Festival convener wants young people to ‘spread the word’ on Caithness dialect
The convener of the Caithness Music Festival is hoping young people will “spread the word” about local dialect to ensure it continues to thrive for generations to come.
Marjory Richard adjudicated the dialect classes during the week-long festival at the Assembly Rooms in Wick and admitted it had been difficult to choose the winners.
The number of dialect entries had doubled from last year, from seven to 14, across children’s and adults’ sections.
“The youngsters were so good, it was difficult to pick winners – but unfortunately you have to, and that’s it,” Mrs Richard said. “And the adults were equally as good.
“Hopefully the kids will come back next year and spread the word about it because otherwise it’s going to fade, it’s going to just disappear.”
Asked whether she felt there was real danger of Caithness dialect being lost altogether, Mrs Richard replied: “I think there probably is in the coming years, but as long as I’m alive I’m going to keep it going.
“I was even talking broad Caithness when I was doing it. I was saying ‘Oh, I’m as stiff as an ould coo’ when I was getting up. It was lovely, we had good banter going with the kids.
“It was really enjoyable – it was a pleasure to adjudicate them.”
The 2025 festival, which concludes today, has again involved around 2500 competitors across all categories. Almost all the Caithness primary schools have been taking part, along with many from north Sutherland.
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Results – Wednesday afternoon: Piano, grade 1: 1 Orla Sinclair, Newton Park; 2 Josselin Sutherland, Lybster; 3eq Victoria Fryett, Music Monster, and Lottie Lamont, Wick High.
Piano, grade 2: 1 Izzy Alexander, Wick High; 2 Hanna Sandecka, Newton Park; 3 Archie Tait, Noss.
Piano, grade 3: 1 Olivia Sandecka, Wick High; 2 Abiela Williamson; 3eq Rory Davidson, Noss, Lilly Dow, Wick High, and Raegan Ross, Wick High.
Piano, grade 7 and above: 1 Leah Bullivant.
Piano, grade 6: 1 Olivia Singh, Thurso High; 2 Eliana Williamson.
Poem, boys P4: 1 Robbie Tait, Noss; 2 Michael Macdonald, Reay; 3eq Matthew Macdonald, Miller Academy, and Scott Vines, Mount Pleasant.
Poem, girls P4: 1 Hannah Sutherland, Newton Park; 2 Hannah Mackay, Noss; 3 Alanna Campbell, Pennyland.
Poem, boys P3: 1 Jack Beattie, Noss; 2 Daniel Sinclair, Noss; 3 Donald Henderson, Noss.
Poem, boys P2: 1 Murray Elder, Dunbeath; 2eq Ross Elder, Dunbeath, and Gregor Macdonald, Miller Academy.
Thursday – Traditional Scottish instrumental music group: 1 Thurso High School Scottish Group.
Chamber music: 1 Cousins’ Ensemble.
Junior lieder, S6 and under: 1 Martha Potts and Olivia Singh, Thurso High.
Scots fiddle ensembles, with or without accompaniment: 1 Thurso High School Fiddle Group.
Scots song, S1: 1 Martha Potts, Thurso High.
Instrumental duet, level 4 and above: 1 Abiela Williamson and Beth McColm (flute and violin).
Instrumental duet, level 7 and above: 1 Elizabeth Jones-Singh and Olivia Singh; 2 Leah Bullivant and Eliana Williamson; 3 Talitha Williamson and Rebekah Bullivant.
Duet, S1-2: 1 Victoria Fryett and Martha Potts, Thurso High School.
Instrumental duet, level 2: 1 Raegan Ross and Hollie Sinclair, Wick High.
Caithness dialect, P5 and under: 1 Grace Miller, Noss; 2 Robbie Tait, Noss; 3eq Reese Sutherland, Newton Park, Lauren Tunn, Reay, and Jesse-Rae Will, Keiss.
Caithness dialect, P6: 1eq Joshua Mackenzie and Archie Tait, both Noss.
Caithness dialect, P7: 1 Alex Vines, Mount Pleasant; 2 Jodie Bremner, Sarclet.
Caithness dialect, S1-2: 1 Marcus Bremner, Sarclet.
Caithness dialect, adult: 1 Lesley Hendry, Wick; 2eq Marney Bruce, Wick, and Alison Vines, Thurso.
Piano, preliminary: 1 Heidi Ross, Newton Park; 2 Albert Jakobik, Lybster; 3eq Bonus Ampaipit, Lybster, Anya Donaldson, Newton Park, and Robert Oag, Newton Park.
Woodwind, preliminary: 1 Poppy Robertson, Mount Pleasant.
Woodwind, grade 1: Hannah Broughton, Thurso High.
Woodwind, grade 2: Millie Hather, Thurso High.
Woodwind, grade 3: Zoe Wallace, Thurso High.
Woodwind, grade 4: Abiela Williamson.
Small groups, six maximum, any instruments: 1 Thurso High School Brass.
Brass, grade 6: 1 Charlie Denley Spencer, Thurso High. Brass, grade 2: Cara Sinclair, Watten. Brass, grade 3: Theo Eaves, Watten.
Trophies – Katrina Geddes Shield: Izzy Alexander. Johnstone Shield: Olivia Sandecka. Patterson Marrwood and Sons Cup: Leah Bullivant.
Manola Harper Cup: Olivia Singh. Pentland Cup: Hannah Sutherland. Grover Clyne Centenary Bowl: Jack Beattie. Daniel Quinn Lundie Shield: Murray Elder.
Margaret Henderson Memorial Salver Trophy for Scottish music: Thurso High School Scottish Group. Margaret Henderson Memorial Salver Trophy for chamber music: Cousins’ Ensemble. Anita Oberlander Cup: Martha Potts and Olivia Singh.
Ian Sinclair ACV Memorial Shield: Thurso High School Fiddle Group. Margaret Green Quaich, secondary: Martha Potts. Wick Junior Scroll: Abiela Williamson and Beth McColm.
Betty Maxwell Glass Piano Trophy: Olivia Singh and Elizbeth Jones-Singh. Sinclair Shield: Victoria Fryett and Martha Potts.
James M Gunn Dialect Quaich: Grace Miller. Henrietta Munro Shield: Archie Tait and Joshua Mackenzie (first equal). Omand Shield: Alex Vines.
John Munro Shield: Marcus Bremner. Field of Noss Quaich: Marcus Bremner. Caithness Glass Paperweight Trophy, adults: Lesley Hendry.
Wick Town Council Shield: Heidi Ross. Roy Stewart Memorial Shield: Zoe Wallace. Sheila Lewry Appreciation Shield: Abiela Williamson.
Wick Quatercentenary Trophy: Thurso High School Brass Group.
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