Key honours and Gaelic education celebrated at opening event as competitions kick off

‘Gaelic is alive and thriving’ – that was the resounding message from this year’s host city of the Royal National Mòd, as the 2026 event officially opened in Glasgow yesterday.

The world-renowned Glasgow Royal Concert Hall set the celebratory tone from the start, dedicating the flagship Ar Cànan ’s Ar Ceòl concert to marking four decades of Gaelic Medium Education in the city – an achievement credited with making Glasgow a major stronghold and home to one of the fastest-growing communities of Gaelic learners.

Concertgoers were guided on a musical journey through the decades by hosts and cousins Phil MacHugh and Catrìona (Carrie) MacNeil, with performances from indie trad band DLÙ, amongst others, and a rousing orchestral score performed by pupils past and present.

Reaffirming that Gaelic is a relevant and flourishing language, the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall also provided the setting to announce this year’s Gaelic Learner of the Year and Friends of the Mòd.

Danielle Stewart, a 27-year-old from Dunfermline with no family ties to the language, was named Gaelic Learner of the Year by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Danielle’s passion began with photographing Gaelic-speaking regions and practicing on Duolingo. After taking multiple courses at the college and moving to Skye, she now uses Gaelic daily in her community, classes, and online content, and is keen to encourage other newcomers to learn the language.

Commenting on being awarded Gaelic Learner of the Year, Danielle said: “It means so much to me to have received this award. As someone who grew up with no Gaelic around me or in my family, the language has opened up a whole new world to me. I’m so grateful to have been welcomed into the Gaelic community and it is now a huge part of my life! I once said I had no interest in learning Gaelic, so to end up fluent and receiving this award feels wild! I couldn’t imagine my life without the language now!”

Four new Friends of the Mòd were also unveiled last night, an honour introduced in 2022 to recognise outstanding community contributions to Gaelic. These included ‘adopted’ Glaswegians Kenneth Thomson, Kenna Campbell and Mairead Macleod – originally hailing from Campbeltown, Skye and Edinburgh respectively – along with Kirsteen Grant, who was born near Glasgow.

Kenneth ‘Kenny’ Thomson is best known for his 42-year tenure as conductor of the Glasgow Gaelic Musical Association – or ‘GGs’ – leading the choir to over 20 major Mòd trophies. Kenny has produced more than 100 choral arrangements and his extraordinary contribution was formally recognised with a British Empire Medal in 2022.

Skye-born Gaelic singer, educator and mentor Kenna Campbell won the 1959 Royal National Mòd Gold Medal. Kenna helped establish Glasgow’s first Gaelic-medium primary school provision and has shaped generations of Gaelic singers through roles at Fèis, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig and the RSAMD, earning her an MBE in 2017.

Mairead Macleod first competed at the Royal National Mòd in 1959, winning a traditional singing prize, before securing the Silver Medal in 1962 and Gold Medal in 1970. She co-founded the acclaimed folk group Na h-Òganaich the following year, winning the Mòd’s group competition and performing both nationally and internationally. Mairead is an active, honoured ambassador who has connected many to the language.

Former Mòd Gold Medallist Kirsteen Grant is a prominent singer, conductor, and arranger. Having conducted Gaelic choirs for much of her life – including leading both the Stirling Gaelic Choir and Glasgow Islay Gaelic Choir to victories in the prestigious Lovat and Tulllibardine Shield competitions – Kirsteen has adjudicated at Mòds across Scotland and Canada. She has also created more than 150 musical arrangements and served on An Comunn’s Mòd and Music Committee.

This year’s inductees to Gaeldom’s Hall of Fame bring the total number of Friends of the Mòd to 21-strong.

Looking ahead to day two and the opening of the competitive events, festivalgoers can expect an even fuller programme than usual, with a record number of entrants across language, poetry, dance, and music.

High on the must-see list will be the annual Mòd Piping Championships. The country’s U16s and 16-18s will strike up at City of Glasgow College in the Junior Piping Competitions. The Senior Piping Competitions will take place at the National Piping Centre, with Premier & A Grade and B Grade categories testing competitors in Pìobaireachd, March, and Strathspey and Reel events.

Also getting underway on day two is the much-loved Mòd Fringe. Continuing the tradition of ‘super sports Saturday’, the action kicks off – quite literally – with Mòd Football at Glasgow Green. The day-long event begins with coaching and games for the U6-U12s, led by Alba FA, before the U14-16s Highland team take on home team Glasgow for the John-Archie MacKenzie Cup.

Playing close by will be the country’s shinty players. The event opens with Glasgow’s P4-7s competing in a sixes tournament for The Mòd Glasgow Cup. Next up will be the Women’s Mòd Shinty Cup with Glasgow Mid-Argyll taking on Aberdour for the LearnGaelic Challenge Cup; a pairing that will be replicated in the Men’s Mòd Shinty Cup as they vie for The Aviemore Trophy.

Off the pitch, there’s the opportunity for Glasgow Medium Education alumni to re-connect over a morning cuppa at GME@40 Show and Tell. Then, in the afternoon, there’s The Lantern Fireside Tales – an informal cèilidh-style gathering featuring stories from special guests and an open floor for others to share a story of their own – along with a workshop on Gaelic & Peatland hosted by Ross Christie from NatureScot Peatland Action.

All of which provides the perfect build-up to an evening with one of Gaeldom’s best-known musical families, Cèilidh with the Cormacks. Taking place at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, the event features special guests Allan Henderson, Seonaidh MacIntyre, Murdo ‘Yogi’ Cameron, and sisters Emma and Claire Macleod.

Maggie Cunningham, Chair of An Comunn Gàidhealach, said: “Seeing each new edition of the Royal National Mòd get underway is always a hugely special moment and Glasgow has once again done itself and the event proud. By extending its famously warm welcome to one and all, the ‘City of Gaels’ has created a festival line-up inclusive of fluent speakers, learners, and newcomers alike – an approach that looks set to grow Gaeldom’s loyal following even further over the festival and long beyond and show that Gaelic is alive and thriving.”

This year’s Royal National Mòd, which runs in Glasgow until Saturday 17 October 2026, is supported by Glasgow Life, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, The Scottish Government, VisitScotland, Caledonian MacBrayne, BBC ALBA, Creative Scotland and Qualifications Scotland.

For more information and tickets visit https://modghlaschu2026.org.

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