Royal National Mod 2018 – a Mid Argyll round-up

After eight days of beautiful music, singing and language, the world’s largest Gaelic festival, the Royal National Mod, sent participants home from Dunoon with trophies and smiles of triumph.

Trained and supported by choir conductor Josie Campbell and Gaelic coach Christine Johnston, Mid Argyll was well-represented by a number of singers.

From Inveraray, Feorlin Renton and Rosie Blyth, both aged nine, came in second in their duet singing competition as well as Daria Derevyankin and Aimee Burnett, singing for Tarbert Academy.

Tilly Cunningham, Brodie and Isabelle Crawford of Inveraray, Eilidh Graham from Lochgilphead, Sophie Phillips from Ardrishaig, Evan Robertson and Angus McLean from Kilmartin, all did their schools and towns proud by singing solo in the learners’ competitions.

Alasdair McLean, coached by Iain MacPherson, represented Lochgilphead well by singing in the open solo competition in St John’s Church.

Shona Keith, from Lochgair, also won two second places in the adults’

open solo singing with her rendition of Eilean Idhe and Oran do Iain Breac MacLeoid. A proud Shona said: ‘I got second!’ before getting to work practising for her next competition where she came equal third singing with Argyll choir Atomaig Piseag.

Islay was well represented in the girls’ competitions by Josie Rountree, Charlet Rose, Dearbhla Newman and Megan McMillan. Ten-yearold Lauren Morris won The Cowal Trophy for her poetry recital and from the boys, Aiden Munro, aged nine, came third in the boys’ solo singing.

The Royal National Mòd will be back on October 11, 2019 in Glasgow.

51_MOD42lm2_C52 Left: Atomaig Piseag choir with conductor Raymond Bremner came third in the ladies’ area choirs competition on Friday morning. 17_TMOD43DM03_Friday; and above, Liam Gray, 10, from Islay came first in the boys’ solo singing, nine-10 learners, winning the Dr Archie MacKinnon Memorial Trophy.

51_MOD42lm2_A271 Shona Keith, from Lochgilphead, won two second places in solo singing and a third with Atomaig Piseag.

51_MOD42lm3_A271 Alasdair McLean, Lochgilphead, competed in the solo singing of a song relating to Mull or Iona.

51_MOD42lm3_C51 Charlet Rose, nine, from Islay competed in the solo girls’ singing.

51_MOD42lm1_C52 Aiden Munro, aged nine, from Islay came third in the boys’ solo singing.