The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Here for the competition – and Dunoon’s scenery
More winners crowned as Royal National Mod rolls on
Amum-to-be and a children’s television presenter took the top prizes in the Gold Medal competition at this year’s Royal National Mod. It was a triple success for an Inverness Gaelic teacher Ceitidh Campbell, nee Smith, who lives in Inverness.
She had been in the Gold Medal competition eight times, winning this year while six-and-a-half months pregnant.
The 31-year-old has been supported at every local and national competition, an effort she says has paid off, when it comes to having songs learned early in the year.
She said: “I like to learn my words and my songs, and perform them in front of people as early as possible. If people can, they should support provincial mods as it gets Gaelic out and into the communities.”
On winning the Gold Medal, Ceitidh said: “I am still in shock. I cannot quite believe it.”
Wearing the badge of her husband Iain’s former regiment, Ceilidh said: “Iain gave me a badge for this year’s competitions and he reminded me that the epitaph is ‘Second to None’.
“I have been attending provincial and national mods since I was very young, and I have been in competitions since I was five.”
Ceitidh is a Gaelic teacher at Millburn Academy in Inverness.
Councillor Andrew Baxter, of Highland Council, said: “Well done to Ceitidh for bringing the Mod Gold medals home to the Highlands. On behalf of the committee, I extend a special thanks to Ceitidh for her success. While this is a truly personal achievement, her success will also reflect positively on pupils that she teaches. The Mod Gold medal is a pinnacle to which many Gaelic singers aspire and her achievement is inspirational. Well done, Ceitidh.”
A young man who swapped a onesie for a kilt made winning Gold look like child’s play. Gaelic children’s television presenter Ruaraidh Cormack, from Portree, won the men’s Gold Medal, after taking gold in the Oran Mor earlier in the day.
The 24-year-old spends much of his day making television programmes for under fives as part of children’s television, and said his colleagues were poking fun at him for looking so smart in his kilt.
“They were saying ‘we hope you come out in your onesie – no one will recognise you’.”
Ruaraidh’s dad, Arthur Cormack, is a former winner of the Gold Medal. The family are from Portree on Skye.
He said: “I was still learning my songs in the last few weeks, so I am delighted, and a little bit surprised, to have won at only my second time of entering the competition.”
Ruaraidh’ sister, Eilidh, was named Gaelic learner of the year at a ceremony earlier in the week.
“They were saying ‘we hope you come in your onesie’”