Glòr òir nan Gàidheal aig a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail
Thòisich gràinnean-mullaich nan seinneadairean Gàidhlig san t-saoghalair co-fharpaisean nam Bonn Òr aig a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail ann an Loch Abar air an t-seachdamh latha dhen fhèis ainmeil.
Fhuair Caitlyn Yule agus Fionnlagh Iain Morse duais is iad a’ seinn cho àlainn a-raoir, a’ buannachadh bonn-òir ion-mhiannaichte aig prìomh thachartas na Gàidhlig. Seo co-fharpais eachdraidheil ann an seinn – a tha air a bhith a’ dol fad 133 bliadhna – anns am bi liosta ghoirid de sheinneadairean a’ dèanamh an dìcheall airson sgòr àrd a chosnadh is iad a’ seinn òran ainmichte agus òran a thagh iad fhèin.
Rinn Caitlyn Yule à Comar nan Allt is a tha a’ fuireach ann an Glaschu a-nis agus Fionnlagh Iain Morse a’ chùis air co-fharpaisich às an Òban is a’ Ghearasdan, à Leòdhas is Inbhir Nis is àitichean eile air beulaibh nam britheamhan.
Thuirt Caitlyn Yule, buannaiche bonn-òir nam ban: “Seo a’ chiad cho-fharpais a rinn mi ’s mi nam inbheach aig a’ Mhòd, bha mi am measg na cloinne an-uiridh ’s bha seo cho eadar-dhealaichte. Cha robh mi ach airson mo dhìcheall a dhèanamh ach nuair a bha iad a’ gairm nan comharran shaoil mi leam fhìn: fuirich ort! Chan urra dhomh a chreid. Cha robh Gàidhlig nam theaghlach agus a bhith ag ìre cho àrd a-nis far an urrainn dhomh a dhol an sàs co-fharpais bonn-òir agus a’ dèanamh cho math, tha sin cho prìseil. Dh’ionnsaich mi uiread a rudan tro na bliadhnaichean air an t-slighe an seo, mar an tidsear agam, Màiri NicGilleEathain, a chuidich mi leis a h-uile càil a-riamh on a bha mi sia bliadhna a dh’aois. Tha mi cho taingeil dhan a h-uile duine a chuidich mi air an rathad, cha bhithinn an seo as an aonais an-diugh.”
Thuirt Fionnlagh Iain Morse, buannaiche bonn-òir nam fear: “Air m’ fhacal, tha mi bog balbh an dèidh dhomh bonn-òir a bhuannachadh. ’S e obair mhòr a th’ air a bhith na lùib, eadar stiùireadh Còisir Obar Dheathain agus ionnsachadh nam pìosan agam airson farpais a’ bhuinn-òir. Tha mi airson taing mhòr mhòr a thoirt dha Riona NicGilleBhàin agus Alasdair airson an taic a thug iad dhomh agus an t-oide a bh’ agam nuair a bha mi òg, Kerrie Cheannadach. A’ buannachadh seo, tha mi a-nis a’ seasamh ri taobh nan sàr-sheinneadairean a bhuannaich seo romhamsa, a’ cumail ar dualchais is ar cultair beò. ’S e onair cho mòr a tha seo, cuid na h-òrain seo a sheinn air an àrd-ùrlar agus brìgh na bàrdachd a chur an cèill.”
Bha an t-aigeallan-airgid – an aon cho-fharpais dhan luchd-ionnsachaidh – a’ dol sa bhaile Ghàidhealach seo air an fheasgar cuideachd. Abair tàlant a bhuannaich, le Lewis Davey à Ìle a’ toirt leis duais nam fear agus Ruth Hunter à Obar Dheathain a’ toirt leatha bonn nam ban. Bhuannaich Lewis cròglach de innealan airgid cuideachd, eadar Geall-dùbhlain Cuimhneachan Alasdair MhicAonghais, Cuach Cuimhneachan Mhòraig Robb agus Cuach Iain A. MacRàth.
Ann an Dràma a’ Mhòid, b’ e Sgioba Dràma Uibhist a bhuannaich an duais mhòr, Duais a’ Phàipeir Bhig agus iad air thoiseach air càch air an àrd-ùrlar.
