Royal National Mod News

​Competition entries open for The Royal National Mòd® 2023 in Paisley

Published: 02 Feb 2023

The online entry system for this year’s Royal National Mòd is now open, An Comunn Gàidhealach has announced. Competitors wishing to take part in the 2023 event, taking place between 13-21 October 2023 in Paisley, have until midnight on Wednesday 31st May 2023 to submit their entries.

2023 will see the Gaeldom’s premiere musical and cultural event celebrating Gaelic language and culture return to Paisley for only the second time. The event was last held ten years ago in 2013 and proved to be a highly popular location among participants and audiences.

Last year’s 2022 event, held in Perth, saw the return of a full-scale Mòd following two years of disruption, with events held online and in a hybrid format in 2020 and 2021. Paisley will want to build on its successful legacy from the 2013 event by delivering another superb Mòd and having a positive effect on the town and the language in the area. The region has a rich cultural heritage of Gaelic-speaking people who migrated to Paisley in the late 18th and early 19th centuries to work in the thread-mill industry when the industry was thriving.

The full list of competitions taking place including singing, bàrdachd, instrumental, drama and Highland dancing categories can be found in the Mòd syllabuses at ancomunn.co.uk/nationalmod/syllabus and entries can be submitted at Entries

The online element remains a popular way for those wishing to take part in the event from afar and allows competitors to enter, record and upload their performances through the digital system. The online competitions and performances will be showcased via The Royal National Mòd’s social media channels as part of the event in October.

This year will also see the return of the prestigious Cogadh nan Còmhlan (Battle of the Bands) competition. Last year’s winners, BowReel, won the prize of a recording session experience with Wee
Studio in Stornoway.

Outwith the syllabus, the popular TikTok competition and Sruth event will make a welcome return to the 2023 syllabus. Sruth is an event aimed at encouraging more natural conversation among young people and is a fantastic opportunity to meet and chat with some of the most well-known faces in the Gaelic world. More information on these new additions can be found at www.ancomunn.co.uk.

The senior competition syllabus will also welcome back the latest additions of a new accompanied choirs’ competition aimed at harmony singing groups consisting of between five and ten singers and
a new solo singing contest, The CalMac Competition, open to adult learners.

The 2023 event will also see the return of the highly successful art exhibition coordinated by the Highland Society of London which champions creative works from across the Highlands and Islands. The exhibition will be hosted at The Briggait, Glasgow in conjunction with WASPS, a charity that provides affordable studios to artists across Scotland and will feature a special exhibition of last year’s winner, David Page from Mull.

Marina MacKay, Mòd Officer at An Comunn Gaidhealach, said: “I highly encourage anyone thinking about applying to take the plunge and submit their entry. Each year we see such a fantastic range of talent on display and Paisley 2023 will be no different. Those wishing to take part remotely can also apply online, making it accessible to all. We are so looking forward to seeing all of the amazing talent on offer at this year’s event.”

Shona MacLennan, Chief Executive Officer, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, said: “We are delighted to support the Royal National Mòd again, being held in Paisley for 2023. Its impact in increasing the use and promotion of Gaelic is invaluable, and its economic impact consistently demonstrates how important Gaelic is to the Scottish economy.”

Lorraine Cameron, Renfrewshire’s Provost, said: “I am looking forward to welcoming competitors and visitors to the area when The Royal National Mòd returns to Paisley this year, a decade since
it was last hosted in the town.

“Preparations for Mòd Phàislig are well underway to showcase and celebrate the very best of Gaelic culture and heritage.”

The Royal National Mòd is supported by EventScotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Renfrewshire Council, EventScotland, The Scottish Government, HIE, Caledonian MacBrayne, BBC ALBA and SQA.

This year’s Mòd will take place in Paisley from 13th-21st October 2023. For full details of the Mòd 2023 online entry system and syllabuses visit ancomunn.co.uk/nationalmod/syllabus and for prescribed pieces for Mòd 2023, visit ancomunn.co.uk/store .

For more information, contact An Comunn Gàidhealach at info@ancomunn.co.uk or phone: 01851 703487.

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