An Comunn Gàidhealach - Royal National Mòd : Mòd News

Closing Date for Entries

Published: 25 May 2011

With entries for Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail 2011 coming in thick and fast, Mod organisers An Comunn Gàidhealach are busy preparing for this year’s event, to be held in the Western Isles.

Although many entries have already been received and processed, An Comunn Gàidhealach expect a considerable influx of entries before the closing date of 31^st May and are again stressing the importance of complete entries being received on time.

Janet MacDonald, Royal National Mod Director reiterated this view saying, “I must remind potential competitors that any late or incomplete entries received after that date will not be accepted. I would also like to remind competitors that all own choice music pieces have to be submitted by 30^th June.”

This is the fifth time that the Mod will have been held in the Western Isles, previously taking place in 1979, 1989, 2001 and 2005. It’s clear that the island community are looking forward to hosting it again. Convener of the Local Organising Committee, Alex MacDonald said, “We wish that the 2011 Mod will be every bit as successful as previous Mods held in the Western Isles. We are hopeful that it will be a fantastic Mod in 2011 and that visitors will enjoy their trip to the Western Isles. Indeed, there will be a warm highland welcome waiting for all visitors and competitors.”

Competitions and events will be held throughout the islands at this year’s Mod with the junior and senior piping competitions taking place in Benbecula and the Highland Dancing competitions taking place in Barra.

An Comunn Gàidhealach’s President, John MacLeod stated, “It’s extremely appropriate that the Mod returns to the Western Isles as they are at the very heart of our language and culture. The Gaelic language is still the language of the community in the Islands and there isn’t a better place to showcase Scotland’s main Gaelic festival.”

The Royal National Mod takes place in the Western Isles between 14^th and 22^nd October 2011.

For any further information regarding Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail or Mòd nan Eilean Siar, please visit our website.

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A305 Change

Published: 19 May 2011

Please note the amendment below. If you have missed any of the other amendments which have been made to Mod 2011 pieces then you can view them here.

Comp A305

Soraidh leis an àit’

Page 6, bar 63-For Soprano 2 and Alto, the words should read, ‘Choltaich mi ri Gàidhlig’.

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Fèis nan Còisir Event

Published: 11 May 2011

A ceilidh and dance to raise funds for the upcoming Royal National Mod will be held on Saturday the 21^st of May 2011 at An Caladh Inn in Stornoway. The evening, which is being organised by the Fèis nan Còisir committee, will begin at 7pm and will replace the annual Fèis nan Còisir event which is historically held around this time of year.

Entertainment will be provided by the winners of the Traditional Gold Medal at the 2010 Caithness Mod, Eoghàinn MacLeod and Margaret McLeman, who are also both members of Còisir Sgìr’ a’ Bhac. There will also be the opportunity to hear the four adult choirs who are based in Lewis as they begin in earnest to make preparations for the upcoming Mod. To get your toes a tapping on the evening music will be provided courtesy of the folk group winners from Mòd Ionadail Leòdhais 2011 which took place in March 2011. The talented folk groups who will be performing are Stornoway Primary, Lionel School and the Nicolson Institute. And if that wasn’t enough entertainment for one evening, the ever popular Iain Angus MacLeod and his band will be providing the dance music! Compering the evening will be Donald Martin.

If you are based in Stornoway, tickets for the ceilidh dance are available from Events and they cost £5 or alternatively payment can be made at the door on the evening. For more information contact Amy MacAulay, from the Fèis nan Còisir committee, on amyvmacaulay@gmail.com.

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Ciorstaidh Scoops Top Pan Celtic Prize

Published: 10 May 2011

Ciorstaidh Peutan from Kilmuir, Skye won the Open Clarsach competition at the International Pan Celtic Festival in Dingle.

Ciorstaidh who currently studies at the City of Edinburgh Music School, will be going to the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester in September.

The festival, now in its 40^th year has seen competitors and visitors from around the world gather in Dingle and Ciorstaidh came out on top against two local competitors. Ciorstaidh has been attending the festival as a representative of the Clarsach Society and has been attending the Pan Celtic for the first time. Ciorstaidh has previously been a winner at the Royal National Mod.

