Glaschu a bhuannaich co-fharpais nam balach.
Bha na còisirean a cheart cho gasta. Ann an co-fharpais còisir aon-fhuaimneach an luchd-ionnsachaidh fo aois 13, ’s e Còisir Ghàidhlig Fèis Phàislig, fo shàr stiùireadh luchd-iùil Màiri NicGilleBhràith agus Ellen NicDhòmhnaill, sgeulachd an latha. Rinn iad cho math ’s gun do bhuannaich iad gach duais a bha ri fhaighinn, a’ gabhail a-staigh Geall-dùbhlain Dhòmhnaill MhicPhàil is Màiri NicPhàil, Cuach Iùbailidh Airgid Comunn Gàidhlig Dharlington agus Cuach Cuimhneachan Mhòraig Robb.
B’ e Sèisteil Bheag a dhrùidh air na britheamhan ann an co-fharpais puirt à beul còisirean luchd-ionnsachaidh fo aois 13 is thug iad leotha Cupa Mhic an t-Saoir agus Geall-dùbhlain na Mnà-uasail Olive Chaimbeul MBE. Fo stiùir Rhiona NicGilleBhàin, sheinn an còmhlan seata beòthail ’s ruitheamach.
Sna co-fharpaisean an-diugh, ann an roinn nam fileantach, ’s e tachartasan a’ Bhuinn-airgid an t-Seann Nòis do chaileagan is balaich aois 13 gu 15 an tè as motha, a-mach o 2f ann an Eaglais Chaitligeach an Naomh Moire, leis na deugairean a’ seinn òran Gàidhlig a thagh iad fhèin leotha fhèin.
Nan dèidh aig 6f bidh co-fharpais Aigeallan Airgid a’ Chomuinn Ghàidhealaich, le caileagan eadar 13 is 15 a’ seinn an òrain ainmichte Tha Thu Daonnan nam Smuain agus co-fharpais Prìne-fèilidh Airgid an t-Seann Nòis anns am bi balaich eadar aois 13 agus 15 a’ gabhail an t-seann òrain Balachan Beag a’ Chuailein Bhàin.
Ag ullachadh dhan chòmhrag cuideachd tha an 12 chòmhlan a tha a’ gabhail pàirt ann an Cogadh nan Còmhlan – tachartas a tha a’ fàs cho cudromach is e a’ toirt plathadh dhuinn dhen tàlant ùr a tha ag èirigh ann an saoghal na Gàidhlig is a’ chiùil thradaiseanta. Tòisichidh na farpaisean-ullachaidh aig 2f aig Eaglais Baile Dhonnchaidh, agus thèid na còig còmhlain as fheàrr air adhart chun na farpaise-crìochnachaidh aig 7.30f nuair a bhios gach sùil air an duais mhòr: seisean clàraidh ann an stiùideo.
A bharrachd air clàr-ama trang nan co-fharpaisean, bidh pailteas eile ann do luchd a’ Mhòid a bheir dhaibh cothrom a’ Ghàidhlig a chomharradh. Dhan fheadhainn bheaga, tha seo a’ gabhail a-staigh spòrs Bookbug aig Colaiste na Gàidhealtachd an Iar a-mach o 10.30m, Bookbug dà-chànanach ann an Leabharlann a’ Chaoil a-mach o 11m agus cothrom stobadh a-steach do sheisean làmh-cheàrdan dà-chànanach ann an Leabharlann a’ Ghearastain a-mach o 1f.
Do theaghlaichean, bidh Cèilidh sa Cheàrnag le ceòl beò le còmhlan-dannsa Robert Nairn agus aoighean sònraichte ann an Ceàrnag Chamshroin a-mach o 1f, agus an uair sin Cèilidh Teaghlaich eile ann an Ionad Nibheis a-mach o 6.30f.
A’ toirt cùisean an latha gu crìoch gu h-àrd-nòsach, cluichidh luchd-ciùil Albannach ainmeil Màiri NicGilleMhoire agus Alasdair Roberts tracaichean on albam as ùire aca Remembered in Exile: Òrain Alba Nuaidh san Taigh-dhealbh Ghàidhealach a-mach o 8f.
Thuirt Magaidh Choineagain, Cathraiche a’ Chomuinn Ghàidhealaich: “Tha am Mòd letheach slighe ann an Loch Abar am bliadhna agus chan eil coltas idir gu bheil iarrtas is ùidh sa Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail a’ crìonadh idir – an ceart-aghaidh sin!
“Tha àireamh nan daoine, an luchd-chiùil is an luchd-taisbeantais a chuireas sìos ainm a’ sìor fhàs, dìreach mar a tha cumhachd-thàlaidh agus ruigheachd an tachartais – agus ri linn, na buannachdan eaconamach, sòisealta agus cultarach nach beag idir. Tha e cho mìorbhaileach fhaicinn.”