Tha a’ phrosbaig a-nis a’ gluasad gu farpais-chrìochnachaidh Bonn-òir an t-Seann Nòis anns am bi cothrom air na seinneadairean an sgil aca a nochdadh is iad a’ seinn dà òran leotha fhèin a thagh iadsan. ’S e duais a tha mòran ag iarraidh a tha seo agus bidh dian-fharpais eadar an fheadhainn a tha airson an ainmean a chur sìos ann an eachdraidh. Bidh iad air an àrd-ùrlar air beulaibh làn-taighe ann an Ionad Nibheis agus beò air BBC ALBA.
An-diugh, thig na ceudan de sheinneadairean cruinn cuideachd airson co-fharpais nan còisirean dùthchail is iad a’ feuchainn ri chèile an tòir Sgiath Latharna agus Cuach an t-Siorraim MacMhaighstir Caimbeul ainmeil. Bidh 13 buidhnean seinn o fheadh na h-Alba sa cho-fharpais seo an tòir glòir.
Bidh dannsairean Gàidhealach a’ bearradh ri chèile an-diugh cuideachd, fhad ’s gheibh brod nan gnìomhachasan Gàidhlig urram aig Cruinn Còmhla. Thig luchd-gnothachais còmhla an tòir cothroman ùra air a’ Ghàidhealtachd an Iar agus ciad bhuannaichean duais prògram spionnadh gnìomhachais ‘Cruthachadh Chothroman’ o HIE. Tha an sgeama seo airson grad-chomas tòiseachaidh a thoirt do ghnìomhachasan Gàidhlig airson ’s gun dèan iad barrachd leis a’ chànan sna h-iomairtean aca.
Aig Iomall a’ Mhòid, bidh campa ball-coise òigridh ALBA FA a’ dol agus seisean ciùil fosgailte is oidhche blasadh uisge-beatha pop-up sa Ghearastan. Bidh gach taigh-seinnse air an t-sràid àrd sa Ghearastan a’ cumail seiseanan ciùil bheò iad fhèin tron t-seachdain, a’ comharradh àm a’ Mhòid sa bhaile.
Bidh Blasad Loch Abar a’ comharradh biadh, deochan is làmh-cheàrdan do-chreidsinneach na sgìre, gach rud eadar fuineadaireachd thradaiseanta is deochan tarraingte na Gàidhealtachd ri bhlasad agus bidh rionnagan BBC ALBA, Pàdraig MacCuidhein agus Màiri Anna NicUalraig ann an Ceàrnag Chamshroin airson Còcaireachd, Cuileanan, Craic is Cèilidh. Bidh an dithis aca trang a’ dèanamh biadh a chuireas sruth ri fiaclan, a’ cleachdadh mathas nàdair agus tomhas math de sgeulachdan, craic is ceòl beò.
Thuirt Seumas Greumach, Àrd-oifigear a’ Chomuinn Ghàidhealaich: “Chuir Loch Abar fàilte chridheil do shaoghal nan Gàidheal an t-seachdain seo agus aig cridhe gach rud bha tàlant ciùil annasach agus gaol cho mòr air a’ Ghàidhlig. Bha an t-seinn a rinn an fheadhainn a bhuannaich am bonn-òir is an t-aigeallan-airgid am bliadhna cho brosnachail – taing mhòr dhan a h-uile duine a ghabh pàirt is a leig fhaicinn dè cho mòr ’s a tha an gaol aca air a’ chànan is ceòl tradaiseanta.
“Tha othail cho mòr ann an Loch Abar mar-thà agus fàs e nas beòthail fhathast is seinneadairean nan còisirean Gàidhlig air an t-slighe nan ceudan airson dà latha de cho-fharpaisean. Tha prògram Iomall a’ Mhòid loma-làn de rudan cuideachd, le rudeigin dhan a h-uile duine. Tha sinn air ar bioran sna làithean mu dheireadh dhen fhèis phròiseil chultarach seo.”
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.
Bidh Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail ann an Loch Abar gu crìoch air an 18mh dhen Dàmhair 2025. Gheibhear tiocaidean airson na tachartasan mòra aig https://buytickets.at/ancomunn.
***
Gaels go for gold at Royal National Mòd
The world’s finest Gaelic singers have begun going for gold at the Royal National Mòd in Lochaber as the prestigious event hits the seven day mark.
