PICTURES: Hope for the future after ‘joyful and positive’ local Mod
Organisers have described Saturday’s Caithness and Sutherland Local Mod in Bettyhill as a “joyful and positive” event.
“We were really happy with how it went. The atmosphere was fantastic and it was a great weekend, not just a day,” said Carol-Anne Farquhar of north coast traditional music education charity, Fèis air an Oir.
“It was like a mini festival, with a singing workshop on Friday, a family ceilidh and an Evening of Gaelic and Song on Saturday.”
The enthusiasm and support for the Mod that was evident on the day has buoyed organisers who were concerned that the event’s popularity was waning due to it having only been held twice in the last six years, partly due to the pandemic.
“Things are definitely looking much more positive for Gaelic language and song on the north coast,” said Carol-Anne. “Exciting things are happening in the schools. We are delighted as a committee to have played a part in that and to have been a direct factor in the revival.”
Around 50 separate competitions were held at Farr High School with the majority of entrants children, although there were adult entries for the solo singing and poetry classes.
“Some competitions had five or six entries, but the average entry was between one and three. But hopefully this is the start of it growing back again,” said Carol-Anne.
“We had a really good turnout from north Sutherland - all the local primaries entered a choir as well as performing an action song. There were also entries from the wider Sutherland area, including Lairg and Rogart, as well as from Caithness, including Wick, Castletown and Halkirk.
The Adjudicators were musicians and singers Rachel Walker and Aaron Jones, as well as Fiona Mackenzie, Angus McPhee and Jennifer Port.
“The adjudicators said that the numbers may not have been as high as they have been in previous years, but the standard certainly was,” said Carol-Anne.
The winners of the competitions receive a trophy or a shield, and all competitors are awarded a medal in recognition of their efforts.
Esther Spratt from Strathy and Mia Martin from Tongue, shared the award for the most outstanding competitor of the day. Both girls receive singing tuition through Fèis air an Oir from Catriona Macleod of Strathnaer, who is a former Mod competitor.
Carole-Anne said: “The committee considers the highest marks of the day and how many disciplines competitors took part in. Esther and Mia both competed in the solo singing, the whistle competition and the art competition. They also played with feis groups and were part of school choirs. They competed in everything with smiles and enthusiasm.”
For the first time, there was a competitor from the north coast in the clarsach competition Ellie from Skerray has been learning the clarsach with Fèis air an Oir tutor Ayla Barr Moir.
Carol-Anne gave a special mention to Ella Miller from Thrumster who broke her wrist just days before the Mod but still took part in the piping competition.
She thanked everyone who had supported the Mod events, as well as the following funders: Dounreay Communities Fund, Tongue, Melness and SkerrayCommunity Council, Bettyhill, Strathnaver, Altnaharra Community Council, Melvich Community Council, O’Brien Construction ltd, Woldburn Distillery, ScotRail, the Strath Halladale Partnership.
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