Am Mòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail (The Royal National Mòd), Scotland’s premier festival celebrating Gaelic linguistic and cultural heritage, will this year travel to the Western Isles for the fifth time in its 120 year history, last visiting the Islands in 2005.

The eight day celebration of Gaelic music, dance, drama, arts and literature, running from Friday 14^th until Saturday 22^th October, is set to attract thousands of participants and embrace the entire community of the Islands including Lewis, Harris, Benbecula, Barra and the Uists.

Organised by An Comunn Gàidhealach, the world’s oldest and most respected Gaelic organisation, The Royal National Mòd is a competition based festival which attracts competitors from Gaelic communities throughout the UK, Ireland, Australia, Germany, Canada and the USA and is considered the biggest event of the Gaelic calendar.

John Morrison, chief executive of An Comunn Gàidhealach said: “We are delighted to be taking The Mòd back to the Western Isles this year; an area which has a strong history of delivering a fantastic event for participants and spectators alike. The local organising committee has worked tirelessly to ensure this year’s event is a great success and has a spectacular array of fringe activities; I’d urge people to some along and see what the Mòd has to offer.

“We have already had a fantastic response from people of all ages signing up to take part in the competitions this year and have had entries from as far a field as Canada, United Arab Emirates, California and Virginia.” The Royal National Mòd offers a huge range of opportunities for people to compete, from fluent Gaelic speakers to those in the fledging stages of learning the language.

The fringe activities offer an annual opportunity for Gaels and non-Gaels to gather and renew old friendships as well as forging new ones. Activity for this year includes ceilidhs, open stage music evenings, road dances each evening, historical exhibitions, ‘come and try’ musical workshops, and the annual Angus Macleod memorial lecture. The festival kicks off on Friday 14th October with a grand opening ceremony taking place in the early evening followed by a traditional energetic ceilidh at night to get visitors in the mood for the week long competitive festival.

Competitions begin on Monday 17^th October, kicking off a week filled with Gaelic music, song, dance, drama, sport and literature.

Children’s competitions take place at the start of the week and nearly 1,700 children from across the country taking part. The Traditional and Gold Medal qualifying rounds take place on Wednesday 19 October with the finals on Thursday 20 October.

The coveted Lovatt & Tullibardine and Margrat Duncan titles will be awarded on Friday 21 October before the final concert takes place. The grand finale of the 2011 Royal National Mòd will take place on Saturday 22 October when the Massed Choirs will gather and parade in Ceàrnag Phearsabhail (Perceval Square), led by local pipe bands.

2010 saw the Mòd come to Caithness for the first time; the successful event saw HRH The Duke of Rothesay visit and present the two winners of the Mod Gold Medal competition, Joy Dunlop and Iain MacLean, with their prizes. Over 2,000 competitors took part in the 2010 Royal National Mòd and with thousands of visitors travelling to Caithness during the event.

Alex MacDonald, Convener, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Local Organising Committee Mòd nan Eilean Siar 2011, said: “As Convener of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and of the local organising committee of Mod nan Eilean Siar 2011, I am delighted to have the opportunity of welcoming the Mod back to the Western Isles for the 5^th time in its history. There is no more appropriate setting for this week-long celebration of Gaelic language and culture than the Gaelic heartland of the Western Isles.

“Gaelic is embedded in the very fabric of these islands, with a population that celebrates the language in all aspects of daily life: in the home, workplace and in the community. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is proud to support the Gaelic language and will do everything in its power to retain and promote its rightful place at the heart of Scotland’s rich cultural heritage.”

Phil Preston, Managing Director of Caledonian MacBrayne, (CalMac) said:”The Royal National Mòd is one of the highlights of CalMac’s year, and we are particularly excited to be coming to Stornoway which is such an important part of our network. It is a fantastic opportunity to meet and engage with people from across our area, and look forward to welcoming them to our vintage MacBrayne’s bus, which was such a hit in Thurso last year.”

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer of EventScotland, the national events agency, said: “EventScotland is delighted to be supporting the Royal National Mod again this year. With its celebration of Gaelic music and culture the Mod appeals to many people across the world, helping to promote Scotland and the country’s unique heritage.”

The Royal National Mòd is supported by Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council), Caledonian MacBrayne, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, EventScotland, the national events agency, the Royal Bank of Scotland, SQA, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, BBC ALBA, the Scottish Government and Royal Mail.

Royal National Mod – Schedule of events 2011

Date	Event	Venue*
Friday 14 Oct	Opening ceremony	An Lanntair
Saturday 15 Oct	Mod Shinty Cup Final	Lionacleit
	Fiddlers’ Rally	Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais Sports Centre
Sunday 16 Oct	Mod Church Service	Talla Bhaile Steòrnabhaigh Stornoway Town Hall
	Celtic Praise	Martin’s Memorial Church
Monday 17 Oct	Children Prizewinners’ Concert	Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais Sports Centre
Tuesday 18 Oct	Children Prizewinners’ Concert	Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais Sports Centre
Wednesday 19 Oct	Literature Awards	Seòmar na Comhairle Council Chamber
	Gold medal Qualifying A220 / A221	Assembly Hall, Nicolson Institute
	Gold medal Qualifying A222 / A223	Eaglais Naomh Chaluim ChilleSt Columbus Church
	Silver Pendant Final	Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais
	Drama Finals	An Lanntair
	Traditional Qualifying	Talla Sgoil MhicNeacail Assembly Hall
Thursday 20 Oct	Highland Dancing	Bàgh a’ Chaisteil Castleby (Barra)
	Gold Medal Finals	Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais Sports Centre
	Traditional Final	Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais Sports Centre
	Convener’s Traditional Ceilidh	An Lanntair
Friday 21 Oct	Lovat & Tullibardine	Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais Sports Centre
	Margrat Duncan	Talla Bhaile Steòrnabhaigh Stornoway Town Hall
	Final concert	Ionad Spòrs Leòdhais
Saturday 22 Oct	Mass choir/pipe band parade	Ceàrnag Phearsabhail Perceval Square

* may be subject to change. Check website to confirm.

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