Speaking after winning the competition Coirstaidh (18) said “ I am really happy to have won the competition. It was a tough competition but I am delighted. It’s been a great festival and it’s nice for Scotland to have had success”.

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Uist Night in Inverness!

Published: 06 May 2011

An Comunn Gàidhealach - meur Inbhirnis

Uist Accordion & Fiddle Club

Uist Dancing Club

Uist Singers and pipers

With Fear an Tighe ……. Ruaridh Nicolson

Saturday 4^th June 2011

7.30pm Green Drive Hall, Inverness

Finger Buffet … Tea/Coffee/…..Raffle Prizes

Admission: £8 ………. Bring Your own Bottle

Ticket bookings available from: Mobile Nos. 07869368205 / 07891814925 / 07777632585

“All proceeds go towards the running of the Inverness Local Mod in June 2011”

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Barn Dance in Inverness!

Published: 06 May 2011

An Comunn Gàidhealach

Meur Inbhir Nis

Barn Dance!

Music by

The Fiona Dalgetty Band

Saturday 14^th May 2011

7.30pm

Bogbain Farm, Inverness

Licensed Bar ……………Raffle Prizes

Barbeque facilities are available

Admission: £8 ……………. Tickets at the door

Contact details: Mobile Nos. 07891814925

07777632585

“All proceeds go towards the running of the Inverness Local Mod in June 2011”

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Calling All Cooks!

Published: 03 May 2011

As a fundraiser for Mòd nan Eilean Siar 2011, the Ladies Committee are planning on

putting together a Mòd Cookbook. As a result, we’d appreciate any recipes that

are favourites - home baking perhaps being a Mòd speciality?!

All recipes gratefully received; starters, mains, puddings as well as baking.

Recipes can be e-mailed to Moira Maclean or Christine Morrison at the following e-mail addresses:

Moira - moira.maclean@btinternet.com

Christine - cmmorrison@btinternet.com

Mod2011Logo - Copy

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New Kennedy Competition

Published: 02 May 2011

Prestigious Mòd competition to commemorate Kennedy Gold Medallists

An Comunn Gàidhealach are pleased to announce the addition of a prestigious new competition at this year’s Royal National Mòd in the Western Isles. The competition is confined to both male and female former winners of An Comunn Gàidhealach’s Gold Medal. Entrants will be expected to perform one song of their own choice.

The competition winner will be awarded a new trophy being presented in memory of the late Calum Kennedy and his wife Anne Gillies, both of whom won the prestigious An Comunn Gold Medal in 1955 and 1952, respectively. The new trophy is being donated by the Kennedy family who will be represented at the Mòd to make the presentation.

A similar competition had existed for past winners of the Gold Medal and other solo competitions, but it was discontinued after the 1953 National Mòd in Oban. Interestingly, Calum was one of the competitors in that event, and went on to win the An Comunn Gold two years later in Aberdeen, which proved to be a springboard for him to world-wide success on the stage.

President of An Comunn Gàidhealach, John MacLeod today said, “An Comunn Gàidhealach are really delighted to present such a prestigious competition at this year’s Mod in the Western Isles which we hope will attract many of the great former Gold Medallists from different generations. It is also very fitting that the competition will be held at Mòd nan Eilean Siar in memory of the highly-respected Calum Kennedy and his wife Anne Gillies, who with their family were household names in Gaelic singing and musical entertainment. They were wonderful ambassadors for Gaelic, bringing our language and culture to a world-wide audience, and this will be a great opportunity to honour their memory ”

Fiona Kennedy, Calum & Anne’s eldest daughter today said: “My sisters, Kirsteen, Morag, Morven, Deirdre and myself are very proud to give an award in our parents’ memory. In many ways they were a golden couple, blessed with hauntingly beautiful voices which delighted and moved audiences at home and abroad. Winning the Gold Medal at The Mod was where it all started for them and was definitely the catalyst for their careers and they never forgot that. They loved taking part, the preparation and build up every year, the friendships, the fun, the laughter and the ceilidhs! We know they would be thrilled to have this new competition in their honour.”

Entries must be submitted by 31^st May 2011 and can be submitted online. As with other Mod competitions, competitors must submit the words of their chosen song to An Comunn Gàidhealach by 30^th June.

For any further information on rules etc., please visit our website.

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