Mod closes with chorus of approval

Published on Saturday 17 October 2009 23:38

ORGANISERS hailed as a success a festival celebrating Gaelic culture after an estimated 9,000 people flocked to the week-long event.

The annual Royal National Mod festival, which started on 10 October, finished yesterday with a choir of about 400 people performing on the waterfront in Oban. The choir was made up of singers who had competed throughout the week.

It is the 15th time the festival has been held in Oban since the first Highland gathering in the town in 1892. Singers, musicians and artists converged on the town for daily competitions, while classes were held to promote Gaelic language.

Sporting clashes also brought traditional shinty games to the area. John Morrison, chief executive of the festival organiser An Comunn Gaidhealach, said: "We are thrilled with the number of competitors this year, whose ages range from five to 92, who have travelled from all across Scotland, the UK and the world to celebrate Gaelic culture with us at this year's Homecoming Royal National Mod.

"Highlights of the week include a record 1,900 children taking part in the junior competitions. Personal highlights for me were the fantastic fiddlers rally on Friday and the gold medal competition held on Thursday, where the standard was incredibly high.

"We look forward to building upon the success of the Royal National Mod this year to create another fantastic event next year in Caithness."

Last year's event in Falkirk generated more than 1.4 million from visitors and Morrison estimated that this year's event in Oban has generated a similar amount for the local economy.

Argyll and Bute Council leader Dick Walsh said it had been "a fabulous week of competition. The standards in all classes were extremely high and I whilst I would like to congratulate all competitors, I would like to especially thank those from Argyll and Bute who came here to compete and who are keeping the Gaelic language alive.

"Oban has provided a wonderful backdrop for the Mod. It was fitting that the Royal National Mod did indeed return home in this year of Homecoming."