Royal National Mòd 2015

Your FREE Mòd 2015 Royal National entertainment guide Mòd 2015 INSIDE: Torchlight procession Full nine kicks off day listings Mòd 2015 LOVE Oban and The This will be a spec- Royal National Mòd are tacular event not to be organising a spectacular missed. Torchlight Procession on Groups, families and for all the Friday, October 9. choirs are welcome to The march will meet at take part and bring along Station Square at 6.15pm a banner. and will depart shortly For more details, con- afterwards. tact Neil Mackay, town Mòd fringe Award-winning Oban event manager, on: 01631 High School pipe band 569 915. will lead the procession. The formal Mòd Revellers will make Opening Ceremony will their way along the sea- commence at 7.30pm. front towards the Corran It is a ticketed event. events Halls. Flames from burning torches will light the path. SINCE The Royal Na- For many reporters memories the black and one click away. one free, voucher for tional Mòd began 124 they have seen children white pictures stir up. While many had to use on the new website. years ago, Oban has come through the Many will also ask wait a week or more for www.obantimes.co.uk/ been at its very heart. ranks, to then go on to what on earth possessed their picture to be seen, mod The Oban Times has compete as adults. them to have their hair this year for the first The Oban Times, in Oban Times recorded the highs This year will see style, or indeed wear time people will be able partnership, with Oban and lows of the biggest some of the archives what they did. to view their pictures Phoenix Cinema, are Scottish Gaelic festival. from Mod editions and While many of the almost immediately. hosting a photobooth. And rightly so has fol- in particular the photos newspaper archives Bringing the service Come along every day lowed the competition go online. are rare and fragile to up to the minute - pho- from 9am to have your all over the country to Like the skateboard- touch - the new display tographs taken by Oban picture taken. During and the Mòd: see the west coast and ing Highlander, above, is an easy resource to Times staff will be the day, photographers its Gaelic competitors. the Oban Times has the use for people from all available online from will be on hand to snap Staff have dedicated best catalogue as it has over the world. midnight on the day your pictures. Tweet their time to reporting recorded the Mod for While the archives they have been taken. and Facebook your pic- on events, seeking out more than 100 years. can be looked at via As a special introduc- tures with the hashtag winners, commentating Looking through the The National Library tory offer next week in #otmod and the best on those taking part archive readers will be in London, the online The Oban Times there will be published on lifelong pals from all over the region. amazed at how many photo resource is only will be a buy one, get our homepage. Coming home: Donald and Karen open Royal National Mòd 2015 THIS year’s Am Mòd and the Oban High tions in Highland Danc- and celebrate talented wonderful that there supporter of the Royal Nàiseanta Rìoghail, The School Trad Band ing, Gaelic Music and musicians from around is still such a thirst for National Mòd, for many Royal National Mòd, will complete the bill for the Song, Sport, Literature the world with our excit- traditional and Gaelic years as we greatly value open with a sensational opening concert which and Drama. ing programme of events. music in Scotland.’ the opportunity it gives homecoming concert will take place in the The Fringe will run ‘We’re delighted to Paul Bush OBE, us to meet and engage headlined by Capercail- Corran Halls following alongside the contests have secured Donald director of events at with people from across lie’s Donald Shaw and a torchlight procession and has a packed pro- and Karen to open this VisitScotland, said: ‘We our network. Karen Matheson. from Station Square to gramme of concerts, year’s event – it’s not to are delighted to be once ‘Oban is at the centre Scotland’s biggest the venue. music sessions, poetry, be missed.’ again supporting the of our network and our Gaelic cultural festival, Organised by An Co- dance and other art Karen Matheson, of Royal National Mòd, busiest port so we are will return to Oban this munn Gàidhealach, the forms of every descrip- Capercaillie, said: ‘Tra- which is a fantastic cele- especially delighted that autumn for the first time oldest and most respect- tion. ditional Scottish music bration of Scotland’s rich it is hosting the Mod this since 2009 and the nine ed national Gaelic organ- John Morrison, chief has been part of my cultural heritage and the year. day spectacular will take isation, the Mod is the executive of An Comunn whole life and, as a kid, Gaelic language. ‘We have happy mem- place from Friday 9, to most important festival Gàidhealach, said: I even took part in The ‘Scotland is the perfect ories of the Oban Mod Saturday 17, October. of the Gaelic language ‘We’re thrilled to be Royal National Mòd, so stage for events, and in 2009 and are sure this Organisers aim to in Scotland. Thousands returning to Oban for the to have it return to my the extensive fringe year will be every bit as have a positive impact of competitors and spec- first time in six years. hometown of Oban is programme at this year’s successful.’ on Oban and are setting tators from throughout ‘Competition is at the really exciting. Mod will showcase For a full event pro- the tone by kick-starting Scotland, the UK and heart of the Mod and ‘I was thrilled to be the very best of Gaelic gramme and details, proceedings with a from all corners of the we have had substantial asked to take part in culture.’ visit www.ancomunn. performance by Donald globe including USA, entries this year. The the opening ceremony Martin Dorchester, co.uk. and Karen, who hail Australia and Holland Fringe also means we with Donald and other Managing Director of Tickets are availa- from Argyll and formed will descend on Oban can bring Gaelic culture terrific acts. The Caledonian MacBrayne ble now from The Capercaillie in the town. to take part and watch to a new audience, Gaels Mod festival line up (CalMac) said: ‘Cal- Mòd Shop, George Kirsteen Macdonald more than 200 competi- and non-Gaels together looks amazing and it’s Mac has been a proud Street, Oban. Royal National 2 Mòd 2015 Welcome to Oban Let the party begin THE convener of ture in a more informal ‘If the nerves are with Oban, Lorn and the setting. anyone it will be no Isles area committee, ‘Those interested in one more than family councillor Roddy Gaelic are making their and friends who have Townspeople all ‘gold medalists’ McCuish of Argyll and way to Oban to find out come to see loved ones Bute council, welcomed what it is – and Oban perform. I wish the best visitors to the town and and our islands are the of luck to you all. said the hospitality they best way to find out. ‘Oban is the best place and backbone of the festival would find here would ‘The Mòd fringe pro- to relax after the compe- be second to none, gramme includes many titions – from a swim in Mr McCuish, an Oban varied and interesting Atlantis, or catching a A MESSAGE of welcome competition and social essence of the history of things to see and do man, said: ‘Oban is the events. film at the cinema. Both to the Royal National exuberance. of the highlands and in and around Oban in perfect home for the ‘I have no doubt that venues are community Mod from David Adams ‘These scenes will be islands of Scotland October, and encourage Royal National Mod. there will be very few owned and offer to the McGilp, regional direc- played out in a town in a captured through per- them to return. The ‘A s children we grew beds left with family West Highlands the tor of Visit Scotland. region thick with Gaelic formance– and the Mod town and neighbouring up with the culture of and friends coming industrious spirit of our ‘Oban welcomes the influence: the familiarity experience burns itself countryside epitomise Gaelic all around us from all over the world people. Royal National Mod of place-names, road into the senses of per- the west highlands: – and it is great to see to take part in the fes- ‘The Gaelic language for the sixteenth time signs, even the given formers and audiences simultaneously elegant our children and our tival competitions and is important to Oban since An Comunn and nicknames of those across backgrounds and and hearty, the area is children’s children now fringe events. and the islands. Long Gàidhealach founded closest to us will take on generations. extraordinarily scenic having the opportuni- ‘There is nothing may its traditions and the festival in the town in special significance, as ‘This is a celebration and accessible. ties with Gaelic her- quite like it– many hospitality remain in 1892. Hooray! the local population plays of Gaeldom in all its ‘Visitors often marvel itage and culture that of our own children, the town. ‘The world’s premier host to scholars, artists, richness, but also a at how quickly they can my generation certainly grand children and ‘The Mod fringe Gaelic festival returns performers and lovers of celebration of regional retreat to wilderness, missed out on.

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