Caitlyn Yule and Finlay John Morse were rewarded for their outstanding vocal efforts as they won the esteemed Gold Medal last night at the premier Gaelic cultural event. The historic singing competition, which has been running for 133 years, sees shortlisted singers aim to score highest for their morning and evening performances.
Caitlyn Yule, who is from Cumbernauld and now lives in Glasgow and Aberdeen’s Finlay John Morse, beat off competition from vocalists from Lewis, Oban, Inverness, Fort William and elsewhere, to impress the judges.
Women’s Gold Medallist Caitlyn Yule said: “This is my first adult competition at the Mòd, I did kids competitions last year so this was totally different. I just wanted to do my best - when the results were being read out I thought: wait a minute! It just feels surreal. Being from a background where I didn’t have Gaelic, to be able to get to such a stage where I'm able to compete in the Gold Medal competition and do well in it, just means a lot. I've had so much help over the years to get to this point, like my teacher Mary McLean, who's helped me through absolutely everything since I was six years old. I just feel grateful to everyone who has helped me to get to where I am now.”
Men’s Gold Medallist Finlay John Morse said: “Honestly, I have no words to describe how I feel after winning. It's been a lot of hard work, balancing conducting Aberdeen Choir and learning my pieces for the Gold Medal. I really just want to see a massive thanks to Riona Whyte and Alasdair for their help, and to my mentor growing up, Kerrie Kennedy. To win this means to join some fantastic singers who've won it before and keep our heritage and our culture alive. It's an absolute honour to be able to sing some of these songs on the stage and just portray the message of the bàrdachd.”
The Highland town also hosted the Silver Pendant – the equivalent competition for learners in the afternoon. Talented singers triumphed, with Islay’s Lewis Davey scooping the men’s and Aberdeen’s Ruth Hunter taking the ladies title. Lewis also won a clutch of silverware, bagging the Alasdair MacInnes Memorial Trophy, Morag Robb Memorial Salver and the John A MacRae Quaich.
In the Mòd Drama Final, Sgioba Dràma Uibhist (Uist Drama Group) took the Premier Award, the West Highland Free Press Quaich, for their stand-out performance.
The spotlight now shifts to tonight’s Traditional Gold Medal final, where solo singers will showcase their talent with two songs of their choosing. Battling it out for the coveted title, competitors aim to etch their names into history. The event will unfold before a full house at the Nevis Centre and live on BBC ALBA.
Today, hundreds of singers will also unite for the Combined Rural Choirs’ Competitions, vying for the prestigious Lorn Shield and the Sheriff MacMaster Campbell Memorial Quaich. 13 vocal groups from across Scotland are set to compete for glory.
Highland dancers will also face off today, while the best in Gaelic business will be recognised at the Cruinn Còmhla business event. Business figures will have a chance to explore new opportunities in the West Highlands and winners of HIE’s inaugural Cruthachadh Chothroman Business Accelerator programme will be presented with their awards. The scheme aimed to kickstart Gaelic-related businesses to do more to incorporate Gaelic into their ventures.
The fringe programme sees the ALBA FA Youth Football Camp get underway, and an open music session and a whisky tasting night pop up in Fort William. Every pub on Fort William’s high street is also staging its own live music sessions across the week, embracing the Mòd’s arrival in the town.
Taste of Lochaber will celebrate the region’s incredible food, drink and handmade produce, with everything From traditional bakes to Highland spirits available to sample, and Cameron Square will host BBC ALBA stars, Peter MacQueen and Mary Ann Kennedy for Còcaireachd, Cuileanan, Craic is Cèilidh. The pair will be cooking up irresistible treats inspired by nature’s bounty, accompanied by stories, craic and live music.
James Graham, Chief Executive Officer of An Comunn Gàidhealach, said: “Lochaber has welcomed the Gaeldom with open arms this week and at the heart of it all has been extraordinary musical talent and a deep passion for the Gaelic language. This year’s Gold Medal and Silver Pendant winners’ remarkable vocal performances were nothing short of inspiring – thanks to all our competitors for showcasing their love of the language and musical tradition in such spectacular style.
“Lochaber is buzzing with excitement and will only grow livelier as we welcome hundreds of Gaelic choir members for two thrilling days of competition. The fringe programme is also thriving, with activities to suit every taste. We’re excited to celebrate the final days of this proud cultural showcase.”
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 takes place in Lochaber until 18 October 2025. Tickets for flagship events are available at https://buytickets.at/ancomunn.