​Scotland’s biggest celebration of Gaelic language and culture, the Royal National Mòd, is officially off and running for 2025.

A glittering Torchlight Procession opened the event in style last night, with locals and international visitors alike joining forces to illuminate the streets of Fort William in host area Lochaber.

The spellbinding scenes continued with Gaelic powerhouse Dàimh headlining at an exhilarating opening concert at the Nevis Centre Auditorium, supported by Ceilear – a collective of young musicians originally brought together by Dàimh band member Angus MacKenzie.

Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, this year’s prestigious Gaelic Learner of the Year and Friends of the Mòd honours were announced at a special civic reception.

Selected by Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Martin Robertson was crowned Gaelic Learner of the Year. Hailing from the small village of Arnisdale in Glenelg, where Gaelic was commonly spoken, Martin’s first real foray into learning the language began at school.

As his love of Gaelic culture and history grew, so too did his awareness that the number of fluent speakers in the local area was declining. So, upon graduating from the University of Stirling, Martin enrolled at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig to develop his own command of the language. Not only did he go on to gain a BA in Gaelic and Music but he has also become an active ambassador of all things Gaelic, both at home in Glenelg and throughout the wider community.

Martin Robertson said: “I’m delighted to receive this award. Although I started learning Gaelic in high school, during my time at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig I was determined to become fluent and getting this award helps me realise that I’ve managed to do that. Gaelic now plays a big part in my life, in my work and socially, and I’m very thankful for that.”

Alongside Gaelic Learner of the Year Martin Robertson, four new Friends of the Mòd were recognised for their significant contributions to the Gaelic language: Mairi MacNeil who lives in Inverness; Fort William face Jimmy Cameron; Donnie MacGillivray from Ardnamurchan; and long-time Lochaber ‘local’ Chrissie MacEachen, who died earlier this year, only days short of her 90th birthday.

Recipient Mairi MacNeil was born in Greenock to a family with strong ties to Lewis, resulting in her attending her first Mòd aged just five years old. She would go on, later in life, to help set up an all-new Mòd – Poolewe in the north-west Highlands, where Mairi and late husband Finlay ran a B&B – along with serving as a competition chairperson for many years.

For Jimmy Cameron, originally from Ardnamurchan but has lived most of his life in Fort William, it was close friend and ‘Lochaber Mòdfather’ Charles MacColl who sparked his love of Gaelic music, encouraging him to join the local choir. Now an accomplished singer, accordionist and master of ceremonies, Jimmy is a familiar face at the Mòd and travels to Ireland’s Pan Celtic Festival annually.

Also hailing from Ardnamurchan is honoree Donnie MacGillivray, co-founder of Shiel Buses. From small beginnings, the company has since amassed a fleet of over 50 buses, providing services locally and nationally. A long-time supporter of the Mòd, Donnie is actively involved in helping transport competitors, performers and audiences alike around the festival via a special shuttle service – including the much-loved, recently restored MacBraynes bus.

Chrissie MacEachen was posthumously awarded the honour for her lifelong contribution to Gaelic. A native speaker from South Uist, Chrissie competed in her first Mòd aged nine. She went on to become a central figure in the Gaelic community, later settling in Lochaber. Chrissie won the Traditional Gold Medal in Skye in 1982 and began the Lochaber Junior Gaelic Choir, who she led to notable Mòd successes – an outstanding contribution that earned Chrissie the Freedom of Lochaber in 2007.

This year’s awards bring the total number of Friends of the Mòd, a new honour officially introduced in 2022, to 17-strong.

Picking up where day one’s celebrations left off, today’s programme is every bit as packed, with a host of competitions and Mòd Fringe performances to look forward to.

Alba Football Association (FA) men’s team will be raring to go with a two-day Training Camp at Lochaber High School Astro. Meanwhile, on the shinty pitches, players will be every bit as keen to get play underway, with last year’s Mòd Shinty Cup fixtures having been cancelled due to rain.

The Youth Mòd Cup and Women’s Mòd Cup, featuring Lochaber v Glengarry, will take place at Fraser’s Field, and the Men’s Mòd Cup, which will see Ardnamurchan face Ballachulish, will play out at An Àird.

It’s not just the Gaelic sports that can expect to see friendly rivalry. Close to 200 competitions in language, poetry, dance and music also get underway today. Amongst them will be firm favourite of the Mòd calendar, the piping contests, with the country’s under 16s and 16 to 18 year olds competing in the Junior Piping Competitions, followed by the Senior Piping Competitions featuring Premier A Grade and B Grade categories, each with a Piobaireachd, March and a Strathspey and Reel.

After the day’s drama comes a chance for festivalgoers to let their hair down with the return of the ever-popular Ar Cànan ‘s ar Ceòl concert at the Nevis Centre from 7.30pm tonight.

The line-up will feature talent from across Lochaber and the surrounding areas, with musical performances from pipe bands, Gaelic choirs, Lochaber Strathspey and Reel Society, Fèis Lochabair Cèilidh Trail, Ardnamurchan High School group ‘Sealladh’ – and, not to be missed, a special house-band of renowned local musicians Ewen Henderson, Rachel Walker, Angus Nicolson, Ross Martin and Robert Nairn. There will also be high-energy dance displays from the Jane Douglas School of Dance to get toes well and truly tapping.

For those seeking time for reflection and worship, tomorrow will see the Mòd Church Service take place from 2.30pm at Duncansburgh Church, with the service broadcast live on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal. This will be followed at 7pm with a heartfelt Celtic Praise event, hosted by Celtic Worship, featuring a mix of sung worship and music by performers young and old.

Maggie Cunningham, Chair of An Comunn Gàidhealach, said: “Making any Mòd happen is a huge undertaking by many different parties, not least the local organising committee and volunteers. So to see a response on the scale that we have here at the Lochaber Mòd, from the high turnouts at our opening night celebrations to the number of competition entries and fringe tickets sold, is hugely heartwarming.

“It also speaks volumes about the love, energy and support there is for Gaelic language and culture across different generations and amongst communities near and far.”

This year’s event is supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland, Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Highland Council, The Scottish Government, Caledonian MacBrayne, BBC ALBA, Creative Scotland and SQA.

The Royal National Mòd runs in Lochaber until 18 October. Tickets for flagship events at https://buytickets.at/ancomunn.

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