Fhuair am Mòd taic o EventScotland, na phàirt de VisitScotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd, Riaghaltas na h-Alba, Cailleannach Mac a’ Bhriuthainn, BBC ALBA, Alba Chruthachail agus SQA am bliadhna.
Thig Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail ann an Loch Abar gu crìoch air an 18mh dhen Dàmhair. Gheibhear tiocaidean airson na tachartasan mòra aig https://buytickets.at/ancomunn.
Royal National Mòd in full swing at half-way mark
Gaelic learners celebrate and fluent youngsters prepare for the spotlight
As the Royal National Mòd 2025 in Lochaber reaches the half-way mark, youngsters fluent in Gaelic music, drama, poetry and song are preparing for their moment in the spotlight, following a plethora of award wins in the learner categories yesterday.
Day four of the nine-day festival saw Gaels aged 19 and under compete for medals, prizes and trophies across 27 events.
Amongst these, in the Solo Singing Learners 13-15 event, Eilidh MacInnes, aged 14, from Ardnamurrachan won the James C. MacPhee Memorial Medal, for her stunning performance of prescribed song, Do’n Chuthaig.
Eilidh also took the Alexander Hamilton Trophy for the highest mark in Gaelic went, while 15-year-old Erin Greig from Mull was awarded the Jean Graham Memorial Trophy for the highest mark in music.
In the Solo Traditional Mixed Singing Learners 16-18 category, 18-year-old Mary Morrison from Point on Lewis took first place, winning the Provost of Falkirk Medal.
In the Solo Traditional Singing Mixed Learners 13-15 category, 14-year-old Robbie Donald MacLean of Castlebay School on Barra came out on top, taking home the Donald Macleod Trophy.
In the solo singing 16-18 categories, Isla Duke from Falkirk and Finlay Morrison from Glasgow took first place in the girls and boys competitions respectively.
The performances were no less impressive in the choral categories. In the Choral Unison Learner under 13 competition, Còisir Ghàidhlig Fèis Phàislig (Paisley Fèis Gaelic Choir), under the expert direction of conductors Mairi McGillivray and Ellen MacDonald, swept the board, earning them all three trophies on offer: The Donald & Mamie MacPhail, The Darlington Society Silver Jubilee and The Morag Robb Memorial Trophy.
Sèisteil Bheag wowed the judges in the Choral Puirt-à-Beul Learner Under 13 competition to claim The Macintyre Cup and Olive Campbell MBE Trophy. Conducted by Rhiona Whyte, the group delivered a lively and rhythmic set.
Looking ahead to today’s competitions in the fluent categories, highlights include the 13 to 15 year old girls and boys Traditional Silver Medal events, from 2pm at St Mary’s Catholic Church, with teens delivering solo performances of a Gaelic song of their choosing.
These will be followed at 6pm by the An Comunn Gàidhealach Silver Pendant event, with the 13 to 15 year old girls performing the set song of Tha Thu Daonnan Nam Smuain, and the Silver Kilt Pin competition, with the 13 to 15 year old boys taking on the classic Balachan Beag a’ Chuailein Bhàin.
Also preparing to go head-to-head today will be 12 competing acts at this year’s Cogadh nan Còmhlan (Battle of the Bands) – an event that’s fast becoming an important showcase of emerging talent on the Gaelic and traditional music scene. The heats get underway at 2pm at Duncansburgh Church, with the five best bands making it through to the final at 7.30pm when all eyes will be on the top prize: a studio recording session.
Beyond the busy competition schedule, there will be plenty of other opportunities for festivalgoers to celebrate Gaelic culture. This includes, for little ones, Bookbug fun at West Highland college from 10.30am, a Bilingual Bookbug at Caol Library from 11am and Bilingual drop-in crafts at Fort William Library from 1pm.
For all the family, there’s a Street Cèilidh with live music by the Robert Nairn Dance Band and special guests in Cameron Square from 1pm, followed by a second Family Cèilidh at the Nevis Centre from 6.30pm.
Then, to bring the day’s events to a close in style, celebrated Scottish musicians Màiri Morrison and Alasdair Roberts will perform tracks from their latest album, Remembered in Exile: Songs and Ballads from Nova Scotia at the Highland Cinema from 8pm.
Maggie Cunningham, Chair of An Comunn Gàidhealach, said: “As we reach the half-way point of this year’s festival in Lochaber, the energy for, and interest in, the Royal National Mòd shows no sign of abating - quite the opposite!
“The number of entrants, musicians and performers continues to grow, as does the event’s appeal and reach – and with it, the considerable economic, social and cultural benefits that these all bring. It’s fantastic to see.”
This year’s event is supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Highland Council, The Scottish Government, Caledonian MacBrayne, BBC ALBA, Creative Scotland and SQA.
The Royal National Mòd runs in Lochaber until 18 October. Tickets for flagship events at https://buytickets.at/ancomunn.