ROYAL NATIONAL MOD

The 'Royal National Mod', (), is the annual national mod, a festival of Scottish Gaelic song, arts and culture. St Columba's Church, Glasgow greatly influenced the Mod's inception when, in 1891, it's choir was invited to give a Gaelic Concert in Oban, presided over by Lord Archibald Campbell. The concert was a huge success and was attended by most of the nobility, including Louise, Princess Royal and Duchess of Fife. After the Concert the Choir were entertained to supper at the Alexandra Hotel, and a description of the entertainment is given in one of William Black's novels. This concert was the prelude to the Gaelic Mod, the first being held at Oban the following year, when St. Columba Choir were successful in the Choir competition. It has been held most years in October since 1892 It is usually just called 'The Mod'. The only years in which the National Mod was not held were the war years of 1914-1919 and 1939-1946. The "Royal" was not originally part of the name. It is still the practice of the St Columba's Church to send a Concert Party to start off the fund-raising when the Mod visits Oban. As well as winning the premier Choir competition for the first three years, the church has also had many Mod Gold Medallists including it's present minister, the Reverend Donald Michael MacInnes, who took the premier award in 1990
The Mod largely takes the form of formal competitions. Choral events (in Scottish Gaelic, both solo and choirs), and traditional music including fiddle, bagpipe, clarsach and folk groups dominate. Spoken word events include children and adult's poetry reading, storytelling and Bible reading, and categories such as Ancient Folk Tale or Humorous Monologue. Children can also present an original drama, and there are competitions in written literature. The Mod also runs an annual shinty competition, the Mod Cup, between the two shinty teams closest to the place where the Mod is taking place.
Culturally, the Mod is comparable to the Welsh Eisteddfod.
The Mod is held each October, and has been held in locations throughout Scotland, both highland and lowland. Recent and future locations include Oban (2003) – the 100th Royal National Mod, Perth (2004), Isle Of Lewis (2005), Dunoon (2006), Lochaber (2007), Falkirk (2008)
To participants, the Mod is also an opportunity to meet with old friends and make new ones. The Mod is popularly known as the '"Whisky Olympics"'^[1].

Contents

References

External links

References

1. ''The Scotsman''

External links

★ Royal National Mod

★ Origins of the Mod

★ The Association of Gaelic Choirs

★ Picture

★ Royal National Mod, Falkirk 10th-18th October 2008