Honour for singer Eilidh as National Mod gets under way

A YOUNG singer has been named Gaelic ambassador of the year as the Royal National Mod returns for another year.

The Gaelic cultural festival started with a special celebration honouring Scotland’s Year of Young People at a ceremony in the Queen’s Hall in Dunoon, Argyll and Bute.

The audience heard from the Royal National Mod’s president Allan Campbell before traditional groups SIAN and Beinn Lee took to the stage for an evening of music.

The groups were invited to perform at the ceremony as part of the Year of Young People celebrations, with all members in their twenties.

Earlier in the day, the prestigious Gaelic ambassador of the year award was presented to 22-year-old Eilidh Cormack, from Portree on Skye.

The award, presented by MSP Mike Russell, celebrated how much she has accomplished within the Gaelic community at such a young age.

She said: “I am absolutely delighted to have been awarded with the Gaelic ambassador of the year at the Royal National Mod this year and I certainly wasn’t expecting it, especially being so young.

“It’s going to encourage me to not only look back and appreciate what I’ve been doing and what the Mod have recognised, but also encourage me to keep doing it for years to come.”

In his speech, Campbell paid tribute to the late John Macleod, who was president of the Mod for 10 years and announced that An Comunn Gaidhealach, organisers of the Mod, will establish an annual lecture in his memory.

The first annual John Macleod Memorial Lecture will take place in January at the University of Edinburgh, where Macleod studied law.

John Morrison, chief executive of An Comunn Gaidhealach, said: “We are delighted to kickstart this year’s Royal National Mod and are excited to showcase Scotland’s best Gaelic talent once more.

“The announcement honouring the late