Double joy for Argyll choirs
Two Gaelic choirs from Argyll, which both involve Gaelic singer and BBC Alba weatherwoman Joy Dunlop from Connel, triumphed on the last day of the Royal National Mod in Glasgow, following news that the festival will return home to Oban in 2023.
Atomaig Piseag (Atomic Kitten), which draws female singers from across Argyll and beyond, almost achieved a clean sweep of all the silverware against nine listed competitors.
They won the top award for women’s area choirs, the giant Esme Smythe Trophy, and the Angus Johnston Trophy for the highest marks in music, but just missed out on the Donald Johnston U Johnston Trophy for the highest marks in Gaelic by one point – losing the cup to Còisir Ghàidhlig Ile Ghlaschu (Glasgow Islay Gaelic Choir).
Elsewhere in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Argyll male singers Còisir Ceann an Tuirc (The Boar’s Head Choir) won the coveted Mull and Iona Shield, the first prize for men’s area choirs. They too nearly carried all the silver home, beating six other competitors for the Cor Meibion Bro Glyndwr Trophy for the highest marks in music, and the fearsome Hector Russell Dirk given to the conductor of the victorious choir – Joy Dunlop.
But the men the Glen Ballachulish Trophy for the highest marks in Gaelic, which was won by a choir from the Mod’s host city, Ceòlraidh Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu (Glasgow Gaelic Musical Association). It finished second equal with Còisir Gàidhlig Ìle Ghlaschu’s men, which secured the same number of points overall for Gaelic and music.
‘I feel ecstatic,’ Atomaig Piseag’s conductor Raymond Bremner from Thrumster in Caithness, told The Oban Times.
‘Travelling that distance for 17 years has been tiring but never a chore, and this rewards it. The choir was put together in 2003 to compete in the 100th mod in Oban.
‘It was only meant to last a year. I only agreed to conduct the choir for one year. In 2010-14 we won the national competition five times in a row. Since the choir started this is the seventh time we have won it.
‘For the past three to four years it has not been at the level I knew we can compete at at the national mod. When we were doing well at the provincial mod on Mull, it was a good indicator. I just had a feeling they had it in them, and this fun song that we had about Glasgow, I thought that that would appeal, and it was a really good contrast to the set piece. It is a song of celebration on the drams in Glasgow, and then the realisation of it the morning after.
‘This is a choir that knows how to celebrate. As far as this conductor is concerned, every single member is off their head. Hence they can interpret this song very well. They are a wonderful bunch of girls who have all become my very good friends.’
It was a day of double joy for Joy Dunlop, a singer in Atomaig Piseag, but also the conductor of the winning male choir Còisir Ceann an Tuirc.
It is composed of just 11 singers, who travel from as far as Mull and Campbeltown to monthly practises in Lochgilphead. ‘We are a real Argyll choir,’ she said. ‘It is really lovely. We are a smaller choir – some are over 20 – and we have worked really hard, and travelled long distances.’